I grew up in northern California and graduated from U.C. Davis before getting master’s degrees in history (UCLA) and broadcasting (San Francisco State University). For many years I worked as a promotional writer and editor, both on staff and as a freelancer. After my husband and I raised our two sons, I finally decided it was time to focus on writing the kind of fiction I like to read. I keep up with world events, and let’s face it, the world is a scary, messy place. So I think my writing is a control thing: I like to read page-turning stories about characters I care about. I want to learn a thing or two, and explore themes that have meaning, even if the story’s outcome is not always tied up in a pretty bow.
And I do love history. The period of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century (often called the Gilded Age) is fascinating to me. It seems like America had one foot in the past and one in the future – that’s quite a tug-of-war! My series, “The Golden City,” takes place in and around San Francisco during that time period, and I tackle a long list of subjects, from divorce and prejudice to birth control and parenting. With so many intriguing historical figures and events to use as a backdrop, my biggest decisions often rest on how much research to include vs. how much to leave out.
I take matters one step further with my historical mystery series “Barrister Perris,” by having my cast of characters solve crimes, some of which can be found in history books but have yet to be solved to this day. In the end, however, it’s all about relationships, which is why readers tell me they can very much relate to the characters in my books.
On the contemporary side, my series “Sinner’s Grove” revolves around the descendants of characters who populate “The Golden City,” so in that regard all of my books are connected to one another.
As for me, I live the good life in Boise, Idaho. When I’m not hunkered down at the computer in my office/sewing room, I’m trying to get in those 10,000 steps a day by exercising or walking our dog, Teddy, who thinks he rules the roost! Occasionally I embarrass myself on the golf course or bocce court, but I love it, so I don’t mind. I also love to travel; the problem is, I’m having a difficult time crossing destinations off my bucket list because just about every place I go, I’d love to visit again!
Enough about me. The blank page awaits and I’ve just had an idea…
