I was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas and spent many childhood summers on my grandparent’s farm in Dwight, Kansas. Summer storms, picturesque cloud formations, dusty roads, acres of golden wheat ballet, and landscapes of green are etched in my memory. I’ve drawn from that rich background as a setting for River Castle, the novel I’m currently working on which begins in 1937 trailing into the early 1940’s. The second novel (written draft) will follow the same River Castle characters as the war plays out and their lives are upended. It’s been rewarding to research that area and time period and I have often felt my Swedish grandmother, whom I adored, looking over my shoulder as my characters took on their own lives.

In the early 1970’s, I moved to Phoenix and immediately connected with Arizona’s rich historical charisma—a perfect match for my fascination with the 1800’s. I retired from Honeywell Space Division after 17 years. My husband, Barry, and I live in Phoenix. I have four children, one stepdaughter, and between Barry and I, we have twelve grandchildren with another one way on the way. Besides writing, I’m an avid rubber stamper and make my own cards. My husband tells me we need a new house with all my papers, inks, stamps, and other necessary tools as well as all my writing and research materials and books for my writing quests.

My short story, Jenny’s Red Ribbons, was published in the Arizona Highways Magazine in December 2000. Another short story, Stolen Paradise, won first prize in the 2000 Glendale Library Contest taking first prize in the Mystery division. Stolen Paradise is published in the Glendale Library Anthology, November 2006.