BETTY BRANDT PASSICK is an independent author, inspirational speaker, and teacher. A decade ago she began her career as an author. In November 2021 she published her fourth book: The Black Bag of Dr. Wiltse, Murder on the Prairie (2021), book two in the Gangster Series. Her first novel, Gangster in Our Midst: Bookkeeper, Lieutenant and Sometimes Hitman for Al Capone, published in 2017, won a 2019 Notable 100 Indie Book Award. The first two books were memorials: We Are Eight, a Memoriam (2015), 400 pages; and Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church, 125 Years, 1888-2013 (2014), 300 pages. Annually she speaks at dozens of venues, largely in the Iowa-Minnesota-Wisconsin area. Her popular writing workshops include: “Writing a Memoir” (all ages), and “Journaling” (grades 5-7). She writes a “Gangster Blog,” and authors a column for her hometown newspaper, the Fairbank Islander. Her works have appeared in the Des Moines Register (poetry); WINK magazine; Thoughts and Prayers for Those Experiencing Loss, an Anthology; Saints with Slingshots 2 (short stories)—and others. She is currently engaged in writing a third book in the Gangster Series; a Gangster in Our Midst screenplay; plus numerous other writing projects. Her books are available through Amazon.com,