I'm the oldest of six kids in a military family and remember having a happy childhood. My father was stationed in Yokohama, Japan, where he met my mother. I was 1-1/2 years old when we moved from Japan to America. By the time I was fifteen, I had lived in six different states as well as overseas in Bogota, Columbia. I began reading stories to my younger sisters and brother shortly after I learned to read. Those were fun times for me, happy memories.
Dad was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base East when I was fifteen. I majored in Anthropology at University ofNew Mexico because learning about ancient civilizations and different cultures always fascinated me. However, my career field ended up being property management. I've supervised, managed or leased shopping centers, office buildings and apartment communities in Texas and New Mexico ever since.
For twenty years my biggest interest was flying my hot air balloon. Then training my miniature long hair dachshund, Mr. Bojangles, replaced ballooning, and we forged a special bond training in obedience, rally and agility. Yep! Mr. Bo is an agility dachshund! Of course, I love to read and am usually reading two books at a time. I also love to travel and have had the good fortune to visit archaeological sites in Peru, Egypt, England, and Ireland. I am a board member for Hope
Works, which provides services for Albuquerque's homeless population, and I volunteer for New Mexico Dachshund Rescue.
Dad was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base East when I was fifteen. I majored in Anthropology at University ofNew Mexico because learning about ancient civilizations and different cultures always fascinated me. However, my career field ended up being property management. I've supervised, managed or leased shopping centers, office buildings and apartment communities in Texas and New Mexico ever since.
For twenty years my biggest interest was flying my hot air balloon. Then training my miniature long hair dachshund, Mr. Bojangles, replaced ballooning, and we forged a special bond training in obedience, rally and agility. Yep! Mr. Bo is an agility dachshund! Of course, I love to read and am usually reading two books at a time. I also love to travel and have had the good fortune to visit archaeological sites in Peru, Egypt, England, and Ireland. I am a board member for Hope
Works, which provides services for Albuquerque's homeless population, and I volunteer for New Mexico Dachshund Rescue.
Writing
The enduring love throughout my life has been writing. I write children's fiction because I eel I have a natural affinity for this genre, and because, like many adults, I'll always be a child at heart. My early life was all about change because my family moved so much. We never knew if we would like our new home or our new school, or who our friends would be, or even if we'd make any friends. So, I decided to write about the different changes and choices kids face and how they learn to deal with them.
Stranded at Sheep Camp is my first published book followed by the sequel, Danger at the Rodeo. The third book in this series, Badge of Honor, will be published this October. I hope you, my readers of all ages, enjoy reading these stmies as much as I enjoyed writing them!
Stranded at Sheep Camp is my first published book followed by the sequel, Danger at the Rodeo. The third book in this series, Badge of Honor, will be published this October. I hope you, my readers of all ages, enjoy reading these stmies as much as I enjoyed writing them!
Questions and Answers
1. When did you start writing? In third grade. I wrote a poem about a pumpkin who danced at Halloween. It wasn't very good.
2. Do you write other stories? Yes. I'm writing two sequels to Stranded at Sheep Camp, plus a book about the adventures of a Puerto Rican coqui and several "picture book" stories.
3. Do you ever get frustrated? Yes, all the time. It's normal and natural when you want to be sure everything is written just right.
4. Does your brain ever shut down when you're writing? Yes. We call it "writer's block," when you can't figure out what needs to happen next to your characters. Or when you find your story is changing while you write it, and now you have to figure out a different ending.
5. What do you do when you get writer's block? The same thing I do when I'm frustrated. I play with my dogs or take them for a walk. It really helps! The important thing is not to worry when this happens to you. It happens to all writers. When your mind is fresh and rested, your story will come.
6. How long does it take to write a chapter? The first draft takes me about four hours. Then I edit and rewrite the chapter several more times. Then I take the chapter to my critique group and make the changes they suggest. I probably spend at least eight hours (or more) per chapter.
7. Why did you write about Emerson and Lucky? Because I just love stories about kids and their dogs. Because we learn from our dogs, just like they learn from us. Because I love the close bond my dogs share with me. Because I think life is richer when adults and kids have a pet. Mine sure is!
8. Why is the dog in your story a dachshund? Because I share my home with dachshunds now. They are challenging, fun, sweet and feisty little dogs. Plus, they can sit on my lap while I read. I was able to write Lucky's character by watching my dogs play, eat, dig and guard the back yard.
9. Why did you write this story? Like a lot of Native American kids raised in a city, Emerson knows nothing about his Navajo mother's culture. He's forced to deal with unwanted changes in his life, the biggest one being sent to a strange culture with no friends, and where nothing makes sense to him. I'm hoping my story will increase interest in all kids to learn about different cultures.
2. Do you write other stories? Yes. I'm writing two sequels to Stranded at Sheep Camp, plus a book about the adventures of a Puerto Rican coqui and several "picture book" stories.
3. Do you ever get frustrated? Yes, all the time. It's normal and natural when you want to be sure everything is written just right.
4. Does your brain ever shut down when you're writing? Yes. We call it "writer's block," when you can't figure out what needs to happen next to your characters. Or when you find your story is changing while you write it, and now you have to figure out a different ending.
5. What do you do when you get writer's block? The same thing I do when I'm frustrated. I play with my dogs or take them for a walk. It really helps! The important thing is not to worry when this happens to you. It happens to all writers. When your mind is fresh and rested, your story will come.
6. How long does it take to write a chapter? The first draft takes me about four hours. Then I edit and rewrite the chapter several more times. Then I take the chapter to my critique group and make the changes they suggest. I probably spend at least eight hours (or more) per chapter.
7. Why did you write about Emerson and Lucky? Because I just love stories about kids and their dogs. Because we learn from our dogs, just like they learn from us. Because I love the close bond my dogs share with me. Because I think life is richer when adults and kids have a pet. Mine sure is!
8. Why is the dog in your story a dachshund? Because I share my home with dachshunds now. They are challenging, fun, sweet and feisty little dogs. Plus, they can sit on my lap while I read. I was able to write Lucky's character by watching my dogs play, eat, dig and guard the back yard.
9. Why did you write this story? Like a lot of Native American kids raised in a city, Emerson knows nothing about his Navajo mother's culture. He's forced to deal with unwanted changes in his life, the biggest one being sent to a strange culture with no friends, and where nothing makes sense to him. I'm hoping my story will increase interest in all kids to learn about different cultures.