by Raquel Aleman

Local author Raquel Aleman shares a bit about her story, and that of two other local authors-Linda Lee Kane, and Steven Hammond. In this Thanksgiving season, each is very thankful that they have been able to fulfill their dreams. At the end of this post are details on how you can win a copy of one of each of the authors books, and in 2016 KRL will be interviewing each of these authors to share more of their stories.

What makes us three unique is that all three of us wanted to be authors at a very young age. Yet all three of us could not pursue our dream of doing so because of life and circumstances.

Linda Lee Kane wanted to be an author all her life but because she grew up in a neighborhood where she was picked on, bullied, and made to feel “less than” she left that desire on the back burner to go to school and become a psychologist so she could help others, especially children, to deal with the issues she had to deal with most of her growing years.

Today she’s the accomplished author she always dreamed of becoming. Linda has written four children’s books. And every book was written to help children deal with low self esteem, bulling, loving yourself, and building good relationship skills. Her only adult book, The Black Madonna is a religious historical one.

Steven Hammond is a shy, quiet spoken giant of a man with a gift for writing that’s enviable. Steven, like Linda Kane and I always wanted to be an author but he was told that writing would not pay his bills and that being an author was senseless and not a “real” job. So Steven sat his aspirations aside and went about life, got married, and raised his kids.

Today Steven is a successful and accomplished sci-fi/fantasy author. His Rise of the Penguins Saga books are advertised on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Barn, and in many, many stores across California.

And I, Raquel Aleman was never schooled and was told that as a female, my sole purpose in life was to marry, give the husband children, and take care of my husbands’ every need.

My lack of schooling kept me from fulfilling my dream of being an author a whole lifetime. I worked alongside my husband as a house painter for seventeen years to help him pay bills and put our children through school. It wasn’t until the children were all grown that I made time after work to write.

Now I’ve written, directed, and produced nine Christian videos; I’ve written numerous skits for the churches around the valley and written nine children’s stories. My memoir, The Demons Within is being sold all over the United States and will be published in Spanish in the spring of 2016.

Years later, all three of us have defied all opposition, unlocked every locked door, and are now fulfilling our dream.

The organization, Authors and Artists United was founded by me, Glory Raquel Aleman, and Linda Lee Kane to help others who like us are fighting against all odds to achieve what we three have accomplished.

So it is ‘fitting’ that as we approach Thanksgiving that we give our heart felt thanks first and foremost to the Almighty, and to all who helped us make that unreachable dream possible.

You can learn more about all three authors and their books on their websites:
www.raquelaleman.com
www.lindaleekane8.com
riseofthepenguins.net

To enter to win a copy of The Black Madonna, The Demons Within, and a book from the Rise of the Penguins Saga, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Local,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 28, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.