Check It Out: Alumni Spotlight
Playing Life by Ear is a collection of poetry and prose that doesn’t cover the story of one’s life but the multiple stories that make up a life. Author Doris Markland writes about the odd things that happened, the funny things, the challenging things, and thoughts that rhyme and bring on a smile.
Doris Markland is a 1946 graduate of Morningside College. Her major was English. Upon graduation she was offered many writing jobs including offers from Hallmark Cards Inc. and a chief editor position at Mayo Clinic. Markland chose to take her career in a different path and headed out to become a high school teacher.
Later in life, she did write greeting cards for Hallmark Cards Inc. along with various other companies. This is the first book she has written but she has been published before in multiple magazines including Good Old Days, Mature Living, and the Saturday Evening Post.
“My poetry is very down to earth,” said Markland. “Many of these poems echo my search for meaning in life, but I write about ordinary things too and most with a touch of humor.”
Playing Life by Ear covers her years of smoking and how she quit and taught hundreds of people how to quit, about being a young parent, the real experiences of aging, how people learned to hug in the 70’s and 80’s, and cultural journeys. It is a collection of writings that have been written throughout the years.
“We learn not only by what we experience in life but also by observing the odd moments and the bright moments of our siblings and parents,” said Markland.“
Markland says her book will appeal most to seniors because she writes about things that they experience and think about. She writes for the sharp older generation and their middle-aged kids.
“Most of the material is either very thoughtful, comforting, inspirational, or very funny,” said Markland. “There’s some of everything.”
Markland’s book has 182 pages and is currently offered in softcover. It is available to purchase at http://bookstore.iuniverse.com. In the future, it will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other bookstores.
