About


While in high school I wrote a weekly newspaper column, Readin’, Ritin’, and Rithmetic but was most proud of my feature story of my grandfather’s retiring from his local prominent business. 

I taught English for about 100 years (middle school will age a person) and now teach memoir writing at Collin College.  Occasionally, I speak to groups about memoirs, sharing my writings.    
My roots remain in Missouri where my extended family still live although I call myself Texan, having lived here long enough to raise two daughters and retire from a teaching career.  
During my tenure in Plano schools, I led a seven-year project developing Plano’s teachers as writers themselves and, subsequently, better teachers of writing. Modeling what I taught, I found my voice in my own memoirs and in telling the stories of my family.  

Book cover for Ten Spurs: the Best of the Best UNT Mayborn School of Journalism
Ten Spurs: the Best of the Best
UNT Mayborn School of Journalism

"Persimmon Spoons," my memoir of my aunt’s life, is included in 
Ten Spurs, the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference’s top ten selections, published by the University of North Texas, 2010.




Book Cover for On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties
On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties
Silver Boomer Books





My tongue-in-cheek essay, "It's All About Balance," appears in On Our Own: Widowhood is not for Sissies, an October 2012, Silver Boomers book of personal essays and poems from those who've been there.