I was born in the former Soviet Union. My parents always encouraged my passion for reading. We didn't have a lot of money, but our apartment was always filled with books.             I have been making up stories and writing poems as long as I can remember. My first literary works were poems published in newspapers. At sixteen I appeared on radio and TV to present my poetry and received fan mail every day. A professional composer wrote music to one of my poems, and it even became a popular song.             Later I fell in love with mathematics and got a Master of Science degree in Math. I came to the United States as a political refugee with my husband, Boris Mordukhovich, and two daughters, Lena and Irina. When we left the Soviet Union, the only thing we could bring with us was our education. It was a very difficult time, but one I am proud to have experienced. This country became our home. Today I live in Ann Arbor with my family and work for the University of Michigan. I enjoy traveling, and have visited more than 50 countries.            I firmly believe that parents have to read to their children, explain the meaning of difficult words to them, laugh and sometimes even cry together while reading. It will expand children's minds and bring families closer together.            I am bilingual and influenced by two great cultures -- American and Russian. “Wuffy the Wonder Dog” is my first children’s book written in English. My goal was to write a story that is entertaining for both children and their parents. I enjoyed writing it, and Wuffy has become a very important part of my life. I hope he will have many new adventures in the future..