You never know when you might meet a new, very special friend. Her daughter, Lacy, president of our writing group, introduced me to her mother a couple of years ago in the hopes of encouraging her to publish her seven (7) stories she wrote around 25 years ago. Now we are fast friends. The books are being published: two are currently available! “Katy” is one of my people angels for through mentoring her, she has influenced me as well. Isn’t it funny how often you are helped when you help someone else?

L K Houk’s books are endearing stories featuring animals in the “Down Home on the Farm” series. The first book, Tom T.’s Tale is based on a true story, unbelievable as it may seem. Katy actually witnessed the rescue of a chick from a bucket of water by a turkey! Each book is endearing, well-written, full of rich character, and enhanced by beautiful life-like acrylic illustrations by Janice Pringle. Oh! And, did I mention? They’re BILINGUAL. Read in English or Spanish on each page. Kids love them! They would be great additions to any Spanish class too.

Her personal life is full, varied, and very interesting. Let’s meet Katy:

What would be the one thing you would tell your elementary school self?

Having lived out in the country, we were all pretty shy about meeting and being with new people. School was a foreign territory. We didn't go to kindergarten. That was a thing the "town kids" paid extra to do.  I think, if I were to talk to a younger me, I would counsel thus: "It's OK to be yourself. You have interests and a history that are different from the "town" kids who seem to be very sure of themselves. Just learn to hear and see others with a kind heart. It will pay off eventually." 

What event (or person) has had significant impact on who you are today?

 The most important thing I did was to have married my husband. I was thinking the other day that every single friend I have is because of our being in a specific place to have met them. Those kids in school I was so afraid of? Have no clue how or where or who they are. But the wonderful friends we have made in our travels (My husband is retired military.) are the linchpins in my current world, even though we may live states apart. Without him I could never be who I am today.

What's the farthest place you’ve ever travelled from home? (What took you there? What did you do there? What stood out most about being away from home?) 

When I was a child, we lived in Arkansas. We moved to Missouri when I was 11, where I lived until I got married. The thing that stood out most was that even though we'd only moved 20 miles away, the culture was completely different between the two places.

 My husband and I have lived in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Arizona, North Carolina, Colorado, Texas, and Germany.  During most of this time, there was no internet, no cell phones, and not a lot of communication with "the folks back home". I wrote LOTS of letters!  The thing that stood out most was realizing how very dependent my husband and I were on each other. 

We have been to Hawaii - not a foreign country, but across a pretty big ocean - on vacation; Uganda (East Africa) (mission trip to support an orphanage we helped support through our ministry, Feed My Lambs International) , Ecuador (South America) (Mission trip with the Church of the Nazarene), Canada (visiting friends and touring), England (en route to Africa), Scotland (fun trip with a friend.), Russia (When it was still the USSR in 1992. Took medical supplies to Moscow with Heart to Heart International.) My husband has been to the Philippines (Taking milk goats and rice to an orphanage and to remote villages.), 53 countries in Africa (Working for our ministry: taking in medical supplies, doctors and nurses, evangelists and the Jesus Film.), and  the Netherlands (in Europe) (En route to England/Africa.). 

What did your family do for fun when you were younger? (Why was it so enjoyable?)

When we were kids, we lived out in the country. We played outside constantly - cowboys & Indians, tag (especially a game we called Witches, which was played after dark with teams and lots of screaming), croquet, badminton, exploring the nearby creek, playing on the hay stacks, playing in the barn loft, playing with the kittens (dressing them up like baby dolls and hauling them around in our wagon), going boating and skiing, making ice cream and having company over, music parties at distant relatives' houses (another scary thing with people we didn't know and were shy about being with), and as I got older, riding horses. 

We were exceedingly free when we were young. We went barefoot, ran through sprinklers, played Little Dolls, Baby Dolls, and house. We really didn't have specific bed times, or a lot of supervision. Some of the things I liked that might have been considered work were burning trash in the trash pile (Yes, it was a different world then.), cooking, and helping my mother do laundry. (With a washer with a wringer on it, tubs to rinse and bleach in, and then hanging the clothes out on the clothes line in the back yard. That was always fun until it turned winter and going out to bring in clothes that were frozen stiff. My fingers got so cold!)

Did you have any special family traditions when you were younger? (Where did they come from? What made them special to you?)

We always went to Sunday School, Church, and Church activities together as a family. Of course there were things like decorating the Christmas tree together, making candy for Christmas, and all. We always read aloud the Christmas story from the Bible. And Psalm 100 at Thanksgiving. Why was this special? As I remember, I was almost always the one to read aloud, even with two older sisters. I never understood that, but it stands me in good stead as I read my books aloud at libraries, schools, and gatherings.  We always had Christmas at home, Christmas Eve at my paternal grandparents' (Nana and Granddad) home, and Christmas evening at my maternal grandparents' (Grandpa and Grandma) home. I think the regularity, the predictability of things going the same was comforting to us.

L K Houk’s Books (the first two of the series of seven)

Our Gallery & Author Update

I’ll be so glad when we get back to “normal” from the Covid-19 business. I hope all of you have been staying healthy and making special memories during this time. I have still been working part-time, studying writing, and writing my first novel: Emeline. I have quite a few words so far and have hired an illustrator. Her name is Claudia Gadott and she lives in New Zealand, although she is from Italy. She is amazing! See her first two illustrations below. I hope to have the book available by November 1st, 2020.

And, I know you all have been enjoying a lot more of each other this month. Here’s some photos from one of our subscribing families showing what they’ve done - along with school at home: made cupcakes, played games, built fire and had sister-time, stained the deck, put together a 1000-piece puzzle, and went fishing. Wow!