About Me

Who am I?

First and foremost, I am a writer. And as any writer would understand, while I exist in the real world, my mind is often preoccupied with the imaginary world. I like to believe I have achieved a comfortable balance between the two, but what writer hasn’t questioned their sanity at one time or another?

My passion is Victorian England, which is the setting for my novels, as well as the theme for my Internet business, Literary Liaisons.

In my writing world, I escape to Great Britain in my imagination. In my professional world, I am the owner of a Professional Organizing business, Prima by Design, Inc.. It was with utter amazement that I learned one day that I could make a living doing something that comes naturally to me–organizing closets and rooms. It was also utterly amazing to me that not everyone keeps their clothes and drawers color-coded by season. What? Don’t tell me you don’t coordinate the color of your hangers to your blouses?

The favorite part of my organizing business is helping other writers. I maintain web sites, help schedule blog tours and provide virtual assistant services. Like to learn more? Visit www.virtual-liaisons.com.

I am a member of Romance Writers of America, Chicago-North RWA, International Virtual Assistants Association, National Association of Professional Organizers, NAPO Chicago, and Business Network International.

For fun, I take long walks, read, and enjoy sudoku puzzles.  And being the Sagittarian I am, I love to travel.  My favorite destination? England, of course!

In my personal world, I have two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Lisa, two step-children, Samantha and Tommy, and my husband, Steve (more about Mr. Wonderful below). My daughters take after my artistic side. Jessica has a passion for writing, and is studying English and Psychology at university. She lives in Buffalo, so I don’t see her as often as I’d like, but we keep in touch through today’s technology. Lisa is a photographer/graphic artist and works for a photographer as an assistant. Samantha, who works for a mortgage company, will be getting married soon, and Tommy is an electrical engineer.

The most special person in my life is my husband, Steve. What can I say about him besides “WONDERFUL”? He is my personal hero who has helped me through some difficult times. He listens to me, he cares about me, and he’s there whenever I need him. He surprised me one Christmas with an oil painting reproduction of my favorite work–The Hugenot–by Sir John Everett Millais. Steve had it commissioned by an artist in Bulgaria and shipped to the U.S. It is a gift I will remember forever. His is a love I will keep forever.

Also in our household are three loyal (and crazy) dogs. We have Raven, a bloodhound/lab mix we adopted ten years ago. She is the only one left of our original five dogs. Belde is our pure-bred bloodhound we often refer to as our ‘new windows’. His medical bills (total hip replacement at 10 months, stroke at 11 months, and other minor injuries over the past three years) have kept us from making some of the home improvements we need. Juno is our Akita rescue. She would have ended up in a puppy mill were it not for the efforts of the Midwest Akita Rescue Society.

We live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.  Years of harsh winters and humid summers have made us long for a milder climate for retirement.  We hope to move to a farm so we can raise our own food, and rescue Akitas and mastiffs.