Once Upon a Pen

Along with my college degrees, I hold a certificate in children’s fiction writing from the Institute of Children’s Literature and have received additional education through my membership with the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. I am also a member of Catholic Writers Guild. In the third grade, I developed a love for storytelling in and have been writing stories, poems, essays, and more ever since that spark was ignited. To feed that passion, I also read and played pretend avidly throughout my childhood, and I have acted, danced, and sung in many productions throughout my life, including ballets, plays, and musicals–and I even won 3rd place in the 2001 Milwaukee Feis for the adult-category Irish reel!.

After many twists and turns and many rejections, I began to experience small successes with freelance writing in the early ’00s. After a few years, I began to receive magazine and curriculum writing assignments as well. I began developing my own writing program in 2009, which is today called The Denim Beret Writing Program and which I have taught many times in both in-person tutorial programs and online in private classes.

My publishing credits include articles for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, two courses for SchoolhouseTeachers.com, instructional materials for two educational companies, and stories, poems, and essays for a variety of small magazines and anthologies.  In 2021, I achieved my lifelong dream when my first book was released–Before Austen Comes Aesop: The Children’s Great Books and How to Experience Them. This was followed in the same year with an addition to the long-running, middle grade, Vision Book series, Maria von Trapp and Her Musical Family. Both are published by Ignatius Press. In addition, I offer two self-published books on Amazon, and I have a third book in the works right now. See my “Books” page for more details!