“Who are you?”
Good question. I don’t always have an answer for that, and at times said answer might vary on any given day. All I can do is follow where I believe the LORD is leading me, continuing to take the next right step.

I’m not Margaret Mitchell and I never intended to re-write “Gone with the Wind” – however, I did write a 4-book series set during the War Between the States called the Shadowcreek Chronicles, which remained in print for more than two decades. Weaving fictional characters into real events, I tugged on a California thread because there were things going on way out West in the midst of the struggle between North and South, and I wanted to know more about that since that’s where I was born. I love living in Virginia, where I have access to early American history practically in my own backyard.

I can tell you who I was: I worked as the Head Coach’s secretary and assisted the offensive coaches for five seasons at the (then) San Diego Chargers. Our 1994 team played in Super Bowl XXIX. Over the next 20 years, eight players from that team died, all under the age of 45. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when I was 40, but God tagged me as a survivor, and I’m still trying to discover the why. From 2004-2014, I was the “Secretary of Defense” at the (then) Washington Redskins, where I supported the Assistant Head Coach for Defense, all the defensive position coaches, plus the Special Teams Coordinator. I miss football the way it used to be. While I don’t currently have a “favorite” pro or college team, I’ll cheer for players and coaches who I know – regardless of where they are. May the best team win!

“You have such an interesting life.” Or so I’ve been told.
I visited all 50 of the United States of America prior to my fiftieth birthday. I survived chemo treatments. I used to take pictures for my high school newspaper and yearbook, and documented with my camera a few concert seasons for a Christian band. I photographed two babies being born. I make photobooks to capture the memories of life and research trips – including five trips to Ireland, a 2-week visit to Scotland hosted by Liz Curtis Higgs and two trips to England with Julie Klassen’s group. I’ve been to most of the places Laura Ingalls Wilder lived. The people who influenced me most were my Senior Composition teacher and my U.S. History teacher – who also happened to be the Head Football Coach at my high school. My Daddy always had a book in hand. My Momma worked at a library. My brother helped me get my first computer up and running so I could write. I often wished my stories would end up as a mini-series or as audiobooks, but I am content they can be read on Kindle. My last book signing was at the Museum Shop at the Gettysburg National Battlefield.

“You’ll be a debut author… again.”
The first four books I wrote were the result of a dare. You’d think I’d learned my lesson. But no. I accepted another challenge – to write in a completely different time period, to start again. In the spring of 2022, I submitted a manuscript that is currently being reviewed. I’m in the waiting phase, and I’m confident the words have to be inspired because that’s quite a time lapse between release dates! God alone knows what will happen next… It’s my job to press forward, and write more.