She was born on Staten Island, grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and has lived in California’s Central Valley for many years. She is fascinated by the possibilities and limitations of language and by the synergy experienced in writing groups. She also enjoys studying dreams. Her latest venture has been to edit and publish a new publication called hardpan, a journal of poetry. With her coeditors, debee loyd and Gordon Preston, she enjoys gleaning voices from the valley and nearby.