Lee Ann Walling

Lee Ann Walling published her first novel at age 69. "The Salt and Light Express" is the story of Chris, an adventurous older woman who heads west in a small RV after the death of her long-time partner, Sally. Her original mission was to spread Sally’s ashes at Bryce Canyon, but detours and people along the way help her heal, confront her flagging faith, and find love and purpose again.

She entered the University of Texas the same month Nixon resigned, so she became a journalist instead of a writer. Her first job out of college was at KOSA-TV, the CBS affiliate in Odessa, Texas. After switching to newspapers and working in Dallas and Delaware, she became interested in politics and was a top aide to the first woman governor of Delaware, Ruth Ann Minner.

She earned her MBA in 1999. She then reinvented herself as a government bureaucrat, land-use planner, website designer, and consultant. In 2022, she enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts program at Drexel University in Philadelphia, determined to finally write a novel. She graduated in 2024 with manuscript in hand.

"The Salt and Light Express" is an inspirational story for spiritual seekers, older women, people who are grieving, people seeking community among our divisions, and people who always wanted to hit the road. It also pays tribute to community libraries and their courageous staffs; a hero of the novel is a Latina library director.

Booklife (Publisher's Weekly) made it an Editor's Pick and called it "a touching love story exploring religion, friendship, and small-town prejudice.

Kirkus Reviews: "This is Walling’s debut novel, but her writing experience is evident: Chris is a well-developed character who knows how biased and prickly she can be but often can’t help herself . . . A very compelling character study of a woman seeking redemption and love."

Foreword Reviews: "Intimate and complex, the book examines the human need for connection and belonging and the inner turmoil of reconciling these basic needs with the struggle for personal authenticity in a society marked by racism, political polarization, and homophobia.