I view life as a journey that gives us opportunities to explore new things and to seek adventure. To fulfill this quest, I have worked and volunteered in many different areas. Following my  passion to help people, I  chose the vocation of nursing, receiving an A.S from St Petersburg College, Florida in 1982. I worked mostly in critical care. After a twenty year career as a registered nurse, DonnaLee continued her education by pursuing a B.A. in Studio Art in 2005 from the University of Texas, Austin. She has held volunteer positions for art festivals promoting art in the Austin area and was President of the Waterloo Watercolor Group (2013, 2014)

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Her willingness to participate in sports has brought her joy, however it was her many years playing competitive tennis that has challenged and rewarded her by giving her the chance to represent the state of Texas in a USTA National Tournament twice. Eager to share her skills and knowledge of tennis, she earned the opportunity to coach a high school team in California. Her passion for teaching and working with students advanced beyond the tennis court as she was also a Boy Scout leader and a board member for the American Heart Association where she  coordinated the Jump for Heart program and coached an after school jump rope demonstration team. Later her desire to help children, continued as she accepted a Board position at the Austin Children’s Museum. Her volunteer efforts also take her to new locations, helping her to reach her goal to visit all fifty states. 

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DonnaLee’s husband also shares in her love of adventure.  DonnaLee says, "Travel while you still can!" Visiting the Egyptian pyramids and countries around the Mediterranean is still on their bucket list.

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DonnaLee started writing her first novel in January of 2014 and once she started writing, her characters kept talking and much to her surprise, one novel after another was written.  With the  completion of the final book in The Knot Series I, The Hitch, Stan, a character who keeps getting more entangled in the King family,  was restless and kept whispering in her ear, "I'm not finished. I have my own story to tell."  DonnaLee  gave in to his pleads and is currently working on The Knot Series II  which focuses on Stan as he finds his own unique gifts that make him shine. Its a Western action and romance that incorporates a modern day stand off.  It will be published Fall 2020. And yes, there will be another novel or two in this series!  

 

DonnaLee thinks her novels would make a great TV series so if anyone reading this has any pull with a film director or producer, please share these stories. 

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 In addition to her fiction novels, her non-fiction self-help/memoir is also completed. DonnaLee says, "Discover Gold: achieve happiness and reach for dreams was decades in the making and I hope it will reach many with its positive inspiring message.