From the Beginning…

So, you want to know about me?

Well, I grew up in Virginia, went to school at The University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) and have lived in Kansas (twice), Texas (twice), Georgia (as a stopgap), and now — for the second time — in Wisconsin.  Hopefully we’ll head south again someday and I’ll live out my days in the sun, enjoying the beach.

I’ve been working since my teenage years. Some of my favorite (and most memorable) jobs include: beer girl at a minor league baseball stadium, Army officer, early childhood teacher, and Circulation Clerk at my local library. These days, I work as an insurance coordinator at an optometrist’s office.

Somewhere along the way, I got married, had three kids (two proud Alabama grads, and a junior in college here in Wisconsin), and have been a mom to 5 fur babies — two of whom, Cleo and Sadie, are still with us and often appear on my Instagram. My big dream? To someday quit my day job and become a full time author.

What I Like…

If you asked me what I like to do — or what I used to like to do (I’m currently easing back into running after an injury) — I’d tell you: I love to read, write, crochet, enjoy craft beer, and watch football. 

If you ask anyone that knows me, I can almost guarantee they’ll say, “She loves to read.” It’s a well-known, long established fact that I am a reading junkie. Less well known? I dream of becoming a published author.

Me and books…

When I was little, I refused to get out of the tub until I heard “The Cat in the Hat” one more time. (Seriously.)  I was the kid that brought books to Girl Scout camp.  I pulled many an all-nighter in high school with the new Stephen King release. 

There have been seasons in my life when I had all the time in the world to read — and seasons when I had none. (Fun fact: my three kids are, start to finish, less than three years apart. There were years when my reading diet was nothing but picture books and parenting guides!)

These days, time is still tight, but I always find a way. I usually have an audiobook going in the car and while doing chores so I can keep my reading habit alive. I enjoy almost every genre, which is probably why I love talking to so many different people about books.

You know how it is when you really love something?  You just like to talk about it?  That’s me and books.  People know they can come to me for a recommendation, or to share their opinions and ask mine. I’ll always listen — and I’ll always have an answer. 

Books make me happy. Even the ones that leave me in a puddle of tears for a week.

My Writing Journey…

My journey to become a published author started in 2010, when I discovered NaNoWriMo and wrote a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. By December 1st, I was burnt out. I printed it out, set it aside, and pretty much forgot about it.

Since then, I’ve done NaNoWriMo multiple times. Sometimes I “won” by hitting the 50K word goal, other times I crashed and burned by the second week. But through it all, I built up a collection of works-in-progress (WIPs) that I hope to publish one day.

In the summer of 2024, I found that original printed manuscript, read it, and felt a spark. I decided to go for it — full steam ahead — and aimed to self-publish by the end of the year.

Spoiler alert: it’s taken a lot longer than I expected. I had to retype the entire manuscript (I didn’t have a digital backup!). After a quick edit, I thought it was ready for beta readers. But after I sent the first part out, I spotted a major plot hole and hit pause to fix it.

Since then, I’ve been in what I lovingly call editing hell. Every time I fix one thing, it feels like I break twenty more. This my first time fully editing something with the goal of sharing it with the world, and let me tell you — it’s a learning curve.

But here’s where we are now: on this journey together. It’s a bumpy ride, but I know in my heart it will be worth it. When it’s finally finished, you’re going to love it.

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