My writing reflects my reading tastes:  literary, eclectic, rich, and full of surprises.  I grew up in California and New Zealand.  Some of my happiest hours were spent browsing through bookstores and libraries where I was never afraid to explore the "different" or more unusual titles.  My very early influences include Dare Wright and Maurice Sendak.  For a while I even wanted to be Little Bear when I grew up!  Later I was completely taken with all the great Victorian classics and then as my reading tastes widened, I grew to love foreign writers in particular:  Collette, Nabokov, Janet Frame, Doris Lessing, Mishima.  I enjoy writing in a variety of genres, from nonfiction and children's literature, to poetry and screenplays.  My other interests include working with hand built pottery, collage, and studying art history.

I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from the University of Auckland.