I am a recently retired free-spirited educator, now 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 I have 2 books as yet unpublished in 2 other genres, but for now, I am devoting all of my focus on Rain Dodging, a work of love.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.
From Shaker Heights, Ohio, in my late twenties I headed west and somehow landed in Los Angeles. Can you say adventures? I live in rural middle Tennessee now, an hour’s drive west of Nashville. With my husband, Tony, and our rotty, Roady, I live in a restored (by Tony) hayloft, on a bluff overlooking the sweet Piney River. The ideal place to write.
We 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: 
Badlands 
Fishing the Yellowstone River 
On the road
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.
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.)
You can check out my blog, The Cabbage Patch. Click for it at the top menu.