Ida Annette Minor Ward was born and lives in Richmond, Virginia. She spent her childhood in the West Moore and Harrison Street areas of the city. She attended Moore Street and Elba neighborhood elementary schools in Richmond and Charles Young in Washington DC, where the family relocated during her father's service in the US Navy. Upon returning to Richmond, she attended and graduated from Armstrong High School, then Virginia Union University, earning a BA degree in sociology/education. Entering the work world very early, she held many jobs from maid and waitress to modern and ballroom dance instructor. Her first professional assignment, upon graduating college, was director of teenage programs for the YWCA. She taught at Virginia Randolph and J. R. Tucker High Schools. While still in the Henrico County School System, she accepted the additional responsibility of working with the American Institute for Foreign Study, becoming the area coordinator of their overseas academic and travel programs. She worked with children from France, Spain, Japan, Italy, and England, providing them with varied cultural enrichment activities through academic sessions, tours, and community activities. This afforded them a variety of American experiences. While in that position, she seized the opportunity to plan and escort several overseas tours with children and adults from America, traveling extensively throughout Western Europe, with extensions that included the Middle East and the Aegean Islands. Her fascination with travel inspired her planning events for family, friends, and organizations, such as treks to the Poconos, the Concord Resort, weekend getaways, to the Chalets at Wintergreen, and fun-packed trips to Disney World and Penn Dutch Country. Currently, she works with Richmond Public Schools as Title 1 teaching coach or tutor and at the Virginia State Senate, when the Virginia General Assembly convenes annually.

Richmond Public Library is committed to supporting local writers and readers. Local authors are invited to set up a table in the lobby of the Main Library to sign and sell copies of their books in a low-key and casual setting.The lobby space is offered free of charge to local authors. Click here for more information.