I'm Laurie K Merrick. A mother of two, and so far grandmother of three beautiful grandchildren. My husband, John, and I enjoy living our country home with its amazing views in Litchfield, Pennsylvania. We share our little piece of heaven with our daughter, three horses, a flock of chickens, a gaggle of ducks, one dog and three cats. I belong to the local Salvation Army Church located in Sayre, Pennsylvania. There I teach Sunday school classes, the Junior Church and also volunteer my time with the Youth Program. The Salvation Army Church is also the very same place where I came to know my husband thirty years ago. We eventually were married in this church.

Although my husband and I have been together for many years, there was one very special thing he did not know about me. This was my love for writing. I can remember back to when I was in the first grade. I was hooked the very first time I had opened the popular children’s book, "Dick and Jane." The stories and illustrations intrigued me so much that it lead me on to more books, trips to the local library and eventually writing my own stories. Unfortunately many of my early short stories parodied on the "Dick and Jane" series were lost. I had thrown them away, thinking that they would never be good enough to share with any one.

It wasn't until the spring of 2001 when I started to truly take into consideration my passion for writing. My father had passed away the previous November. Since the age of ten, he had been completely blind. Despite the enormous obstacles my father had faced throughout his lifetime, he always was able to believe in himself. He persued his dreams, possessed a strong faith in God, and never let the idea of "I can't..." get in the way of things.

After his death, I realized how foolish I had been all of those years for not having faith in my writing. I had my sight, but had always remained afraid. I was blinded by fear and it kept me from my passion. The thoughts of failure leered at me. I'm sure Dad experienced all of these feelings and even more, but he never let that stop him. His life was an inspiration to many, but most of all, to me. I finally confessed my hearts desire to my husband, John. I couldn't have asked for a more supportive man.

Since that time, he has listened to all of my crazy ideas and stories. He has encouraged me to persue my writing more. Currently, I have completed nine children’s picture books and two women's short stories. "Momma Don't" is my latest published work. I am working on a few projects that include: a pre-teen chapter book, an eclectic flair easy-reader book, and another children's picture book. I also am starting on a biography titled, "The Brooklyn Cowboy." I will keep you updated on the status of these projects and their projected publishing dates. I sincerely hope you enjoy my web page and that I may have also inspired you as my reader and fan, just as my father had inspired me.

Remember, never believe in the word "can't!"