Growing up under the hot Kansas sun, I spent many hours under the apricot tree with my nose stuck in a book or writing in my scruffy notebooks, carefully composing sterotypically bad teenage poetry with a number two pencil. Exploring writing as an adult, I found my voice blogging about my observations and musings surrounding life under the pen name, Avie Layne. Creative Writing classes at college opened my eyes to the idea of short stories for young adults and ignited new writing passion--many based on the stories of my parent’s poor childhood growing up in the Ozarks of Arkansas in the late 40s early 50s, while others have been based on my own crazy life.
A Little Bit About Me
The real woman behind the name: Deanna Keller.
I wanted to teach English and literature, so back to school I went at the age of 46. I completed my undergraduate in English at The College of St. Scholastica and my MA-English at Arizona State. On one side, as an LPN, I work full time doing quality review in healthcare. On the other side, I teach English & literature at Lake Superior College whenever there is a need for an extra instructor/professor. I have fun serving as an advisor for Alpha Upsilon Gamma the Lake Superior Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and as the Associate Regional Coordinator for Minn-Kota. I’ve been privileged to be published by Feminine Collective.
My long range plan is to continue teaching from our little hobby farm while gardening, raising chickens and bees, and cooking with our own organic food for 6-months of the year. I would love to teach some of the cooking and homesteading skills passed on by my mother and grandmother. Skills that are slowly being forgotten in our fast paced society. The other six? Teaching English as a second language to students in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, while taking photographs and exploring Asian Cusine with the love of my life.
I live at what we affectionately call “ The Lake House” with Shawn. Having fun doing archery, kayaking, cooking, watching movies, and reading and writing of course.
I am just a woman who found the freedom to fly later in life and REALLY took to her wings. Perhaps those wings will include a doctorate at some point—who knows.
Nature, relationships, family, friends......Life and the living of it inspires what I write.....Blog
Comments? Please feel free to email me at: avielayne@gmail.com
