Swenson’s writings selected to inspire

By Karin Burke | The Daily Journal

Published Friday, February 9, 2007

Lifetime Fergus Falls resident Glorianne Swenson has a memoir piece published in the popular “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series.

Swensen’s “Retrospect” looks back on the life of her daughter and the life that they have shared together. “I had left fingerprints in her life,” she writes. The piece was so popular with the editors of the anthology that they decided to place it in two different books, “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrating Mothers and Daughters” and “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons for Busy Moms”.

Swenson’s memoir pieces, in story and poem form, have become popular in local publications such as AgriNews, published by MidWeek, and “Ottertail Review”, a two volume anthology published in the area. Each piece is drawn from Swenson’s memories and reflections, and are deeply devotional and inspirational in cast.

Swenson grew up 10 miles outside of Fergus Falls and attended a country school. She moved to Fergus Falls to attend high school, staying with her grandparents to facilitate her studies and activities in town. After graduating, Swenson attended the School of X-ray Technology at Lake Region Hospital. She and her husband have lived in Fergus Falls their entire lives, and raised their family here.

In 1996, Swenson acquired a disabling autoimmune disorder, making work outside the home impossible. This launched Swenson into her writing career. “I had no background in writing, publishing, or editing,” she said, “ I would go to the library and read everything I could about the subject.”

Eventually, with hard work, Swenson was published in AgriGuide. Since that time, she has published widely and to acclaim. Swenson opened her small business “gloribks” in 2002.

The publication in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series is an honor, according to Swenson, and the first time she has worked with a major publishing company and editor. Swenson says that she had originally planned to work on an anthology of her own published and new works, but “it has been so much fun working with the (Chicken Soup for the Soul) anthologies that I might just keep doing that. Or do both.”

“I credit so much of my writing and my inspiration to the way I was raised, the folks who raised me, and the community around me now and in the past.” Swenson said. “I have learned how to appreciate what I have, even when it is very little. I have learned that family is very important, church is very important, love of god is very important. I think respect for people and community informs everything I write.”

“Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons for Busy Moms” became available in bookstores January. In Fergus Falls the books are available at Victor Lundeen’s, The Promise Shop, and WalMart. “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrating Mothers and Daughters” is due in bookstores in March.