I was born and raised in Africa. Friday trips to the library were the highlight of each week. Enid Blyton books were a favorite: Famous Five, Mallory Towers, The Enchanted Wood—these transported me into a world filled with friends and adventure so very different from my uncertain homelife. My childhood included many years camping (we didn’t say we were homeless) in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa, and the memories of the night skies and sounds of the galagos bush babies will always be with me. Sitting around a campfire under a canopy of stars will always be a mysterious experience filled with questions and hope.
Education
I graduated from the University of South Africa with majors in English Literature and Art History, and completed post-graduate studies in teaching pedagogy. I immigrated to the United States with my husband where we have raised our family. I teach high school English, and trips to the library are still an adventure where I have discovered favorites such as Delia Owens, Abi Daré, and Khaled Hosseini. Sharing new and classical stories is a fascinating experience, and my classroom is the greatest book club in the world to me. Teenagers have a bold and unique way of interpreting novels and poetry, and I am constantly inspired by their imagination and authenticity. Their encouragement for me to complete my first novel has provided the support I need to put my imaginary adventure story out into the world.
I live on the Redwood Coast in Northern California with my family, and our favorite adventures include campfires, secluded beaches, and ancient Redwood forests.