Who knew that in my mid-50s I'd discover something new about myself? That's exactly what happened!  My mother had a birthday party and I put a little poem in with the family invitation. I decided that writing was fun, and I've never looked back. You have to write what you know, so my first poems were about swimming and how bathing suits fade and get saggy. I got rave reviews from my swimming pool friends, and they kept encouraging me. I wrote poems for cards, refrigerator magnets, and mugs. All of my pool friends suggested that I write a book. So, being a psychotherapist and hearing everyone's story for so many years, I had a wealth of information to draw from.   

My first book, "Moments in Our Lives," is a compilation of moments in everyone's life ---- 65 little vignettes of our universal experiences. I had no idea how to get published, so I took a course on self-publishing at our local adult education. The instructor told us our first night, "You have no idea where this can lead." Boy, was she right!

After "Moments in Our Lives" (2004), I thought I was done, however, while walking one day with my dog I saw a crooked pine tree. I wrote "My Bent Tree" (2008) within the next week. Then I had to find an illustrator. I was taking Argentine tango lessons and my instructor informed me that he was an artist. I had no idea that Argentine tango would lead to books! 

Once again, I thought I was done, however, a friend needed some letters mailed on a snowy February day. I told her I would mail them for her. She said, "They'll be very happy." She had no recollection of that, but I did, and four nights later at midnight "The Inside Story" (2009) was born.

Again, I thought I was done, but following a talk I gave at a women's group, a woman who was a dog lover emailed me suggesting that I write a book about dogs. "Just Sniffing Around" (2010), hot off the press, stars a Dogue de Bordeaux but is really about all our dogs. 

At another women's group, after hearing "Just Sniffing Around," a woman approached me and said, "If you write a book about dogs, you have to write one about cats." For "Purrsnikitty," to find my star and to raise awareness for animal shelters, I ran a cat contest. With the submission photos, people had to donate to animal shelters. We raised $678.00.  "Purrsnikitty" will be out in the latter part of 2010.

When I was looking for cat owners who might be interested in the contest, I approached two friends.  I asked if they had cats and told them about the contest.  One said, "My dog Annie could win a cat contest." From that sentence, the book following "Purrsnikitty," "The Winner Is……," has been written. It will also be out in 2010.

There is one character in "The Winner Is………" who will be the star of my next book.

All of my picture books contain questions at the end to promote further learning for the readers.