Ginger Emas has been talking since before she could walk (of course, she didn’t walk until she was nearly two years old).

She quickly learned that telling stories at dinner time was one way for this youngest child of four to get a little attention. Writing them down in crayon, however, took a lot more effort, but she prevailed. 

Soon she was winning poetry and story contests (with stuff that would make you cringe today) and getting out of class to go to the award ceremonies. By the time she was in 7th grade, penning a column in the school newspaper called Ginger Snaps, Ginger knew she wanted to be a writer. Although for a brief time, after having a world-class science teacher, Ginger thought she’d like to be a marine biologist. That’s before she realized how much math was involved.

In high school Ginger mostly wrote bad Rod McKuen-imitative poetry and forlorn love letters. But freshman English and Journalism school at the University of Florida sealed the deal — she wrote magazine and newspaper articles, public relations plans and marketing strategies, and graduated with high honors. She also learned a lot more about comedic timing as a member of the improv group, Artificial Ingredients.

Following college, Ginger went on several job interviews. The interesting thing about interviewing for a writing job back then is that they make you write — on the spot. On a whim, Ginger decided to audition for one of the female extras in the movie, Porky’s II, which happened to be casting in South Florida. She got the part, but don’t look for her in the credits. That same week, the IBM Corporation hired her to work in its plant/lab communications department in Charlotte, NC, and Ginger packed her bags. See how one little decision can change your path forever? (Although I would have had to ban my son from ever watching Porkys II … wait a minute, he IS banned from ever watching Porkys II.)

Ginger worked at IBM until 1987, when she decided to move to the big city of Atlanta, Georgia. She told everyone she wanted to go out on her own as a freelance writer, but the truth was she had dated all of the eligible young men in the tri-city Mecklenburg area and needed a larger pool. She did indeed meet and marry her husband in Atlanta, but after thirteen years of marriage (and fourteen years of couple’s therapy) they divorced — and Ginger lost a husband but gained a life-long friendship.

So began Ginger’s self-revealing, humorous and helpful dating survival guide: Back on Top: Fearless Dating After Divorce. Today, Ginger still works as a writer for dozens of companies, both large and small, and has a slightly different version of the family of four she always wanted: her son, her boyfriend, her ex and herself.