About the Book The Shallow End of the Dating Pool compiled many dating stories meant to amuse, entertain, and show the lighter side of dating as a middle-aged woman in the 21st century. These adventures are based on true stories shared by friends of over 30 years. They are a group of divorced women chasing the fantasy of finding a “soulmate”. Instead, they find that having close friends to share a cold drink and lots of laughter with is more realistic and much better for the soul. This book is based on true stories, with names changed to protect anonymity. About the Author After earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration, Stacey Shope spent six years working in the trenches with troubled youth in a community-based treatment program that addressed the whole family. She then moved to the county juvenile probation office where she helped develop one of the first juvenile drug treatment courts in the state. During her 17 years there, she earned a master’s degree in administration of justice. Currently, she is a drug and alcohol counselor in a methadone clinic where the clientele consists of individuals struggling with opiate addiction, primarily heroin. Throughout her professional career, she has realized that humor acts as a pathway to connect with others. Shope’s daughter, Madison, continues to invest in her community by working with struggling adolescent females in a treatment facility. Her style and humor help her navigate concerns and help her clients progress. Michele Underhill welcomed Shope as a new student when she entered her school as an 11th grader. Unknowingly, they became friends for life. After working jobs that were unfulfilling, she became a non-traditional student as she earned her nursing degree later in life. She often wears her heart on her sleeve in hopes she will find her happily ever after. Her naivety and small-town upbringing lead to comical stories that always result in gut-splitting laughter. Shope’s longtime friend (and college roommate) Rebecca Hamilton has shared similar experiences as a teacher in the public school system. Her stories of teaching in a rural farming community, where everyone’s known by their cattle, are second to none. And if that wasn’t enough, raising four children (two older sons, Kyle and Jonathan, and two teenage daughters, Pam and Lilly) will have you laughing to keep from crying with daily amusements such as packing two different sneakers at a cross country meet and other world-crashing incidents. As divorced women, we bond, encourage, and comfort each other like all women should.