About The Author

I have always believed that the way we care for ourselves, our families, our communities, and the natural world are deeply connected. That belief has shaped both my life and my writing.

I am an author, retired holistic registered nurse, organic gardener, sustainable agricultural practices educator, clean eating lifestyle coach, longevity lifestyles choices coach, as well as a mother of two sons and grandmother to two boys and two girls. My background in health and my years of growing food organically led me to look beyond nutrition labels and recipes to a much larger question: Where does our food come from, and how was it produced?

I am a strong advocate for sustainable agriculture and for food systems that respect the health of people, animals, and the land. I believe the quality of our food begins long before it reaches the grocery store. How animals are raised matters. How soil is treated matters. How our food is grown, harvested, processed, and brought to our tables matters.

That philosophy is reflected throughout my nonfiction writing. I encourage readers to learn more about the farms and producers behind their food and, when possible, to choose humanely raised and responsibly sourced foods—including grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, humanely raised animal products, and wild-caught seafood. I also believe strongly in organic growing practices, sustainable farming, fewer unnecessary ingredients, and returning to real food rather than relying heavily on ultra-processed products.

My nonfiction books are written under my own name, Debra Stanish. They explore personal growth, healthy and practical eating, organic gardening, sustainable food choices, family nutrition, parenting, divorce and co-parenting, and navigating different stages of life with greater confidence and intention. I write for real people living real lives, with an emphasis on practical information, compassion, common sense, and solutions that can actually work outside the pages of a book.

But nonfiction is only one part of my writing life.

I write children's books as Maggi Meadow, including The Backyard Secret Girls Club and The Backyard Brotherhood Club. These stories celebrate inclusion, kindness, friendship, curiosity, independence, imagination, problem-solving, and the wonderfully ordinary adventures children can find when they are given room to explore. These series were written as a tribute to my four beautiful grandchildren, Andrew, Jameson, Penelope and Brooklyn, who call me GiGi. I never knew the level of love I had for their fathers could grow exponentially times four. I hope these stories brighten your children's lives, your grandchildren's lives, your students’ lives. Manners, kindness, teamwork, responsibility and accountability are core characteristics I tried to instill in my children and, as much as I could, in my grandchildren as well. I came up with the name Maggi Meadow from a small, sickly kitten I once owned a long time ago. She was a beautiful Bengal domesticated cat, born with an advance stage of congestive heart failure. She only lived a few months, but she quickly became the love of my life.

As Austa Jeannette, I write the Garden Whispers Romance Series ‍and the Riverbend Falls series—stories about relationships, community, love, second chances, and the unexpected turns that can lead people toward a life they never anticipated. Austa Jeannette was the first and middle name of my father's mother. A wonderful woman who occupies a small memory in my mind as she died on my 5th birthday. I remember this boisterous, powerful woman who loved Saturday Night Wrestling and could cook a meal most chefs could only dream of. “Granny”, as I called her, would invite me to crawl up beside her and cuddle on her red velvet couch while we watched a wrestling match or a favorite movie. So, I decided to use her name to keep her legacy alive.

As Flora Elizabeth, I write the Wildflower Legacy series, exploring love, family, generational legacy, holistic healing, resilience, and the possibility of beginning again through characters who continue to grow and change throughout their lives. Flora Elizabeth was the first and middle name of my mother's mother. Now ‘Gram’ lived a long life, well into her late eighties, and she was a very strong, assertive, outspoken woman who didn't have a filter. I believe I derived those personality characteristics directly from her.

At first glance, children's adventures, romance, sustainable agriculture, organic gardening, healthy eating, family life, and women's empowerment might seem like very different subjects.

To me, they aren't.

They are all connected by a belief in living consciously, caring deeply, learning continuously, and having the courage to make thoughtful choices—for ourselves, for the people we love, and for the world we leave behind.

That is the thread connecting everything I write and the reason this website brings all of those books, all of those subjects, and all of those names together in one place.