Gladys Mercier, of Arvada, started blogging in March 2006 after reading an article in the Rocky Mountain News about the new online community newspaper called YourHub.com. It sounded like something she would enjoy so she sent in a story about going to Las Vegas and having her photograph taken with Wayne Newton. To her surprise the story was published in the Thursday print section of the News and her phone began ringing. Friends were calling to say they had seen the story and how much they enjoyed it.

With this encouragement Gladys became a regular YourHub blogger and began sharing stories of her remarkable life. As she said, "I came from a large family so there was a lot to write about them and also about my family after I married." Gladys' husband of 52 years had passed away in September, 2005 and writing was a wonderful way to remember the best of times shared with him and their two adopted sons. Now, at 79 years of age, Gladys admits to having seen a lot of "happiness, sadness and sorrows during my 79 years but would not change my life."

The warmth, love and sincerity that Gladys conveyed in her stories and photos soon resulted in a loyal following and has made her one of the most-read YourHub.com contributors with readership in the hundreds each week. She was recognized as a "super user" and began to make friends among the Denver Metro wide YourHub community of bloggers and staff writers. Over the last three years Gladys has attended many "blogger get-togethers" and made many personal friends among the YourHub blogger fraternity.

Now Gladys has published all 150 blogs in a remarkable 190 page book. An old friend told her many times "Gladys, you should write a book!" Now she has, and she titled it "I Should Write a Book . . ."

The idea of compiling and publishing a book of her blogs did not seem possible for quite a while, as most of her stories and files had been lost when her computer crashed. After talking to Joe McDaniel (a fellow YourHub contributor) and his wife, Jan, in early November, she realized that the stories and images were all still there, stored in her online YourHub.com files and they just needed to be downloaded and collated for a book.

Joe and Jan have been creating and designing books for several years using the Blurb online book publishing software and over the following weeks were able to help Gladys create her book in time for Christmas. The result is an 8 in. x 10 in. bookstore quality publication subtitled "The Life and Times of Gladys Simpson Mercier." The book can be previewed online at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1044033. It can also be purchased in a softcover or hardcover version.

Gladys Mercier can be reached by email gladmerc@aol.com.