In May, author Susan Woodring will release a collection of stories, "Springtime on Mars," with Winston-Salem publisher Press 53. Last year the former middle school teacher published her first book, "The Traveling Disease," a novel, with Charlotte publisher, Main Street Rag.

Writing and motherhood have long been Woodring's double passions, though neither dream came easy. She suffered two miscarriages and garnered her share of rejections.

"I never really thought of giving up on either goal, though," Woodring says. "I felt God had this plan for me, and I just prayed for his will."

Woodring, now a mother of two, stepmother of one, finds time to write between home-schooling her kindergartner and caring for her toddler.

Press 53 books are distributed in the U.S. and U.K. by Ingram Books and Baker & Taylor, and are available for purchase from bookstores everywhere and more than 100 booksellers online.