And There We Were

LINDA S. CONE shares a motley collection of essays originally designed as motivational or informative writings interspersed with family stories. They may contain twisted and warped attempts at humor or just simple reminiscence. Beware! You may see yourself somewhere within these pages. That could have been intentional, but it probably just happened. Many events in life just seem to happen, but they are written on the tapestry of our life.

Says Linda: "Writing personal stories can be a bit like an 'emotional striptease.' As personal as it seems, these writings are not just about our life but the life of every person. Sometimes they are events we do not want to happen, but they happen sooner or later to most of us, and to some more than others. What we do with what we are given is the difference between being alive or only marking time. Live life. Just don't outkick your coverage."

This book is filled with tales of love, loss, hope, faith, and encouragement.

As a retiree living in the Appalachian foothills of North Carolina, Linda Cone has many strands woven into her tapestry of life. She grew up on a working cattle ranch near Ravenna, Nebraska, and continues to be involved in agriculture. She trained horses to ride and dogs to hunt; served as accountant, marketing specialist, and financial manager for farms, ranches, and corporations; was graduated from college and pursued a teaching career. She has been married, is the mother of three children, and has five grandchildren. Linda has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education but is retired from her teaching career. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster and a Past District Governor for Toastmasters International. Her hobbies include dancing, woodworking, and coaching others in life skills. She encourages us to make the most of our connections and attachments and to live in relationship with others. Graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a BA in Elementary Education. Member of the scholastic honorary society; Graduated as Salutatorian from Ravenna Jr-Sr High in Nebraska; Past District 24 Governor of Toastmasters International with over 20 years of experience in public speaking; Attained Distinguished Toastmaster twice, the highest degree possible; Won Toastmaster of the Year multiple times in multiple toastmaster clubs, in multiple districts; Won many toastmasters contests on club, area, and division level in Evaluation, Table Topics (Impromptu ), Tall Tale, Humorous, Interpretive Speaking, and International Speaking; Past chairman of Valley County Extension Council and was selected as Valley County Homemaker of the Year in 1984; Was voted Ms. Ord Volunteer during the '80s as a result of being coordinator for American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and Chairman of Daffodil Days for many years; served as a 4-H club leader for many years; was a United Methodist Youth Fellowship leader, a vacation Bible School teacher and a long time Sunday School teacher; coordinator for the church's pictorial directory while serving as a board member; has many strands woven into her tapestry of life. She has farmed, ranched, trained horses to rope and ride, trained hunting dogs, and taught elementary school for many years; she is a ranch manager, an agricultural marketing specialist, a financial manager, and a life coach; was a charter member and president of Ord Music Boosters; was a charter member and officer in her childhood 4-H Club; was a contributing member of the North Loup Valley Thesaurians, a writing club where she compiled, edited, and published over 20 different editions of 24-page chapbooks for them.