A little about me...
I was born and raised in Indiana. I earned my Bachelor's Degree from Franklin College and my Master's Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. I later pursued my licensure to teach high ability students from Ball State University. I have also taken writing courses from the Institute of Children's Literature and the Picture Book Academy.
I taught first grade for 16 years, was a literacy coach for four years, and am now a third grade high ability teacher. After I started teaching, I married Matt. (He is a sergeant for our local police department.) We have two daughters, Emily and Madison. We also have a dog, two cats, a turtle, and two snails.
I have a passion for writing. I won my first writing award in 5th grade from Jamie Gilson for a school-wide writing contest. (I got an autographed copy of her book, Can't Catch Me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!) I have always enjoyed writing and still have a scrapbook from my senior year in high school where I shared my career goal: To become an elementary teacher and write children's books.
I started writing more seriously when I was selected for the Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship in 2009. Through this award, I was able to attend my first writing conferences in L.A. and Georgia, take some writing courses, and become a member of SCBWI (Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). (I won first prize for Juvenile Literature at the Conference in Georgia that summer.) Since that time, I have gone back to the LA conference three more times. If you haven't been there, you should go! It is an amazing conference!
Lastly, I am the secretary of the Kankakee Valley Reading Council, I'm on the executive board for the Indiana State Reading Council, I'm a member of Tri-County Bible Church, I belong to a writer's group called the Prairie Writer's Guild, and I'm a runner with the Cheyenne Running Club. (I have run 7 full marathons.) I also enjoy presenting at conferences and doing school visits. In the summers, I hold writing camps. We have a lot of fun writing stories and poetry together!
I taught first grade for 16 years, was a literacy coach for four years, and am now a third grade high ability teacher. After I started teaching, I married Matt. (He is a sergeant for our local police department.) We have two daughters, Emily and Madison. We also have a dog, two cats, a turtle, and two snails.
I have a passion for writing. I won my first writing award in 5th grade from Jamie Gilson for a school-wide writing contest. (I got an autographed copy of her book, Can't Catch Me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!) I have always enjoyed writing and still have a scrapbook from my senior year in high school where I shared my career goal: To become an elementary teacher and write children's books.
I started writing more seriously when I was selected for the Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship in 2009. Through this award, I was able to attend my first writing conferences in L.A. and Georgia, take some writing courses, and become a member of SCBWI (Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). (I won first prize for Juvenile Literature at the Conference in Georgia that summer.) Since that time, I have gone back to the LA conference three more times. If you haven't been there, you should go! It is an amazing conference!
Lastly, I am the secretary of the Kankakee Valley Reading Council, I'm on the executive board for the Indiana State Reading Council, I'm a member of Tri-County Bible Church, I belong to a writer's group called the Prairie Writer's Guild, and I'm a runner with the Cheyenne Running Club. (I have run 7 full marathons.) I also enjoy presenting at conferences and doing school visits. In the summers, I hold writing camps. We have a lot of fun writing stories and poetry together!
