Pen of Gold: and Other Poems and Essays to Inspire (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781662859144)

You will love this book! The author's voice is an absolute joy to read as her words flow smoothly from one sentence in an essay or line in a poem to the next. She recounts stories of her life with such a vividness and clarity that it almost feels as if the readers were the ones experiencing the events alongside her. What is also wonderful is the fact that she incorporates dialogue within her essays making them read more like something one would find within a fictional story, making for an even more engaging read than the essays already are.

The author does an excellent job of including a good variety of essays and poems. From wonderful experiences to crazy experiences, the author shares many incredible, funny, and thoughtful stories. Her poems also offer rather uplifting and hopeful messages that readers can take with them no matter where they are in life and share with loved ones to lift them up, as well.

The author Alice Hein Schiel, the tenth child of Hugo and Nora Mae Hein, grew up in Somerville, Texas. She graduated from Midwest Bible Institute with a two-year degree in Bible and ministry. She obtained Bachelor's and Master's degrees in education from Sam Houston State University. Alice and her husband Bill Schiel who reside in Decker Prairie, Texas are the parents of four married children and twelve grandchildren. Alice taught Christian education classes for thirty years and public education (junior high and college) for nineteen years. She has published two other books: Nora Mae, a Remarkable, Insignificant Person (which won the John E. Weaver Excellent Reads Award for Non-fiction: Biography) and Old Yellowed Hat (devotionals and poetry). Alice has served as church pianist/keyboard player for her church praise team for over forty years.