Picture Book

Author and Illustrator

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

I am an author/Illustrator of PB and MG fairy tale re-imaginings.

I have been a member of SCBWI since 2013.

I belong to a Writers Critique Group, The Transylvania Storytellers that meets in Brevard, NC once a month. Of course, for the foreseeable future, we are Zooming.

I also belong to The Sketchies, an online Illustrators Critique Group that meets once a month.

My real job for the past 30 years has been as a puppeteer. REALLY.

I also help manage the Sassy Goose, our families vacation rentals in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

I love to read

re-imagined

fairy tales

I was talking to a group of 5 year olds a while back and asked them what was their favorite fairy tales. Many of them had never heard of Hansel and Gretel. Of course, it is very scary story and Disney hasn't animated it yet.

Don't get me wrong, I love Disney and their fairy tales but there is a lot to be said for the original Grimm.

The photo above is of two of my marionettes from my production of THE FROG PRINCE.

My favorite thing to do in the summer is swim

Most of my siblings and I grew up in New Jersey.

Our summers were spent at a lovely little lake called Green Pond. The same place our parents grew up a generation before.

All of us kids could swim before we could walk. Well that is what my Dad said.

My siblings and I still spend as much time in the lake as we can at at Emerald Lake at the Sassy Goose.

I'm a Puppeteer and always will be even though I am retired

I'm a puppeteer. I perform with marionettes in the Cabaret style. That means that I use trick marionettes that perform to music right in front of the audience. My favorite act is The Girl on the flying trapeze.

Early jazz from the 30's and 40's is my favorite music. It is exciting to introduce this type of music to 4 and 5 year olds.

I also have a line of toy puppets and marionettes that I sell at craft shows.