A Tribute to My Friend, Bobbi Linkemer
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Friendship That Started With a Book
I first met Bobbi Linkemer around 2008 at a St. Louis Publishers Association (SLPA) meeting. Not long after, she invited me to meet with her—one of her author clients needed a book designer. That project had its share of blunders (I was still a newbie in the book design world), but it also marked the beginning of a friendship that would shape my career in unexpected ways.Our professional collaboration took off when Bobbi asked me to design other books, starting with her own memoir, Words to Live By. I even wrote about redesigning that cover in 2012—an “accidental design solution” that taught me a lot.
Champion of Authors
Bobbi was more than a writer—she was a ghostwriter, coach, and editor, specializing in nonfiction and memoirs. She had a gift for guiding new authors and gave me a huge vote of confidence by recommending me to design their books. We worked on covers and interiors for many first-time self-publishers.Her roster of authors was fascinating—titles like The BS of My MS; Healing the Soul; Healthcare 911; Amazing Journey; Contact, Connections and Collaborations; The Leadership Forge and more. She also built her own nonfiction series, beginning with How to Write a Nonfiction Book. I used to smile whenever she’d say, “I’ve written a new book.”When I teach book design at SLPA workshops, I always include Bobbi’s series as a case study in branding. We created a consistent look—one large vertical word paired with a figure, plus recurring design elements across her books, online courses, and even her trade show outfits. As I tell my students, “Think ahead—brand yourself. Writing the next book is one of the best ways to sell the last one.”
A Coach, a Collaborator, a Friend
In many ways, Bobbi coached me as much as I collaborated with her. I learned about editing through her feedback. She generously reviewed my blog posts before I published them, often circling unclear sections and writing, “What is this?”—her way of pushing me to clarify my thoughts. In return, I designed graphics for her online courses and social media.Later in her career, she wrote two books on aging: How to Age With Grace and More Thoughts on Aging With Grace, both of which I was honored to design.
Always Learning, Always Creating
Bobbi was a lifelong learner. When the pandemic struck, she was preparing to move to assisted living but instead stayed with one of her daughters. That’s when she reignited her love for painting—capturing nature and small landscapes. Later, in Florida with her other daughter, she was inspired by the vibrant architecture of St. Augustine.Even now, though she’s retired, we keep in touch by phone, video chat, or over a shared meal. She listens with genuine interest as I tell her about my latest book projects and always encourages me to keep going.
Words That Last
Early in my blogging days, Bobbi was my sounding board. More recently, I introduced her to ChatGPT—she didn’t know about AI and was fascinated by how it could rewrite a draft. But no matter the tool, she reminded me of one truth she wrote in her own books:“Words have power.”Our friendship was built on words—written, spoken, and shared—and those words have shaped my life for the better.
Update: My dear friend Bobbi Linkemer passed away on November 18, 2025. I originally wrote this blog post in August and shared it with Bobbi soon after. She was thrilled to read it—and, of course, she made a few thoughtful edits.
I’m grateful I was able to celebrate her, her work, and our friendship while she was still here to read these words.
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