I was born in Brooklyn, New York where I spent my summers dancing in the spray of the johnny pump (fire hydrant) and playing freeze tag and a game called skully or skelly (depending on the block you lived).

From a very early age I was an observer, an essential skill I believe for writers. On a warm summer night, I loved looking out from my bedroom window. We lived in an apartment, above a candy store and along a busy avenue. I loved watching the people walk by and I often made up stories in my mind of where they were heading off to. There was a payphone on the corner and I loved to eavesdrop on people's conversations.

In sharp contrast to life in Brooklyn, some of my summers were spent on the Italian island of Ischia. Ischia is the island where my Dad grew up. There I swam, fished, and ate lots of pizza. When I got older I also learned to ride a motorcycle and I fell in love with the Italian language. This helped me appreciate my own language. 

I'll make a confession. While I always loved stories and writing, I didn't think I was smart enough or creative enough to be a writer. So instead of pursuing my dream, I decided to do something else I loved. I studied psychology and then went on to get a Masters in Social Work. This allowed me to become a school social worker, which enabled me to counsel kids and get them the education they needed. I loved my job for a long time, but my old dream of being a writer nagged at me.

Finally, I jumped into my dream with both feet. I went back to school (I really, really, really like school) and got another Masters degree, this time in writing. Along the way I've had many adventures and met many people. People seem to like my stories and this makes me happy. And whenever I meet someone who has  a dream, I say Go For It!