I am a former book publishing professional. I crave books, art, information and good company. I am also a wife and a mother. My two very active little boys keep me in shape: in body, mind and spirit.

I have always been a reader and relished the time spent in those other worlds.  My earliest memories of reading were the Richard Scarry books about Busytown.  I have read many of the classics: Homer, Dante, Milton and remain a fan.  I was such a theory geek when I was in college and at grad school.  That work is impossible to read and I honestly don’t know why I like it, but I do.  I have probably read the most nonfiction as I worked for a spirituality/religion press for 14 years. I met my husband at that job.  He is a published author (Richard Smoley) of many books. Now I largely read high literary fiction and short fiction but I have also been known to dabble in science and fantasy fiction.  I am a media hog. I can’t get enough of the news, whether it’s fashion, hollywood gossip, international affairs, travel, religion, business, culture; you name it.

I have been a writing tutor and loved it. My favorite tutoring job was mentoring a young Afghani woman.  I became close friends with her family.  My first writing job was a newsletter editor for a paper products company.  I have fond memories of those early writing assignments, interviewing employees about the work they do. I learned that if you can find something genuinely interesting about a plate-making machine, maybe, just maybe you could do this job called writing.  Next I worked for a small community newspaper in upstate New York writing mostly feature stories and write-ups of local businesses.

Like so many authors I worked with through the years, perhaps I, too, can add something of my own to that great conversation….add another page.