Marvin D. Vallier

Marvin D. Vallier, born January 25, 1941.

A retired graphic artist from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

I've had a wonderful career of 46 years as a graphic artist, retiring in 2009. After retirement, I took up the brush and painted many landscapes and still life in oil and watercolor. In 2010 I entered a contest for poetry and had my first poem published. I will soon see my ninth poem in print in Iowa Lyrical.

I tried my hand at writing in 2011 with an illustrated short children's story, “The Christmas Legend Brings.” It’s a little different take on the jolly old elf with illustration on most of the pages.

I self-published an ebook and paperback, print on demand, “Through The Old Trellis Arch”. A story about a little girl named Jennie. Jennie was an eleven year old with a vivid imagination and an obsession with an old run down house next door. Her obsessions became even greater after she had toured the old house. She was told by a friend that it was haunted. Maybe it was haunted but in a completely different way than what you would expect. I think you will enjoy this story and will comment on it.

My third book, "1939 Flame of Fear" takes place towards the end of the great depression. It deals with the struggles that a mother and her son have during this time. A black child is saved and taken into the family, taking on a whole different set of problems. Both of these books are for young adult or older readers.

I will be publishing a fourth book, "Stench". It is chapter illustrated story about a skunk looking for friends. With many twists and turns through the story until he finally finds the true friends that he was looking for.