Let me introduce myself. My name is Fredricka R. Maister. Most people, especially those I’ve known for years, call me “Ricki,” the nickname bestowed on me at birth. “Fredricka” is also acceptable, if you prefer.

I am delighted to welcome you to my website which features my forthcoming book, Three Times a Mourner: Personal Essays on Grief and Healing, as well as a selection of published stand-alone essays from my writing archive.

A freelance writer for decades, I have written screenplays, poetry, short stories, non-fiction articles, and personal essays. For someone like me who always has an opinion or an unusual happening in my life that I feel I must share with the world, the personal essay is the genre where I feel most at home and have experienced the most success as a writer.

A fun fact (I think it’s “fun”) is that unlike many writers I know who consider social media a necessary evil to promote their work,  I pride myself on and love having a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads (@fredrickamaister). These social platforms are where I find my people–a community of writers and non-writers, new acquaintances and old friends with whom I can easily engage. They are my escape from the craziness in the world–although I admit it can sometimes get pretty crazy online. Please feel free to visit me on these platforms anyway.

Originally a Jersey girl who lived most of her adult life in New York City, I am now based in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

I hold a bachelor’s degree from Douglass College (Rutgers University) with a major in Art History and a minor…you probably guessed it…in English. I’ve traveled extensively, even living in Israel for almost two years when I was in my early ‘20s. After my adventures abroad, I moved to Manhattan on a whim because at that point in time I was a lost soul who didn’t have a life trajectory in mind.

That “whim” lasted for over forty years during which I worked at jobs in the most interesting and illustrious of places. I started my work career in publishing at W. W. Norton & Company and Harper & Row, that is, before I went rogue and preferred part-time, less lucrative non-publishing employment to give me the time and space to devote to writing. One of my part-time gigs was at The New York Times where I spent twenty years in the Classified Advertising Department helping the public write real estate, help wanted, business opportunity ads, and obituaries for their loved ones. I later worked for twelve years in the Guggenheim Museum of Art Retail Store where I was lucky enough to interact with art lovers from all over the globe and finally put my art history degree to use as I found myself surrounded by great modern/contemporary art in an iconic building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Six years ago, when New York City’s steep rent hikes sent me packing, I moved to Philadelphia. Philly may not be as “sexy”  or “hip” as the Big Apple, but it’s offered me a quieter, less stressful lifestyle.

Judging from this bio, one would think that from all outward appearances, I have lived a charmed, carefree life. That has not been the case. Missing from this rosy picture is the sad and sobering reality that I have spent most of my years mourning the deaths of three prominent figures in my life: my father, longtime partner, Richard, and my mother. That’s why I have always considered myself  “a lifetime mourner” and ultimately felt compelled to write this book of personal essays about my journey through multiple loss and grief.

I hope that new mourners and those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, regardless of how much time has passed, will find comfort, support, and validation in the pages of Three Times a Mourner.

Thank you for checking out my website.