About Mae Worrell Thomson and these stories

I think that she had always been interested in writing. But because she was also extremely practical in nature, she had not devoted much tune to practicing writing. For many years after her two children were born, she was diagnosed with heart trouble. The treatment was stated to her as “rest so your heart can mend itself or die.” The hoped for result eventually came about, but she had to spend many years resting in bed and in other ways taking it easy. Then different things happened to the kids, her husband changed jobs, they moved to another state, war broke out, her husband volunteered to go into the service, she moved back to California and found a house to live in and ajob for herself Whenever she located a night school class in writing and began to attend, one of the above mentioned things would happen, or a trip would take place or some other duty would take her attention.

Some time after they settled in at Rossmoor she assembled her writings, and hired someone to type them into suitable shape. It cost a sum of money that horrified her, probably about $40.00. But she paid it and mailed the package to an agent for an analysis. The agent returned the writings saying that she would not represent Mom. Mom was discouraged and said she would throw them all away. Luckily I was there and heard her and said no, don’t throw them away. Why not, nobody wants them she said. Well I do, I said forcefully. Why? she asked. Because you wrote them I answered. She didn’t reply, but put them away.

Now that I have taken the time to read them I wish that she had written more, especially about her own life. I wish that she had had the time to let us know more about the intelligent, brave and special person that she was.

Some of these stories are written in the first person, about her own life. I believe that many of the ones that she gives fictional names to are about her and her sister also, and that some are about people that she knew well. The top nine in the pile are the ones that I feel sure are personal to her. The fañy tale fantasy ones probably are ones that she started making up when she was a kid as she mentions in one of the true life tales. The others seem to be based on research that she had done. I would like to know your opinion after you have read them and bad time to think.

Lovingly, your mom, and/or sister, Mary T. Samsel