Bio/Photos

Ever since I can remember, I've created stories in my head, sometimes about real people but more often about people I made up. It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I began to put my stories down on paper. I've been at it for more than fifteen years, although I've just recently become published in novel length fiction. Just think of me as the poster child for perserverence!

I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with my husband Warren , two university age daughters, and a highly spoiled Pug/Terrier cross named Lou.

This is part of my flower garden in early summer. The orange flowers in the background are Icelandic Poppies, and the tall purple ones are Lupins. In the foreground you can see that the peony is in bud and just about to burst open. Just in front of the peony is the bleeding heart. I love flowers and wish I had more time to devote to gardening. But then, I would't have as much time for writing!

It's not easy growing roses in a climate as harsh as the Canadian prairies, but fortunately the plant people have come out with special varieties of roses and other plants that are hardy enough for this part of the world.

This photo was taken at the Forks, the place in Winnipeg where the north-flowing Red River meets the east-flowing Assiniboine River. The Forks has been a hub for commerce and transportation for more than 6,000 years.

In the winter, miles of ice skating trails are groomed along both rivers and also around the buildings located at the Forks, as pictured here. It was a cold day in February when I took this picture but it didn't stop anyone from skating!

Every winter during Festival du Voyageur, the largest winter carnival in Western Canada, giant snow sculptures dot the landscape of downtown Winnipeg. This one depicts Winnipeger Cindy Klassen riding a bison, the symbol of Manitoba. Cindy is an Olympic speedskater who won a bronze medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics, and five more medals, including gold in the 1500 meters, at the 2006 games in Turino, Italy. She is the only Canadian ever to have won six Olympic medals. Winnipeg is understandably very proud of her!

We got Lou almost four years ago and fell immediately in love. I mean really, look at that face! How can you not fall in love?

Read my story about Lou on the Free Short Fiction page. It's a real life story I call "A Dog Named Lou".

Just chilling in my fall garden. The vine growing on the fence is a grape variety called "Valiant" and trust me, a grape has to be valiant to survive here. We've never grown enough to make anything with them but they're fun to watch.

She looks at me with those big brown eyes and I have a hard time saying no. But lately I've had to be tough with her, at least where food is concerned. Lou has a weight problem and given the chance will eat everything in sight. She's never met a meal she didn't like!

With two major rivers flowing through Winnipeg, the Red and the Assiniboine, we are a city of bridges. The Esplanade Riel is one of the newest, and I think one of the most beautiful in the city. Resembling a sailing ship, it spans the Red River between the downtown and St. Boniface, the French part of Winnipeg

These thumbnail pictures are from the Assiniboine Park Conservatory's Festival of Trees. The Christmas trees are beautifully decorated and then raffled off for charity. Click on the thumbnail to see a full sized picture.

I'm not entirely sure what kind of plant this is, but it often blooms around Christmas. It is an indoor plant as my outdoor plants are long gone by Christmas time!

Below: Lou keeping watch at the front window. She thinks her job is to keep the house safe from intruders, especially that pesky postman! Of course, when she meets him outside and he offers her a treat, he's her best bud!