About the Author

I grew up in the Big Orange, when there were still orange groves in the Los Angeles basin. My first novel, A Rip in the Redwood Curtain, was picked up by the first agent who read it, Ben Kamsler -- Elmor Leonard's agent at the time.

While running a bed and breakfast inn, raising two daughters, and breeding dozens of pygmy goats, I wrote another two novels. One--Innocent Little Crimes--made the top 100 in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest, with Publisher's Weekly calling it "a page-turning thrill-ride that will have readers holding their breaths the whole way through." Ten years later, I decided to start writing novels again, and in 2006 wrote my first fantasy book, now published with AMG/Living Ink Publishers. I has since written seven more novels, five of which have been contracted for publication.

I currently work as a freelance copyeditor and writing coach, and also teach workshops on writing at confereces. I belong to numerous writing and editing groups, and occasionally guest blog and contribute articles on websites that focus on the craft of writing.

Publications:

My contemporary novel, Someone to Blame (Zondervan, August 2010), is set on the north California coast in the fictitious town of Breakers. It is a psychological suspense story about a family reeling from the tragic deaths of their two teenage sons. Hoping to pick up pieces and start all over, their hopes are dashed when their family collides with Billy Thurber, a young drifter who comes into town one day selling firewood. Click here to learn more.

My fantasy series, The Gates of Heaven (AMG/Living Ink), debuted with the July 2010 release of The Wolf of Tebron, followed by The Map Across Time (March 2010) and soon to be released The Land of Darkness (September 2011). Click here to visit The Gates of Heaven Series page.

Novels I've written:

A Rip in the Redwood Curtain (Literary Fiction)
Innocent Little Crimes (Suspense/Mystery/Women's Fiction)
A Thin Film of Lies (Suspense/Mystery/Thriller)
The Wolf Of Tebron (Fantasy) published 2010, AMG/Living Ink Publishers
The Map Across Time (Fantasy) published 2011, AMG/Living Ink Publishers
Someone to Blame (Contemporary Fiction) published 2010, Zondervan
The Land of Darkness (Fantasy) release date fall 2011, AMG/Living Ink Publishers
Time Sniffers (YA Sci-fi)
Conundrum (Contemporary Fiction/Mystery)
The Unravelling of Wentwater (Fantasy) release date spring 2012, AMG/Living Ink Publishers
Intended For Harm (Contemporary Fiction)
The Crystal Scepter (Fantasy) release date fall 2012, AMG/Living Ink Publishers

I come from a family of successful writers, meaning they have actually made a living writing books and television scripts. I landed my first fiction contract by winning the Zondervan First Novel contest at Mount Hermon in April 2009. A friend once said, "God doesn't call us to be successful; he calls us to be faithful." My prayer is to keep focused on God—it's all about Him, not me, and my dream is to reach people with hope and the means to extol my faithful and loving God to my readers.

I love: hiking, backpacking, watching Star Trek reruns cuddled up on the couch in my husband's, arms, doing everything with my daughters (especially eating and baking), gardening (when I'm not writing or editing, I landscape for a living), taking my dog for walks, reading, playing Zuma on the computer (OK, I confess my addiction), sleeping with my three kitties on the bed, and the list is endless. Most of all I love God and give him the glory for "He created all things, and by his will they exist and were created." I am just a little speck of dust in this vast universe. What do I know? Only one thing. (I am picturing Billy Crystal in "City Slickers" holding up his one finger to his buddies). When you hold up that one finger, it only points in one direction and to one Person. And that's all that matters. God is the creator of all things. God is in control. Thankfully, God knows what he is doing, and that makes me feel so relieved. So, I'll just keep on writing...