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Some people argue that writers are born not made, but I believe it takes hard work and determination for even the most inherently talented writer to succeed.
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Background
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A native of Georgia, I grew up in Fairburn, a small town south of Atlanta, where I began writing stories when I was a child of ten. I would sell my stories to my father for a quarter, and since I was quite a prolific writer, I managed to earn enough to treat my brother and sister to the Saturday matinee each week, as well as keep myself supplied with paper and pens and, occasionally, a new Walter Farley novel. Farley’s novels The Black Stallion, The Island Stallion, and The Blood Bay Colt were, after all, major influences on my budding talent, to such an extent, although my father never said anything, that I was probably guilty of plagiarism, however unintentional.
I possess both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English from the State University of West Georgia; and during my time at the university, I was the recipient of the Eclectic Award for Fiction, the university’s most prestigious award for prose. In addition, many of my stories and poems were published in the university’s annual literary journal.
After graduation, I moved with my husband, Chet, to Lafayette, Louisiana, where I taught high school for two years, but then I decided I wasn’t meant to teach high school (too many discipline problems) and changed to higher education. Currently an instructor for the University of Phoenix, both at the local campus here in town and for the university’s worldwide online program, I also serve as an editorial consultant for area individuals and businesses.
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Accomplishments
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I received the annual award for fiction at the 2003 Acadiana Writers Conference in Lafayette; I was named Author of the Month for May 2006 by South Lit, a journal of contemporary Southern literature; and my stories have appeared in a variety of journals, including Predicate Magazine, Santa Fe Writers Project Literary Journal, Toasted Cheese, Zine5, The Remington Review, Horseman Magazine, The Mariner, The Phoenix, The New Review, The Eclectic, and The Sun.
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Additional Information
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My first novel, Mustang Summer: A Novel, was released in January 2008, by Publish America, and is available through major booksellers, for example, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Borders Books, etc., both nationally and internationally.
My second novel, Objects Are Closer Than They Appear, was originally published by ebooks-UK in August 2008 and is available in digital format for download to Kindle at Amazon.com, but it was then republished in August 2009 by Woodlord Publishing, a subsidiary of ebooks-UK, so the hardcopy version is also available at Amazon.com. In addition, several of the stories from my collection, The Second Coming & Other Stories, were published by Predicate Magazine over three editions in 2009; and, last but not least, my novel Separate but Equal was a quarterfinalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest, and I am hoping to see it published in the not-too-distant future. Of course, I am also working on novel number four, An Eye for an Eye, and hope to complete it within the coming months.
Mustang Summer:A Novel--ISBN: 1-60474-226-7
Publish America: http://www.PublishAmerica.com
Objects Are Closer Than They Appear--ISBN: 978-1-906602-01-7
http://www.amazon.com/Objects-Closer-Than-They-Appear/dp/1906602050/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1250091027&sr=8-3
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Favorite Links
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Suite 101
Articles on a variety of topics for readers who like to be in the know.
An Author's Home
A site for and about writers and writing.
Toasted Cheese
My short story "Objects Are Closer Than They Appear," which I later developed into a novel of the same title.
Santa Fe Writers Project
Santa Fe Writer’s Project Literary Journal published two of my short stories: “The Second Coming” and “The Touch” (Click on “Visit Our Literary Journal”)
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