First Day

Hi,

My name is Donna Graham, and I am officially an author. Writing, editing and worrying for two years has culminated into my debut book being published, today.  With little fanfare, other than a glass of Pino Noir later, I am tickled pink to announce the launch of my thriller novel, titled Silenced to Death and the location is based near my home in northeastern Minnesota. It is now available for purchase either as a Kindle or paperback through Amazon, or as a Nook E-book, with Barnes & Noble. Coming soon Silenced to Death will also be available as an Apple IBook.  

The story of Silenced to Death is littered with abandoned houses, for which I have developed a kinship over the years. Photographing them, my photo file now bulges with hundreds of photos of lonely, and desperate houses. One afternoon, out scouting for camera shots, I found a deserted farm in Ely. As I stood staring into the living room windows- I have a low tolerance to terror and never enter an abandoned house, unless my friend, Deb is with me- I saw several cardboard appliance boxes filled with dirty blankets and pillows. Could they have been children’s bedrooms? It was at that moment the story of Annabelle walked out to greet me.  

My husband, Jim and I live in this wildly beautiful, serene, and desolate terrain called the Iron Range. Our home is on Wakemup Bay, facing east on the mighty and beautiful Lake Vermilion.  The every-changing scenery offers me creativity for each sentence I write. Appreciating the gifts that surround me, I rise early each day to catch the spectacular sunrise and to allow my mind to gently wake the words. With my hands wrapped around a mug of cream-laced hot coffee during those cold winter mornings, I wander from window to window hoping to capture the sight of a deer, an ermine, or Mr. Otter.

Writing has always been a part of who I am, jotting down phrases, schedules, letters journaling, to do’s, ideas, titles, emails, texts and creating stories. All of that balances with my constant need to read fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, magazines and anything in print. Now is probably a good time to confess to a small obsession I have and that is as an office-product-aholic. Overstocking of pretty pens, sticky paper pads, journals, highlighters, bookmarks, notebooks, colored paper clips, stickers, and anything else under the classification of office products, is just who I am. Unable to find a twelve step program, if anyone has a lead, please let me know. But to my defense how can you write creatively without the aide of those beautiful and carefully chosen supplies?

Being a member of our local writers’ group, I have sat in awe of the magic that pours out of those writers that surround our table as they tell their tales. Listening intently, I find myself lost, missing a portion of their story, because I have drifted off from something they said, a beautiful phrase caught. I am too embarrassed to ask them to read it over and over again so I can capture every word and drift inside their soul.  My goal in life is to achieve the level of excellence our group of writers has surpassed.

I hope you will enjoy Silenced to Death. It is heartbreaking tragedy, with a reminder of the many gifts family has to offer, and how to trust that God will allow us to live the life He planned for us. 

May your life be lived with a full heart.

P.S. If you share your thoughts in a review, I will send you a whispered thank you. Don’t forget to check out the a short story I posted, under my Blog, Help on Aisle Four. It is a story of a heroine, something we all need to be. Thanking you in advance.

Living in Minnesota, Donna Graham has been writing since childhood, but then her passion slipped into photographing abandoned farms and houses. Years later, while studying an abandoned house in Ely, the story, Silenced to Death, walked out to greet her.

Lovingly honored to be a wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.