O'NEIL, Mary Garvin 1930- (Ginger O'Neil)

PERSONAL: Born October 16, 1930, in Milwaukee, WI; daughter of James T. (an engineer) and Anne B. (a teacher) Garvin; married Hugh M. O'Neil (a meteorologist), June 6, 1953; children: Betsy O'Neil Thomas, Garvin, Hal, Phyllis O'Neil Syme, Shirley O'Neil Owen, Dan. Ethnicity: "Irish." Education: St. Lawrence University, B.A.; attended State University of New York at Albany and University of Nebraska at Omaha. Politics: Independent. Religion: Episcopalian. Hobbies and other interests: Piano, ministry to the inner city of the District of Columbia.

ADDRESSES: Home—5003 Fleming Dr., Annandale, VA 22003. E-mail—HMONeil@aol.com.

CAREER: Worked as a piano teacher for fifteen years; teacher of English at a private school; also worked in publicity and public relations. Brady Handgun Center, volunteer; STEP Foundation, newsletter writer.

AWARDS, HONORS: First prize for fiction, Capital Christian Writers, 2000.

WRITINGS:

(As Ginger O'Neil) A Touching Performance (Christian romance novel; "Heartsong Presents" series), Barbour Publishing (Uhrichsville, OH), 2000.

Contributor to magazines and newspapers, sometimes under pseudonym Ginger O'Neil.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Daughters Undefiled; research on "Jesus's eradication of the stigma of the blood taboo which placed women in a second-class category."

SIDELIGHTS: Mary Garvin O'Neil told CA: "My primary motivation for writing is to inspire readers to believe in the Holy Spirit's involvement in their lives, and to be a dedicated follower of Jesus. Particular influences on my work include God (in my prayer time), my editor, my pastor and his assistants and the friends I have in my church, my family (grown children and the family with whom I grew up), and especially my husband of forty-eight years."