Where did you grow up? I was born in the state of Illinois and grew up there on a farm. I haven’t lived on a farm since I left to go to college, but elements of farm life are etched on my heart. I have a fondness for cows. I still enjoy ripe vegetables from a garden. And, I love the scent of a freshly tilled field.
What were you like as a child? I have always been creative. As a child I painted with mud, designed doll dresses, recorded my own songs, and invented stories so I could fall asleep in the dark. Today I enjoy quilting, writing, decorating, and turning old things into something new.
When did you start writing? I wrote a book in college titled, The Apple, for a children’s literature class. I wrote, illustrated, and published the only copy that exists. 🙂 More recently I started writing stories for children at a time in life when my own children were grown and my husband and I moved to the state of Massachusetts. Free time there allowed me to explore different types of writing.
How do you get the ideas for your stories? Story ideas can come from many places. My mother gave me the idea for The Shepherd and His Lamb. Ideas for stories may come from a memory from my past, a phrase someone says to me, or particular place I have visited. I’d say though, for me, when God gives the inspiration to write it is most exciting.
What other jobs have you had? My first job was working at my mother’s bridal store selling beautiful wedding gowns. After I graduated from college I got a job teaching at a small elementary school in Illinois. My next several jobs were in the educational publishing industry, where I sold materials to schools like those I’d used while teaching. Later on, I decided I wanted to do something different, so I got my license to sell real estate in Missouri.
Why does your logo say “Stories Children Can Grow With”? I put my trust in Jesus when I was five years old. Basically, I grew up with Him. And I’m glad I did! My hope for the Shepherd and His Lamb, and other books I write, is to help kids grow to know the love Jesus has for them, to trust and love Him more, and to grow in every healthy way.
Do you have a different question you’d like to ask me? Let me know what it is and I’ll add it here.
