I grew up in coastal New England so we spent considerable time at the beach, even in winter. The East Coast is quite a contradiction with its high-energy, uptight cities and its relaxed, summer-at-the-shore communities all within short distances from each other. These mentalities have given me a great balance of my craving for being in the middle of life while also needing space to myself. Traditionally, Bostonians are naturally shy and reserved until you earn their trust. If a stranger passes us on the street, in a hallway, or any other situation, our instinct is to look to the ground for fear of rejection. If the stranger greets us and we feel safe, we light up and are then a warm and welcoming people. Because of this reservedness, I am a consummate observer and ponderer.

Writing is my oxygen. I prefer to write by hand with a great pen. Like my choice of coffee receptacle, the perfect pen for any given writing task depends upon my mood and the feeling I want to evoke from my writing, though generally a fountain pen. There is something truly wonderful about writing with a fountain pen. Getting caught up in the energy created by the nib scratching furiously across the paper; seeing the words actually formed on the page after the thoughts have been rummaging around in my brain for some time is a truly satisfying endeavor. The greatest joy I derive from writing is the aspect of painting and sculpting with words. Like Michelangelo with his paint and marble, writing is physical work that translates a personal, intimate vision or feeling into something breathtaking, something that profoundly effects other human beings until the end of time.

There is a bit of an odyssey to my official title as Writer. The first piece I officially wrote was a poem for my fourth grade Flag Day contest. I won. It wasn't until the late 1990's that I began to take writing seriously as a means of expression. Again, I turned to poetry. In 2011, I made a career change from the corporate world to that of the world of entrepreneurship which opened the world of blogging to me.

The first story I remember writing was for a senior year English class. I was terrified because all of my writing to this point had been analytical writing for school - "What was the author trying to say?", "What was Napoleon's downfall?". The story was a fantasy about the adoption of a brother and sister (twins) far in the future. I was shocked that I got a high grade on it. Although it was several decades before I tried fiction again, this experience has stayed fresh and kept me going.

I have two. A lovely, honey-colored antique desk that resembles an upright piano which is where I spend my time writing when I can't write outside at my other desk, a fire-engine-red wicker desk that I place outside wherever it suits me. Regardless of which desk I use, I always have my bouquet of pens and pencils as well as reference books, editorial calendars, and sundry notebooks and journals ever at the ready within arm's reach. I also keep a miniature frame with a motivational quote within sight - "Even if it's crap, just get it on the page."

Mumma - my mother is a beautiful writer who hasn't discovered her love of writing yet. She is the reason I began writing.
Anne Bradstreet
Sir Walter Scott
Armando Valladares

I love poetry, particularly Sir Walter Scott's Lady of the Lake, which I read every summer. I also read spy novels, mysteries, memoirs, and popular fiction from the turn of the last century.

As I am a print book junkie, the device I use to read electronically is my computer. I have considered purchasing an e-reader for travel so if you have any suggestions, I welcome the input.

I have discovered a love of gardening recently so if I am not in the kitchen baking, I will be working in the garden. I also love to travel, visit museums of all kinds, spending time in coffee shops or at the seashore, and spending time with family and friends.

I am halfway through writing my professional ideology book for the field of Corporate Relations entitled The Loyalty Advantage Nexus:9 Simple Keys to Unlock the Value in Your Clients (and Your Employees). This book explores the correlation between the level of service employees provide to clients and the level of respect their company shows to its employees, giving steps to take to improve both employee relations (and its cousin Corporate Culture) and Customer service.