About the Author

Sandra McKay

Sandra McKay is an emerging author of creative non-fiction. An accomplished writer, her first

story published when she was only nine years old, was about a girl and her horse. While

growing up, her writing skills progressively matured while taking college English and creative

writing courses. Also, she has participated in numerous workshops, including a Chicago Writing

Workshop and numerous Iowa Writer’s Workshops.

Sandra is a business professional. As owner and President of a consulting firm, she has

authored numerous stories and articles that have been published in business magazines, and

she has submitted written testimony in numerous proceedings before federal agencies, some

that have been profiled in numerous publications, including Crain’s Chicago Business and the

Wall Street Journal. 

Sandra’s book, Dora, starts in Ullin Village in Southern Illinois in 1899 and centers on how this

tiny Irish girl lost a happy family life when her father died from typhoid fever, and was

subsequently sent to an orphanage in Chicago. Then she was “taken in” by a wealthy attorney

and for a few years lived a privileged lifestyle. However, tragedy hit once again, and her life

became filled with sadness and intrigue. Still, she moved on and ultimately found happiness.

“My grandmother told me she was writing the story of her life. When she died in 1976, I asked my grandfather for her writings; I took them home and put them in a drawer where they remained for more than 30 years. It was a dreary Sunday afternoon when I was cleaning drawers and my husband, Don, asked, what I was holding in my hand. When I explained, he responded, “Well, you have to write her story for her!” After spending the next ten days trying to make sense of work written by a woman with dementia, I initiated research. With the help of a professional genealogist, Cathy Parsons, we found a much bigger story that no one in our family knew about. So, my original plan to write a small book for family, exploded into a 400-page novel. Writing her story was a privilege and a joy. I am proud of my book but most important, I am so proud of my grandmother, Dora, and the fact that she triumphed over adversity.” - Sandra McKay