I am an author, travel writer and publisher.  For 35 years I enjoyed an award-winning career in advertising and public relations. In my retirement, I write travel articles which have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Boston Globe, and numerous travel magazines. My late husband, Howard Kirz, took all the photographs for the articles and stories. Along the way, we created White Dog Press, Ltd., inspired by our two West Highland White Terriers.

My newest book ‘Signs of Life, Love, and Other Miracles’ chronicles my quest to find a sign of life and love from my late husband and led me to the miracles of other people’s stories. I embarked on a journey to find out how people in the United States and in other cultures deal with death. Unable to sit in one place after Howard died, I traveled to escape from grief wandering to Mexico, Thailand, Wales, Egypt, and Italy. This book explores these cultures’ traditions in the backdrop of my emotional journey to seek the unexplained.

When I started mentioning that I was writing a book and did anyone have a similar experience of seeing or hearing a sign of life from a loved one, or friend, who has passed on, miracles started happening. Out of the blue, people instantly blurted out stories of their experiences, which, with permission, are shared in this book.

Your stories are precious gifts from the universe. Please, share one with me.

I am working on a new book currrently but here are some other books of mine at White Dog Press, Ltd.:

NEWEST BOOK:

* Signs of Life, Love, and Other Miracles - A heartbroken widow journeys to five countries searching for a sign of life from her late husband and discovers that death is not the end. Signs of Life, Love, and Other Miracles delivers hope that death is not the end for both believers and non-believers. The author discovers how other cultures celebrate death and embrace the afterlife in various celebrations and ancient customs as she travels through Mexico, Egypt, Thailand, Wales, and Italy.

* The Complete Handlebar Guide to Bicycling the TransAM - Virginia to Oregon/Washington. As avid cyclists, we pedaled 4000 miles across America and wrote this popular guidebook. Stephanie Kirz, author; photos by Howard Kirz. First published in 2003; now in its fourth edition.

* The Yin and Yang of Marriage. Heartfelt and Humorous Survival Lessons from more than 30 years together. Co-authored with Howard L. Kirz. 2011.

* The Comstock Fairy Tale Cottages of Carmel. Joanne Mathewson, second edition, 2012. (Copyright acquired and published by White Dog Press, Ltd.)

* The Lost Book of Fairy Fables. 2013. A collection of ten original fables as told to a young girl by two ancient fairies concerned with the corrupt and unethical state of the world. Stephanie Kirz, author.

I continue to write, enjoy my dogs, bicycle, play tennis, and travel in search of "signs of life" from people in cultures worldwide! Contact me if you have a story to share!