About
When I was 9, I told my grandpa that I wanted to be a writer, and that I wanted to go to Mizzou. He told me that there's not enough money in writing and that Mizzou is expensive. I told a lot of people that I wanted to be a writer, and they also said that there's no money in it and only few "make it."
I took their words for it and ho-hummed around about what I wanted to do with my life for an extra 15 years or so longer than I should have. I finally went to college as a non-traditional student/single mom in my mid-late 20s for business. I hated the business courses and excelled and the arts and humanities courses.
Then, I went on to grad school at my alma mater and got a few opportunities here and there. I became the unofficial editor and proofreader for various people across campus.
Finally the pandemic happened, and I found out just how much writing and advertising I can actually do (it really helped to get hired for some freelance writing). At far too late in life, but early enough to change it, I realized what 9 year-old me knew all along. I want to be a !@#$%ing writer/copywriter.
Also, I live in Normal IL with my fiance and our son. We have two birds who are featured on this site (Larry Bird and Earl Grey) and a snake named Chompy.
My Family
These pictures are really old and in no way represent our current forms. I picked them because I feel like, at no matter what age, we are unabashedly ourselves. We enjoy opportunities to imagine and create costumes and attend super fancy soirees with our like-minded friends.
Doug has big ideas and never misses an opportunity to start a project based to bring them to life. He often serves as my muse and my partner-in-brainstorming.
Blaine is wickedly creative and is heading towards a life of graphic design or arts technology. He has a passion for writing and the arts. I will likely force him into a life full of collaboration.
For the Love of Books
My Contribution to Literacy
There's just something about a physical book that is irresistible to me. We live in an electronic world, and it seems that book is falling by the wayside.
My parents had a grand library in their house (a beautiful 1904 Craftsman with gorgeous redwood features). I knew, no matter what, the house I was going to live in would have a library. I've been lucky so far.
I love book sales. We have an organization in my area that has used books sales several times a year to raise money for literacy programs. Our public libraries often have book sales.
When my book buying was getting out of control, my fiancé knew it was time to give us some space, so he built a library for me in our attic. Once we bought our current house, we set up a makeshift library until he is able to build one in the room. He also built a Little Free Library. On the site, I promised to always carry books with diverse authors and characters, and I keep the books in rotation. If any sit in there too long, I donate them back to the local used book circuit.