About Me
My mother is veterinarian. My father is a retired park ranger. I grew up bouncing from public schools in the school year, to National Parks during vacations. And there were always books!
So, I learned to love history and science through reading and exploration. In school, teachers encouraged my active participation in learning, and etched into me the fundamental belief that learning never ends.
So, I kept learning, and began teaching, which took me to Lesotho and China. I’ve taught both Middle School and High School sciences, mostly Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science. While in China, I was responsible for developing and adapting our curricula to align with the U.S. Next Generation Science Standards. I love teaching.
But, I also love stories, and have always wanted to write, and share more about the totally awesome places in all of our back yards: Our National Parks.
The Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novels are the best of all worlds. I get to write awesome stories about national parks, and hope that anyone who reads them can learn a thing or two along the way.
Don’t get me wrong, the mysteries are definitely fiction, but I try to keep everything else as true to the parks as possible. And to that end, there’s always a corrections section in the novels.
But, for anyone who wants to learn more about the cool science, history, or nature of the parks, or for anyone interested in telling their own stories, there will be* educational materials available for a wide variety of topics. Everything from reading guides, and suggested Accelerated Reader questions, to subject and topic specific content ready for the classroom.
Teachers, Parents, and other educators are encouraged to check them out!*
*(This is a growing and developing catalogue. It might seem relatively sparse right now.)
For Parents, Teachers, and other Educators
The Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novels are written for the historically, scientifically, and generally curious.
While the Mysteries are Fiction. I hope to capture the real, awesome, and inspiring nature of the National Parks that the Junior Rangers Investigative Club members get to explore. I also hope to encourage exploration beyond the mysteries within the books. To that end, I am developing educational resources that can be used alongside of, or even without, the Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novels.
Whether you simply have an interest in facts, figures, and recommendations in the featured parks (and beyond,)
or
You want to learn about more about specific scientific, historic, and natural aspects of the parks,
or
You want to explore writing yourself or with young readers then please feel free to check out the resources I have linked for free download.
(Author’s note: These resources are in development. With Many More to Come in the Future!)