I'm a fourth generation Californian, born in Berkeley, before things got weird there. My grandparents had a beautiful Tudor home in the Berkeley hills, which we visited as often as we could, even after I moved to Arizona at age 9. My family included many musicians and teachers, so I guess I was destined to become a music teacher. I learned to play the piano at age five, my mother as my first teacher. From there I learned violin and flute, which I still play today. I received my bachelor's degree in Music Education from Northern Arizona University and my master's from Arizona State. I taught elementary band and general music for twelve years, before making the decision to move into the regular classroom. For 20 years I taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grade until I retired in 2005.

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I guess you could say that I reinvented myself after retirement. I had written several school musicals that aligned with the curriculum, as well as seven collaborations for a community children's theatre. Writing seemed to come naturally to me, so I set out to write a series of picture books with an original song for each. Sadly, no one in the industry seemed interested, although one publisher told me to try writing chapter books and middle grade instead. I took that advice, and finally found my writing voice. So now I try to take my variety of interests and put them into my books. My stories are about the things I love most - family, grandparents, music, and just the joy of being a kid!