My first stories were written for my younger siblings. One of the first was written for my little sister on a very windy day. She was scared by the howling wind so we curled up in my bed and I wove a story about the good wind chasing away the bad wind. She still remembers me telling her that story.

When I was learning to read in school the first book I ever read on my own was called Tip. It was the story of an adorable puppy. It was followed by Tip and Mitten and The Big Show. I remember so clearly that feeling of being able to read a book by myself!

History! I love to read well-written historical accounts about fascinating times and interesting people. I have a strong affinity for the 19th Century, U.S. Civil War, Colonial America, and Tudor England.

Because my books are diverse (two small business books, two books of church mouse stories, and now my Pondicherry series) I use different methods for each. For the business books, I speak to business groups and write articles for small business owners about cash flow and finances. For the church mouse books, I read to children of all ages and help my mouse friend blog. For my book Wild Sweeps the Wind, I do book readings wearing a hoop skirt. I try to find fun things to do. Most important for any marketing effort is building a community.

My latest book, Wild Sweeps the Wind, started out as a history project for a local church. My plan was to write a short biography of each of the church's pastors. The first pastor was Joseph Palmer Fessenden. I was searching for information about him on the internet and came across an item referencing a diary kept by his niece from 1857-1862. I went to Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe to read the diary. The diary was so fascinating it became the basis for my book. The church history project took a backseat I am sorry to say!

All the cool kids are doing it!

Holding the finished book in my hands!

I'm hard at work on Book Two of my Voices of Pondicherry series. Book One--Wild Sweeps the Wind--covered the Civil War years. Book Two covers the abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad activity in my hometown of Bridgton, Maine (originally known as Pondicherry.) It's the story of the Fessenden family and their involvement in defying the Fugitive Slave Act. Fascinating story!