In my first 25 years after Hunter, I got a BA in Psychology, took some Montessori training, and worked a series of jobs, including Head Start Assistant Teacher. In 1976, I became a Traveling Speed Reading Teacher. I traveled throughout the Eastern U.S., and learned that I liked the South. In 1978, I moved south, never to live north of the Mason-Dixon Line again. After moving to Atlanta, I got a job writing commercials in a local radio station. Several radio jobs later, I started a freelance writing and editing career, which continue to this day. As the next 25 years dawned, I found part-time work as a Medical Editor at Emory University. While working at Emory, I also started to do freelance assignments for CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In 2000, my good reputation at CDC landed me a full-time job as the Senior Editor of The Guide to Community Preventive Services, a major public health initiative. Although I had to leave that job last fall, I continue to freelance as a public health editor, making good use of what I learned at CDC over the course of 14 years.

I had two brief marriages, no children. From a long-term relationship in the early 2000s, I gained a son, who chose to stay with me. He’s now 29, and lives in Atlanta (not with me!).

My plan for my old age includes being a Crazy Cat Lady. I already live with 5 cats. My major interests are nature and gardening. My house sits on a tiny piece of land in the Atlanta suburbs, and I enjoy making the landscape as critter-friendly as possible. This morning, a deer wandered into the back yard and had a few bites to eat.