Dr. Ellen Spain worked for the United States government for over twenty-five years in investigations and management before taking an early retirement package. Her work in the educational field prior to joining the government, and her subsequent teaching experience provided Ellen a good transition to professional writing.
Ellen earned a B.A. in Political Science/Pre-Law, a M.A. in Writing, a Ph.D. in Psychology, and completed graduate studies in Business, Information Science and Law. She is licensed in hypnotherapy and is certified in forensic and pain management. For more information on hypnosis, click here. Dr. Spain also holds a Doctor of Divinity degree.
Dr. Spain is affiliated with the Association for Transpersonal Psychology, the Institute of Noetic Science, the National Guild of Hypnotists, Silva International, the Hypnotist Society of Pennsylvania, the Association for Research and Enlightenment/Edgar Cayce Foundation (having served as the five state Regional Secretary/Treasurer, Regional Editor, and Regional Outreach Coordinator), the Nature Conservancy, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, St. David's (Welsh) Society, the Carnegie, WQED public radio/tv, and a life member of the Murrysville Historical Preservation Society.
In her current writing career, Dr. Spain is a member of Romance Writers of America, PennWriters, the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, the Pennsylvania State Coordinator for EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection, a professional organization for published and contracted e-book and print authors, established in 1997, to provide a strong voice for electronic publishing, the Supporters of the College of the Atlantic, and is the coordinator of the Pittsburgh East Writer’s Group at the Monroeville Public Library. More than a decade ago, she joined PARSEC, organized to promote literary Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and other Speculative Fiction, where she met and studied the basics of science fiction writing under William Tenn (Philip Klass) and Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs).
In December 2007, Ellen completed Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction Master of Arts program. While in that graduate program, she studied under authors: James Morrow (Towing Jehovah) ; Lawrence C. Connolly (Veins); Victoria Thompson (Murder on Bank Street); horror writer, Dr. Mike Arnzen, a four time Bram Stoker Award winner; novelist David Bischoff (The Tawdry Yellow Road); Intl. Thrillers Writers' President, David Morrell (Creepers & The Successful Novelist); Literary Agent, Donald Maas (Writing the Breakout Novel): and YA author, Dr. Lee McClain; in addition to Ellen’s two mentors who proofread, edited, and approved her thesis Secrets in the Fog: YA and romantic suspense author, Leslie Davis Guccione, and historical romance and mystery author, RITA award nominee Barbara Miller (Laurel Ames).
Ellen writes short stories, magazine articles, and novels about mysteries on Duck Island, paranormal mysteries set around Maine and Nova Scotia, a romantic mystery set in Nova Scotia, along with her non-fiction books about local history, pirate treasure on Duck Island, and previous non-fiction publications in computer science, civil rights, and holistic health. Ellen was asked to be a Judge for the Young Voices Foundation, a 501(c)3 educational organization, 2009 awards. The Young Voices Foundation wants to recognize published books that inspire and educate parents, or are dedicated to teaching their children lasting values in a positive environment.
Dr. Spain is a volunteer for the Westmoreland County Historical Society and the Literacy Council as well as a life member of the University of Pittsburgh Alumni Association, and the Founders' Society of Seton Hill University. In 2005, Ellen was appointed by the Council of the Municipality of Murrysville to serve as a Trustee-Board Director to the Murrysville Community Library Board, a position she holds through 2009. She is also a member of the Pennsylvania Library Association, and was the alternate liaison to the Westmoreland County Federated Library System.
Ellen loves dogs and cats and is a "Patron" member of Action for Animals Humane Society in Latrobe, PA. She also supports the St. Joseph's Indian School for Lakota children in South Dakota, Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization that enables low-income people to own affordable, livable housing and AmeriCares which delivers medicine, relief supplies, and health care to the needy, going to extraordinary lengths to ensure that aid reaches individuals in need wherever they are.