I've written tons of articles, (and pulled my hair out over a few,) but I'd have to say that writing about myself has to be the hardest thing I've ever done.

  I always wanted to be a writer for as far back as I can remember. Prophetic wish, it seems, judging from my favorite baby photo. Of course, As the family "bookworm," I think my writing desire was a natural progression. I always read and still do, enjoying books by Barbara Taylor Bradford, Elaine Viets, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Elaine Viets, and many others.

Nonfiction to Fiction

  My career has mostly been in newspapers and magazines, although fiction writing always called to me. Discovering online writing groups inspired me to get more involved in short fiction.

  Initially, the transition from nonfiction to fiction was hard, but it was always a heck of a lot of fun. Thanks to the writing advice and inspiration of fellow writers including Elizabeth Dearl, Dorothy Rellas, Gay Kinman, Lonnie Cruise, Courts Mroch, and later, Jean Rabe and members of my writer's group, I perservered and found my "voice." Despite rejections, I didn't want to--and couldn't--give up. It's hard to stop the ideas and harder to bury a dream. It simply bubbles back up to the surface, begging to be taken out and polished, crying to find its way into print.

Other Background Stuff

  I grew up in Chicago, the third-generation to live in the two-story house bought by my Belgian-born grandfather in the mid-1900s. (See my genealogy pages.) I now live an hour's drive from Chicago, just over the border in Wisconsin.

  I have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College in Chicago. I've received various awards from llinois and national press associations for nonfiction articles I've written. (See nonfiction page for details.)

  A favorite pastime, building dollhouses and miniature rooms, has served as inspiration for nonfiction stories, my nonfiction ebook, In Miniature Style, a new Christmas ebook and influenced my kid's mystery, Searching For a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery. Click the Miniatures tab to see photos of my miniature projects.

  * More details to come!

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