Stories help us remember who we are

With writing, photography, and memoir coaching, I help capture the moments, memories, and emotions that connect us to who we are and to the people we love. I'm currently working on The Legacy Series, with my new book, Love You, Love You 'Night, being the first book in this series. I can't wait to share all of my children's stories with you!

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"The stories we tell--about our lives, our families, our memories--are the ones

that stay with us."

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Where My Love of Story Began​​

I've worked in many roles and storytelling is at the heart of everything I do. ​Throughout my life and in my different jobs, I've enjoyed the magic of stories. Whether that was reading and writing stories as a young girl, working my first job in a library, working later as a freelance newspaper reporter, hearing my older family members share stories around the dinner table, and listening to the stories of my students or clients, as well as the stories that I share through my photography. With them all, I've found that stories weave our lives together and keep us grounded in who we are.

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I grew up surrounded by stories. My mother being the family historian, passed down her love of genealogy and preserving family history. My sister and I both loved writing. She was a talented writer/poet and shared her love of life story writing with me. And my great uncle--whose joy was selling used books--showed me early on, the quiet magic that can be found inside the pages of a well-loved book. All these things shaped the way I saw the world and left me a legacy of love for books and writing.

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I learned that stories weren't just something we read, but rather something we lived, shared, and remembered. Over time, that love of storytelling grew into my interests of writing, photography, and eventually to my helping others capture their own stories. I enjoy seeing life through the eyes of a child and writing stories that delight and inspire, while also encouraging adults to reflect on the meaning of their own lives through memoir.

 

"Stories connect generations. They remind us where we came from."

 

Prior to my career as an author and in my years as a speech-language pathologist, helping others find their voice strengthened my appreciation for the power of words and communication.

 

My path toward memoir writing deepened after a serious health diagnosis prompted me to look more closely at my life and at the things that mattered most. During that time, I stepped away from my work as a speech-language pathologist and focused on learning more about health and healing. In 2017, I became a certified Radical Remission workshop instructor/coach and later earned certifications as a health and wellness coach through the Institute of Integrtative Nutrition and the Wisdom of the Whole Coaching Academy.

 

That experience taught me that healing can happen in many ways--physically, emotionally, and creatively. For me, writing and photography became important tools for reflection, expression, and wellness. In 2019, I became a certified Guided Autobiography facilitator through The Birren Center of Autobiographical Studies, and I quickly fell in love with the magic of helping others uncover and write the stories of their lives. It was exciting to be chosen as a contributing author for the first anthology published by The Birren Center in 2021, which was written by fellow Guided Autobiography facilitators. The title of the book is Onward! True Life Stories of Challenges, Choices, and Change.

 

My passion for wellness shapes both my life and creative work. I would tell my health coaching clients that "wellness isn't all about the radish"--meaning, it's not just about healthy food. Wellness is about discovering what nourishes us on other levels such as; what makes us laugh, what brings us peace, and what sparks our creativity. Living well on our life's journey is important. I believe that setting these foundations for our children at a young age is a gift we can pass on to them.  

 

Today my work joins at the intersection of:

*Writing--as an author of children's stories and memoir.

*Photography---as a still life photographer finding beauty in the light and stillness of everyday moments.

*Memoir coaching--as a Guided Autobiography facilitator helping others capture their life stories. 

 

Why I Do This Work

Stories preserve memoires that might otherwise fade. They give voice to experiences, families, and moments that deserve to be remembered. Whether through a children's book, a photograph, or in guiding someone as they write their own life story, my hope is always the same: to help people in engage in or create something meaningful.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

 

Many days you'll find me with a camera in hand, capturing small moments of beauty and stillness. Other days, you might find me helping my daughter in her art studio where I'm better known as "Studio Mom" or I might be writing or teaching memoir classes and encouraging others to explore the stories they carry within them. You just might find me in my garden too.  

 

*If you're here because you love books for children or memoir, I'd love to share my books with you here.

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*If you'd like to explore my still life photography work, I invite you to follow the link here to the Fine Art America website and thank you for your interest!

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*If you're interested in the craft of memoir, I'd love to hear your story too and invite you to join one of my memoir writing classes. You can find out more on the Offerings page here. 

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*If you'd like to know more about my favorite illustrator and daughter, you can find out more about Emily here! (As a mother-daughter team, it was a very special project to be able to write and illustrate Love You, Love You 'Night, our first children's book together!)

 

"If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away

where they are needed." --Barry Lopez​​​​​​​

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