Bio
I was born in Portland, Oregon, into a family of nine children: six older brothers and two sisters. Cherished memories of reading Mother Goose are at my foundation. As a sixth-grader at St. Mary's Cathedral, a substitute teacher, Mrs. O'Leary, opened the world of storytelling by impersonating each character in the stories she read in class. My mother, a published writer and a profound lover of words, sat beside me with the Oxford Dictionary, illuminating word origins, and meanings. My first attempt at writing came in middle school after being inspired by the song lyrics to Carole King's Tapestry.
Since then, I have toiled over novels, feature screenplays, song lyrics, a television pilot, poetry and short stories, and even a movie trailer for a graphic novel can be dug out of my archives.
I write a regular freelance feature for the Skamania Pioneer Press in Stevenson, Washington, called River Folk - meeting one neighbor at a time. I reside there with my big band director husband, Gary, and our white standard poodle rescue named Gracie, otherwise known as Wack-a-doodle. I earned a master's degree in Business Management from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, a B.S. from San Francisco State University, and a Professional Music Degree from Portland Community College. Much of my previous work entailed writing for trade magazines and newsletters. I travel between the U. S. and Australia, where my two grown sons reside. When I am not writing, I am singing professionally and teaching vocal jazz at Portland Community College and Columbia Gorge Community College.
I recently completed my second book, Young Heroes, a dark and significant young adult story set in Portland, Oregon. The first chapter is posted with the link below.
This lively novel is based on real life events in the 1880s when a fire swept through Spokane Falls, Washington and the city's fancy new water system was blamed for not quenching the flames. A young East Coast engineer, Rolla Alan Jones, was scapegoated for the catastrophe and forced to resign. Jones had to fight his way back from ignominy or leave the community he thought was his new home.
Water Fire Steam is a wonderful book of historical fiction with a timeless story of redemption and forgiveness. It has definite holiday gift potential and would make a good book club pick.
Rose City Reader
This is a gripping story of the big fire in Spokane, WA in 1889. The plot moves along quickly and the characters are well- portrayed. You really feel you know them and understand their situation and feelings. The background history of the area and that time in our country is very well-researched and explained. The daily life, challenges, and joys of the people are described with great detail and affection. Well done!
Richard