Long Bio:
I was raised on a farm in the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania with my parents, three brothers and a twin sister. We had a barn full of animals, a garden full of vegetables and an orchard full of fruit trees. Taffy, a rescue dog, was our constant companion. My mom and dad were wonderful storytellers who loved books and reading. In the summer, Mom would take us to the library for a new stack of books every week. My favorite place to read was on the largest branch of the old apple tree.
My sister and I loved to explore the outdoors, developing our imaginations and curiosity about nature. I remember feeding the fish in the pond, picking strawberries and catching crayfish in the stream. I have fond memories of caring for cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits, a duck and a horse named Rosy. Wonderful vacations were planned around the farm harvest calendar. We’d pack up the car and head north to New England or south to Florida. Historical sites, museums, parks and beaches made for fun and educational journeys.
My love of language and literature continued to develop as I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development. My favorite class in college was Children’s Literature. I even had a summer job in the Library Science Department. Shortly after graduating, I started writing and teaching.
I married my husband and earned my Master of Education Degree in Reading. I loved introducing my students to literature; story time being the best part of the day! My career enabled me to share picture books everyday with eager readers and listeners.
Our family grew to five when we had three sons. We moved from Pennsylvania to Texas when they were young. My days were full of teaching, homework, Cub Scouts, youth sports and trips to National Parks. Now our sons are all grown and making their own adventures. Even though I’ve hung up my recess whistle and am no longer teaching, I am still learning, creating new characters and stories for my readers!
