writergirlj

Author bio:

Born in 1972 at University Hospital, I grew up in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of Seattle. I attended parochial school until I was redeemed, pardoned and brought back into grace in the 6th grade where I met some of the most wonderful people I've ever met. I've been writing since I could form letters with my crayons and I love fine art, theater and music. In middle school and high school, I played the piccolo and flute in marching and concert bands. I am a rare geek who actually loved high school, had a lot of friends, and was even a bit popular (long before Bill Gates made geeks "chic"). In the late 80s, I was very active in Seattle's summer music program, the All City Band. (If there are any other MarDnabs or ACBs out there in NaNoLand, let me know!)

I was 14 and sitting in English class (taught by my German teacher) when I decided writing would be my profession. We had just wrapped up Romeo and Juliet and were starting our poetry section. As I sat in class, scratching out and rewriting my first poetry assignment since the 6th grade, I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do for a living, not even music. In the 12th grade, I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Flies and Othello.

I attended Shoreline Community College where I met my writing mentor, Seattle poet Ed Harkness, and where I was heavily involved in all aspects of the theater department. It was at Shoreline that I discovered my love of Picasso and da Vinci, and the plays Medea and MacBeth. After earning my Associate of Arts and Sciences, I transferred to Boston University where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

Since college, my focus has been spiritual. I entered a program to become a licensed spiritual counselor with the intention of going on to ministerial school. As happens with so many seekers, my path had twists and turns I could not have anticipated. Just one year shy of completing my license, I had a crisis of faith so compelling, I could not in good conscience continue with the program. It is now three years later and things are still sorting themselves out. It does appear I will reenter the program and go on to complete it, earning my license as a spiritual counselor. But I say so with extreme caution.

I have experienced hardships and tragedies so numerous and unbelievable it now seems comical, as if Lemony Snicket were my life's wicked author.

All of these experiences and disappointments, loves, hopes, heroes and mentors inform my writing, from the delight of a 14 year old girl discovering her purpose to the bemusement of a middle-aged woman feeling lost in the woods. I recently heard, "Don't 'write what you know.' Write who you are." That is the best way I can sum up my writing.