“Samantha Waltz writes with scrupulous honesty and compassion, in a voice as pure and clear as a mountain lake.”
Molly Gloss, The Jump-Off Creek, Unforeseen and The Hearts of Horses
Award winning author Samantha Waltz sold her first story at age eleven to a local newspaper. Her next stories appeared in American Girl, and she later worked as a guest editor and assistant editor for Mademoiselle.
Her books include Parenting: Four Patterns In Childrearing, Parenting Gifted Children, and Gifted Child: Masterpiece in the Making under the name Samellyn Wood.
She is the author of seventy anthologized personal essays and the editor of Blended: Writers on the Stepfamily Experience.
She has extensive editorial experience and has taught her Tell ‘Em and Sell ‘Em workshops to hundreds of writers, helping them craft excellent stories.
The Choice of Men is her first adult novel. She has been fascinated by the exploration of a theme about which she cares passionately.
Samantha's work appears in many well-known publications.
Testimonials
I highly recommend Samantha as a teacher and a writer. Her class on writing and publishing personal essays was great because it covered both the creative process and the selling points to help writers hone their craft as well as get their words in print. The two skills go hand in hand, but I have found that it’s rare to find a teacher who can help with both.
Her own published personal essays are an inspiration to writers who want to communicate their own stories as well as to readers who may enjoy getting insights into their own lives and situations by reading what others have to say about similar experiences.
Cindy Hudson
Book By Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs
Samantha’s workshop is inspiring, organized and customized to each student. From the first to the last session, she guides each writer through a journey from the seed of an idea to a refined essay with grace, humor, and mastery. The benefits of her teaching last way past the final session. She infuses writing confidence and coaches us on where to market our personal stories once they’re complete.
Julie Lee
Writer
It was a pleasure being in Samantha’s workshop and getting to know her. Her stories she read provided a wonderful window into her life. She’s a great writer….in addition to her teaching skills. Sometimes those two talents are mutually exclusive, but with her they are a winning combination.
Joan Fondell
Writer
“Samantha is way up there on my ‘favorite teachers’ list. She is an excellent teller of personal stories and generously shares everything she knows with her students in a safe, comfortable and encouraging atmosphere. If you want to learn to write, take one of Samantha’s classes. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.”
Janna Allgood
Business Consultant
“I heard Samantha Ducloux Waltz speak last year at one of the Northwest Author Series workshops.Her practical advice on writing personal essays was instrumental in helping me land my first acceptance to a Chicken Soup for the Soul volume. Since then, I’ve had three other personal essays accepted.”
Cara Holman
Writer