: About Me

I grew up in northern Illinois, the oldest of five kids. At the wise old age of 28, I packed up my worldly belongings and moved to Arizona, where I have lived for the past (mumble, mumble) years. What, you thought I'd tell you how old I am?
I have two children, one daughter (out of the house), and one son, age 10. I have one cat (Bonzo) and three dogs: Beadle, the lab/cocker mix; Cleo, the Siberian Husky and Buddy the weiner dog. Oh, and two fish, Happy & Gilmore. To pay the bills, I work for a big flower shop, but someday I hope to sit right here at this computer all day, writing, and support myself.
In any case, it seems as if I have written forever. I remember the dreadful, melodramatic short stories I wrote in high school. All my girlfriends eagerly awaited the next installment, and I got a kick out of the fact that someone actually enjoyed things I wrote. I hear that's how comedians get started: someone laughs at their material and a monster is created!
My first article was published in 1995, in Dog Fancy. Since then I've had articles published in Midwestern Outdoors, Communication Briefings, Western Horseman, American Businessman, Scottsdale Airpark magazine, Reminisce, True Confessions and more. I've also won a couple of contests for my fiction writing, most recently in the 2007 scary short story contest at Women Writer's Worldwide.
I'm just starting to try to find an agent to help me sell a horror mystery novel I've written. Somehow, I think 2008 is going to be my year!

My passion is ...

antiques.

I know too much about ...

vintage jewelry.

My parents always told me ...

Close that door! Were you born in a barn?

My childhood ambition ...

to be a veterinarian. . .until I realized blood was involved.

My favorite memory ...

A hot summer night in 1984, and. . .

Why I write ...

Because my brain will explode if I do not.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

right now? Robert Plant's 'Principle of Moments'. Tomorrow-who knows?

My first job ...

detassling corn in a Northern Illinois cornfield.

My best moment ...

Hopefully, yet to come!

My inspiration ...

Erma Bombeck and Stephen King. Just not at the same time...

Home & Garden > Cleaning (Other) Spring cleaning: What to donate and what to keep

18 of 28

Is there such a thing as ‘too much stuff?’  With the popularity of television shows such as Hoarders (on A&E) a look in our own attic or basement may convince us that we have a serious problem.  Then again, watch an episode or two of Antiques Roadshow (PBS) and you might end up wondering if that old office chair is an original Eames worth thousands of dollars.  Most of us have various flotsam and jetsam that have followed us from home to home  How is it possible to part with some of the memories, and how is it possible to tell if the item you’re co...

More..

• Marketplace Premier Writer
• Marketplace Approved Writer
• 21Marketplace Articles Sold
• Helium Charter Member