Susan Spierling Smith

Susan Smith was born in Northern Michigan and grew up in the small township of Bliss, only one mile from beautiful, Lake Michigan. Eight months after she graduated from Pellston High School, in Pellston Michigan, she was hit by a car as she was crossing the road. She spent five months in the hospital and five years recovering. The accident left her with a permanent foot drop and the knowledge that through God she could rise above the obstacles of life. She later married and moved to Flint, Mi. There she enrolled in college with the aspirations of pursuing a nursing career. When after only a couple of semesters she became pregnant, Susan decided to put her career on hold.

Over the next several years she had two more children both girls. She did not want to miss any of her children's growing up years, so it was ten years before she resumed her schooling. Smith received a MAT in regular and special education seven years later.

Susan worked for the Flint Community Schools, mostly in special education. She loved her job which to her was a mission. She taught in China for three summers at two Universites for English Speaking programs. She a was a coordinator for a foreign exchange program for three years. She placed 26 students with host families and oversaw their needs with both the families and schools. She hosted seven students in her home at various times. She keeps in contact with most of them. A girl from China and a girl from South Korea are still a part of her family.

After 22 years of teaching in Michigan, Susan retired, but it turned out to be for only a couple of years. She missed the students so she began teaching again. She has taught in Pennsylvania, Alaska and is currently teaching 5th grade in Watford City, North Dakota.

Susan has written all of her life and gets her ideas from her life, the people she meets and the places she visits. Smith loves traveling and has visited six provences and several cities in China, Canada, France, Normandy, The Neatherlands, Thailand, and Taiwan, where she also has many Chinese friends.

Smith has written several stories, but has had the time to publish only one, Katie's Wish. She also illustrated the book Katie's Wish. She would like to concentrate more on her drawings and painting when she does retire.

Susan now has four active grandchildren who she loves baking, painting and writing stories with. She plans on retiring again in a couple of years and spending more time in Michigan to be near family. Smith also plans on publishing the stories she has now and has ideas for writing many more.