MY BEGINNINGS

I was born December 14, 1943 (Sagittarius!) in Emporia, Kansas, the first of three children, and for six years, the only one. My parents read to me a lot, and from Winnie-the-Pooh on, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I grew up in Wichita, Kansas, where I worked, in high school, as a “soda jerk” at a drugstore. What a great job! I was allowed to make myself any kind of sundae I wanted. . . .my specialty was hot fudge sauce, marshmallow fluff, whipped cream, and nuts. I didn’t really care about the ice cream.

I attended the University of Wichita, got married at twenty, and moved to Kansas City, where I finished my bachelor’s degree and got a master’s in English literature. I also got to travel with my academic, peripatetic, husband. We lived in Iowa, Paris, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Amsterdam, Wisconsin, Vancouver, Massachusetts, and Helsinki before being divorced at the end of the seventies.

During my twenties I either taught freshmen English in various colleges or hid away at home, writing fiction I was too timid to send around. I wish I had taken more creative writing courses. I did take one at the University of Iowa taught by C.D.B. Bryan, who was immensely helpful. I recommend writers’ workshops to any aspiring writers.

Gradually my short stories were accepted by various college literary reviews, and in 1978 my first novel, Stepping, was accepted by Doubleday, who published it in January of 1980. By then I was divorced, with a son, Josh, who was 5, and a daughter, Sam, who was 3. We lived in Williamstown, Massachusetts, with two cats and one dog, who kept us safe and sane.

CHARLEY WALTERS and NANTUCKET

In 1982, I flew to Nantucket to visit a friend, and met Charley Walters, who owned a music store where he sold records, then CDs, then “vinyl.” We married in 1984, and since then we’ve lived on Nantucket island, in a wonderful old house built in 1840. I’ve got a big half moon window in the attic, where I write and gaze out at the harbor, watching the lighthouses flash as the ferries and boats sail in and out.

Charley and I live in a historic 1840 shipbuilder’s home on the island. In last August 12 Wall Street Journal there is an article about me and our house, including photos of our library and dining room.

My son Josh and his partner David have just moved to Phoenix. And they have a guest room! My daughter Sam is working on her second novel. Her first novel is a hilarious look at motherhood. She and her husband Neil now have three children, 4 and under.

I’m thrilled to say that my novels are continuing to be published in other countries: Poland, Denmark, Finland, with whom I have a special bond, Holland, Estonia, and others, all which I’d love to visit someday. My books also come out in wonderful audiobooks and large print versions. I’m on Facebook now, but I admit I don’t check it as often as I should. Soon there will be a Fanpage on Facebook where we can all talk about my various books. Sign up for my newsletter—my publishers are doing all sorts of exciting things!