My journey started with Santa. Every year I raced to the Christmas tree and searched until I found the special present, the heavy one, signed ‘love Santa’—a book. I would curl up and start reading, often not coming up for air until the story was done. 
As an adult, I still look for the one special present under my tree, signed from Santa. It’s the heavy one I open first—a new book, a new world to explore.  

I grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey, but  reading let me travel through space and      time. I visited the future with H.G. Wells,     Middle Earth with J. R. R. Tolkien. I had the best of companions, characters who made me laugh, cry, and catch my breath.          







My sixth-grade teacher opened up another world for me. Each week, we were assigned to write a story. I had made up stories in my head before, but never attempted to write    them down. It was the best homework I ever had. I couldn’t wait to write down my ideas and create characters of my own.              
I was hooked on writing!                

Time passed and though I remained an avid reader, writing was put aside. I had a family to raise and a full-time job.

When my son turned sixteen, I prepared to retire my ‘mom hat.’ I decided to pursue writing as more than a hobby. I packed up my imagination, a pen, my PC, mustered up my courage, and began a new journey. It’s been filled with ups and downs, but I won’t ever go back. Like Frodo, I’ve learned there’s a big wide world out there. Once you take one step out of your door, you are swept up and taken for an adventure. It’s scary and wonderful. I’ve made great friends and learned so much. If I’m brave and don’t give up, one day a child will pick up a heavy present under their tree and open it to find one of my stories.