Many people dream of writing a book some day. Our classmate Jeanette Amos Thomas did more than dream.

She is the author of a novel called Take the Wings of Morning, which was published in 2004.

The story. The story's main character is Devin Cobbel, a college student studying botany. A professor offers Devin his estate for the summer so she can study and write her thesis. At the estate she finds a hostile housekeeper caring for Charla, a mute, handicapped child. She bonds with Charla and wants to become the child's tutor.

Before she died, the professor's mother, Cecile, left journals about her family's history. The professor lets Devin read the journals which tell about a broken friendship with the Jessel family.

The professor warns Devin to stay away from the Jessels, but curiosity drives her to find out why the families are no longer on friendly terms. She meets Angus Jessel by mistake, and they become friends. In the intrigue, Devin finds her lost family, her origins and love.

Where you can get it. The 365-page soft cover book has 23 chapters and is available from Authorhouse publishers at http://www.authorhouse.com/ for $14.50. About 70 copies have been sold. Take the Wings of Morning is not based on any actual events or people, Jeanette said.

Another novel in the works. As time permits, Jeanette is working on a second novel called Knights are No More. It is about Calista, a girl who buys the ruins of a castle and dreams of turning it into a school of fine arts. She finds out that before its destruction the castle was an art school.

She believes the previous owner's ghost is helping her accomplish her dreams for the new school. Unexpectedly, the owner's heirs surface and want the castle ruins for themselves. Calista thinks the heirs want to steal a family treasure hidden on the grounds.

She can never feel safe about her feelings for the heirs. Her mother's words haunt her: "Calista, knights are no more. Your fantasies and dreams will take you down a path you won't want to go." Jeanette has finished about 14 chapters.

The inspiration to write. Jeanette's mother inspired her to pick up the pen. After listening to her mother read a story to her grandchildren, Jeanette said "I can write a better story than that." "Why don't you do it," her mother replied. Jeanette took the challenge and produced her first story called Georgie Tadpole.

Learning the ropes. As Jeanetee's interest in creative writing grew more serious in the early 1960s, she enrolled in the well-known Famous Writers School for training and coaching on how to publish books. She studied by mail for three years by submitting writing samples to the school's teachers for criticism, editing and tips on publishing. She also studied with Diane Porter, a Texas writer, and studied grammar a year and a half through Writer's Digest magazine.

Getting words on paper. Take the Wings of Morning "took quite a while" to write, Jeanette said. She penned it in bits and pieces while working 40 hours a week, minding two grandchildren she was raising, and giving care to her disabled mother-in-law.

Jeanette grabs minutes here and there to write when she is isn't working as an in-home caregiver in the Beech Knob area of Greenbrier County. "I've kept a pencil and paper in my car all the time. Every time I think of something I'd stop along side the road and start writing," she said.

At home in the mountains. Although she has a Richwood address, Jeanette's home is on Beech Knob, about 11 miles from Rupert in Greenbrier County. The address is the last one on a rural postal route. "I love living in the boonies," she said. "You might have to scare a bear off the porch once in a while, but it's great." You get to her home through Donegan Hollow, a well-known coal mining area near Richwood. Her father was a coal miner, and she was born in a coal company house.

A career with the Postal Service. Jeanette knows something about postal addresses. After graduating from Richwood High School, she married and moved to Cleveland. From there she moved to Gainesville, Florida, and then back to Craigsville where she started working for the U. S. Postal Service. She spent 30 years with the Postal Service, working in Cottle for 21 years, Craigsville for 3 months, Cowen for 18 months and then in Huttonsville where she retired in 2003. She has been providing an in-home care service in her neighborhood since retiring from the Postal Service.

Her newsletter. Besides books, Jeanette uses her computer to publish The Beech Knob Newsletter, a monthly, one-page roundup of news from the area. With a circulation of about 15, it features homespun news about neighborhood births, deaths, honors and readers' individual accomplishments. Her stories have also appeared in Hill and Valley Magazine.

"I've always wanted to write," she said. "I totally like fiction because I like to turn my mind loose and let it go. I like to create my own world."

And that she did. The dream continues!