Rae Berg is the chosen pen name of Rev. Dr. Sharon Rae Graff, composed of her given middle name, Rae, from her paternal Welsh and Irish roots, and from her maternal grandmother's family name, Berg, representing her Norwegian and German heritage. Berg refers to mountain and holds special meaning since the author has lived in the southern California mountains for over twenty years with her spouse. Berg earned a bachelor's degree of science (BS) from Bushnell University, a master's degree of education (MA) from the Claremont School of Theology, and a doctorate in ministry (DMin) from the San Francisco Theological Seminary. As an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ, Rae Berg served several congregations and nonprofits throughout her career. Now in retirement, she has trained as a certified sound healer and spiritual coach, and has moved from her practice of writing weekly sermons, reports, and prayers to the more focused and abbreviated form of haiku. Not formally trained in haiku, her attempts in this-her first book-are novice and flavored with hope that the reader will be inspired to give haiku a go!
