Life is a story. We all have one. Here’s part of mine.

Here I am with 3 of my 7 siblings. Can you tell which baby is me?
I loved our dog, Lady.
The farmhouse in Iowa where I grew up.
Why did they put me in a wash pan?

My Bio

I was born on Christmas Day in Waukon, Iowa, the fifth of eight children.  My parents were dairy farmers which means you never go on vacation! Those cows needed milking morning and night. I did help feed the pigs, stack hay in the barn and wash milking equipment but most of my chores were helping Mom cook, clean, and garden. What I remember most is everything was big: the house, the garden, the meals, our family, the messes 🙂

I loved school and never wanted to miss a minute-I didn’t like snow days. I know…what’s wrong with me? But school was where books and my friends were!  I don’t remember having many books in my home, so Waterville Elementary School-and my first grade teacher who taught me to read-rocked! Of course I liked other things about school too-pretty much everything to do with recess: hop-skotch, jump rope, roller-skating, hanging upside down by my toes on the monkey bars…Nope! never fell.

Hmm…I didn’t like my kindergarten picture so I kind of cut it up.

A favorite still

Everything else you might want to know about me!

What or who inspires you?

Seeing a finished project after a lot of hard work. And people who have turned their life around in spite of insurmountable challenges.

View the full Q/A here!

Look at that smile! Loved 4th grade!

I joined band in fifth grade, played the oboe

12 Sixth grade science in Manchester IA was my first teaching job

First look at my first book!

In high school, I loved journalism class where I became a reporter and every week set type for the spread in the local paper devoted to high school news. I went to college on an English scholarship, wrote for the college newspaper, was a DJ and had five part-time jobs to pay my way through college. Although writing was cool, I loved biology and became a science teacher, a wife, a mom, a teacher again, and now an author!

My first picture book was published in 2011 and since then I’ve been on the move! signing in bookstores, community fairs, and the Mall of America; reading in churches and senior centers and presenting in gyms,  cafeterias, colleges and libraries for kids from 9 days old to 99.  I’ve had more books published and have many stories sitting on my computer looking for a publishing home.

Whether you are planning a family literacy night, a young writer/artist conference, a school author visit or anything for the reading community-I would love to partner with you to inspire kids (big and little) along their own literacy journey!

 

More Photos!

Favorite high school class, journalism where I got to write for the newspaper.
I went to college on an English scholarship but I loved science courses best.
Worked at the Y camp in Colorado after college. Made it to the top of Long’s Peak, highest point in the Rockies!

My lovely family!