I am a recently retired psychiatric nurse, but at heart, always a writer. I love people, nature, and all living things – plants, animals, and insects alike. Maura Lin is my pen name – and this is my first book using that name -- but I have written essays and novels before under my legal name, one literally self-published at home (paper and all) with the help of my multi-talented husband. Most of my work is stacked on my desk or stored in my computer. My own struggles and my work with mentally ill patients and their families, have allowed me to gain perspective on life’s many challenges, and to inform my writing. My published work includes an article in The Journal of Psychosocial Nursing (August 2001), and stories in the nursing-related publications, Beveled Edges: A Portrait of Caring, Nurses’ Reflections (George Mason University, 2000) and Ordinary Miracles in Nursing (Jones and Bartlett, 2006). I have also written essays (none published yet) on a variety of subjects, ranging from marriage to children, to pet guinea pigs, and most recently the challenge of accepting the reality of an adult child’s felony conviction and incarceration. Please see my just-launched website: closertoreal.com for more information. I am just getting started with my website/blog. Please be patient. More is to be featured in the future! Thanks for reading this brief intro. I truly appreciate your interest.