- My parents gave me my first pony at age four. He was a Shetland who I named Jody. When he bit me in the back six months later, my parents found him another home.
- My first horse was a Palomino named Powder. He was given to me at age five, mainly because his fastest speed was a quick trot. I was ecstatic. I had my own horse!
- My hair was naturally curly from birth until age six when a life-threatening virus straightened my hair and came close to taking me out along with my curly locks.
- I wrote “author” next to my name in all the stories that I penned in my youth.
- I sat at the back of the class throughout school, hoping the teacher wouldn’t call my name and draw attention to me.
- My horse, Freedom, was born in 1976 and named in honor of the Bicentennial slogan Freedom ‘76. Our bond began from the moment we met in his pasture when he was just three days old and laid his head upon my lap.
- A dream in 1992 ignited an urgent need to locate Freedom more than a decade after he left our ranch.
- One of my greatest blessings was the day the Lord reunited me with Freedom.
- Freedom graced this Earth for 31 years.
- Profound grief led me to pen and paper the day after Freedom’s passing. My professional writing career began in that heartache.
- I entered the meeting room of my first publishing organization (NCPA) one month after Freedom’s passing, shy and intimidated by all the published authors, some multi-titled. I left with new friends, joined shortly thereafter, and have been a proud member ever since. NCPA will always be home for me.
- God used a horse to set me on my path to purpose and draw me closer to Him.
- One of my favorite memories riding the family’s hill property was a foggy day when no one else was around and the clippety-clop sounds of my horse’s hooves magnified against the thick air. I don’t know why, but it felt like we were united as one. (Photo of our hill property below.)
- My favorite color is burgundy, my birthstone hue. (A lovely three-year-old upon first meeting asked me this one question. It caused me to pause and ponder my answer and then realize what a great fun fact! Thank you, Ella!)
- All my children have fur and four paws (or hooves).
- Cheese is its own essential food group in my world.
- I am the youngest grandchild on both sides of the family.
- My Portuguese grandmother, whom I spent most weekends with during childhood, would serve sweet bread for breakfast and cut slices from a cheddar cheese block as we ate, laughed, and discussed life.
- Tejava unsweetened tea is my fav but as long as it’s black tea, I’m good.
- I will never turn down a grilled cheese sandwich.
- I love my Keurig espresso machine. But when it’s eggnog latte season, my willpower caves and it’s Starbucks café, here I come!
- I choose pizza slices by the thickness of mozzarella cheese.
- I was afraid to fly on an airplane post 9/11. Marketing my first book forced me to confront that fear and now I can’t wait to travel somewhere new.
- I love biking on nature trails that meander along creeks where waterfowl swim, float, and dive. I can’t help but beam every time those ducks go bottoms-up in search of food.
- Green salads aren’t balanced unless topped with gorgonzola or blue cheese.
- My peanut butter and jelly sandwiches require a slice of swiss or cheddar cheese inserted between two slices of wheat bread for me to feel complete. When I was a little girl, I shared my PB&J sandwiches with my horse, Powder.
- IMO, nachos are best when you can barely see tortilla chips beneath the cheese.
- Did I mention that I love cheese?
