To be honest, I have a ying-yang relationship with writing. As the saying goes, I love to have written. Waking up with a 2 a.m. bit of inspiration is great; gazing at a blank page, not so much. Pouring your soul onto the page, saying what you need to say, is fulfilling. Writers experience plenty of inner-conflict. Writing teaches her students humility, perseverance, and persistence. The struggle is real. As a journalist, scriptwriter, and television producer, I learned to write under pressure, research, verify, take criticism, edit, and meet daily deadlines. Deadlines are real in the real world. I can’t say if was all fun and games, but I can say that I learned what I needed to learn and I’m the better for it. I am well seasoned.
The writing bug bit me early in life. In the throws of racial segregation, bussing protests, and the Vietnam War, I fell in love with reading and writing. In those days, my cousin would walk me across the street to the Central Junior High School library to check out books. Those stories sparked my imagination. The words danced across the page and stories came alive. I was a certified book worm and word nerd, neither of which made me a popular kid. As my family moved around the world, Dr. Seuss, Nancy Drew mysteries and Archie comic books became constant companions. Later, journalists became my superheroes. In high school, novels such as Brave New World, To Kill a Mockingbird, Sybil, Fahrenheit 451, Soylent Green, 1984, Animal Farm, and Grapes of Wrath would shape my worldview.
I graduated from Stephen’s College, an all women’s college in Columbia Missouri with a degree in journalism. After graduation, I worked as an education reporter for WDAF-TV in Kansas City for several years. Writing later led me to a public relations position at Mary Kay Cosmetics where I had the honor of working with the founder, Mary Kay Ash, who believed in the power of women as change-makers. Mary Kay inspired me to strike out on my own which culminated in a 20-year journey that allowed me to work on a television show that supported education for underserved communities. As a producer, I worked with some greats in the entertainment world and helped widen the doors of education for students everywhere.
I’m now busy climbing my second life mountain -- it’s a life full of intention to serve others. Writing is my joy. Helping the next generation of writers find their unique voices is my mission. Onward!