“That magical time is here, children. Ya’ll move in close, now.” Mrs. Henderson’s voice had magnetism. She was my elementary school librarian, and I can remember many story hours sitting cross-legged on the carpet, listening to a variety of well chosen picture books. Her rocking chair was positioned close to the bookcases, and without words she would show that the books were within my reach by pulling them from the bottom bookshelf. She spoke with an enthusiastic Southern drawl, which lured me into the story and away form the ordinary life of a young child. Together we journeyed to secret gardens, sailed on high seas, and launched into outer space. The library was always a warm and safe place and I never wanted Mrs. Henderson to stop reading.
Story hour held the power of the heavens. The memorable moments of that tender setting have been embossed deep into the creative folds of my heart, and only much later, through my own writing, have I come to rediscover those precious marks from my childhood.
A decade ago, I was lost in a sea of baby diapers and rough drafts. During my newborn son's fits of colic, I learned that a few stories told from the heart seemed to console him. I jotted down these stories, and through a friend, I was introduced to the Pinellas Writer’s Organization (PINAWOR). The critiques and encouragement that I received from this group inspired me to go back to college. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in the Creative Writing from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Currently, I am a division manager and a technical writer for a company in Oldsmar, Florida. I am a native Floridian, and I live in Clearwater, Florida, on two quiet acres with my husband and son. The landscape around my home is designed to attract nature, by providing food, water, and shelter through native landscaping, water gardens, and sustainable gardening practices. Whether it is morning, noon, or night, nature is frolicking outside my windows and doorways, auditioning for a spot in one of my stories.
Please sit with me for a while, remember your story hour, and select a manuscript synopsis to enjoy.
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