About the Author

Maxine Mays was born in 1928.  She grew up in the 30's as Maxine Parker, daughter of James and Pearl Parker.  She lived in a humble little house on North Santa Fe Avenue in Wichita, KS with her two sisters and, much later a brother.  She went to Irving Grade School, Horace Mann Junior High School and graduated (by the skin of her teeth!) from Wichita High School North and The Wichita Business College.  Much later, she graduated from The University of Northern Colorado at Greeley,  Buffalo State College in Buffalo New York, and received a doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She was a teacher of the mentally retarded, a college professor, and a special education administrator during her thirty-two year career.  She has two daughters, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.  Upon retirement she became a puppeteer and a free-lance writer.  She is the author of two books and numerous articles and essays.  She also designs and makes children's clothing, gardens and does interior decorating.  She is an advocate for abused and neglected children and participates in considerable community service.  She lives a pleasant life in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, residing with her willful Persian Cat, Caesar, in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

She can be contacted at maxibug@aol.com.