Divorced after a lengthy marriage, I am the mother of two: a son, Michael, (police officer, married to Janice) and a daughter, Melinda (married to a  former police officer, Chris);

and the grandmother of two (for whom I provide child care on a part-time basis): 

eleven-year-old Hunter, intelligent, compassionate, and the asker of at least two thousand questions per day; and beautiful Madeline, whose six-year-old personality reminds me of the quote by William Shakespeare: “Though she be but little, she is fierce.”

 

Besides that, I also work part-time at my writing career, parked in front of a computer which refuses to obey me.

 

From my childhood on, stray animals have always found their way to my door—

and, from there, inside, to become part of the family.

It is not surprising, then, that local and national pet shelters and animal rescue organizations are dear to my heart. As are environmental causes and political issues.

Family and friends provide the basic support for my life.
 

Like many people who have gone through life-changing events, I’ve dug deep into my own psyche

to find reserves of courage and strength I didn’t know were there.

Often, my own experiences have become those of my characters.

In constructing how the plot and population of my books develop, my favorite question

to be answered is always, "Why? Why this place? Why this time?

Why this fortune or misfortune, this deed or misdeed, this adventure or misadventure?"

And so it goes.