I live on my ranchette on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, with dogs, cats, deer, and other wild animals. My environment is very serene; it is my writing sanctuary. Currently I'm writing plays and novels for kids. One of my goals with NOONIE'S MASTERPIECE was to write a novel that would be relevant for both kids and adults. It's a tribute to any creative person who understands the joy, anguish, and hard labor involved in pursuing the artistic dream. Fortunately I do other things, besides writing, or you'd think I was a very boring person. I foster rescue animals, take long hikes in the Texas hill country, laugh with friends (many of whom are writers), and I love to travel the world. I'm also very involved in social services. My second novel, BETTI ON THE HIGH WIRE, is loosely based on a two-year stint working with kids in a refugee camp. I have an M.A. in Theatre Arts (Playwriting), and a M.F.A. in Writing from the University of Texas at Austin. I was the recipient of a Jerome Fellowship in Playwriting, and a Michener Fellowship from the University of Texas. Thanks for reading, even if you arrived here by pure accident.