About Me

I was born in Hollywood, Florida on July 16th. My mother loved the ocean more than anything. When she was pregnant with me, she walked down to the beach every day to swim in the ocean, look for seashells and lie in the sun. When she went into labor, she was swimming in the ocean. I think that’s why I have always wanted to be a mermaid!

I was a shy, quiet child who worried about many things. My older sister, Lori, was much more carefree than I. She had a great imagination and made up lots of stories and games.

Everyone in my family loved animals. We always had a dog who was very much a part of the family. We made frequent trips to the zoo. My favorites were (and still are) the giraffes. I also LOVED reading. My father and I started reading the newspaper comics together before I started kindergarten. The first book I read on my own was Casey, the Utterly Impossible Horse, by Anita Feagles. I still have a copy of that book!

My father died suddenly when I was almost seven. Books became even more important to me after that. They not only provided a bit of an escape, they also helped me make sense of the world, and to not feel so alone. They still do!

By the time I was nine, I wanted very much to be an author when I grew up. My life took many twists and turns before I realized that dream. I went to college. For a time, I was a singer in a rock and roll band. I harvested gladiolas on a flower farm, trained dogs, worked in a bookstore. Then I went back to college and got a degree to work as a librarian. I’ve worked as a librarian now for over twenty-five years. Finally, I sat down and wrote my first novel. In October of 2009 that book was published!

I feel enormously lucky and grateful to be able to sit in my office, gaze out the window and write the stories about the people who live in my imagination. I feel especially lucky and grateful when I meet and hear from readers who tell me my books made them feel less lonely, and opened their hearts.