The Kind of Stories I Write
My luminous stories are about people and places we have all known wherever we live. They are the real heroes and heroines of the world, those for whom every day may require a strong will and a battle to live, with more than a dash of good humor sprinkled in! The real mysteries of life lie in how these people keep going from day to day.
The Kind of Writer I Am
I am a visual writer: from the real world politics of the business office, to delightful characters tramping along country roads, to neighborhood busybodies, to family squabbles, enchanting escapes into nature, and on to magical realism. These stories, rich in detail and imagery and a sense of place, are widely diverse, reflecting many facets of my varied life in this, my adopted homeland. From the beaches and cities of California to the rugged grandeur of Utah, to time spent in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, the intensity and richness of immigrant experiences were grafted upon a childhood with roots deeply sunk into rural Hampshire in the south of England.
I’m told I have an unusual tenacity for seeing things through and of seeing through things, overshadowed by a vision of what the world could and should be like. These stories explore that which is most important in life—our relationships to those around us, whether human, animal, or Divine. We all learn the lessons of, and hopefully value the differences between: solitude and loneliness; friendship and betrayal; happiness and selfishness; kindness and abuse; freedom and grief.
My Journey So Far
Along the many paths of my journey through life so far, I have found both sharp-edged rocks and shining crystals. When I have stopped to pick up the rocks, to turn them over in my hand, some have cut as deeply as obsidian and their wounds have yet to heal. But the sharp edges of others have fallen away and, along with the crystals, I’ve been left with rainbows, with pearls, with the tinkling of underwater bells and messages from the stars.
I really don’t think I can be categorized as a writer, unless it is for my compassion for all that lives. Even so, I no longer allow that compassion to make me a doormat. How different that is from some of my earlier years! I’ve been a writer since I was a very young child. In fact, my poor mother’s difficult labor has sometimes been attributed to the pencil thought seen behind her stubborn baby’s ear!
I published my first work at the age of 16. A professional writer for many years, I’m first and foremost a lifetime lover of animals in all their varieties. I have been and in many instances, still am: a nanny, an office supervisor, a marketing and sales administrator, a technical writer, an editor, a journalist, a copywriter, a photographer, a family history enthusiast, a church choir member, a volunteer worker, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend, a wife. I still read as much as possible, and occasionally still knit and crochet. Although I’ve had to give up playing tennis, I still treasure finding a quiet beach to walk on. That’s becoming increasingly more difficult due to 24-hour traffic gridlock in parts of Southern California. A move elsewhere seems logical and likely.
Other Writing
I’m currently working on several novels for grownups and stories for children. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a minor in Communications, from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. For those to whom it might matter, I graduated Magna Cum Laude with additional honors.
My previously published articles and fiction for grownups and children appeared in a wide selection of publications, including The Christian Science Monitor, Ford Times, the Denver Post, and A Community of Voices. In addition, I’ve written and edited newsletters, technical manuals, online help, and related material. I am a full member of the Professional Writers’ Alliance, Circle of Success, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
Minutiae
I presently live in West Hills, California with aging kitty, Lucky. Sadie and Figaro have both now passed on and wait for me at the Rainbow Bridge, along with Topaz, Mancini, Patches, and Sammy Cat. My husband Ken passed away in 2014.