Hello, welcome to my website. I am excited to be an independent author and to have my first book, Planet Dog, published. I grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland, which is 20 minutes from Baltimore city and 45 minutes from Washington, D.C. I was surrounded by rich history and a smorgasbord of cultures. Variety is the spice of life!  If I wasn’t practicing for gymnastics, dance, or cheerleading I was lost in a book, browsing the bookshelves at the Howard County Public Library or writing far out stories with a touch of reality. Listening to stories, reading stories, and writing stories have always been therapeutic for me. When I was younger  I always enjoyed reading books by Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton, Mark Twain, Norma Klein, Beverly Cleary, Richard Wright, Gordon Parks, Dr. Ben Carson, Jerry Spinelli, Mildred Taylor, James Baldwin, Claude Brown, Anne Moody… there are too many to name! Now I listen to audiobooks from a plethora of authors. As a guilty pleasure, I enjoy listening to stories by Carl Weber, Mary Monroe, Gwynne Forster, and Lutishia Lovely.

 

After I graduated from high school, Centennial High School,  I went to college to pursue my bachelor’s degree in science; a master’s degree in special education, and I am currently pursuing a doctorate degree in educational leadership. I have been working in the education field for over twenty years which includes being a teacher, a school-based therapist, a behavior specialist, and a children’s therapist. I am currently a high school science teacher. I enjoy motivating, working with my students, and helping them become the best that they can be.

 

I have always been fascinated with and loved dogs. How can you not love dogs? My dog Kingford, who was a Doberman pinscher, was my inspiration for writing my first book Planet Dog. There was never a dull moment around Kingford (King). I loved being around him so much, I think I got on his nerves!  I am looking forward to writing more books about King. I also plan to write about other exciting topics as well.

 

I enjoy listening to music, especially songs by Earth, Wind, and Fire; The Spinners, The Isley Brothers, The Average White Band,  Level 42, New Order, Chicago, Incognito, Maysa Leak, Barbara Streisand,  Al Jarreau, George Duke, Najee, George Benson, Dave Grusin, Manhattan Transfer, Phil Perry, Stevie Wonder, New Edition, Michael Jackson, Mozart, Beethoven, Yo-Yo Ma, Hiroshima, Keiko Matsui, Cat Stevens, Bread, Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins, Ronny Jordan, and Steely Dan. I have an eclectic taste in music. If it sounds good I like it, no matter what genre. I also like to listen to talk radio.

 

In addition to enjoying music and reading, I like to travel, cook, bake, dance, watch classic movies, spend quality time with my family and fiancé; visit historical sites, museums, zoos and visit my beautiful babies (dogs) at my parent’s house in the country. Their names are Hugo “Huggy Bear”, a German shepherd; Sabrina “Breen Breen”, a Shih Tzu; Loci and Duke, Black labs. RIP Gangster, a fox red lab and Bouncer, a lab-pit mix. 

 

I currently live in Terry, Mississippi with a house full of books! Stay tuned for my future books. I thank God and Jesus for EVERYTHING!