I live on an Island in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found most days in a colorful, very small cottage with a desk, cupboard bed, tea kettle, and nearby garden. I have a Masters in psychology from Saybrook Graduate School, a home for studies in consciousness and Humanistic Psychology. I’ve been a writer, an educator, school administrator, grief counselor, and professional photographer.

My first book, co-written with dog trainer April Frost, earned a six-figure advance from Harmony/Random House and is titled “Beyond Obedience: Training with Awareness for You and Your Dog” (now sold under Crown). I had never written a book before, only a few magazine articles and newspaper columns. In my recently published memoir, I tell the extraordinary story of how that contract came about.

"The Difference Between Seeds and Stones," recounts my journey from grief to revelation during the first year after the loss of my husband when I was 48. In 2023, it won a silver Nautilus book award. These awards are given to books that are deemed instrumental in creating a better world. Winners of these awards are deeply honored to be in company with notable past recipients, including The Dalai Lama, Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra , Desmond Tutu , Julia Cameron and Eckhart Tolle.

I’m also the creator of Lightmark Press, for 15 years a popular greeting card company featuring my photographs of dogs in cars, combined with humorous or poignant captions. After I sold the company in 2020, I started “The Whole Vashon Project,” using education and the arts to unite my Vashon Island community around working on the climate crisis. Check out my other links for more on those efforts.