Retired military, Mercedes now writes, mostly poetry and short stories. Her published works include Glimpses of a Fractured Soul, Our Happy Hours(Goldie winner curated by Renee Bess and Lee Lynch with proceeds benefitting the Attic Youth Center in Philadelphia and Ali Forney Center in New York City, to assist homeless LGBTQ youth), Women In Uniform: Medics and Soldiers and Cops, Oh My!,and, Roses Read: Sappho’s Corner Poetry Series, Volume 3, the award winning (Goldie) poetry anthology. Mercedes is a former Director of Membership, and former Director of Events for the Golden Crown Literary Society.