MY WRITING JOURNEY
At six, I wrote and illustrated a story about three puppies lost in a hatbox—and was instantly hooked on storytelling. Years later, meeting Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird sealed my fate: I wanted to write about fictional people who make a difference.
My dream took years to materialize. After devouring hundreds of novels, I finally released my debut, Always Think of Me, on April 2, 2024—just a day after my April Fool’s birthday.
What a wild ride it’s been.
In 2025, Always Think of Me snagged the Best Indie Book Award (paranormal category), along with top honors in romance from both the Royal Dragonfly and Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards. It was a finalist in the International Book Awards, and readers call it poignant, heartbreaking, and instantly captivating.
I never planned on a sequel, but friends insisted—and so, Second Chance Highway became my next project. It was released on June 9, 2026, snagging a Literary Titan Gold Book Award and an Amazon bestseller badge, among other accolades, for which I’m grateful.
In addition to writing novels, I penned two short stories—“Robert’s Prayer” and “The Note”—free for anyone who joins my tribe, along with my exclusive monthly letter, Something to Chew On.
I count myself lucky: writing became my career, not just a dream. Now retired, I wrote for daily newspapers and trade publications, with freelance work appearing in regional and trade magazines—especially on space exploration. A proud space junkie, I spent nearly 20 years in public outreach at NASA.
I earned my journalism degree at the University of Maryland, College Park, where I met Kevin Berry, my husband since 1980. I am the mother of three sons and, until recently, the dog-mom to our beloved Georgie. His recent passing still makes me sad. I often think I hear his familiar whine at the door—truly, the best dog ever. But God recently put another dog in our lives. Reba, who was found wandering the streets in Texas, looks a lot like Georgie, but is considerably smaller—lots of love in a small package. A hearty thumbs-up goes to CH Boxer Rescue for saving her and placing her in our home.
Born in Washington, D.C., I now call Walland, Tennessee, home.
