Posted on by Jane Carlile Baker, Author, Editor, Teaching Consultant

Yesterday was the memorial service for Ethel Herr, my spiritual mother – and I found, many others’ spiritual mother. It was beautiful – from Dave Talbot’s piano to the slides of Ethel and flowers, to the shared hearts of those who loved her. She went to Heaven October 30, and I have felt her incredible hugs ever since.
I was reading Introduction to Christian Writing this morning, and I quote: “An aspiring writer must serve a long apprecticehip. One doesn’t simply awaken one morning with the inspiration to become a writer, then pick up a golden pen and start scribbling off marvelous stuff. Instead, we expend an incredible amount of energy and encounter frustrations and discouragements. in spite of the bright and glowing moments and indescribable satisfactions along the way, we soon learn that becoming a writer demands a “till-death-do-us-part” commitment.”
I think Ethel was right, except for the last few words. I believe that the woman who loved her family, others, me, and writing, so well, would hardly be parted from her love by death. I imagine God already has her on a project – maybe the program for the wedding feast of the lamb?

Published by Jane Carlile Baker, Author, Editor, Teaching Consultant

Jane has loved writing from the time she learned to hold a pencil. Her writing journey moved from that pencil to personal computers through the seventies, she edited for a hospital public relations department. The eighties found her owning a public relations business, publishing newspaper and magazine articles, and directing communications for a large church. In the nineties she published her first book and led critique groups and writers' workshops. In the twenty-first century she became a teaching consultant for the National Writing Project, published several more books, and began an editing business. Jane also loves raising chickens, dogs and alpacas, gardening, oil painting, swimming and hanging out with her family.

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