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BIOGRAPHY
Born in
Visalia, California, I'm a small town
girl at heart. I love central
California's golden foothills, oak
trees, and the miles of farmland. In
my mind, there's nothing sweeter in
the world than the heady fragrance of
orange blossoms on a sultry summer
night.
As a
little girl I spent hours on my bed,
staring out the window, dreaming of
far off places, fearless knights, and
happy-ever-after endings. In my
imagination I was never the geeky
bookworm with the thick coke-bottle
glasses, but a princess, a magical
fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My
parents fed my imagination by taking
our family to Europe for a year when I
was thirteen. The year away changed me
(I wasn't a geek for once!) and
overseas I discovered a huge and
wonderful world with different
cultures and customs. I loved
everything about Europe, but felt
especially passionate about Italy and
those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder
my very first Presents hero was
Italian).
I
confess, after that incredible year in
Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit
hard. I spent much of my high school
and college years abroad, studying in
South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South
Africa remains a country of my heart,
the people, the land and politics
complex and heart-wrenching.
After
my years of traveling and studying I
had to settle down and earn a living.
With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in
American Studies, a program that
combines American literature and
American history, I've worked in sales
and marketing, as well as a director
of a non-profit foundation. Later I
earned my Masters in Writing from the
University of San Francisco and taught
jr. high and high school English.
I now
live in rugged Seattle, Washington
with my two young sons. I never mind a
rainy day, either, because that's when
I sit at my desk and write stories
about far-away places, fascinating
people, and most importantly of all,
love. I like a story with a happy
ending. We all do.
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