I was born and raised in Upstate New York, and although I left for a period of time, I live there today. One of the things of which I'm most proud is my large family. As one of seven children and the only girl, life was interesting and fun. Some might shudder at the thought of having six brothers (5 of whom are older than I am), but I'll let you in on a little secret: I loved it! My brothers were fun to play with and taught me all kinds of things (some of which my parents would have preferred I did not learn)!

I have always loved to read, but before I could do so independently, I loved when someone read to me. My brother, Michael (bottom row, first on the left), used to come home from school and share books with me. To this day, we both love to read!

I discovered my love of writing when I was in the fourth grade. I wrote a poem that my teacher said she liked very much (at which point she became my favorite teacher ever). I began to see myself as a writer. After that, I wrote any chance I had, mostly in secret, as I was very shy. One of my favorite things I've written is a poem I gave to my Dad for his 50th birthday (entitled "Daddy's Little Girl"). Writing is an effective way for me to express myself.

After high school, I moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend college and to, eventually, work. I loved Boston but decided to move back to Rochester, New York, to continue my education. I have a degree in English/Writing and Business Management. In my writing classes, I had to let many people see my work. That was hard to do, but I'm glad I did, because they helped me become a better writer.

Today, I continue to rely on people to help make me a better writer. I belong to two critique groups. We read each other's work and comment on what we like and on what could be improved. Some of my best writing has sprung from conversations with my writing friends. And some of my best laughs have, too! I also belong to a large local writers' and illustrators' group called Rochester Area Children's Writers & Illustrators (RACWI) and a national organization: Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

Critique Group 1: Andrea Page, Keely Hutton, Sibby Falk, and me	Critique Group 2: MJ Auch (seated), Sibby Falk, Peggy Thomas, and me

 

Fun Facts:

• I was born with a tooth.
• I have six brothers.
• I have 32 first cousins.
• I met NBA Boston Celtics star Larry Bird (now President of the Indiana Pacers). OK, he kissed my cheek.
• On my first date, my Dad and all 6 of my brothers lined up to inspect my suitor. It's a wonder he asked me out for a second date!