Look for the signs…

The day after my 43rd birthday, I was laid off from a position I had held for just nine months. It was a complete and total shock; being laid off never feels great, even if the job was awful. But it was an absolute blessing in disguise—the push I needed to finally pursue my lifelong dream.

For years, I worked on a novel, always finding reasons to put it aside. Between work, family, an endless list of responsibilities, and, in all honesty, a total lack of motivation, I kept putting it off. But suddenly, I had an opportunity to stop waiting for the right moment and start making the most of the one I had. It was the sign I needed to finish the manuscript.

I am a former Language Arts teacher with a BA in English and a lifelong love of language, creativity, and connection.  I love how good fiction can connect us with characters and leave lasting impressions of people we don’t even know.

I have completed the manuscript for my debut novel, Stillharbour, and am currently querying literary agents. As I navigate the exciting, humbling, and incredibly stressful world of publishing, I am also working on my next novel, Cellar Money. I am learning that pursuing authorship requires not only determination but perseverance. It is not for the faint of heart.

When I’m not writing, I love reading. Particularly fiction: women’s, literary, upmarket, commercial, and, newly added to my repertoire, suspense. Occasionally I’ll read non-fiction, mostly memoirs.

I live in Newburyport, Massachusetts, with my amazing, supportive family.

I hope my journey inspires others to realize it’s never too late to start the next chapter!