Fanny and the Amber Necklace is fascinating and sweet, a Cinderella story with a twist. Based on truth, it portrays the struggles and triumphs of Kathryn Helm's maternal Danish grandmother, Fanny, who lived a life of endless adventures. At nine years old, after witnessing her mother's agonizing suicide, Fanny was sent away alone from Odense, Denmark by her father to a distant aunt. The struggles of life in Berlin make for interesting reading as she adjusts to German culture, learns the language, works at her aunt's millinery shop, attends school, and eventually finds love. The amber necklace, which has been handed down for generations through the women of Fanny's family, gives her strength, faith, and healing. About the author Kathryn Helms is a retired R.N. who has enjoyed writing books and short stories all her life. She has drawers and files full of such manuscripts but never felt she had time to take publishing seriously until now. Yes, an op-ed piece here and there for the local newspapers, and a short story for Guideposts, but nothing more. Nursing, motherhood, farming, and life in general filled Helm's life. She lives with her husband, Richard, on a small farm north of Seattle.