Biography

I have been a nonfiction writer for more than 28 years.  My work covers a broad range of topics including recycling/reuse, parenting, sexual harassment of teens, successful aging, Alzheimer’s disease, nutrition, exercise, health literacy, and more.  When I’m writing I draw upon my BS degree in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College and my MA degree in Art Education from the University of Minnesota.  These degrees help me to plan the contents of a book, divide the contents into chapters, and visualize the finished product.

In my past life I taught preschool, kindergarten, and teacher certification workshops.  After 12 years in the classroom I decided to change careers and turned to writing.  I’ve been a freelance Special Features writer for the Rochester Post-Bulletin and written for regional, national, and international magazines.  I am the author of 25 books for parents and children and was a contributing writer for the first edition of The Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby’s First Year.  Additionally, I have written Mayo Clinic resources to help young children and teens prepare for heart surgery.  Some of my children’s books are detailed in the international library reference Something About the Author. 

I was both writer and narrator for “Parent Talk,” broadcast on KLSE/KZSE, Minnesota Public Radio.  A frequent radio and television guest, I have appeared on more than 135 talk shows, including CBS and WCCO, and dozens of television stations, including CNN.  The CNN hookup from Chicago was the most exciting because there was a fire in the studio!  (That’s another story for another time.)  The mother of two grown daughters and grandmother of twins, I am happily married to my husband of 49 years, John, and we’re proud to call Rochester, Minnesota our hometown.