Why do I write for young people?
Because I remember how important books were to me when I was growing up. Books took me to new places, opened up new worlds, made me laugh and made me cry.
I remember lying by the fireplace when our electricity went out in a big storm. By flashlight, I finished the last chapters of The Yearling, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
I devoured every single horse book I could find in the public library - books by Marguerite Henry and Walter Farley - everything I could get my hands on that had a horse in it.
I've always been surrounded by a myriad of animals, which is probably why every time I sit down to write, a dog jumps in the middle of the story, or a horse gallops through.
I've realized the importance of nature and animals to our lives, which is why I often write about the human-animal bond.
For more about my books:
go to the Books page.
Even More About Me
I've worked at lots of places, all of which influence my outlook on life and my writing. I've been a mother, zookeeper, veterinary assistant, race track groom, owner of a saddle shop and a native plant nursery, realtor and children's librarian, to name just a few.
I've also had some great adventures, including riding my horse in the Tevis Cup, a 100 mile one-day endurance race through the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, and swimming across the Columbia River from Washington to Oregon.
At age 48, I decided to go back to college, and received a Bachelor's Degree in Social and Behavioral Science at age 52.
I've published articles in Equus, The Brayer, and Farm Romance and Adventure.
Today, I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and lots of animals, including two dogs, two donkeys, and a variety of cats. These days, when I'm not traipsing through the woods, feeding livestock, walking a dog or petting a cat, I mostly - write.
Finding Chance
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The Horse Jar
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The Girl Who Remembered Horses
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