Music evangelist Darlene Neptune is, without a doubt, the world�s leading authority on Fanny Crosby, the prolific, nineteenth-century Christian lyricist who left behind a legacy of thousands of gospel hymns, many of them still favorites. Convinced that other biographies remained incomplete, Neptune spent seven years tracking down Fanny�s story. Her research took her on a personal pilgrimage of discovery that she says changed her life forever.

She traveled to Fanny�s birthplace, visited her home and her school, read diaries, and studied newspaper accounts. Neptune heard firsthand, from relatives and friends, of Fanny�s remarkable journey as poet, writer, and activist for the blind. The book includes vintage photos and many of Fanny�s familiar lyrics and poems.

Darlene Neptune�s life has taken many twists and turns but she was not called into full-time ministry until 1985 when she was miraculously healed of a brain tumor. Since then she has traveled extensively across the country, evangelizing, singing, and teaching. In addition to writing and performing songs, Neptune offers women�s seminars, including, "A Study of Women in the Bible," "A Study of Prayer," and "Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts."

"Darlene teaches women all over the USA, calling attention to great women used of God in the Bible," says Dr. Jerry Passmore, director of evangelism for the Florida Baptist Convention. "Her testimony, singing, and teaching proves a blessing to all who hear her."

A private singing teacher, coach, and faculty member at Stamps-Baxter School of Music in Nashville, Neptune has hosted her own television show and appeared in many television specials, including Bill Gaither�s homecoming videos, and Billy Graham�s Decision Today. She also performs a sixty-minute drama, The Life and Songs of Fanny Crosby, for audiences around the world.

Neptune enjoys sewing and makes all of her own costumes for the Fanny Crosby drama. The mother of four and grandmother of seven, she lives in Naples, Florida, with her husband, Dennis, although they travel ten months of the year. Darlene and her husband lead tours to Israel, visiting many prominent Bible sites. She is currently collecting and purchasing Fanny Crosby memorabilia, including the writer�s childhood home, for a museum. She was born in Lorain, Ohio, and began her singing career at the age of two.