This is my biography... or a little bit about me:

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how fun would it be
to write my biography
though t'were poetry?
~ a haiku
 

• Aside from what you likely know about me as a genealogist, writer, and thespian, I have a few fun trivia tidbits which may be interesting. I would like to live not to be boring, but to inspire and showcase our ability as artists to create from thoughts to words to paragraphs to novels to book covers to on the shelves... I adore the process! There's nothing I enjoy more than being an artist and creating new beloved books to love.

• I'm always singing! I'm a messo-soprano / soprano and can sing those whistle notes in the same register as Whitney. In contrast, my speaking voice is much lower but I cannot sing in that register well.

• I have that good ol' Irish wit and gift of the gab! That's no Blarney!

• I love the ocean and have lived on both US and Canadian coasts, as well as the southern-most island Kyushu in Japan. When I live inland, I feel like a land-locked mermaid and miss it deeply. I love living on islands the most, with water on all sides.

• One of the first jobs I had while during high school was teaching English to Japanese 5th Grade children

• I played Center on my high school basketball team for two years - might have to do with my height of 6' tall (I'm 182 cm). I LOVED playing sports!

• I've been doing genealogy since the 1980s - before computers were in every household and it was done the "old fashioned way" - writing letters, books, transcribing, all things relatively speaking

• Japan is formed with several connecting islands and many get around on bikes... it is efficient - feel the wind and less noise. I prefer bicycles to automobiles. It would be a dream to bike on the Shimanami Kaido (しまなみ海道, Shimanami Kaidō Expressway. 60 kms connecting the islands by bike!

• At my grade 7 science fair, I earned a second place medal for plants and radiation using beans taped to the walls inside and outside of my mother's veterinary office, and in doing so discovered a radiation leak at her office as a result. I was invited to a larger national science fair in Manassas, Virginia for the school district county and though I participated, I didn't beat out my competitors. I still have the medal I won. It's silver, engraved, and on a red, white, and blue ribbon.

• I was going to be a Solid Gold dancer when I was 8 #stilllovestodance

• I'm what they refer to as a "Gen X"er - born in the early '70s

• I have an eclectic musical ear! I DJ'd in high school and college and at one time had over 400 cassettes and CDs (which was a lot back in the day). I love listening to jazz manouche - (gypsy jazz, such as Django Reinhardt), Electro Swing like Parov Stelar, Swedish / Dutch EDM, 'The Love Songs' my EDM dance playlist on Spotify, old 1920s & 1930s Jazz, Broadway Musicals and Showtunes... and of course the Gen-X new wave/new romantic alternative songs - we all can name them within 3 seconds of coming on the radio because we had our blank cassettes "on the ready" to record when it came on the radio!

• I've written (and published) a few books, short stories, and poetry - and one day will write a play

• I dislike vulgar language and swearing, small talk, litter, and drunk people who drive

• I've hiked several mountains to their summits and love being around tall trees!

• I've swam with sharks in the Pacific Ocean of California and had to be rescued a la Baywatch style with the red lifeguard suits and everything after being caught in a rip tide undertow and drifted into infested waters - INTENSE!!!

• favourite celebrity I've ever had a lengthy conversation with was Dr. Sylvia Earle and it was about humpback whales

• my favourite books are The Hobbit, LoTR, Fried Green Tomatoes, and anything by Ruth Jones

• my favourite flowers are daisies and tulips

• I have the "Greek toe" - where the second digit is longer than the big toe

• I was once a speed skater on roller skates (quad skates - more disco, less derby - think Xanadu)

• I was president of my service sorority Epsilon Sigma Alpha in university for a year

• Large jigsaw puzzles are my specialty: 1000 pieces or more of entirely gold prism rainbows, glow-in-the-dark, no edges, I love puzzles and a good challenge

• My last name is actually my husband's and is Groulx, which said aloud sounds like GROO (the L and the X are silent) - like Groo in Despicable Me and the Minion movies... love him!

• I have a level 150 Lore Master in Lotro with an eagle pet named after the eagle that rescues Gandalf and the hobbits (haven't played in ages, but enjoyed the storyline of playing a character from a book series!)

• I spend more time than the average living person in cemeteries, transcribing and photographing gravestones for genealogy - see my FindAGrave profile

• In about 1985, I had a course in HS called 'Typewriting' and learned to type on an actual typewriter and remember the sounds vividly, something which lacks on a computer keyboard. I don't mind the speed of modern keyboards though, as I can't imagine writing a book by typewriter or by pen completely. Impressed by those who do.

• I don't like cilantro or sushi - least favourites.

• My fave food is tacos - any especially fish tacos, or chimichangas, or burritos... Mexi is my all-time winner... YUM!

• Pineapple does belong on pizza

• I'm an avid crocheter in the winter and make a long 6' blanket each year, which I've given out as gifts to friends

• I've haven't been to Europe yet though all of my ancestors were Viking and Celtic

• my favourite colours are yellow and blue

• I sometimes have intuitive moments with those who have passed - makes for fun genealogy

• For several years, I have studied palaeography and volunteer to transcribe cursive or old documents from the 17th century onward for several genealogy organizations around the world

• Japan left a profound impact on me during my teenage years. I have adopted many of its ways and cultures, including removing shoes in houses, cleanliness, honesty, order, respecting elders and each other

• I am an advocate for Autism and Multiple Sclerosis, as I have many family members with both conditions #actuallyautistic - see my children's book on Humphrey.

• Neurodivergent is such a weird word. You know what's better - Neuroawesome! Yeah, proud to be neuroawesome #actuallyautisticbutprefersneuroawesome #doesntlikelabels

• I have endless gratitude for this life I've been given and make each day count. Robin Williams' character was right when he said - "Carpe Diem - Seize the Day!"... O' Captain my Captain

• Thanks for reading!

• More tidbits and trivia on the YA books page FAQ.