I'm a Bay Area writer of place:  another country, my own back yard, a preserve, a city, a room -- any place that leaves its mark on my heart.  I grew up among orchards and woods, so I'm partial to trees, but I'm learning that beauty is everywhere, all the time. 

MINE, my creative nonfiction book about a remarkable Spanish colonial matriarch of San Jose, came out on May 10, 2020, which was both Mothers Day and El Día de la Madre that unusual year.

My essays and poetry have appeared in a variety of literary and academic venues, including BBC Travel, Written River: A Journal of Eco-Poetics, Reed Magazine, Studies in Philology, and Gadling.  

I've loved old books my whole life, and in my 40s I earned a BA in English literature and then an MFA in creative nonfiction from San Jose State University. My sister Becky and I are partners in LitWits Workshops, where we make great books fun for kids in hands-on ways.  I couldn't ask for more meaningful, joyful work than to immerse in literature with children, and inspire them to want to read more, with my very best friend. 

My other passions include advocating for wildlife and trees; gardening; the personalization of interiors; exploring my Scottish ancestry online and on land; and walking through the woods or on the beach with my wonderful dog. 

This is Becky, my beautiful sister and my partner in LitWits Workshops. Click the pic to learn more about our hands-on literature workshops for kids!