I grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota and spent many adventurous days exploring the woods and the fields behind my house with my friends. It is not a coincidence that the meeting place in Fiddy Bublob’s backyard closely resembles my own backyard as a youngster – surrounded by a pond, woods and field.
After college I moved to St. Louis, Missouri for a few years but eventually moved back to Bloomington where I still live with my husband Brian. We have two grown sons, Ryan and Scott, and a daughter-in-law Kelsey. Ryan and Kelsey have a baby daughter Molly, which means I’m also a grandma! I worked at an elementary school for ten years and now travel to other schools to talk to kids about my Dirkle Smat series and about writing in general. I always encourage kids to use their imaginations, create their own stories, and to find their own adventures.
In addition to writing books I enjoy gardening, reading and traveling. I am a retired police reserve officer with Bloomington Police and I’ve dabbled in writing screenplays too. Visit my website (find the link in the right hand column) to see what I’m working on now.
I enjoy speaking to kids about writing, publishing and my own books, and I enjoy speaking to adults about the business of writing, especially children’s books. I am posting a list below of some of the places I have spoken.
If you’d like me to visit your school, library or group, click on my e-mail link on the right.
Valley View Elementary, Bloomington, MN
All grades
Battle Creek Elementary, St. Paul, MN
Second grade
Bloomington Writer’s Festival, Bloomington, MN
Yearly appearances since 2006
Poplar Bridge Elementary, Bloomington, MN
All grades, multiple visits
Poplar Bridge Elementary, Bloomington, MN
“Celebrity Reader” for National Young
Readers Day
River Ridge School District, Wisconsin
K-4 plus Middle School
Olson Elementary, Bloomington, MN
Second and Fourth grade
Hillcrest Elementary, Bloomington, MN
First, second and third grade
Washburn Elementary, Bloomington, MN
Second and Fifth grade
Cornerstone shelter for battered women and children
All ages
Meadowview Elementary, Farmington, MN
Second grade
Johnson Elementary, Warrenville, IL
All grades
Westwood Elementary, Bloomington, MN
Fifth grade, story mapping
Salem Hills Elementary, Inver Grove Heights, MN
Third grade
Century College, Woodbury, MN
Speaking to aspiring writers about staying motivated to write
Fennimore Elementary, Fennimore, WI
Third graders
Dwight Parker Public Library, Fennimore, WI
K-4 Reading circle
WCCO Radio “News and Views” with host Roshini Rajkumar
Topic: Why are people interested in mysteries?
Mystery Writers Workshop, Bloomington, MN
Host and facilitator for speakers to aspiring mystery writers
KIDSPO (Kids Expo), Eagan, MN
Families and kids, read and talk about children’s books
