class notes Elli (Rewald)Merritt ’97

Publishes Novel “One Step Closer”

Elli decided to return to her passion for creative writing, a passion that began with Mrs. Everdell’s Creative Writing class at Gunston.

1993

Mary Jeanne Robinson: “Eric and I originally met when I was a senior at Gunston. It was a holiday break and I was staying on campus. He and a bunch of Chestertown friends came to campus. I ended up dating him and ultimately went that spring to the Kent County High senior prom. We dated through to the following year and drifted apart during college. He was always a great memory of “my first boyfriend.” Recently, we reconnected.

It was almost therapeutic how, at such a difficult time amongst COVID, life changes, and family loss, we were able to reflect together as we caught up on each other’s life paths; from where we were as seniors on the Eastern Shore to where we had arrived both personally and professionally. He’s the love of my life. We eloped on June 19, 2022 and celebrated as a surprise with close friends and family at the new home we bought in Greenville, SC.

2009 & 2010

Elli (Rewald) Merritt ’97 attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. Elli met her husband Rich in college, and after having two boys, she transitioned to being a stay-at-home parent. Prior to that, most of Elli’s career had been spent helping others find gainful employment.

It was during this time that Elli decided to return to her passion for creative writing, a passion that began with Mrs. Everdell’s Creative Writing class at Gunston. Elli recalls the moment that her short story, a story that covered a very dark topic, was read out loud to the class. “The entire class responded strongly to the story, mostly negative, some positive, but all intense. Mrs. Everdell taught me that though the reactions were intense and not all positive, it was my words that had caused them all to feel passionately enough to react as they did.”

In April of 2022, Elli proudly published her first book, called “One Step Closer.” This book, available on Amazon, is a fictional tale of one woman’s journey to start her family. Though the book was written as a fictional novel, it closely resembles Elli’s own difficult experiences trying to start a family, which required years of trying, a lot of money and the help of some amazing doctors.

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Elli also contributed to a book entitled “Boy Moms: Collective Tales of Mothers and Sons” by Kara Forney, a compilation of stories that delve into all the joys and challenges of being a mom of boys. Many readers of Elli’s novel have described it as “funny,” “insightful,” and “the perfect book for someone struggling to start their family.”

“I wrote the book specifically to help other couples facing fertility challenges to gain insight into what they may face going through the process of in vitro fertilization,” said Elli.

She continues to write and is planning on publishing her next novel, the first of a trilogy called “The Widows,” in 2023. The Widows trilogy is a psychological thriller, with some undertones of mystery. The first of the three novels is currently in the editing stage and Elli can’t wait to get it published and to start the next book in the series. She is currently living in Florida with her husband and two sons. When not writing, Elli enjoys reading, playing piano, and playing games of all kinds.

Spotlights

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2015

2016

Natalie (Purpora) Reading: “Dan and I met while in high school, through our parents actually. He surprised me on Green and White day that year to ask me to his senior prom at DeMatha and the rest was history. We were married on October 7th at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club after more than seven years together.”

2018

Rongjie “Rose” Fan: “I am currently a Master’s student pursuing a degree in Food Science, after getting my bachelor in Food Science under the same department. Now I am doing research with fermented foods and testing their functionalities against cancer cells. I do like the working environment and the knowledge and opportunities the Master program is bringing to me. My goal as of now is to learn as much as possible in the graduate program: network with professors and food scientists from the industry; strengthen my knowledge in the diverse and fast evolving food industry. For a summer internship, I worked at a blueberry and peach orchard at Bennett Orchards.

Our college, the college of Agriculture and Natural Resources, sends out a weekly newsletter on news around campus, and some career development and internship opportunities, and this is how I found Bennett Orchards. It was a great summer helping out by the beach. I got to spend some time with friends and family after finishing working the early hours. As an agriculture/business intern, I worked with farmers markets, pick-your-own, and networked with other vendors along the Delmarva Coast which provided me great insights into the grass roots running of a business and into agriculture. The connection I made this summer is precious.”