Penny Gilchrist wrote her first book at six years old. Magnolia Wishes was about a girl whose backyard tree’s sheltering branches rendered children invisible to adults — a trick that came in handy when it was time to practice the piano. This was the start of Penny’s dream of becoming a novelist when she grew up.
She graduated from Penn State University with a degree in elementary education, then moved from teaching to working in corporate sales. Ten years after becoming a stay-at-home mom, she took a 400-level creative writing class at George Mason University. This led to more classes and her acceptance into Mason’s MFA in Creative Writing program.
Penny earned her MFA in nonfiction but completed enough credits in fiction and nonfiction to qualify for a degree in either genre. Her memoir piece, “King of Gino’s,” won first place in the university’s Mary Roberts Rinehart Awards contest.
As the assistant director for Mason’s Fall for the Book literary festival, Penny worked with well-known authors, publishers, and agents. She helped grow the festival into a nationally recognized event. Later, as a university communications director, she wrote articles, website content, and newsletters, managed social media accounts, and developed marketing plans.
Now, she works full time on her speculative fiction novel, Ghost River, which focuses on female empowerment, second chances at love, and, yes, ghosts. She hopes to share this story with the world.
Penny still loves magnolia trees and any music she doesn’t have to torture from a piano. A member of Writer Unboxed, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and the Northern Virginia Writers Club, she lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, two cats, and two dogs.