About Me

Welcome to my Web site. I feel like I should offer you a cup of coffee or something, so a virtual Latte perhaps? The imagined caffeine might help as you scroll through the site that, hopefully, offers insight into my professional world. However, as any writer will tell you, writing is more than just a profession. Writing has a way of seeping into the personal crevices of our lives, permanently setting up shop and planting a "No Vacancy" sign.

Writing is my life. I can't turn it off. For several years, I tried. I was a college history professor. I was dean of a new academic division. I began a doctoral program in higher education. I got married. Had two kids. Added a pampered dog to the mix. Ample distractions from the creative itch, right?

Not exactly.

Every milestone proved to be great writing fodder. So, I dusted off my rusty skills honed from undergrad journalism school and started dabbling. Originally, non-fiction essays seemed to be the best fit which turned into a regular column in a local magazine which turned into a full-time job at same magazine which evolved into conceiving, writing, and editing a home and garden book. In between all of this, I landed a few stories in some national magazines like Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens' Creative Home, and Southern Accents and picked up a newspaper column. Now, I'm editor of Ocala Magazine and Ocala HOME.

I'm also working on my first novel, The History Lesson, about a history professor trying to escape her past. No, it's not a memoir – just years of observation and imagination rolled up into something good, I hope.

It's easy to corner writers into specific genres, though I don't like being in a corner unless I have a really good book with me. Sometimes, I try to make sense of things. Other days, I try to make sense of why nothing makes sense. I laugh at myself and hope readers will, too. I also worry. Goodness, do I worry. And I ponder. I get angry. And I've grieved more than I've wanted to.

Basically, I live. So, I write.

You've probably finished your virtual coffee by now, so take a look around my site and see if you like anything.
Thanks for visiting. Come back soon.

My best,