SOCIAL STUDIES - Book One: Dying To Be Popular Plus Eleven

Audrey Austin was born and raised by her parents in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She often describes herself as one who tends to do everything backward. When I asked her what she meant by this she replied, ＂Well, at a very early age I married and before long my two daughters arrived. Having only a high school education I waited until my children were grown before going back to school. I attended University of Toronto and later graduated from Transformational Arts College. I have lived in Toronto & its suburbs; Prince Edward Island and in New Zealand. I have enjoyed other international travel but only as a tourist in countries such as Thailand; Korea; Bahamas; Bermuda; Columbia, Puno and Cartagena in South America. I have held several jobs throughout my life but basically I held the positions of legal transcriptionist; teacher and psychospiritual practitioner in private practice. I always wanted to write and I did write in a small way as a hobby but I never made any attempt at publication. It was not until I retired at an uncertain age that I finally made the promise to myself that I would fulfill my dream of being an author. Since that day I have worked very hard though it does not feel like work. I love creative writing and how can something one loves so much be classified as work? I have written novels, novellas, short stories, some of which are in anthologies, and some, like Daniel, which dare to stand alone. Drawing on my experience as a teacher/therapist I put together what is so far my only book on personal growth. I have no diplomas or degrees in creative writing. I have only the imagination and the desire to allow the wonderful characters I create the freedom to express and the time to tell their stories. I do my best to keep up with the characters and I hope you will enjoy what I write.＂