My life on two different submarines influenced my writings. The Navy gave me a heavy dose of independent thinking at a critical time in my life. Writers, such as Wells, Verne, Clarke, Asimov, Bradbury and Tolkien all had a strong influence on my writing, and I thank them daily. Another major influence on my life came when I realized I should have been born a girl, and I acted upon that at the age of 46. I have live my life as Monica for 20 years and it has shaped my view of the world and everything around me. I have been able to see life through the eyes of a man and a woman, giving me a chance to create both male and female characters with so much personality. It has done a great deal to formulate the books I write.  See my Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Helms

-- Ship's newspaper editor, USS Francis Scott Key Gold Crew, 1974-1976
-- Third Place in the Arizona Author’s Association Contest, 1993
-- Competent Toastmaster (CTM) level
-- Public Speaker – Colleges, Universities
-- Regular Columnist in Transgender Tapestry from 2000 to 2006
-- Creator of the first Transgender Pride Flag
-- Co-Recipient of the first Arizona Transgender Community’s Distinguished Service Award, 2000
-- Southern Voice, Best of Atlanta, 2002, 2006 – “Best Transgender Activist”
-- International Foundation for Gender Education Trinity Award Recipient – 2003
-- First Transgender person to be elected as a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention from Georgia and the South
-- Has a chapter selected for the book: Trans People in Love
-- Co-Founder of the Transgender American Veterans Association - 2003
-- Received Fantasia Fair's Pioneer Award 2011.