Award winning writer and columnist Kelli Wheeler has come up with a winning blend of observational humor, personal anecdotes and inspiring messages with her monthly and weekly family columns. Whether read in print or on the internet, Parent Tales and A Tale of Two Mommies has created camaraderie with thousands of parents everywhere who laugh, commiserate and even cry right along with Wheeler on her parental journey.
Wheeler’s monthly column Parent Tales, published by Inside Publications, candidly highlights parenthood topics like sending out a signal for help in “Calling for Backup;” the debate of whether to work out or go under the knife to regain pre-pregnancy shape in “The Plastic Surgery Brigade;” and hilarious re-workings of favorite Christmas carols in “A Mom’s Holiday Songbook,” excerpted from her self-published book Mommy Modified Christmas Carols.
For Wheeler’s weekly column, A Tale of Two Mommies run by The Sacramento Bee on SacMomsClub.com, she has paired up with friend and full-time working mother, Jen Hall for dueling perspectives, but a united front on parenthood. Together in coffee shop style banter they cover current topics ranging from the debate on working vs. stay-at-home mothers to how to survive a family vacation.
Wheeler became a published columnist in early 2004 for Inside Publications, a community newspaper reaching thousands of readers that includes influentialcommunity leaders and powerful decision makers in Sacramento city and county. Her column was immediately "discovered" by California First Lady, Maria Shriver who retained her freelance services. Recently, Wheeler began her weekly column with The Sacramento Bee's start-up online community, SacMomsClub.com, helping the major newspaper establish an online presence. She is also a feature blogger on the site with her blog MOST SMARTEST MOMMY ITW (In the World).
Besides her columns, Wheeler's freelance articles and editorials have been published by Sacramento Magazines Corporation, Sactown magazine, California Governor and First Lady's Conference for Women, Kidaround magazine as well as Inside Publications. She is a two-time winner for outstanding writing from WOW! Women on Writing.com for her essays "The Journal" and "MawMaw's Secret Family Recipe for Survival."
Before focusing on her family and writing career, Wheeler worked in promotions and public relations and as a 5th grade teacher.
In addition to the full time job of raising two children, ages 7 and 8, and freelance writing, Wheeler has completed her first novel, Shallow End of the Gene Pool, a wry tale of family dysfunction. She is currently looking to publish this and her inspirational gift book, Mommy Time, Tales from the Frontlines of Motherhood.