| Meet The Author | |
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| I come from a family of avid gardeners. My grandmother's yard was always filled with old-fashioned delights. My parents, too, are enthusiastic gardeners. One of my first memories is helping my mother plant morning glory seeds, which still continue to be one of her favorite flowers.
I live in an old house in a small central-Ohio town, and my tiny yard is crammed with an assortment of collected plants. There is no fancy landscaping in my garden! For several years I have continued to garden during the long winter months in my small back-yard greenhouse. Here too is a collection of plants that bloom all winter! For several years I have worked with the local Garden Tour Committee. Every year in June, this committee hosts several gardens in our area. The ticket sales provide funds for a volunteer organization giving assistance and help to the elderly and disabled. I was raised in Columbus and schooled there. Later I earned a BA in Religion and a Masters degree in Special Education. In my youth I had enjoyed traveling across the US, Alaska, Mexico, Europe and to Africa. In the late 70's and early 80's I taught in small bush schools in rural Kenya. I had the wonderful opportunity of spending a summer with the legendary Masai tribe on the Serengeti Plain. In the early 80's I taught in a Kipsigis-tribe bush high school. Most of my working career has been serving individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Even after nearly 25 years, I continue to find my job very challenging and extremely rewarding. I love exploring the light houses on the Great Lakes. At this point I have visited over a 100 Great Lake lighthouses. The light houses are often located in very idyllic locations. We often forget we have one of the world's greatest natural wonders practically on our doorsteps. For many years I have studied and researched the ancient uses of plants and herbs. Many cultures felt plants and herbs had magical qualities to protect you, help you find love, make you invisible or help you fly. Old herbals explained the magical virtues of hellebore, mandrake and aconite. Chicory could help you open locks to treasures and fennel kept evil ghosts away. Red geraniums planted down a path would turn to warn the witch that someone was approaching her cottage. Foxglove gave elves and fairies a safe haven. After years of having all of this interesting but not really practical information floating around in my head, I decided to share this information in a series of fantasy adventure books. The books are called 415 Raspberry Picket, the imaginary street in Ohio where Rubus, a retired Botany professor, his young nephew Darach and the portly housekeeper Flo use their powers of witchcraft and magical herbs to fight an evil Dark Master who wants to eliminate plant life. After two years of writing, editing and cover design, my books--a trilogy about Ohio witches using magical herbs to fight an evil creature trying to kill plant life--are published. I am so excited about this project! It's been a lot of long hours and hard work getting it this far. Now I need to let people know about it and promote it. Please send this page to everyone you know and help me get the word out about these new books... Recently I had the rare opportunity to speak at a book fair in Columbus and have dinner with some nationally known writers and book promoters....it was tons of fun, and I got to rub elbows with writers, publishers, editors and book-lovers. If you would like me to come to your town for a book signing, please let me know. Blessings.... |
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| --R.L. Patterson | |
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