Biography
I grew up in Newburgh, New York where I could often be found reading a book under the weeping willow tree. In elementary school, a friend and I picked our library books together, so that we could trade books halfway through the week otherwise I would run out of things to read. I loved to read mysteries, historical fiction, about everyday people, and even poetry!
While I loved to read, I did not always write stories. In college, I studied to be a Speech Therapist and I continue to provide speech therapy services in nursing homes. However, as I read books to my children, I realized that I wanted to write stories that children would love. So I took a writing course and began to learn about the craft of writing and the business of publishing. The first stories I published were in magazines for children.
My first picture book, Mr. Worry: A Story about OCD, was chosen by International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) to be included in the Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2005 catalog and traveling exhibit. I Can’t Stop: A Story about Tourette Syndrome received a 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio award and was a 2005 Bank Street College of Education Best Book.
Mr. Worry is close to my heart because my son has OCD. I feel that books are a wonderful way to explain a difficult topic and are a useful place to start a discussion with a child. So I wrote a story about OCD to help children and their families deal with this difficult disorder.
In 2017 Flashlight Press released The Day I Ran Away and No More Noisy Nights! I have enjoyed sharing my new books at schools, libraries, and book store events. I'm proud that both books received a Gold Mom's Choice Award. I'm looking forward to seeing where my books take me and meeting more readers in 2018!
I live in Roanoke, Indiana with my husband Keith. My children, Evan (34) and Beth (32) were always able to talk me into buying them a book. Now I'm sharing all those books I saved with my grandchildren. There are books everywhere in this house of readers-on bookshelves, on tables, in the garage, and even in the bathroom!