Teri’s brother Randy, had two little girls, Jeni and MacKenzie. Teri loved being an Aunt; she spoiled the girls and loved to tell them bedtime stories. One month while she was staying with them, she started a long story about a little pillow named PUFF. Each night the girls would pick a subject and Teri would make up the next chapter of Puff with that subject or object.
Finally it got so crazy that Teri started to write down all the stories she was telling the girls. What came of it, was a bunch of short books, “the adventures of PUFF”.
Teri meet with a few publishers, children’s’ writers, and they told her she had enough talent and imagination to actually get the books published.
Many years later, following a life threaten accident, God took Teri on a journey into the public, where she began to share her story, her faith in Christ and her racing career and passion. Many churches asked Teri when she spoke, if she had any books published. That got Teri thinking. In 2005, she met with another author and he set her up with Alive Communications, a literary agent in Colorado.
That agent found Teri two writers to help her prepare a proposal and sample chapters of her book, but the dilemma was, what direction to go in. Teri was speaking five to six times a month, but to all kinds of audiences. So they decided to not do just one book, but THREE.
The first one would be a women's book called : “Pit crews, Pearls and Prada Bags”
Races were often won or lost in the pits at the race track. The Pit crew’s support is Golden. Teri always wore pearls, they are her trademark, and she had a Prada handbag. So the title was cute and fitting.
The youth book was named after Teri’s favorite bible verse, 1 Corinthians 2:9. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived the great things I have in store for you.” DREAM BIG, because we have a BIG GOD and he loves us. So we called this book, “Driven to Dream”
It was geared at kids to teach them to Dream Big, but to also involve God in their dreams.
Lastly, they put together a book on Teri’s life. All that she had gone through, being a girl, racing in a man’s world. Breaking her neck, her recovery and life lessons along the way. That title was “At the Speed of Life”.
There were a few publishers that were interested in doing the books, but when Teri found out she was pregnant, she asked that things be put on hold.
Now in 2013, Teri is ready to pick up the pieces and start the book process again. She is currently collaborating with Lara William and it is coming together.