About Me

Hi Smiley! BFFs Mom said I should stop talking back

Childhood - I spent most of my childhood following my sister around. Since she was two-and-a-half years older than me, she always had something interesting up her sleeve. We spent hours practicing back bends and flips on the front lawn, drawing pictures of Millie the Model, and making people out of clay. I didn't say much at school, and I never raised my hand. I was much too shy.

Favorite Childhood Books - My favorite book was Ellen Tibbits by Beverly Cleary. Ellen seemed
so real--just like a girl who could have lived on my street. I couldn't imagine having to wear long winter underwear in ballet class. And when her best friend, Austine, slapped her face I wondered--would they ever be friends again? I also read every book by Willard Price (Amazon Adventure, Underwater Adenture, Safari Adventure, etc.) and Madeleine L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, etc.) Reading was an exciting way of discovering a world of people and places far away from my home on Jennie Drive.

Where I Live - Today I live in the foothills of Northern California. The nights are dark just like they're supposed to be (no streetlights), and I can hear the honking of Canadian geese as they fly overhead.

Family - One computer engineer husband (Martin), three teenagers (Allen, Steven, and Jaimie), five fish, three cats, one slithering ball python, and some frequent visitors--squirrels, hawks, hummingbirds, deer, and wild turkeys.

Hobbies - Taking long morning walks, making scrumptious cinnamon rolls, growing fruits and vegies, dancing, reading, cooking and canning.

Education - After high school, I attended Cal State University at Hayward for two years, then transferred to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I graduated with a B.S. in Professional Dance and a minor in Art. Two years later, I returned to get a "practical" degree in Speech Pathology. After one semester, I returned to dance and earned my Secondary Teaching Credential in Dance Education.

Professional - I've worked as a word processor for electrical engineers, accountants, hospitals, and attorneys; a sign language interpretor, a substitute high school teacher; a Master Canner of El Dorado County, a ballroom dance teacher, and am currently an instructor at the Institute of Children's Literature. I also volunteered in each of my children's classes while they attended elementary school.

Unforgettable Moments - The arrival of each child, sliding down an icy mountain slope, running through clouds of mosquitoes at Mosquito Pass, the fury of a thunder storm passing overhead, river rafting down the Snake River, and gathering the courage to go down a zip line.

Favorite Things - A steaming cup of hot cocoa, reading a great book, walking along the beach, a well-deserved nap, freshly baked bread, yogurt with a dash of granola, and overcast days that make it seem as if time is standing still. My favorite books include any book by Dick Francis (my fav mystery writer), Travels by Michael Critchton, One-L by Scott Turow, My Own Two Feet: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary, and books by Sue Hubbell including A Country Year: Living the Questions.

Unfavorite Things - Olives, kidney beans, clothes left on the bathroom floor, cats who go potty by the litter box, broken washing machines, a kid throwing up in my pajama pocket, and stepping on a snail with bare feet. Ack!!!

Photo Gallery

Before I began writing, I danced for twelve years during high school and college. Ballet, modern, jazz, folk, and ballroom were my favorite styles. I eventually earned my B.S. Degree in Professional Dance at Brigham Young University and later my secondary teaching credential.

One stop on a challenging backpacking trip somewhere in the Desolation Wilderness.

My family's done a lot of camping. Our most memorable excursion was driving across the United States for two months pulling a pop-up trailer.