Author & Ecologist
Prairie wildflowers brighten the summer months at Jerry Smith Park, Kansas City, MO There are small things I can point to as bright spots inside the pandemic. Among these, I've discovered the pleasure of podcasts. I know: I'm years behind on this one. I'd never listened to podcasts before March 2020, but being away from... Continue Reading →
It's been a while since I've done this. I've decided to run a promotion for my award-winning fantasy trilogy, The Silver Web. For a limited time, you can download the entire set for just $4.99. Each novel is available separately, starting with Eolyn for just $0.99. The trilogy has been published across multiple electronic platforms,... Continue Reading →
In hopes of offering more entertainment options for a home-bound public, my women-centered fantasy novel, Eolyn, is now available for free download. You can find Eolyn on Google Books, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo, as well as on Smashwords in both epub and mobi format. Amazon wouldn't let me set the price below 99 cents, but... Continue Reading →
Avila University started its regular spring semester about two weeks ago. Seems I've hardly drawn a breath, and the month has already slipped by! After some worry that I might be teaching an overload again this spring, I managed to negotiate with the powers that be so that my teaching obligations remain within contract. This... Continue Reading →
Happy Winter Solstice! I'm celebrating this year by bringing back a tradition I let slide a while ago: my annual holiday reading. Technology has changed since the last time I did this, so it took some time to figure things out, but the recording is finished and uploaded - embedded below and available on... Continue Reading →
WordPress friends, my apologies leaving you alone for so long! Honestly, I do not know where this semester went. Every time I wanted to sit down and write an update, time was whisked away by some pressing commitment. I won't mourn being off line. I never do. Life feels more real when I'm away from this... Continue Reading →
In 2007, I sold my first short story, 'Turning Point,' to the speculative fiction journal ZAHIR. Set in the highland forests of Costa Rica, 'Turning Point' chronicles the tensions between three field entomologists who must decide what to do when a faerie falls into one of their malaise traps. The meticulous Ruth, dedicated to documentation and... Continue Reading →
We're well into classes at Avila, but in quiet moments I still reflect on my summer trip to Germany and all the things I learned and saw traveling the country with my family; visiting the stomping grounds of relatives and ancestors. I've long been fascinated by family histories, a habit instilled in me no doubt... Continue Reading →
Every year around this time, I look at my August calendar and say, "Who are you, and what have you done with my summer?" Classes start at Avila this week. Wait, what? Classes start this week?? Why does time always takes us by surprise? I once read a theologian who argued this was evidence of... Continue Reading →
I'm honored to announce that I've been invited as the keynote speaker for this year's ADELANTE conference, presented by Prospanica KC. Prospanica is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to reach their full educational, economic, and social potential. They also advocate the pursuit of higher education in all careers and advance Hispanic... Continue Reading →
