About me -

I was born and raised in Alabama and lived in Kentucky for a few years before moving to North Carolina. Currently, my partner and I are fixing up the old farm house where we live with our two dogs, two cats, and a bird. I have been fortunate enough to work in the field of natural resource management for over twenty years.

As for the rest, perhaps the best way to convey a little about me is to keep it basic. I'll call this my life in (mostly) nouns. So, here we go:

Southerner, tomboy, country girl, angler, student, Christian, athlete, team manager, keg tapper, jig dancer, hiker, camper, amateur photographer, lesbian, alumnus, graduate student, coach, dog mother, music lover, natural resource manager, wilderness advocate, firefighter, tree cop, Reagan Republican, Clinton Democrat, political independent, follower, leader, boss, writer, author, leprechaun, mischief maker.

And the nouns that mean the most to me:
Daughter, sister, friend, partner.

Acknowledgements -

Quite a few years ago, fed up with modern politics, I decided to write a book. Little did I know the task I was about to undertake. I soon discovered that writing was not a solitary task, at least not in my case. Many people helped me along the way, and for their help and support, I'd like to thank them.

My thanks to Mandy, Jane, Mary L., Melinda, Pat, Connie, Catherine, Inger, Lynn, Beth, Shelia, Linda, Embry and Melissa for their feedback on manuscript drafts in various stages of completion. My thanks to all of my friends and family for enduring my distraction and for their kind support.

My thanks to Alice Street Editions Editor in Chief Judith P. Stelboum, and to all of the good folks at Haworth Press. I'd also like to thank my fellow authors Victoria A. Brownworth and especially Cynn Chadwick for your help and advice.

My thanks to Patti for being the kind of friend I always want to be, and to Karen for the hospitality and great cooking. Thanks to Mia for letting me steal a bit of her personality. Thanks to the three of you for giving me an easy place to come home to.

My thanks to the Colorado posse for giving me a sweet place to escape. Thanks to Kita for joining me on my walks through the barley and corn fields as I pondered storylines.

My thanks to Julie (Julia) for convincing me the manuscript was good enough to publish. Thanks to you and Shannon for your enthusiasm and great conversations.

My thanks to Leigh for the collaboration, the feedback, and for never letting me quit. Thank you for a lifetime of great friendship.

Most of all, to my Sunshine, I can never thank you enough. Thank you for living with my craziness, for the peaceful shoulder when I need it and for keeping me laughing. I can't wait to see what happens next!