Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien (author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)
My journeys have taken me to far parts of the USA and the world. I grew up in the high desert of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico. I’ve also lived near a peaceful, winding river in Idaho. Beside an alligator-filled swamp in Florida. Along the rugged coast of California, where redwood forests overlook kelp forests. And in the bluebonnet-covered Hill Country of Texas.
Beyond the USA, my adventures have taken me on a photography safari through the savannas and forests of Kenya and Tanzania in Africa. And on ferries and trains between the cities of the UK and Europe. And on sailboats between the islands of the South Pacific, where I spent 6 years living in Fiji. I hope future adventures include South America, Asia, and the Polar Regions.
I currently live in New Zealand, where I walk from my home to the beach and to the school where I help children expand their reading and write their own stories. I’ve worked for libraries, museums, and in the scuba diving industry—all places where adventure and exploration were a big part of a day’s work.
Some of my favorite authors are Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Applegate, Kathi Appelt, Christina Soontornvat, Sara Pennypacker, Michael Morpurgo, Dick King-Smith, EB White, and Beatrix Potter.
I’m a Gold 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge member and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and New Zealand’s Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust.
That’s enough about me. I want to hear about you!