Award-winning author, Meta A. Evenbly
Meta Evenbly is the heroine of the book.
She lived the story told in Brave Face and is a natural storyteller. Born in 1935 to a German mother, she grew up in the Netherlands. When she had just turned 17, Meta met the love of her life, Frits, who was born to Dutch parents in the Congo but also grew up in the Netherlands. She married him at 22 and emigrated to Canada.
There, the young couple started life with only $30, no jobs, no home, and lots of courage. While living in Canada, the couple was blessed with a girl, a boy, and twin sons. (You can read about that here.) The family moved to Iowa in 1967, where they had their fifth baby, a girl. In 1976, the entire family moved again, this time to England. So, Meta raised her five children in three different countries, none of them her country of origin, making a home wherever they were.
Finally, after moving to Texas, Meta had the chance to pursue her dream of gaining a university education. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Liberal Arts from St. Thomas University, Houston, in philosophy, psychology, and theology at the age of 59.
In 2017, Meta lost her beloved Frits. But, she is a woman of indomitable spirit and is not done with living. So, Meta is sharing her story with the generations who come after her.
Award-winning author, Caroline Crocker
Caroline Evenbly Crocker is Meta’s eldest daughter.
Caroline is both Meta’s daughter and an immigrant to the U.S.A. Over the past 20 years, Caroline has worked as a biology professor, the chief executive officer (CEO) of a startup company, the president of a nonprofit, a private tutor, a technical writer, a research scientist, a consultant, and a communications expert.
Caroline maintains a blog, RamblingRuminations, and is the author or co-author of nine books, including a children’s picture book series, Growing the Church 101 and Free to Think.* She just published the story of Meta’s husband, Unforgivable. Caroline is married to Richard and has four grown children and eight grandchildren.
Caroline’s personal interests are as diverse as her professional roles. She finds joy in gardening, sewing, historical research, and long forest walks. But above all, she is a storyteller at heart, with a knack for weaving truth into narratives that read like fiction.
Caroline is an active member of the arts and writing communities. She currently serves on the Fairfax Commission on the Arts and is a proud member of the Virginia Writer’s Club, the Women’s National Book Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.