At book signings I always ask everyone who comes up to my table if they think they might have ever had an encounter with an angel. I find so many people have had some kind of angel connection and are eager to share their  spiritual experience. One family came  up to me at a book fair and told me of their little three year old’s  sighting.  One day the little girl said she saw an angel standing before them. They did not see the angel and were surprised when their little girl raised both arms to heaven and shouted “Glory Hallelujah! “

Many children have had angel experiences. In my novel To Catch an Angel,  miracles happen in Mystic Bay as three children have angel encounters. These events bring the whole town together to share in the joy of the angel sightings. The effect of  love from the angel sightings goes all around the world. I believe there’s really a spiritual awakening in the world today! I believe in angels…

For twenty five years of teaching  my students with special needs filled my heart. They were all unique, loving and gifted in their own way. Their senses of humor amazed me and they were loving and fun and loved school and all their teachers more  than I  ever hoped for. 

Dale Evans Rogers wrote the book, “Angel Unaware” in the 60’s about her own daughter who was born with Downs Syndrome. I always wanted to read the book for I loved the title as it spoke to me for it’s trueness. Robin, her daughter, died at two but she and her husband the famous cowboy and actor, Roy Rogers, thought Robin in her short time on earth  had taught them so much about life and love. At that time the children with disabilities were not allowed in public schools. Not to long ago at a book signing for my novels I found the used book in a wonderful book shop.  It is always on my desk as a reminder of my career and the angels unaware that inspired me. In my novel To Catch an Angel, angels appear to three children with disabilities. It was my way to pay tribute to the children who unknowingly changed my world and helped me through the worst time of my life.

When my daughter Kate passed away my students soothed my heart helping me move forward. One day Molly, my student, was with me in a van going to a job site. Molly was a teenager with a wonderful smile and heart and was quite soft spoken. As we drove she had tears running down her cheeks. What’s wrong, Molly,” I asked alarmed that she was crying.

“I’m sorry about your daughter,” she told me. I was shocked at her ability to express sympathy in such a mature and loving way.  Her mother had told her of Kate’s passing the night before. The innocent and beautiful heart of this young lady moved me each day as did all the other students I was fortunate enough to teach. I was meant to be their teacher and have the most fulfilling of careers. For you see, my students with special needs were actually my own teachers. They taught me kindness, patience, humor and acceptance and so much more.  As Dale Evans said, “She strengthened us spiritually.”I will always be grateful and miss each angel unaware.

His name was Ken and I met him on a plane bound for New York. He was a burly young man and traveled the country for his job repairing high tech of some sort. Along with our seat mate a lovely lady named Billy, we talked the hours away about our lives. The three of us had the same beliefs about our world, how kindness and love were all that matterd. Ken was particularly concerned with prejudice of all kinds and our discussions revolved mainly on this topic. I told them both of my writing novels and  how I would love for them to be characters in my next book. They both agreed and seemed elated. I asked, ” Ken if I make you an angel in my new book what profession would have been your dream if you could pick one?” Ken replied quickly, “I always wanted to be a football player.” “That’s what you’ll be then,” I told him.  Billy, I informed them would be the little girl in my novel. I gave them my card and told them to email me and I would send them copies of my books. As we departed the plane in New York, we stood and hugged each other. I heard form Billy and I sent her my books. I never heard from Ken. Little does Ken know that whenever it is finished he is the man angel in my book. I’ve described him to my best recollection. The odd thing is that after meeting Ken I remember a woman who saw angels who  I met at Payson Book Fair two years before. She said there was an angel named Ken beside me. I didn’t know anyone by that name then. I was amazed I’d forgotten the incident when meeting Ken.  Writing both Billy and Ken is a blessing to me. I meet so many nice people on planes.  I’ll let Billy know when my book is finished but Ken? I don’t know. Ken, wherever you are I say thank you for making such an impact on me for I’ve written the most endearing character ever in my Mystic Bay Books series. Maybe you really are an angel!

I met him at one of my book signings at The Payson Book Festival one July. I always ask those who come up to my table if they have ever encountered an angel. This was the first time I had asked anyone and I received a powerful story. The young man was in the service and was taking a swim in the ocean. There was an undercurrent and he started to drown. It was the end he thought but then a hand grabbed his hand and pulled him to the shore. On the beach he turned to thank the man for saving his life. There was no one there, no one nearby he told me. People rushed to him from other parts of the beach but no one had seen anyone help him.  Since then the serviceman has thought the man saving him must have been an angel guiding him through the dangerous water to safety. This was the first of many angels stories I have been privileged to hear over the years…  Believe in angels.