I became a writer after I’d lived long enough to have stories worth telling. Under the guidance of Carolyn Walker—writing instructor and author of Every Least Sparrow—I learned how to shape those experiences into words that matter.

My writing journey began in 1979, during my senior year of high school. Until then, I’d coasted through most of my teenage years—working for pocket money, spending time with friends, and doing just enough to pass my classes. Everything shifted when I walked into Mr. Chalmers’ Contemporary Issues class. For the first time, I wanted more. I started showing up, taking notes, doing the work, and discovered that I genuinely enjoyed writing. The first A on my final report card taught me that success wasn’t mysterious—it just required showing up, paying attention, and following through.

Life after high school didn’t make things simple. The economy was uncertain, the American dream felt out of reach, and by twenty-eight I was a single mother raising four young children—one with special needs. It was during those years that I learned how to fight for what mattered and how to find moments of joy and normalcy in unlikely places: an afternoon at the mall, a shared treat from the candy shop, a bookstore visit that brought us all a little peace.

Those experiences taught me how fragile and resilient life can be. Journeying through the extraordinary world of the special needs community, I discovered that the best parts of living often happen in the shadows of hard times and dark places.

Those are the stories I write now—stories shaped by endurance, quiet grace, and the kind of beauty that reveals itself only after you’ve lived enough to recognize it.

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