Every year Whidbey authors chase the elusive dream of some day having their works published. They can spend months, and sometimes years writing, photographing and illustrating, only to wait months and sometimes years for acceptance by a publisher.

Two South Whidbey residents recently had the fruits of their labor published.

In April Northlight Books released “Artist’s Photo Reference: Wildlife,” by Greenbank author, photographer and illustrator Bart Rulon.

The book features hundreds of his photographs from which artists can create wildlife compositions in the comfort of their own studios.

“Artist’s Photo Reference: Wildlife” is the fourth book independently created by Rulon. The others are “Artist’s Photo Reference: Water & Skies” (2002), “Artist’s Photo Reference: Birds” (1999) and “Painting Birds Step by Step” (1996). All were published by North Light Books, an imprint of F&W Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Rulon has also contributed to such titles as “The Best of Wildlife Art,” edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf (1999); “Keys to Painting Fur and Feathers,” edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf (1999); and “Wildlife Painting Step by Step” by Patrick Seslar (1995).

Rulon’s award-winning photography and paintings have been exhibited and included in permanent collections across the nation.

While Rulon’s published works focus on the visual, Nancy Bartlett of Freeland has found publishing success with humorous tales of female travel.

In March, Traveler’s Tales published editor Jennifer L. Leo’s anthology “Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write From the Road.”

The book includes Bartlett’s story “Panic in Any Language,” which describes her embarrassing incident in an opulent Italian swimsuit boutique.

“Sand in My Bra” is selling out on

Amazon.com, where a review from Publishers Weekly said, “Travel writer Leo has collected 28 short and snappy travel stories bursting with exuberant candor and crackling humor sure to leave readers feeling that to not have an adventure to remember is a great loss indeed.”

Bartlett is a member of the Whidbey Island Writer’s Association, and in “Sand in My Bra…” her writing is chapters away from the likes of Ellen DeGeneres, Cynthia Kaplan, Anne L. Marchott and more.

For more information about Whidbey Island Writer’s Association and writers’ resources, go online to www.whidbey.com/ writers.