I have worked as an artist & illustrator, a writer & editor, a costume designer, a jewelry maker, a teacher, a book seller, a store manager, and a few other things, too. I love to travel, and so far I've been to 34 states, 9 countries and the Virgin Islands. I was raised in a small town in Minnesota, which seemed worlds away from St. Paul, where I then lived for 25 years. I loved being in Vermont for grad school and now I'm exploring life in Maine with my husband, two daughters, a dog and two cats.

Career Experience
First and foremost, I am a writer and artist with a passion for children's literature. I have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College and a BA in Art from Macalester College. I have published several illustrations and have taught creative writing, composition and art classes at various colleges and centers in Minnesota and in Maine. I love being a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Children's Literature Network, where I can mingle with other writers and illustrators in the world of kid lit. I actively participate in local art and literature communities, where I have organized and moderated author discussion panels for the 2007 & 2008 Bangor Book Festivals, have donated art pieces to various fundraisers, and was on the YA Literature Selection Committee for the 2006 Minnesota Book Awards. In addition to my teaching and creative work, I've been a children’s bookseller for many years. This helps me stay current on what's happening in the world of children's publishing. I worked at the The Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, MN, from 2001 to 2006 and have been at The Briar Patch in Bangor since 2007. My most recent painting exhibit was at the Bangor Public Library, and you'll be able to read my short essay, "Photographic Evidence," in Chicken Soup: Shaping the New You when it comes out in December 2010. Meanwhile, I'm marketing a book of children’s poetry and a picture book, and I'm developing a middle grade chapter book series with my writing partner, Shelley Swanson Sateren.