About Me

I was born and grew up in Iowa City, IA where my dad was a pediatrician and my mom, the family organizer. The second of four kids (I have a sister and two brothers), I spent my most favorite hours playing Kick the Can, climbing trees, reading, and playing jazzy tunes on our family organ. I got very interested in acting and singing, and started voice lessons at 15.

My favorite role of all time was Peter Pan. The University of Iowa produced the show at Hancher Auditorium. Peter Foy, who flew Mary Martin and Sandi Duncan on stage came to town with his flying apparatus and flew me—along with Wendy and the Lost Boys—high over the stage from a piano wire. What a thrill that was!

Later I taught middle school and high school language arts and creative writing at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where we live.

I now write full-time from my office at home.

My husband Ed is a full-time writer, mostly of mystery and suspense novels. We live with five lovely felines: Nora, Lilly, Frankie, Grace, and Coco. Ed has a son who lives nearby with his wife and four gorgeous children, and I have a son who lives too far away in Connecticut with his wife and two perfect daughters.

 I love this picture of our furry daughter Lily. And on the wall behind her is a picture of our then-5-year-old granddaughter Maggie in the arms of her martial arts hero, Chuck Norris.

I love my life, writing books, teaching students about writing and publishing, and visiting with my readers. I feel very lucky–I have the best job in the world!