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Besides editing and publicizing the books written by Ian Moore-Morrans, our blog here at Moomor Publishing is also carrying some of the writings of Gayle Moore-Morrans. Gayle’s writing “career” began at age 8 when she wrote and illustrated her first story. “The New Puppy” was a hand-made folded paper “book” with stick-figure drawings. One copy was all that was made and Gayle had hopes of reprinting that “book” on this website if she could ever locate where she had squirreled it away. She finally did so in 2017 and it is now on this site. Little Gayle Moore started writing the story the very day that her dad, George, had awakened Gayle and her two younger sisters early one morning. He told them,  “Go down to the basement and you’ll  find a surprise!” There the girls discovered that the family water spaniel, Lady, had given birth to a puppy. No one in the family had even known Lady was pregnant. Gayle’s story, “The New Puppy,” celebrated that arrival.

Gayle grew up in New Rockford, North Dakota and has a B.A. degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Psychology, Religion and Philosophy from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. Over the years she has been employed as a Lutheran parish worker, a secretary (in a school, churches and with the US Army, Europe), a social services director for a seniors’ organization, and a program and magazine editor for a national church women’s organization. She has also done a wealth of volunteer work in numerous church-related facets (choir director for both children’s and adult choirs; accompanist; Bible study leader; Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher and superintendent; curriculum writer; organist; lay worship leader; lay preacher; adult Bible class teacher; substitute church secretary; Canadian Lutheran World Relief trip attendee and promoter) and in community-related work with the Winnipeg Bach Festival Board, Alzheimer Manitoba; North Winnipeg Cooperative Community Council for Seniors; (NEST) North End Sponsorship Team in Winnipeg for refugee sponsorship; Winnipeg’s Scandinavian Centre; Winnipeg’s Folklorama; Winnipeg’s St. Raphael Wellness and Recovery Centre; Lake Chapala Writer’s Group and Cantantes del Lago choir in Mexico; Vernon Churches’ Soup Kitchen; Vernon Community Singers; Vernon Writers’ Group; Federation of British Columbia Writers; Vernon Location Writer’s Group; Robbie Burns Society; the Sons of Scotland; and percussionist in a Ukeleles for Fun Band. Besides her formative years in the USA (North Dakota and Minnesota), Gayle lived 18 years in Germany, over 2 years in Mexico and immigrated to Canada in 1984 after nine months living in Wisconsin. All of these and her family life have provided a wealth of topics for her to write about. Watch for future postings of Gayle’s vast assortment of writings about family, personal and spiritual subjects and travelogues. (She has traveled extensively throughout Europe, to and from Mexico and spent a month in India and Nepal in 2000. Her daughter lives in Norway and her son in San Francisco, so she travels to see them as often as possible.

You’ll find an increasing number of Gayle’s writings, both new and reprints from items she has written over the years as Gayle Johannesson (1964-2003) and as Gayle Moore-Morrans (2003 to the present). Those can be found on this website’s HOME page and are listed below with the dates they were blogged. Gayle writes (or ghostwrites for Ian) all the blogposts on this site. However, you’ll find below a list of her own writings which will be updated as new blogs are added.

(Sep 29, 2017) Your Life is Your Story. Write Well. Edit Often

(Jul 30, 2017) Eight-Year-Old Gayle’s First Story: The New Puppy

(Jan 4, 2017) Sharing Our Stories: The Snowmobile to Strassenbahn Saga

(Sep 8, 2016) Previewing “Twitterpated” As We Celebrate Our Wedding Anniversary

(Aug 31, 2016) A Musical Wall Display

(Aug 22, 2016) Decorating Our “Forevermore Home” With Pictures and Memorabilia

(Aug 3, 2016) Touring the Royal Canadian Mint

(May 5, 2016) Analyzing Your Own Writing

(Dec 5, 2015) The Move From Hell

(Oct 15, 2015) Picking Up Our Books from the Printers’

(Jul 30, 2015) Unique Summer Activities; Moving; Singing; Saying Goodbye to a Pet; Saying Hello to Family; Finding Helps for Editing a Memoir; and Drawing Insights from “Dementia and the Arts”

(May 3, 2015) Re-Cycle and Re-Use

(Apr 23, 2015) An April Swim in Paradise

(Apr 23, 2015) The Joys & Sorrows of a Bibliophile

(Feb 25, 2015) The Moore Sisters’ Answer to A Photo A Week Challenge: Sisters, Sisters (Siblings)

(Feb 13, 2015) Reblogging and Commenting on “To revise, or not to revise?”

(Feb 13, 2015) Body and Spirit: Life’s Lessons Reinforced

(Jan 26, 2015) And they didn’t live Happily ever after … An Alzheimer Story

(Jan 21, 2015) Canadian Ex-Pats and a Poodle Celebrate Robbie Burns’ Day in Mexico

(Jan 15, 2015) Announcing Publication of Our Latest Book: Jake, Little Jimmy & Big Louie

(Jan 4, 2015) A Scorpio Versus Scorpions

(Dec 17, 2014) The Christmas Story According to Gwynne (a play)

(Sep 2, 2014) Location Writing at a Beach

(Aug 28, 2014) Location writing in a Country Restaurant Garden

(Jul 31, 2014) Location Writing in a Cherry Orchard

(Jul 25, 2014) An Editor’s Musing: Why do some writers “let it all hang out” instead of editing their posts or comments? How can comments be helpful?

(Jun 17, 2014)  “Facetiming with Eva Louise” included after a reblog of Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, Extra – Smiles Are Worth a Thousand Words

(May 21, 2014) One Word Photo Challenge: Grey: Touring the Hamar Cathedral in Norway

(May 20, 2014) A Norwegian Sheep Enjoying Summer in the Forest – Our Answer to Cee’s Photo Challenge, Nature Animals

(May 10, 2014) Celebrating Mothering and Grandparenting

(Apr 12, 2014) Editor’s Review of “From Poverty to Poverty: A Scotsman Encounters Canada”

(Mar 6, 2014) Am I a Co-Author or Just the Editor?

(Feb 12, 2012) Humor and a Good Laugh Can help You Deal with Life

(Jul 4, 2013) Bequeathing Our Heirlooms – A Blended Family’s Solution and an Author’s Solution

(Jun 21, 2013) Tracing Your Ancestry – Start with an Old Family Photo

(Jun 6, 2013) Shine On Award and Kilts

(May 7, 2013) Birthday Limericks

(Apr 15, 2013) Vernon Writers Festival …….

(Apr 8, 2013)  “From the Editor: A Tale of Grace” (included after a reblog of “On My Way Home”)

(Jan 21, 2013) Crisis Situations – Am I Happy With the Way I React? No and Yes!

(Dec 31, 2012) Happy Hogmanay! Happy New Year! (written jointly with Ian)

(Nov 15, 2012) Sharing Some Photos from Ian’s Autobiography, “From Poverty to Poverty”

(Sep 15, 2012) Editor’s Review of “Beyond the Phantom Battle: Mystery at Loch Ashie” in Goodreads