I write young adult fantasy novels. As a parent, I often read the same stories my kids do! Reading was an activity that my son and I really enjoyed. There was one story I started telling him when he was very young, and one night I got to thinking, “What happened to the mother in the story?” So, I started writing it down. I shared it with my son, and he was so excited about it. Since then, the stories have continued, and now I have published five novels.

My husband and I attend silent retreats focusing on living in the now. Our teacher once said something that stuck with me. He said, “Life is all clouds.” When a cloud comes in, good or bad, sit through it because it will change. You can’t control a cloud up in the sky. You can’t grab onto it, change it, or force it into something it’s not. Mindfulness is letting go of the things you cannot control. Just like good and bad experiences in life, each moment is temporary. Live it, and let it pass.