I am a recently retired free-spirited educator, now a full-time free-spirited author. While teaching English, working on my own writing was difficult. My beloved students needed all my energy. I have 2 books as yet unpublished in 2 other genres, but for now, I am devoting all of my focus on Rain Dodging, a work of love. I also oil paint.

Tony and I travel in the Mustang convertible that belonged to my 90-year-old mother. It’s in the shop now. Fingers crossed  I enjoy going it alone, too

Last summer:  

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    Fishing on the Yellowstone River

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    Kansas?

You’ll hear humor and irreverence in my writer’s voice, whatever the situation. I relate to life’s non-linear journey, steps forward, steps back. Moreover, I have learned that fortitude trumps chaos. I’m bossy and open-minded—I know. Having fears myself, I brought up my daughter to be fearless. I am comfortable, finally, with the invisibly that comes with age. In fact, it’s more relaxing. Filled with wanderlust, when I’m not traveling I enjoy destination shows, but as a diabetic, Stanley Tucci’s luscious new CNN program, Searching for Italy, is kind of difficult for me: Can you say pasta?

For me, in England, reason falls into place.

 

Garden at Eastwell Manor, Kent

I look for a strong, likeable female character on the library shelf. I want to be enlightened but I must be entertained. A sampling from my Loved List of books in my book’s genre—creative nonfiction: Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, Night, by Elie Wiesel, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. 

I think Erica Jong and I would be soul mates. We share the same irreverence and thirst for knowledge. I don’t ‘write sex’ as she does in Fear of Flying, but Romantic fiascos? Hilarity? Pain? Lovers? Yes!

My women friends mean the world to me, but I can go for months without seeing anyone outside my family.

Consider joining me on my literary adventure. (I’ll let you know when Rain Dodging is ready.)