Merrilee FranklinAuthor Merrilee Franklin was born in Princeton, New Jersey. After moves to Boston, Massachusetts and Hillandale, Maryland she and her family landed in Dallas, Texas where she graduated from Richardson High School in 1967. She graduated from The Univesity of Texas in Austin with a B.S. in Elem. Education and then earned her Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of North Texas. Merrilee has taught all grade levels from Kindergarten through High School. She has always been a storyteller - some stories were even believable - yet the love of writing is a new chapter in Merrilee's life. THE PORCH is the first of several books that she has written. One of her main goals is to instill the love of reading in the hearts and minds of boys and girls. She writes so that they might love to read! When she speaks to boys and girls about her stories, she stresses the importance of self-worth and the quest to believe in oneself and in one's dreams. She believes that our lives are all interconnected and are like puzzles; it is our job to sort out the pieces and complete the journey with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Merrilee Franklin lives in Garland, Texas with her husband Mike. They have two married children and five grandchildren. Read More Read Less