About

Born in Oklahoma, I was raised in Texas, except for stints in Kentucky and Illinois when my father was in the Air Force. In Kentucky, I loved running up and down hills, amazed to discover that all land isn’t flat. The snow in Illinois was a magical substance to a south Texas girl. After reading Heidi, I made plans to live on a mountain in Switzerland.

In 6^th grade, I won an art contest, with years of lessons at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts Junior School as the prize. I studied art at the University of Houston and became an art teacher. After getting a master’s degree in Behavioral Sciences, I worked as an art therapist.

One day on a whim, I decided to take a course in children’s writing at Rice University. Much to my surprise, the writing bug seized me— seriously! I started writing for hours without knowing what was going on around me. Sometimes I even forgot to eat!

As a child, I thought I could fly if only I tried hard enough and BELIEVED. This kind of logic served me well when I decided to pursue my newfound dream of becoming a children’s author. After years of working hard to learn the art and craft of writing— and BELIEVING— I sold my first book.

I’m the author of  A BEAR’S YEAR (Schwartz & Wade) illustrated by Gerry Turley, TAKE ME TO YOUR BBQ (Disney Hyperion), illustrated by Adam McCauley, and THE THREE BEARS’ CHRISTMAS and THE THREE BEARS’ HALLOWEEN (Holiday House), both illustrated by Paul Meisel. My poetry has appeared in children’s magazines and anthologies.

Texas has remained my home. Where else can I get the world’s best BBQ, hear great Texas music, or look for UFO’s outside of Marfa from a viewing station built precisely for that purpose by the State of Texas?

When I’m not writing, I might be reading, doing yoga, making jewelry, or traveling somewhere with my
incredibly supportive husband, Glen. Here is a place I love:

 

RANDOM FACTS

• When I was four, I found an alligator in my garage.
• I love dark chocolate, especially with salt.
• I played a prima domra in a Russian orchestra.
• I am not Russian.
• Currently petless, I’ve had three dogs, three cats, and three birds.
• Favorite books growing up: Heidi, Winnie the Pooh, Little Women, Swiss Family Robinson, Treasure Island, Arabian nights, Huckleberry Finn 
• Favorite color: Blue, especially turquoise, periwinkle, and cerulean
• Working as a chocolate designer, I made a full-sized chocolate cowboy hat that was given as a gift to a former Texas governor.
• Favorite scent: Warm chocolate cookies
• My stack of dream journals comes up to my elbow.
• A sample of words I love: jazzy, marshmallow, sycamore, hustle-bustle, buzzy, somersault, skeleton, coconut, monsoon, stucco, haberdashery
• Animal name I adore: Leafy sea dragon
• If there are people on other planets, I would love to meet them.
• I keep an eye out for UFOs.
• I’ve never been to Switzerland… yet.
• When I was four, an air born snake landed smack dab on me, which explains a lot.
• I like to stand on my head, and aspire to put my foot behind my head.
• Favorite drink: Hot chocolate, especially the kind made in Italy.
• I don’t like snakes, not even tiny green ones.
• My delightful family consists of my super-hero husband Glen, my two crafty children, a lovely son-in-law, and one very clever grandson who’s currently writing a collection of very short stories.
• Late at night, I like to eat ice cream that is almost melted, then read until I fall asleep.