Linda discovered her passion for writing at Highline. Now, she’s making
her mark as an author of award-winning romance novels.
While attending Highline in the early 1970s, she was required to complete
a writing class for her degree. She lacked confidence in her writing
ability, but instructor Lonny Kaneko helped her discover her talent for
writing.
“I always had a vivid imagination and enjoyed telling stories, but never
felt I truly had a gift for writing – at least not until this wonderful
teacher opened a whole new world for me,” she said.
After graduating in 1974, she applied her writing and artistic skills to
various business endeavors. But her love of modern-day literature never
diminished. When her third child completed college, she pursued a
professional writing career and as a result has won numerous literary
awards.
In 2008, she was a finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden
Heart contest that promotes excellence in the romance genre. Her first
novel, “Flaherty’s Crossing,” was awarded the Publisher’s Award of
Excellence in 2010 and is currently being considered for a film on the
Hallmark Channel.
Highline is also significant for Linda because she met her future
husband, entrepreneur Junki Yoshida, while attending business classes on
campus.
In the early 1980s, she helped him develop and market a teriyaki-style
marinade - Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce. The Oregon-based Yoshida Group is now a
multimillion-dollar conglomerate that spans the globe, yet continues to be
heavily invested in community projects.
Recently, Linda developed a new venture with the creation of the Soulful
Giving Foundation – a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding
research, care and treatment for cancer patients and their families. Her
first “blanket concert” event on July 16 sold more than 1,000 tickets and
will result in a $50,000 donation to Providence’s Cancer Research Center on
Dec. 1.
Learn more about Linda, aka Kaylin McFarren, and her work:
www.kaylinmcfarren.com
Learn more about Highline’s English department:
http://english.highline.edu
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