About Me

I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a writer—the writing bug didn’t bite until my 30s, and even then, it came and went. But I’ve always loved books. As a child, my friends and I turned our backyard playhouse (really a repurposed storeroom) into a neighborhood lending library each summer. I majored in English, taught college composition for a semester, and even wrote a poem honoring my father that was read at his funeral. Still, I didn’t take writing seriously until my 60s, when I finally committed to learning the craft.

​

My first real attempt at writing was a devotional I confidently submitted to The Upper Room, sure they’d be thrilled to publish it. They weren’t. But that experience was the beginning. I followed it with a poem about my father, a flash fiction piece about a woman at the funeral of a family patriarch, and finally, the first rough draft of what would eventually become A Truck Named Tony. That early version bears little resemblance to the finished book, but it started me on this journey.

Before children’s books became my focus, I was a junior high English teacher, a stay-at-home mom, and a part-time employee at a regional running magazine—where I sold ads, wrote and edited articles, and eventually became the editor. I began my teaching career in a small country school where I was the entire junior high English department—a thrilling start for a first-year teacher—and wrapped up my teaching years in a large district, working alongside a dynamic team of educators.

​

After ten years in the classroom and twelve years in publishing, I served as a church liaison to a local elementary school through the Partners in Education Program. During that time, I mentored young readers, judged writing contests, and co-founded a student newspaper club—experiences that deepened my passion for literacy and storytelling.

​

These days, I love playing with ideas for picture books and am becoming increasingly interested in nonfiction picture books and easy readers. My writing style is shaped by reading hundreds of picture books—and by my natural snarky attitude. I read widely, but my go-to favorites are adult historical fiction and children’s picture books, both fiction and nonfiction.

​

When I’m not writing or revising, I enjoy Bible study, playing Pickleball, and reading at the beach—my happy place. 

​

If you’re a new or aspiring writer, here’s what I’ve found helpful: Join a writers’ group, attend conferences, be open to critique, and don’t take it personally. Use the feedback that resonates and leave the rest. Writing is work. You have to commit to the process. Read books about writing—and read gazillions of books in the genre you want to write.