Umpy's Toe

And Other Tales

I wrote my first children's story, "Umpy's Toe," in 2001. It was loosely based on the true story of a cat, who always seemed to be in some kind of trouble. The first couple of sentences just popped into my head one day when my daughter, who lived out West at the time told me, as we were talking on the phone, about the latest trouble her cat, Umpy, had gotten into. This time, she had pulled a toenail almost completely off. The last thing I expected was to write a story about it, but words just kept popping into my head until I just had to write them down. Before I knew it, I had a whole story! I so much enjoyed the experience that before long, I had dozens of stories! My mind just wouldn't quit! I loved reading my stories to my grandchildren and even my grown children, my husband, and a few other family members and friends. Almost everyone told me and have continued to tell me through the years that I should get them published. I finally listened! So here are just a few of my favorites.