My Story

I grew up with four older brothers, dogs, cats, snakes and even a porcupine. My father was a high school science teacher and my mother was a children's writer -- Margery Facklam. 
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Did I always want to be a writer? No. Although I loved to write and read, I dreamed of being a scientist. But I could never decide what kind of scientist to be. I went to college and earned my Masters degree in anthropology (the study of people and cultures).  I didn't start writing until after my daughter was born.

Because I love true stories, I write mostly nonfiction. The best part of being a nonfiction writer is that I don't have to choose just one subject to write about. I can spend a year learning about bones and bodies from forensic specialists, and then hang out with marine mammal veterinarians or virus hunters.  

In addition to authoring more than a dozen titles, I am a proud member of Nonfiction Ninjas, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Rochester Area Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (RACWI), and a contributor to the Nonfiction Minute.

I am a happy empty-nester living with my husband  in Middleport, NY near the banks of the historic Erie Canal. When I'm not writing, I like to walk with my dogs Lily and Bertie, sing in choir, sit and read with a cat on my lap, or travel with my family. But wherever I go, I am always on the lookout for a great true story!   

Bertie

Lily