There is a story behind every story. This is mine.

Recently, I have been inspired to write about the events of my childhood through the character of Ella Mae, turning them into encouraging lessons for our children and future generations.

I grew up in a small town in North West Ohio. It was a “one stoplight town”, smack dab in the middle of farm country USA. Growing up in small towns has its great advantages. They are safe, everyone-knows-everyone places where little changes and life is slow. Simple is accepted, family sees a lot of one another and your friends are always around. My home town held true to this life and provided a great foundation for adulthood.

One challenge to living in a small town is that competition for social status in school is high, and choices for friends are small. Once you fall into a certain “category” or stereotype its hard to get out. This dynamic lends itself to colorful encounters and sometimes conflict.

The story of “Ella Mae the Courageous Cheerleader” is my story of dealing with conflict on the girl’s cheer team. These were glorious yet painful years of ups and downs where I was fighting for acceptance by the cheerleaders on the team who were not in my friendship “circle”. The colorful encounters and conflict abounded. It was a hard time but the Lord has shown me just recently how he was with me, doing something good in my life, and blessing me during that difficult time.

My prayer is that children who read this book are encouraged to know that God loves them and is there with them, even when they are getting teased and picked on at school. I hope to equip them with Bible verses that teach them how God wants them to act and to look for God’s blessing when they are obedient. I would love to start an epidemic of kindness in today’s school system!!

In addition to author, I am a blessed wife to Tom Cameron and a mother to two beautiful daughters- Alyssa and Sierra. I now live in God’s Country- San Antonio Texas, and attend Community Bible Church. We have a dog named Bella, a turtle named Shelby and a bird named Tejuka. I have an MBA from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a BA in Child and Family Development from The University of Akron.