Where have you spent most of your childhood?
Ketchum, Idaho. Pretty cool when you live where you can meet people like Walt Disney and Lucille Ball without even trying.
Who introduced you to the world of books?
Mom! Were you an avid reader? Still am.
Since how long have you been living in Idaho with your husband and Shelties?
I spent 8 years in young adulthood NOT in Idaho. Have lived here the rest of my life, and have had Shelties for 50 years.
Which was the rarest plant or small mammal that you ever studied about?
I did a bunch of scientific studies on a rare plant of the sagebrush steppe, Lepidium papilliferum, but the giant fairy shrimp we discovered is much more rare than that.
How would you describe your experience of taking college students on semester-long field study expeditions into the wild parts of the world?
Getting marooned by rain in the Outback desert, studying butterflyfish on the Great Barrier Reef, watching caribou in arctic Alaska, swimming with seals in the Sea of Cortez—I have memories of these expeditions that still seem amazing to this small-town girl. One of my students went on to found a genetics research company. One is a veterinarian. Two are dentists. One studied animal behavior in Africa with Jane Goodall. One is a distinguished palaeontologist. One became a sports physiologist and coach of an Olympics team; I could go on and on. But best of all, many of them are still my friends.
How much do you research while writing papers in scientific journals?
As much as possible! In science, you don’t get published if you don’t show all your homework.
How did you discover a new species of desert freshwater shrimp?
My senior technician and I found them in a temporary desert pool. We collected some, took them back to our lab, and tried to identify them. We couldn’t. I contacted a fairy shrimp expert and mailed him some of them. He was so excited that he was shouting at me over the phone when he opened the package. Yep, they were new to science. Such a thrill.
How did you begin writing the Scavenger Series?
In young adulthood, I lived off the grid for three years. As a child, I listened avidly to my grandparents’ stories of life in pioneer days, and began writing them down when I was about eleven. I had always wondered if I could make it on my own if the world went crazy, and thought it would be fun to write characters who were doing just that.
What inspired you to write your book, Shrimp: Scavenger 3?
I wanted to show that the current climate in many schools of “If you know a lot and care a lot about learning, we will make you an object of ridicule” is idiotic, and that knowledge can be valuable for survival. Also, I wanted to do another love story, of course.
What challenges did you face while writing your memoir, Wildflower Girl?
Wildflower Girl didn’t seem a challenge. The words flowed easily onto the page. These are true stories that I didn’t want to be lost.
Who inspired the character of Artie in "Scavenger 2: Journey"?
Artie is one part of me, the part that loves native plants, singing, and the solitude of the wild.
What was your reaction on becoming the National Guard's Conservationist of the Year in 2010?
It was thrilling, of course—an unexpected finish to a most satisfying career as a biologist for the Army Guard in Idaho. It’s not every job that lets you count animals at night in the desert, or catch tadpoles, or seed wildflowers into an acreage that has burned, or visit military training lands all over the country!
What are some writing tips you would give to an aspiring writer?
Read—a lot. Write every day, even if it’s only a text to a friend. If grammar isn’t your friend, take an online course and master it, because grammar is the tool you use to craft your gift to the world.
How are you keeping yourself entertained during the lock-down due to covid-19?
I have been writing and posting a new story every day for my Facebook friends. Today’s was the 37th story. I now have enough for another book!
How would you rate your experience of working with AllAuthor?
I have been very surprised by the well-targeted support. AllAuthor is MUCH cooler and more helpful than I thought it would be when I first signed up! And I love the weekly banners of my covers!!
