About Me

Welcome to my website! I’m an author of board books and picture books. My publishing journey began after my youngest son left for college. I found myself with free time to explore my creativity through writing. I told myself: “It’s going to be fun and easy! Picture books are so cute!” But I soon discovered that creativity was just one ingredient in the recipe for writing children’s books. I spent years learning the craft while stumbling forward through failure and rejection. I kept at it and grew as a writer until my first book, Call Me Calvin, released in 2023. One lovely surprise that came with my publishing path is that I have met some of the best, most supportive people I know!

My newest book is an original lift-the-flap board book called TRUCKS ALL YEAR, releasing with Penguin Random House on August 4th, 2026. It features each month of the year alongside an appropriate truck. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been paired with Angela Li who illustrated our book in such an adorable and engaging way! She even included a big orange tanker truck similar to the one my dad drove for 40 years. I hope you check it out and consider it for baby showers, birthday gifts, and any other occasion that helps get books into the hands of little ones.

I grew up in a big family of eight kids, all born within a span of ten years (yes, that includes a set of twins!). We lived on a farm in east central Wisconsin with a variety of cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, geese, turkeys, ducks, turkey ducks (that’s not a typo), guinea hens, cats, dogs, and a llama named Tony. We grew vegetables…LOTS of vegetables, which we sold to canning companies and at a roadside stand. It was hard work. Our sweet corn became somewhat famous among people traveling past us each year toward their summer vacation destinations. I always felt a little jealous as they drove up to the Northwoods of Wisconsin with their coolers, suitcases, and boats. But now I live there! Although I don’t grow vegetables anymore, I enjoy visiting the local farmers market to buy them from hardworking gardeners.

Quick Facts:

Joke books were my favorite books when I was a kid. Now my favorites include historical fiction, and of course all kinds of picture books and chapter books.
I’m a dog person and currently have a Cavapoo named Gatsby and a Newfypoo named Norman.
I can make balloon animals. Poodles are my favorite.
We have three adult children, a son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and two beautiful grandkids.
I love fishing, particularly for musky and bass. I also like to paddleboard, read, listen to audiobooks, and experiment with watercolors.
In the Northwoods of Wisconsin where my husband and I live, we’re surrounded by eagles, loons, ducks, deer, foxes, squirrels, chipmunks, fish, otters, turtles, black bears, wolves, and sasquatches. Although we only see two of the last three occasionally, and one never.
I absolutely love winter! I get outside as much as possible to snowshoe, ice fish, and soak in the quiet beauty of the season.

Bucket List:

Visit Utqiagvik, Alaska, for a couple of weeks during the two months of darkness known as Polar Night. While there, I’d love to do school visits and learn about the history and culture of the city and its people.
Go on a Boundary Waters canoe and fishing trip on the border of Minnesota and Canada.
Visit Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.