By Laurie Lechlitner
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — “I was an only child for 10 years when I was growing up,” said Lynn MacKaben Brown, of Warsaw.

“Even then I loved to spin stories. I’d pretend I was a mermaid or a cowgirl. I even tried my hand at some bad poetry. To this day, I’ve given up writing poetry. But I love writing a good story.”

Lynn MacKaben Brown

When Brown began taking English classes in school, she got straight A’s in her assignments. “I was never told I had to rewrite. I did pretty well the first time around.”

Even when she got to high school and was taking advanced creative writing she excelled. “Again, I quickly wrote a piece and handed it in. I got A’s.”

Although she excelled in writing, she had no idea she’d ever become a writer. “I grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the ‘Leave it to Beaver’ era. Back then little girls were told they could become nurses, stewardesses or teachers. I didn’t have the body for a stewardess and didn’t want to work with children. So, I opted to become a nurse.”

Brown attended West Suburban School of Nursing. “Still, I was getting A’s in my English classes. I got my first article published in ‘RN,’ a national journal for nurses.”

After attending Grace College and planning to major in music, Brown encountered Dr. Saunders. “She’s the professor who taught me there are three steps to writing: the first draft, the rewrite and the edit. That improved my writing.”

Growing up with parents who owned a Christian bookstore, each year Brown and her family attended the Christian Booksellers Association annual conference. She became familiar with many famous Christian authors and various religious publications. Eventually she wrote articles for “Moody Monthly” and “Christian Communicator.”

This past November Brown had her first book published, “Christmas Celebration,” a Christian devotional that includes an Advent calendar. “People can use the book as a devotional any time of the year.”

One of the books Brown has been working on since the ‘90s, “Furs and Fevers,” will be published this fall. “I give my writing mentor Dr. Dennis E. Hensley credit for helping me get through the rough spots and get it ready for publication by Austin Macauley.”

“Furs and Fevers” is a historical fiction novel about Kosciusko County. Although the novel starts out in Montreal, it eventually traces the first white permanent resident in Kosciusko County. “History is awesome. This book is the first in a series of six.”

Writing is a stress reliever for Brown. “All three of my children had physical challenges. My husband Ed and I lost our son Peter when he was 10 years old. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, helping me get through the tough periods of my life.”

The Browns have two grown daughters, Rachel and Bethany, and two granddaughters Alex, 16, and Charlotte, 4. “I love hanging out with my granddaughters, watching them learn and introducing culture into their lives.”

Brown is a frequent guest speaker. And she did become a teacher. “I taught nursing for six years at both Grace College and Ivy Tech.” When she was a Sunday school teacher at church for fifth and sixth graders, she wrote her own curriculum.

Those interested in contacting Brown can email her at [email protected]. She’s available for conferences and speaking engagements.