I was eight years old and growing up in the Boston suburbs when I wrote and illustrated my first (and only) book: Mandy and the Ghost in the Attic.

The cover was made from purple construction paper folded twice for sturdiness then stapled. The title character was named after my favorite doll and the result was a masterpiece - just ask my mom.

The joy I felt writing and illustrating that little book with my colored pencils has followed me through the years of winning high school writing contests, getting my bachelor’s degree in English with paint-smudged fingers from countless art classes, and finally earning my master’s degree in architecture at the University of Washington in 2004. I worked at an architecture firm in Seattle for sixteen years.

After some pandemic-induced solitary reflection on my life and career, in late 2020 I moved to Florida in pursuit of my first loves: sunshine and writing. I live in St. Petersburg with my dog Summit, where I enjoy morning runs, exploring this beautiful city and its beaches, and in the early summer, throwing on my flip flops to collect a mango every time I hear one hit the roof and roll into the yard.