About
Laura Vosika is the author of the beloved Blue Bells Chronicles, in addition to other works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and a collection of music. She is currently working on several other novels, a non-fiction book on raising a large family, and Theology of Music with her husband Dr. Chris R. Powell.
​
Laura grew up in the military, visiting castles in England, pig fests in Germany, and the historic sites of America's east coast. Seeing such history close up no doubt influenced her fascinatno with the past and her writing.
She earned a bachelor's degree in music, and worked for many years as a freelance musician, playing trombone for pit orchestras, ballets, and symphonies, and flute and harp for other venues. She spent three years as a member of the Buz Whiteley Big Band and Farragut Brass Band in Bremerton, WA.
After earning a master's degree in education, she took a job as a music teacher and band director. She has also taught private lessons on wind instruments, piano, and harp, for more than thirty years.
In her spare time, Laura likes to play piano, harp, and flute, do sudokus, and learn Gaelic.
Laura co-hosts Books & Brews with Chris Powell, interviewing a new author every month and pairing cocktails to authors' readings. They formerly hosted Wordsmiths & a Wolfhound: happiness through the arts and self-sufficiency and may do so again one day.
​
She lives at Glenmirril Farms, named after the castle in The Blue Bells Chronicles, in the Appalachians with Chris, their Bernese Mountain Dog/Anatolian Shepherd, Boo Bear, and a whole bunch of New Zealand White Rabbits, chickens, and sheep.
Liadan, their Irish Wolfhound joined her ancestors, the Laird's great hunting hounds, on January 6, 2025. There will never be another dog like her. She loved her family, her kids, her sheep, Boo Bear, like no dog ever has. She is greatly missed. You can see her tribute video here.
Together, Laura and Chris have 10 children and 4 grandchildren.
​
Shawn means self and Kleiner means centered...thus begins a time travel saga and a tale of self-discovery, nobility, and redemption as Shawn Kleiner, notorious modern musician, finds himself trapped in the world of the early 1300s and the battles of Robert the Bruce.
​
From the five book series grew the collection of history and recipes (Food and Feast), the collection of Celtic style music (Glenmirril Garden) , the collaboration with author Dr. Kendall Price (221 BC) and the Startled By... series of poetry anthologies of new poetry in traditional forms.
