About Me
“I feel as though I have lived many lives, experienced the heights and depths of each and like the waves of the ocean, never known rest.” —Leni Riefenstahl
Born to a military family, my first life was that of a traveler. Each new destination and each new culture was a gift.
My next life was all about growing from childhood to adulthood. I had always dreamed of being a writer. More specifically, I wanted to be a National Geographic photojournalist. After majoring in journalism for two years, life intervened and I chose another way.
Life number three began when I blundered onto another career path—nursing—and I never regretted it. I practiced nursing for over thirty years. That life gave me another gift. Being someone’s nurse is one of the most intimate relationships one can have and I’m a better person because of it.
My next life brought me here. After retiring, my husband and I embarked on the pursuit of a lifelong dream. In 2006 we sold our house and moved onto our 40-foot sailboat, Lyric. We sailed across the Gulf of Mexico into the greatest adventure of our lives. We lived on our boat in Guatemala for over two years. During hurricane season, we explored Central America. The rest of the time, we sailed between tropical islands, eating lobster, snorkeling, and spending time with people from all over the world.
While living along the Rio Dulce, I encountered some incredibly dedicated people who gave me the greatest gift: the opportunity to volunteer at a village medical clinic. Our patients were mainly Maya. These gentle people taught me so much about their culture, ancient and modern. During that time, I experienced the purest form of service to others, but I received so much more than I gave. It was the perfect end to a long nursing career.
Now, I was ready to live another life and pursue the ultimate dream—writing. Every life I lived before built the road leading me here. What did I hope for when I dreamed of working for National Geographic? I wanted to travel, have adventures, and write.
Traveling to the Maya ruins throughout Central America and learning the true-life history and folklore of this culture instilled within me a passion that consumed me. The Maya culture, ancient and modern, is experiencing a renaissance. They are reclaiming their land, their language, and their artifacts. I want to share my experiences with the world. The stage was set for me to embark on my next life—writing fiction.
Of course, writing is more than putting words on a page. It’s a craft requiring inherent talent coupled with education. I soon learned enough to realize that I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I found the key at Wilkes University’s low-residency creative writing program. I completed an MA in Fiction in 2017, and an MFA in Creative Writing in 2018. Since then, I’ve completed two manuscripts. I tried the traditional publishing path with no luck. Then, once again, the universe intervened, brought a very special person into my life, and opened the door for me to become an indie author. My dream is now reality.
I’ve learned that when you have a dream, go after it and never give up. Thankfully, my life provided me with some great material. I dedicate my life to creating literary portals into new worlds. You know that feeling, when you finish a really good book and for a split second, you want to start it all over again. That is my wish for you.