Meet The Author

My memoir, Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage, and Cancer (She Writes Press, 2017), chronicles my first year battling breast cancer with honesty and humor.

I also write middle-grade historical fiction. My award-winning three-book series, Becoming America’s Stories (Red Penguin Books), includes:

• The Heart of Bakers and Artists (formerly titled Daily Bread)
• The Dreams of Singers and Sluggers
• The Wishes of Sisters and Strangers

Set in 1911, the series follows Lily Taglia, the American-born daughter of Sicilian immigrants, as she comes of age in New York City’s Lower East Side tenements while pivotal moments in American history unfold.

My beloved picture book, Famous Seaweed Soup, was reissued in May 2023 by Purple Butterfly Press, featuring updated content and new illustrations by Penny Weber.

Check out my latest project, Journal On!, a series of journal writing writing challenges.

I hold an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook/Southampton University. Before retirement, I worked for over 40 years as a speech therapist and special educator. Now I enjoy writing, blogging, and being a “nonny.” I live on Long Island with my husband, surrounded by the sea and the people I love.

That’s me in a nutshell. I’d love for you to explore my website and reach out — I look forward to hearing from you!