My Story
Many, many moons ago (when a few Tyrannosaurus Rex still roamed the Earth hunting for tasty herbivores), my mother was left a single parent of two small children.
Luckily, a kindly neighbor took pity on our little family. To cheer us up, she gave my mother several beautiful and valuable marionettes and a handcrafted puppet stage to match. Within months, my clever mother had written sufficient material for the three of us to begin performing marionette shows at libraries, schools, and birthday parties. I loved every minute of it.
Funny, isn't it? I was six and already knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to entertain. I wanted to make people happy. I wanted to tell stories. And now, some 65 million years later, I do.
Education & Interests
From writing to performing, the creative arts are my passion. I am a music/voice graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and for twenty years I sang with the Chorus North Shore of Rockport, MA. My husband and I are enthusiastic thespians, enjoying the theater on both sides of the curtain.
When I'm not writing, I live like any other feral nerd: visiting museums, foraging for books at the library, binge watching Star Trek and Doctor Who, singing along with Chopin, and frolicking at the sea.
What I Write
I am an aspiring author of inspirational and middle-grade fiction.
Bloggonian Archives
"If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."
TONI MORRISON
(Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author)
A Quick Q&A
What motivated you to become a writer?
I think I've always wanted to be a storyteller. As a child, after reading all fourteen Oz books in quick succession, I remember wondering if one day I might have the drive and imagination to create my own fictional worlds. For many years, however, I brought characters to life only on the stage not the page, while I pursued a full-time corporate career. It took a tragedy, a spiritual awakening, and finding the famed "Big Idea" to finally give me the courage to make my writing dreams come true.
What are your works in progress?
Currently, I'm writing the book series I've longed to read myself: a quirky blend of near-future Christian fiction, epic family saga, dramedy, and romantic suspense. This year, I added a second inspirational story and a middle-grade fantasy to my to-do list. Coming-of-age stories are my forte, and I enjoy writing (and reading) about tween, teen, and twenty-something protagonists stumbling their way through that scary maze called adulthood. I hope you will too!
How does your inspirational fiction differ from the rest?
If you've never read Christian fiction, or left the genre entirely because you felt the standard fare did not suit your literary tastes, welcome to faith fiction for the unconventional believer. Or in other words, "Christian Fiction for the Born-Again Nerd."
How do you cope with writer's block?
A wise writer/mentor once stated on her website that all writer's block is, in fact, plot block. Hear, hear! Don't give up when your story goes awry. Brainstorming structural and character issues until resolved is the surefire way to resume writing again with renewed vigor and confidence. Eventually...
Speaking of plots, what are your favorite books, movies, and the like?
MOVIES: Fantasia, Singing in the Rain, The Sound of Music, Star Trek IV, Galaxy Quest, Inside Out.
TV SHOWS: Star Trek, Are You Being Served, As Time Goes By, Masterpiece Theatre, Jeopardy.
BOOKS: Anne of Green Gables, Ozma of Oz, Charlotte's Web, the Narnia Chronicles.
PLACES: British & Oregon coasts, museums, planetariums, concert halls, castles, Starship Enterprise.
What impact do you hope your books will have on your readers?
It is my sincerest hope that my stories shine light, truth, and joy into readers' lives. And courage. And laughter. And nerdiness, definitely nerdiness. Read long and prosper, my friends!
"More than at any other time, when I hold a beloved book in my hand my limitations fall from me, my spirit is free."
HELEN KELLER
(Author/Advocate for the Deaf and Blind)