Look and Listen

Biography

Willma Willis Gore is a lifelong writer, raised at the foot of Mt. Whitney in California. From childhood, she was determined to be a published writer. This goal was first accomplished with an article sale at age 19. It was published in Westways Magazine. The magazine purchase about 30 more photo-illustrated articles--most on travel with children. More than 90 national and regional journals have purchased her poetry, short stories, profiles and travel articles. Nineteen children's books bear her byline as do a humorous novel, two nonfiction books and her latest, a memoir that begins in 1945 when she joined her Army Lieutenant husband in Alabama. Four days after re-joining him there he was in an accident at camp that severed both hands. The memoir, "Iron Grip" to be published in February 2011, takes them through a marriage-long adventure. They share tears and laughter as they make her two hands serve as four until he masters the use of his hooks. They hike the High Sierra together, complete college educations and he becomes a model of amputee competence as well as an excellent breadwinner for the family that includes three sons. Two of the children's books bear his byline as well as hers, and his photography illustrated many of her travel articles. Willma leads four writer workshops, each meeting twice a month in her Sedona, Arizona home. s.

Inspiration

When I was about ten years old my grandmother was visiting us on the little dairy ranch that was the family business. My parents were loving and supporting but Gram took the time to read and talk to me at length. We were watching the beautiful sunset on the range of mountains across the valley from our home. Clouds of lovely pink and streaks of purple topped the range colored by the sun. We commented aloud with agreement that the clouds were beautiful. She took my hand and said, "Remember how they look for you will never see exactly the same kinds and shapes and colors as we see today. Looking into my eyes, she said: "You must remember throughout your life that, like these clouds, there is only one of you. There has never been a person like you before and there never will be one like you again." This thought made me treasure life and all my experiences and is probably why I continue to write daily.