Grit: A Biography of Phyllis W. (Phillips) Koenig

by Susan K. Field

At two years old when Phyllis Phillips loses her mother due to a horrific auto accident in 1929, she survives her next 17 years despite her grandmother’s physical abuse, abject poverty, child molestation, hellish fear, and murder attempts by her first husband. This extraordinary true story, set in rural towns of the Pacific Northwest, reveals how Phyllis finds her courage and grit to create a life, a self-made career, and a family. This beautifully written narrative of a young woman’s fortitude and gentle love will inspire anyone who reads this biography.

99 pages, Paperback

Published August 11, 2016

About the author

Susan K. Field is an author of stories celebrating women. Before she started writing fiction full-time, Susan worked in organizational communications, championing the voices of those who could not advocate for themselves: homeless and abused animals, children with special needs, and victims of domestic violence. Based on these experiences, she felt called to write Eleanor’s Song, her debut novel.

Susan holds a master’s degree in writing. Her nonfiction, poetry, articles, and essays have appeared in literary journals, anthologies, commercial magazines, trade journals, and blogs. An excerpt from Eleanor’s Song, entitled, A Shadow of a Decision, won a Kay Snow Writing Award, Short Story category in 2021.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and has a penchant for hiking woodland trails.