Unlike many storytellers, I did not grow up hearing the stories of my ancestors. As far as I could tell, I had none. I did, however, grow up in New York City where I witnessed a story on every street corner and overheard gossip in every elevator.
There were so many sounds and smells in the city, a multitude of languages and endless memorable artistic experiences. These sensory influences triggered my imagination to recreate and exaggerate the real and make-believe worlds for the stories I tell today.
Soon after I graduated from Barnard College in New York, I began a career in children?s book publishing. What perfect training for an as yet unrealized storyteller! At Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. and Harper & Row, Inc., I witnessed a precision to story craft I would not forget.
After earning a Masters degree in Library Science, I became a teacher/librarian for an elementary school in Connecticut. 1987 marks the year I was introduced to this country?s Storytelling Movement and when I realized that telling stories embraced everything I valued and wanted to do. Storytelling soon became my most successful way to teach creative drama, language arts, social studies, character education or science: Why, there wasn?t a subject or life lesson that couldn?t be taught with storytelling!
Since that time, storytelling has been at the center of my life. In addition to performing and teaching storytelling, my involvement includes:
- Former Board member and past President of The Connecticut Storytelling Center. (Currently serving on the Advisory Board.)
- Co-producer of the first Tellabration! in 1988 in Connecticut. (Participant every year since including a 2002 Tellabration! tour of Japan)
- Member of National Storytelling Network (Member of Y.E.S. - Youth, Educators and Storytellers special interest group)
- Member of M.O.O.S.E. (Maine Order of Storytelling Enthusiasts)
- Current Vice-President of The League for the Advancement of New England Storytellers, Inc.
(Past teller and workshop presenter) Visit www.lanes.org - Current Board of Governors, International Storytelling Center, Jonesborough, Tennessee. Visit www.storytellingcenter.net
My Love of Travel
Second only to my love of storytelling, is an insatiable desire for adventurous travel. As soon I could claim teenage independence, I took every opportunity to travel, live and sightsee around the country and the world. And I am still doing it today. In 2003, my husband and I escaped New York?s aura and moved to Maine for a welcomed change of life.
Here, there are far fewer street corners and almost no elevators but Maine is a community that already knows about and appreciates good storytelling. How lucky for me!
Please enjoy my website and I hope to be traveling to see you soon.
