Debra Birdwell Winkler

My name is Debra Birdwell Winkler, and I am a writer who is passionate about sharing my stories.

A writer’s job is to take a reader into another reality where the reader can experience wonderful adventures in the reader’s imagination guided by the writer’s words. This is my goal for my readers.

I was born and raised in the South, and now live in the West. Never thought I’d end up here, but life has moved me from one moment to the next without clearing my destination with me. Things don’t always end up the way I have wanted, but my children and my grandchildren make it all worthwhile.

My writing career started when I won an award in 5th grade for a poem I wrote about my sister. Since that time, I have craved becoming part of the writing world. But life got in the way as I took care of my family and my writing dream fell to the wayside. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and my teaching. I’ve written poetry and told short stories pretty much all my life. It wasn’t until I retired that I was able to fully concentrate on my writing dream. At the beginning of 2020, writing became my focus, my job, my joy.

I have written novels, short stories, and poems. Most are fiction, a couple are non-fiction. In the Spring of 2021, I felt comfortable enough to finally begin submitting stories to writing contests. I didn’t win any contest, but one of my stories was “published” online. I was so thrilled to type my name into Google and find the story there for all to see. Now, three of my fiction short stories are available online and my nonfiction short story was selected to be published in Ariel Chart International Literary Journal.

My short story, "Never in a Million Years," was selected to appear in "Second Chance: An LUW Romance Anthology." Date of publication February 12, 2022.

For more information, please check my website, DBWinklerWrites.com.