Writer, Wife, Teacher, Mom, Grandma, Loser of Keys

Author of Tales from a Dog Catcher (c) 2009 Lyons Press Imprint of Rowman & Littlefield.

I'm a recently retired high school Social Studies & Psychology Teacher. I miss my career but I'm trying to find my way back to writing again. I was also an Animal Control Officer and Peace Officer in a police department.

Other jobs included an illegal Oral Surgery assistant at age 14, (I was good at it too - stupid NYS laws), and an excellent Nursing Student until I was kicked out for lying about my spinal fusions. I was a meh waitress, a mediocre bartender, an entertaining employee at a very tolerant catering company, and a really good day camp counselor. I got fired from newspaper delivery (one day after dumping the stacks of newspapers in the street and going home. They weighed more than I did. ) and as a grocery store cashier. Math is not my friend. I packed a mean grocery bag though.

I've been a writer since I was 6 but didn't publish anything until I was 29. (I thought my story in 2nd grade about Leroy the boy who had one cigarette and was discovered dead under the swingset an hour later was good - I'd never seen my serious Scottish Grandfather laugh as hard as he did when he read it.)

I blame it on After-School Specials.

I've written for local and national magazines. I started with a personal essay, pitched a few ideas, and then was fortunate to write on assignment for local magazines. They'd ask and I'd do it. It was a great experience. If you want to write what you want, you should have to learn how to write what you're told first and treat them both with respect. There's a difference between art and a product. If you want to sell your writing don't forget to respect the latter.

I've appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies and that's where doors started opening for me. I enjoy writing satire, humor, inspiration, observational, life lessons, and memoirs. I also enjoy Psychology, Education, Geneology, and other topics as well. I've written about animals for many years so I'm trying to branch out but I think they'll pop up here eventually. As for losing keys - that's the truth. I lose them all the time among other things but especially keys.

I have a husband, two grown children, 2 grandchildren,1 more on the way, and a 16-year-old Rescue Cat who found me in 2015 and rescued me. So I'm his Rescue Person.

He's in charge of everything now.

Thank you for reading - I love reading the amazing stories on here and I'm looking forward to being part of the Medium Family.