I began writing at a very early age when there were few creative writing classes and one needed to be practical about paying bills and student debt, so I continued to write while working some pretty interesting jobs. Like most writers, I read a lot and had the good fortune to be the spouse of a bookstore owner for a time (He's still my spouse, we just aren't in the bookstore business anymore). Talk about being able to feed your addiction!

I adore books, love poetry, and then there's music, lots of music. All kinds of music.

Most of my career was spent in a classroom working with kids from those with severe behavioral, cognitive, and learning disabilities to AP and IB students. I loved the majority of my time (over 3 decades) teaching everything from Basic Literacy to Science to Social Studies, even Math. I was never bored.

I am a trivia junkie. I've made it into the finalists' pool in Jeopardy 3 times and am still waiting for Alex Trebeck to give me a call. He hasn't yet, so there's no chance of me saying "I'll take 60s Cop Shows for 800, Alex", any time soon.

I live in one of the most beautiful states in the American Upper Midwest. I can show you on my hand where I live, have lived, gone to school, and worked. Actually, I can show you on three hands, if you're willing to donate one of them so I can point.

I am a child of the television era, I remember when just a few shows were in color and it was a big deal. Ironside is my especial favorite. A cop in a wheelchair, with a woman (not a girl), a Vietnam vet, and an African American, as his assistants.

Like most writers, there are writers I think are marvelous, and can't live without; the list can go on and on depending on what the subject is. Sara Paretsky, Kathy Reichs, Henning Mankell, Elmore Leonard, Robert B. Parker, Loren Estleman, Robert Crais, and Dashiell Hammett, are on my mystery bookshelf all the time.