I am a new author and as such I feel this really gives me a certain advantage, a superpower of sorts and with great power comes great responsibility. One such responsibility is my promise to you my reader, never to wear spandex.

Seriously though, I am enjoying this voyage of learning so very much and I must say that I appreciate each and every one of you who have shown me so much support along the way. To each of you who have spent money out of your own pocket to buy a copy of one or more of my books, I am indebted to you. Without you I could not follow this dream.

To those of you who have taken the time to leave reviews of my books, good, bad and otherwise, I do appreciate your words. Because when you take the time to critique me in order to help me, it can only make me a better writer.

I find that the same "creative juices" flow when I am writing as when I am creating my art, the pleasure I get from a reader that enjoys one of my stories is just as intense as that of when a client is over the moon happy with one of my commissions for them.

Growing up in the cozy little town of Siloam Springs, Arkansas I found myself on many a day, fishing pole in hand, heading to one of my favorite spots on Sager Creek as a child. Nestled in beautiful Northwest Arkansas, Siloam Springs is a gem of a town that was founded in 1882 and was known for its spring water. In fact, people would come from across the country to partake in the healing properties of those waters.

Many things have changes since my early childhood, such as the passing of the person I called father just before I was 12 years old, my grandfather, Francis Elder. His passing hit our family hard, I suddenly found myself being the man of the house. Trying to find ways to help pay the bills, fix our home and still be a kid.

Later in life the passing of the person I called mother, my grandmother, Vivian Elder. Her passing hit me very hard, she had always been very close by. The last few years of her life were spent living with myself and my family. Though being by her side in the hospital for the many days that it took before she passed on took its toll on me, I would not trade those moments for anything in the world. Holding her hand as she passed meant something profound to me.

My voyage into stained glass work began before I graduated from high school, whereas my voyage of becoming an author began fairly recently. I enjoy both with great passion.

We can plan for the future, but we can never know what it truly holds for us. So treat each day as the precious gift it is, those are the words I wish to write and impart to you today.