Many family members and friends have died since my childhood on, and somehow I've survived. I'm trying to give something back with this site and also to honor my parents who encouraged me to write. No matter where I go, I take that connected feeling with me. I'm always aware of the history, seasons, weather, flora and fauna of a place. Nature almost becomes a character in all of my stories.
People usually associate Iowa with cornfields.
People see what they want to see. I have lived here all my life. I see remnants of tallgrass prairie, red-tailed hawks, lakes, rivers, bluffs, the Meskwaki. I see towns once settled by immigrants, reminders of farms that no longer stand, industrial sites, the graves of my ancestors, as well as cornfields, all set beneath miles of sky. The Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa, is known internationally for its excellence.