Author Spotlight: Violet Grayson, author of “A Life Not Expected”
Violet Grayson, author of A Life Not Expected: But A Journey Worth Taking, has written 24 personal experience stories, articles, how-to pieces, and short stories, all of which have been published.
Violet began writing at the age of 14, focusing mostly on poems and short stories at the time. It was also during this time that she was exposed early to rejection letters from publishers, most notably Collier’s magazine which rejected a short story she submitted.
Nevertheless, the rejection letter never disheartened Violet, thanks to her accomplishments at school. She won an essay writing contest campus-wide at Cumberland High School, which helped her redeem her pride.
Later, she became an at-large reporter for the school paper, The Chronicle. Violet was also named the literary editor for the school’s yearbook. Her English teacher, Mr. Skahan, even urged her to switch to the college course, having seen in her the potential for a scholarship.
Following her graduation in 1943, Violet worked in an office. She got married in 1949 and became a mother in 1950. However, in 1952, she became a single parent.
It was not until January 1986 when she started to write again. At the age of 60, she finally kicked off her literary career.
Aside from writing books, she also wrote a column for the Foxboro Reporter in Massachusetts. She also contributed to “Two Cents,” an opinion column in the San Francisco Chronicle based in California since 1993. Violet is also an active member and Secretary of Writers West of Alameda Inc.
A Life Not Expected is her fourth book, published by Author Reputation Press. Her first book is In the Village Lonsdale, published in 2006 and her second, A Gossamer Cord, was published in 2011. Jeremy’s Cottage, her third book, was published in 2013.
