Who Am I?

Who am I?

I have been a writer since I began writing poetry when I was nine years old. I was a writer on the yearbook staff of my high school. During college I wrote for the student newspaper, The Red and Black, and published several articles in the Athens Banner Herald. Graduating with a dual degree in theatre and journalism from the University of Georgia, I worked in the Atlanta market as a journalist, technical writer, and editor of an alternative newspaper, Creative Loafing. 

Returning to school, I received both a masters and doctorate from Temple University in Philadelphia. I taught three years at the University of South Carolina in Columbia and then  27 years later, I retired from teaching as an Associate Professor Emerita of Journalism and International Communication from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. 

During my academic career, I was awarded a Fulbright to Haiti in 1990. Emphasis has been on diversity with 25 recognitions for outstanding achievements to include the Haitian Studies Association Award for Service, the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship for leadership in education by the National Conference of Editorial Writers Foundation in Chicago, and the First Annual University of Georgia Diversity Award. I was inducted into the Georgia Magazine Hall of Fame in 1999, the first educator in Georgia to be invited. I have taught summer programs at the University College Dublin; Trinity College, University of Oxford; and study abroad programs for UGA in Tanzania, Italy, Trinidad, and Haiti. 

My writing experience includes 15 years producing articles for regional publications (35 magazine and numerous newspaper articles), books (3), academic chapters (7) and journal articles (17). 

Now I am writing novels and love writing fiction. 

My time away from writing is filled with gardening (shade gardens and raised bed vegetable), cooking and baking, reading fiction mostly, and spending time with my family and friends. I love to go and listen to live music and follow several bands in the Athens area. Theatre is also my passion and have been active in community theatre. I can sew so I am useful.