I was raised in Denver, Colorado, the tenth of eleven children.  My family spent a great deal of time in the mountains, where exploring with my brothers and sisters nurtured an innate love for adventure and an appreciation for the natural world. I also loved music, and before graduating from high school I found myself exploring the states as a trumpet player in a swing band. Soon after, I hitch-hiked to the vast frontier of Alaska. After attending St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Annapolis, Maryland, I traveled to Finland to work on a farm and hitch-hike through Scandanavia. I continued to travel - through over 30 countries in the western hemisphere - as a musician in the U.S. Navy. I have since worked in a natural food store, as a Corrections Officer, a massage therapist and a construction supervisor, experiences which have all served to deepen my self-understanding and perspective on the human condition. The synthesis of my experiences came after marrying artist/producer Cris Arbo, when I took up writing. Our first collaboration was 'The Dandelion Seed' in 1997; two years later 'In A Nutshell' was published. Cris' artwork blends fantasy and realism with intense detail, a combination that works perfectly with my simple but not simplistic text. She also does an amazing, inspiring school presentation thanks to her strong theatrical background. My young adult novel, 'Innerworld' (Bonneville Books, 2002), is about a girl whose desire to change the world sends her on an earth-shattering journey within.

The Benjamin Franklin Silver Medal for Best Children's Picture Book (The Dandelion Seed)

Parent Council "Outstanding Selection" (In A Nutshell)