Bio
I’m a born and raised Missouri native. You think that’d make me a farm girl, but I’m not that cool. Born in St. Joseph, raised in Kansas City, schooled in Springfield, I’m just a suburbanite stuck in the heartland. No, I don’t pronounce it Missoura. Yeah right! There’s an “i” on the end people.
At 17 I thought I’d prove myself a whiz kid and graduate high school a year early. I wound up at Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri–a smaller school in a way smaller town than KC. They called me a city girl because I’d point at cows along the highway and call ‘em cute. Oops! Gotta go where God wants, right? Then I really went against the grain, choosing the least Bible-intensive major available, Communications.
I logged two years at the school newspaper, then got talked into running for junior class treasurer. I met a lot of great people who I still consider lifelong buds. I even scored my first major writing award–second place in the National Religious Broadcaster’s scholarship contest sponsored by Focus on the Family. My prize winning essay was entitled “Cinematic Theology and The Matrix.” That means I got to research The Matrix and get paid for it. Sweet!
CBC’s creative writing class inspired my first novel. And they say steer clear of creative writing classes. But I say, find a great teacher like Ms. Taylor. 
It was a writing year! Junior year I was forced to take a scriptwriting class. That spring I turned it into a successful one act play called Nothing to Do With You. The title, and the play, actually worked–and counted toward my Comm degree.
Senior year they figured they had to put me in Who’s Who Among College Students, just in case my writing went anywhere. They’re still waiting for that to pay off. Me too. Graduating Cum Laude with a B.A. in Church Communication Arts, emphasizing in Drama and Media, hasn’t helped me land a fancy job like I thought. But hey, I do have a two walled officle. Not too shabby. Maybe soon I’ll graduate to a full cubicle.
After college I landed a husband and convinced him to get me a dog. I’ve done everything from graphic design to working in the registrar’s office. Okay, so that’s about all I’ve done, unless you count barista in college. On the side I’m the Kansas City Christian Fiction examiner for Examiner.com. Swanky, huh? I’m shopping agents and may eventually go to small publishers for my first novel. Now that I’ve made my mark in the semi-finals of the 2012 Genesis contest, maybe the agents will come to me. Dream on. Time to get cracking on my next novels: a girl-on-the-run thriller and a science fiction/fantasy adventure. After I finish my supernatural YA romance currently in the works. Who says I don’t have a range?
Fun Facts:
Favorite color: Purple
Most recent award: Voted “Laughs-a-lot” by my manager.
Genesis 2012 Semi-Finalist in the Young Adult Category.
Next book ideas:
- Supernatural YA Romance (‘cuz paranormal is so last year) with a sprinkling of heavenly forces
- Suspense/Thriller developed from a foggy day
- Sci-fi/Fantasy taken from a color-filled dream
- Modern day Pride and Prejudice for high schoolers
My personal BPH Awards for best fiction:
- All-time favorite:
Madeleine L’Engle for A Ring of Endless Light- Runners-up:
Jane Austen, Kristin Billerbeck, and Jenny B. Jones.
- Runners-up:
- Best College-Girl Series:
- Robin Jones Gunn for the Katie Weldon series
- Best Popular Girl Turns Christian Series:
- Stephanie Morrill for The Reinvention of Sklyar Hoyt series
- Best Final Book of a Chick-Lit Trilogy:
- Tracey Bateman for That’s Amore, #3 in the Drama Queens series
- Best Multiple Personality Book:
- Susan May Warren for her 5+ POV masterpiece Finding Stephanie
- Best Boy Book:
- Neil Gaimon for his sci-fi page turner Interworld
- Zaniest Character:
Kristin Billerbeck’s Ashley Stockingdale series - Best Theological Allegory:
William P. Young for The Shack - Best Free Book:
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson. (Still free on Amazon.com) - Best Book to Read as a Child or an Adult:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
ACFW
