Madonna Jervis Wise

Madonna Jervis Wise is a dynamic author of fiction and non-fiction. Her latest book entitled "The Lakeside Inn: The Legacy in Mount Dora" has been a wonderful journey of research into a unique central Florida community and Florida history including Chautauqua, the Orange culture and the life of the "oldest continuously operating Inn" in the state of Florida! Recently Madonna has taught frontier history and folklore for the Osher Institute of Lifelong Learning at the University of South Florida! She does presentations throughout Florida and the southeast!

Madonna believes strongly in roots and relationships. First and foremost, she is a helper in the professional roles she takes on--Licensed Mental Health Counselor and previously school principal, teacher, and district school administrator in three Florida school districts. Her insights into human nature and her extreme empathy and compassion show in her extraordinary writing. A life-long equestrian, she often infuses her insights about both humans and animals into her stories.

Her previous books have included local history books entitled: Trailblazing Women of Tampa Bay, Images of America: Wesley Chapel; A Haunted History of Pasco County, Images of America: Dade City; Images of America: Zephyrhills; and Tapestry. She delved into the genre of cookbooks with a collection of Great Depression era recipes from her mother’s Hoosier restaurant entitled: Juanita In Blue Cookbook. Colloquial histories include Wildcat Creek Kids; Sam & Company; and Wildcat Creek Kids.

Madonna penned a historical novel about a female evangelist in the nineteenth century entitled, Preacher Woman.

Utilizing her years as a school counselor and principal, Madonna also coauthored Kachina and the Bully with her daughter, Rachel about bullying with a schedule of facilitative and non-facilitative talking points that are useful hints for adolescents and their teachers/parents.