It's much more
difficult to write about myself than it is to create a character, but I'll give it a try.
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, and I still, after being away for almost 30 years, consider myself a Pittsburgher. Although I developed an interest in writing when I was about 10 years old, it wasn't until 30 years later that I began to seriously pursue the craft.
Due to my husband making a job change, we moved to Des Moines, Iowa. A position I held while living in Des Moines required me to write an in-house newsletter. It was a fun project, but since I often needed filler, I began writing poems about work. Before long, co-workers were requesting personalized poems for special birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Excited by the fact that people actually wanted me to write something for them, I decided to take a few writing courses. I began with poems, worked my way through short stories, and eventually decided to try my hand at writing a novel. Never in a million years did I expect to finish it - but I did, and Winter Kill is the result. Winter Kill is the first book in the Donovan Burke series. The second book in the series is underway.
I have since completed another novel, the first book in the Shelby Drake series entitled Layer of Lies, and am happy to announce that it was published and is now available for sale. Shelby Drake is a cake decorator and newly-licensed private investigator. It's a fun character to write since while living in Des Moines I operated a small cake decorating business and use that as inspiration. As with the Donovan Burke series, the second book in the Shelby Drake series, Gingerdead, is partially complete.
Shortly before Winter Kill was finished, my husband was transferred, and we moved to Sioux Falls, SD. It's a wonderful city - pretty, clean, relatively safe, with a small-town atmosphere and big city ways. Even though my husband is now retired, we've decided to stay.
I'm the mother of two grown sons, a grandmother to darling twin girls, and "mommy" to a very pampered toy poodle. While I know that neither Winter Kill nor Layer of Lies is the great American novel I hope one day to write, I'm very happy with each of these books. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
