Catherine Boyce:  

After completing both Stevens Elementary and Black Junior High Schools, I attended Waltrip for 10th grade. My FAVORITE class was Miss Williford's Major Works English. My first real academic challenge was in Smith's Geometry Class where, after always making A's and B's throughout my school career, I brought home my first and last "D" during the first grading period! My second favorite classes were equally Miss Fowler's Home Economics and Mrs. Reescano's Biology. Then my parents transferred me to Northwest Academy. My best chum from 2nd grade forward was Gloria Crider and my boyfriend since the 7th grade was Robert "Rock" Anglin (both Waltrip Class of '73). Because of them, I hated leaving, but though temporarily heart-broken, my next two years at NWA were a happy experience. I think I also took some comfort in finding myself, once again, in Williford's class when I arrived at my new school! (By the way, I adored making films for her English classes at NWA. Jan Steelman, Debra Vance and I formed the group, "Big Apple Productions." Does anyone remember our little offerings, "Kinetic Energy" and "Mr. H. Rides Again" ... I still have the super 8 rolls!) Since that time, I could write an encyclopedia-filled account. However, just the bare bones will have to do: Houston until I was 29, Miami for 14 more years, 1 year in San Antonio, and then Jacksonville, FL. Along the way, I lived, loved, lost, and loved again. Happily, I became the mother to five in the process. In Jacksonville, I met my soul mate and husband, Peter Boyce, on the Internet in 2000. We married and moved with my three youngest children to southern New Jersey. Peter has owned Delmont Sawmill for 31 years and I am on board as wife, secretary, bookkeeper, marketer, as well as earning the title of "The Muse of Millville." At first glance around the mill, Peter appears as a burly, Paul Bunyan-esque man wearing red plaid shirt and overalls. However, he is also an artist, writer, showman, and inventor especially gifted at writing poetry. I, too, dabble with writing and still enjoy sketching cartoons. Peter grew up in "da Bronx" so we are an example of "North meets Southwest." Now to make a long story short: We have an annual tradition of hosting an elaborate Sweetheart Supper for 20 in our 1888 Victorian home on St. Valentine's Day. (My girls wear period parlor-maid costumes and wait tables as a gift to us.) Peter and I both write a tribute poem to each other and read it aloud during dessert. In 2003, I recognized his poem as something superior to his previous ones. So in 2005, I entered him into a poetry contest in Washington, DC. Billed as "Da Bobby Burns of da Bronx" and wearing a deliberately flashy suit plus two-toned wingbacks, Peter competed against 1,800 poets worldwide. After two days of competition, his love poem to me earned 2nd place and $5,000.00! Since that time, as he writes poetry, I wear the crown of muse. We invested the prize money into forming Semper Studiosus Publishing (which loosely translates to "always learning"). In 2006, we published our first co-authored children's book, Tea with the Queen. So far, it sells in 24 states. We also book school visits where I teach character education classes in both public and private schools in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and of course, New Jersey. Book 2, A Royal...Expand for more