I came to writing to have a place to be by myself and create. When I was facing challenges growing up I would write in my closet with a flashlight. We had a small house and it was hard to find a quiet place. Another favorite places to write was under our silver maple tree. A pencil, some paper and a glass of grape Kool-Aid and I was settled for awhile.

   Also, I was interested in the past and took that interest on to college and earned a degree in history at Elon University. I feel lucky to be able to combine my love for both in my writing. 

   Two of my short stories were Rose Post Creative Nonfiction finalst in 2017 and 2021. "Called Home" was a story about two young men from Raleigh, North Carolina who served in Vietnam. The other story, "Not For the Faint of Heart," was about a young woman who served with the American Red Cross during the Vietnam War.

The picture on the left is of me and my friend, Sarah. During the summer we would walk to the library and read as many books as we could, in order to get a certificate when summer ended. We still share book ideas to this day. 

     I am a writer-in-residence with the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County. When I am not teaching or writing I enjoy reading, going to the beach, and laughing with my friends and family. There is nothing like a good laugh with people that mean a lot to you. I like the Great British Bakeoff and promise myself, one day I will bake something from the show. But so far, I am too intimidated. 

Little Things About Me

I'm not too fond of mosquitoes and dread them every summer.

My favorite food is a hamburger cooked on a charcoal grill. Strawberry is my favorite ice cream.

I have written for several magazines.

I was fortunate to take writing classes at North Carolina State University with Lee Smith.

Fall is my favorite time of year.  And it is not just because the mosquitoes leave. It reminds me of growing up near the mountains. 

I enjoy biographies, authobiographies and books with a bit of magic in them. The last book I read was, South of the Buttonwood Tree.  

At night I try to read for a while next to my cat Ramsey

I enjoyed working as a speech writer.

Sometimes the blank screen makes me nervous. I usually take a walk to clear my head.