It seems as if I’ve been writing forever. My first “published piece” was a Thanksgiving poem that ran in our local newspaper when I was in fourth grade. Little did I know my interest would grow into a passion. Over the years I’ve written and been published in a variety of genres – short stories, news and feature articles, magazine articles, travel columns, and poetry – and found a love of photography. But my heart’s desire is fiction and “Death in the Desert,” is my first published novel. I've been influenced by authors all over the spectrum -- from the creative and spooky mind of Stephen King to the captivating fiction of Maeve Binchy. The beauty of the Southwest captivated me and caught me up in her wondrous glory. Whether it’s the splendor of a sunset at the Grand Canyon or a high desert sunrise, Arizona seems always new yet comfortably old. Its past is filled with layers of cultures, its present charged with diversity, and its future waiting to be unwrapped. There’s an honesty here in Arizona and much of the Southwest – there's little pretense in the sweeping desert landscape or lofty mountain tops. My writing is a reflection of all those things, both in phrase and meaning. Whether it’s through fiction, non-fiction, photography, or poetry, I pray that God uses my words to touch hearts and spirits with His love.     

Outstanding Young Woman of America, the Army's Command Information Award of Excellence; Command Information Honor Awards: Journalist of the Year; First, Second, and Third place journalism awards in various writing categories, Bicentennial Leadership Award, award-winning public speaker.