Born in Wisconsin, I was the middle of three children, and the only boy. And, I'll tell you -- being sandwiched between two sisters is tough! ;-)

After I finished kindergarten, my family and I moved to Arizona. We returned to 
Wisconsin seven years later, but not until after I'd taken some childhood forays into the world of writing. First, I created a comic book series starring a boy with spiky hair. Then, I spent part of a summer vacation creating a book titled "Prehistoric Animals". I filled this 85 page tome with color penciled drawings and facts and pronunciation guides of every dinosaur and prehistoric animal I could find. I still have this book today. The comics, alas, are long gone. 

When my family returned to Wisconsin, I vowed to someday head back to the land of sunshine and beautiful deserts and mountains. Eventually, I did just that. And that's where I made my first professional writing sale - a humorous filler to Arizona Highways Magazine. I haven't stopped writing since and don't ever plan to. I need to write, to create.

Why do I write what I write? Well, I love a good story, especially one filled with mystery, suspense and/or humor. I also love animals, puzzles, funny poems, some not so funny poems and silly jokes and riddles.

As a child my love for animals showed up in both my choice of reading materials and pets. At different times I had turtles, toads, salamanders, dogs, tropical fish and weird fish that weren't fish (they turned out to be mosquito larvae!). As an adult I've stuck more to dogs and cats as pets. 

I also spend time around cool animals as a docent at the local zoo. Here I talk to children and adults about large animals like giraffes, jaguars, rhinos, lions, tigers, bears, elephants, alligators ... and about the importance of conservation and wild habitat preservation.

I also bring out some of the zoo's smaller animal ambassadors, animals like snakes, armadillos, turtles, hedgehogs and Madagascar hissing cockroaches. I believe when people can learn about and view such animals up close they will  develop a greater appreciation for all animals.  

Animals have especially found their way into my writing for children. They've been main characters in some of my fiction, poetry, puzzles and riddles and the subjects of a many non-fiction articles. 

I love the sunsets, canyons, mountains and deserts of the western U.S., and enjoy traveling, listening to music and hiking. And, like all writers, I love to read. 

In June 2015 I was interviewed by the educational site Super Teacher Worksheets for their blog. Link to the interview is HERE.

And in March 2016 I was interviewed by author/poet/editor Terrie Leigh Relf in her A Day in the Life Interview series. Link to this interview is HERE.


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