Self-professed writing/design wench with 30 years worth of portfolio pieces under my wing interspersed by a few to which I'd rather not lay claim. Multiple husbands, kids and cats. Love to drink wine, eat tacos and chocolate, but nothing compares to finishing a really good piece of writing.

Decades of stringing and column writing for The Daily Herald in Chicago 'burbs. I've written a dozen books for hire and a few for which I collected royalties. Retired three literary agents. Taught writing and design at three Chicago-area universities until I began to want to pummel many of my students. These days, I'm freelancing for a web content studio and working on 3 book manuscripts.My first eBook,"The Christmas Quilt" (Melange Books), releases 12/2/2011.

I'm always up for helping a newbie -- as long as he/she can stand straight talk and not turn into a pile of mush at the first criticism. Don't ask me to work with you on your spelling skills, please.