Dear Reader,
Over the past twenty-five years, the husband and wife writing team, Jim and Nikoo McGoldrick, have crafted over forty fast-paced, conflict-filled historical and contemporary novels and two works of nonfiction under several pseudonyms, including May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey. Their stories have touched the hearts and minds of millions of readers all over the world. Their work has been translated into over a dozen languages and counting. Their latest book, in the Royal Highland series, is Highland Sword.
Contact this writing pair at:
https://www.maymcgoldrick.com/contact-us
Please welcome Jim and Nikoo (May) McGoldrick...
Jim's path to the writing profession was a natural one, and he was well prepared for it. Aside from his talent, he brings knowledge acquired through years of education and teaching, and his discipline is exemplary. But I (Nikoo) trained as a mechanical engineer in an era when there were only two female students in my graduating class. And English is my second language.
Many things prepared me to give up one career and fall in love with another, but there is one event that stands out in particular. I was entering my final semester of college. All my engineering requirements were completed.
The only three courses I had left to take were electives. But instead of settling on an easy one, the course I wanted was a 500-level Shakespeare class being offered only to graduate students or undergrad English majors with permission of the instructor. As an avid reader who'd read a great many works of classic literature, I saw this my last chance to find balance in my education. The lecturer, Warren Smith, was an eminent Renaissance scholar and an iconic figure on campus.
Holding tight to my registration form, I approached Professor Smith for his signature. He stared down at my double major in engineering and handed the form back to me. "No. We don't have enough women in engineering. Take an elective in basket weaving, graduate, and go change the world."
"But I need your Shakespeare course to change the world."
His smile deepened the wrinkles around his eyes. "Take judo as your elective. You'll need that more."
"We need the arts to understand who we are and why. And everyone says you know so much about Shakespeare."
"Not as much as Shakespeare knows about me." He took my pen and signed the form.
Warren Smith influenced my career and my future. That one course taught me that the human experience has not changed over the centuries. Othello reminded me that life and love are fragile things. Twelfth Night told me I must actively learn in order to grow: "There is no darkness but ignorance." And Ophelia says, "We know what we are, but we know not what we may be."
Life, love, growth, change. Writing is learning, and by taking the risk, by stretching beyond what was expected, a new road was revealed to me. A road that Jim and I will hopefully continue to walk on for years to come.
-- Jim and Nikoo (May) McGoldrick
Contact Jim and Nikoo at: https://www.maymcgoldrick.com/contact-us
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
This month's Penguin Classics book is The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.
Thank you so much Suzanne for hosting us. We are a great fan of yours.
Posted by: Nikoo McGoldrick | March 25, 2020 at 01:55 PM