About Me

- the nature part

I grew up the kid of a National Park Service Naturalist.  We lived at National Parks, traveled to all types of parks and camped, mostly in parks, unless there was a KOA nearby — with a pool. I was in 4-H, and since I loved to talk, my leader suggested I compete in public speaking and demonstration day. And though standing in front of people made my palms sweat, I got used to it and won a few awards.

I followed my love of nature and public speaking through college, earning a B.S. in Environmental Interpretation from Colorado State University.  Basically it’s a degree in how to communicate nature to people who aren’t so in touch with it. I used my education for over twenty years at a variety of parks, nature centers and environmental education facilities—but that’s another post. In short, I got really good at identifying snakes over the phone.

I still love nature and the outdoors—hiking, camping, bird watching, kayaking and especially stargazing. I met my husband through an astronomy club at the 1986 appearance of Comet Halley.  We share all those hobbies as we travel. We’ve been to all fifty states and camped in most of them, including in Haleakala Crater on Maui, Hawaii and in Denali National Park in Alaska – on the summer solstice when it never got dark!

I try to live green and volunteer to give back to the earth where I can. I’ve rehabilitated a variety of herps, reptiles and amphibians, but mainly box turtles for ten years. I grow native plants in my home garden, installed an official National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat and tend an organic garden plot that has hosted five-lined skinks, leopard frogs, a black rat snake, field mice, voles and an assortment of butterflies. Luckily, we like to share, because that’s all in a twenty by twenty foot space.

While not technically nature, I’m still involved with animals. These days my family fosters rescued guinea pigs through Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue. Read more about them on the Hilda link under Meadow Magic on the sidebar.

- the magic part

I can’t tell you I also followed my mom into her career and became a sorceress. She was an EMT and then a nurse. But I really wanted magic in my life and read about it every chance I could  … and still do.

My favorites were the Narnia books, of course, but I found others – The Borrowers, The Children of Green Knowe, Carbonel The King of the Cats, and I’m sure many lost to my memory. Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder was one of my favorites, and the inspiration for my day dreams and stories about the group of winged wizards I now call the Sapaksa.

Because I’m writing young adult fantasy, I’m also reading it, voraciously, I like to think, but I don’t have much free time. I’m a fan of Harry Potter, the Twilight series, Artemis Fowl, everything by Tamora Pierce, the Dark is Rising Series by Susan Cooper and many more.  See my journey section for what I’m reading, and to share your favorites and recommendations.

My favorite adult fantasies are Riddle-Master by Patricia A. McKillip,  Roadmarks by Roger Zelanzy and the Mirror of Her Dreams Duet by Stephen R. Donaldson.

- the writing part

So, writing. I joined the girls in eighth grade who were all writing a book. Mine had a set of twins who had been split up because one went to a witch boarding school. I never finished it, but I have always journaled and recorded my grandmother’s oral history. Of course my work generated a lot of writing—programs, exhibit text, brochures and newsletter articles.

Then while homeschooling my son, I decided to write a novel. I had lots of time while he attended classes that year, so carried a spiral notebook everywhere and took myself off to a corner to write.  In four months I had 160,000 words. Obviously, finding something to say isn’t hard for me.

On the advice of the leader of a story telling workshop, I joined Romance Writers of America. A whole new world opened for me and I’ve been attending monthly workshops at two chapters since. Though not yet published, writing is currently my full-time job. I clock in daily to learn more about the craft, edit, critique with my local group or to write, write, write!  I’m told that’s the best way to grow as a writer, and thank goodness, because it’s the part I like the best.