Until my sons were born with Muscular Dystrophy my interests were in art. With the news of their fatal disease my influences changed. I wrote poetry to soothe my troubled soul. Upon retirement in San Diego, with a 3 inch thick file of poetry and prose, I began to write seriously, but it was my mother's death that inspired my book, "Dancing in the Dark: Things My Mother Never Told Me." It was then that I began to examine her secrets, some of which were her feelings about me, my children and my life style. It would seem to be a story of murder, love, hate, death, deceit and lies, but it is really about facing your demons and keeping your sanity.

It is an achievement to start writing at the age of 65, and to get published not long after. Now I am honored to have been accepted to the National League of American Pen Women, a hundred year old organization to which Eleanor Roosevelt once belonged, and to which Rosalyn Carter now belongs. I am also a member of the North County San Diego Press Culb. I am regular contributor to the Rancho Bernardo Sun and a sometime contributor to the Fallbrook Village News, and the San Diego Union Tribune. In addition, I have conducted a class titled "So You Want to Write a Book: Everyone Has a Story" for CEC, the Continuing Education Courses program associated with San Diego State University. Recently, my senior humor has become so popular that I havae become a stand up commedian, presenting my senior program, Laugh Along With Rosalie, all around San Diego County. (see my events)As to my poetry, my poem, "Never Spend the Principal," was selected by Robert Leeds for his book Dr' Leeds' Selection of Popular Epic Recitations," where I am just one of 13 unknown poets amongst the famous such as Browing, Whitman, Kipling and others. In April my poem, The Heart of a Woman, was selected as the introductory piece for the book of the same name by Cheryl Roush, celebrity writer from San Diego.

I think this review by a Maryland social worker most describes my book. She really got it. Grace Lebow, LCSW-C (7/11/2002) I loved Dancing in the Dark: Things My Mother Never Told me. I am a licensed clinical social worker and am co-director of Aging Network Services, Bethesda, Maryland. This book really grabbed me - it moved along so smoothly. The author's mother and sister came across as two very troubled people who don't grapple well with life, and cause those around them even more trouble, as so well described. The book gives an excellent description of family dynamics – only one who has personal experience with such a difficult sibling and parent could possibly write in such a compelling manner. I have been spreading the word about the book to my clients who believe that no one is as difficult as their parent.