Ah, yes, the dreaded “about” section. What to write? Well, since your visit here probably has something to do with writing or MS or breast cancer, I’ll focus on those.
I’ve been a freelance writer since 2007 and have tackled a lot of topics. Most of my work involves health and wellness for publications such as Verywell Health, Healthline Media, WebMD, Medical News Today, Self, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, and more. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is that I get to interview fascinating people I’d otherwise never encounter.
My first book, No More Secs!, offers a glimpse into the mindset of a person diagnosed with a chronic medical condition. Other people with multiple sclerosis (MS) tell me that it mirrors their own experiences. Some used my book to explain MS to their friends and family. Feedback like this: “I laughed, I cried, I connected to you in a way I’ve connected with no one else. It was so nice to know I’m not alone,” gives me an indescribable high.
The follow-up book, Catch That Look, is about my experiences with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), something I’d never heard of before. When a reader who was dealing with her own TNBC told me, “I’m passing the book on to my daughter when I finish it,” I knew it was worth the effort.
So, I wrote books about what it’s like to live with MS and cancer, but lest you get the idea that I’m a medical mess who wallows in her health problems, you should know that I’m not the “why me?” type. Why not me? I’m not all about hearts and rainbows, either. I’m grateful and optimistic, but I’m also a realist. And I’m not in bad shape. I’m probably the healthiest unhealthy person you’ll ever meet.
I’m currently working on a novel and a collection of short stories about the fleeting moments of our lives that make us who we are.
My husband Jim and I currently live in the lovely Village of Pingree Grove, Illinois. With adult children and other family scattered around the country, road trips are a fun fact of life, but we wouldn’t mind settling into a cozy beach cottage where they can all visit at their leisure. Dare to dream.