Susan Raycraft, locally known as SuRay, is a writer, author, and adventurer, as well as an advocate for social and global justice. She was shaped by her early years in a large and loving Catholic family, a theme this book explores. She co-created Vinegar Weed Press in 2011 to publish poetry and her play about Belva Lockwood, who was the first woman to run for U.S. President (in 1884 and 1888).

SuRay and her husband Larry have lived 40 years on 40 acres in California’s San Antonio Valley, about which she co-authored a book. They share space with a dog named Boo and Mooch the cat. She cares for her rural community in her role as organizer, activist, and occasional preacher at historic St. Luke’s Church Episcopal, which stands sentinel to the valley. She keeps chickens, gardens, and shares Mother Nature’s gifts, including her famous lavender lemonade.