Bio

Myrna Then and Now...

Myrna Mackenzie's  first inkling that she was destined to be a writer was a tendency to fantasize (at age six no less) about saving the world (and the cute boy in the next desk at school) from fire, peril, and certain doom.  She also made up lots of Cinderella stories in which that same cute boy turned to copy from her paper and was stunned to find that the plain girl wearing blue glasses in the next seat had turned into a glorious and dazzling goddess while he was trying to remember his times tables.  For years, Myrna thought that everyone had those kinds of fantasies until she realized…they didn't.


Years beyond that cute little boy, Myrna sold her first book and then another and another.  These days she gets to live her dreams on paper, for which she is thankful.  Of course, it wasn't a straight path to being a writer.  En route to being a professional storyteller, she spent time working in a toy factory, as a college recruiter, as a temporary who spent time handing out samples in grocery stores and as an elementary school teacher, all occupations that taught her a lot about life and where she met many wonderful and intriguing people.


Born in the small town of Campbell, Missouri, raised in and residing in the Chicago area, Myrna also spends a lot of her time in the Lake Geneva, Wisconsin area.  She has camped out under the stars, climbed mountains, and gone white water rafting (which is a pretty awesome way to spend a day). And okay, in the course of those adventures, she did nearly hike up on a mother bear with cubs, she fell out of a raft into churning rapids, and also nearly hiked hike off a trail at the edge of a mountain path.  But she's also seen elk, moose, pronghorn antelope, bison and wild stallions at close range and has experienced the magic of sunsets and sunrises in many beautiful (sometimes lush, sometimes stark) locations.  She's visited the East Coast many times (loves it), the West Coast many times (loves it) and England (how could anyone not love England?) among other places.


And when she comes back home, she gets to write more stories.  It's a great way to live.  Along the way, her work has won the Holt Medallion for outstanding fiction and the Booksellers Best Award, she's been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards 4 times and been a finalist in the Orange Rose, the Reader's Choice and WisRWA's Write Touch.  Sold worldwide, her books have been translated into many languages.


Myrna's success has, of course, been largely due to many faithful readers.  So, to all of you out there who have bought books, written letters and e-mails and continued to share in the stories she loves to write, thank you, and may you have much happiness and joy in reading and in life!