The Art and Soul of...

Carrie Fleharty

Biography...

bookwoman63@cox.net

By day I'm a mild mannered school librarian, but at night I'm a word junkie.  I am a writer of poetry, articles, essays, and stories.  I keep refining my craft through workshops and classes so that I may produce something enjoyable and good. I enjoy change and see it as a way to improve myself, and eventually it will improve my writing.  I enjoy expressing myself through the written word.

My hobbies are bicycling, writing along with reading, listening to music, watching movies, hiking, bird watching, and being outdoors.  I have two Boston Terriers Baby Sophie, and Baby Snooks.  This summer my roommate and I acquired and adopted two kittens.  Gimli, and Roxie.  I've never had kittens before.  Having them has been a treat.

I was born June 18, 1963 in a small town in Oklahoma.  Cushing, Oklahoma to be exact.  Home of the fighting tigers.  Orange and black tigers that is, not blue and white or blue and gold nor yellow and black but true orange and black.  After completing High School I came down with a severe case of Mono, and life has never been the same.  Most of my classmates went off to college, but I stayed home to gain back some of my energy. 

In January of 1982 I attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma.  From there I obtained my degree in Library Science, Education December 1985. I moved back to Cushing after that, and went in search of a real job.  A library teaching job.  I sent applications out to places I thought would be a nice place to live.  After countless interviews, I landed a job in Bartlesville, Oklahoma at Bartlesville Mid-High (9-10) on April 9, 1986.  During that time I immediately, ok, almost immediately I went to obtain my masters from the University of Oklahoma in their MLIS Program (Master of Library and Information Studies.) From 1988 until August of 1992.  YEAH!  This was a hard endeavor.  Not only did I work full time, and traveled to classes, but I endured one of the hardest programs around.  I worked there as the library media specialist for 10 years, and then had an opportunity to move up to Bartlesville Senior High (11-12).  I worked at that library for the next 3 years, and was put in there to provide a better library program, and was promised a bigger facility.  After three years, that promise wasn't happening, and I needed a change.  My personal life was suffering too.  I traveled to Tulsa for my entertainment almost every weekend, and sometimes during the week.  I decided enough of that.

Time for change, and I moved myself and my dog Abby, the Dalmatian, to Sand Springs.  I took on a challenge of an elementary school.  OH....MY..... I struggled for three years.  Hard reaching those little dinky linoleum lizards.  I did my best and learned the most. 

Then I decided that I would take my first writing course.  From the Institute of Children's Literature, I received a Diploma for creative writing. I am currently library media specialist for Will Rogers High School, and I love it.  I enjoy upper teenagers, and I feel as if I have gone full circle.  These students need me, and so does the faculty and staff.  I have much to offer.  I have recently taken a course online refining my poetry work.  I learned a tremendous amount in that class.  I like the way that online class worked, and intend on taking a few more just like it.