We all need stories and it is stories that a writer tells. When a story touches the reader, it is because the writer has found some truth that affects the reader in a way that inspires, enlightens, entertains or connects us to each other.

It is the writer's challenge to hold the tension between the character's uniqueness and his/her universality. When that is successful, the story can belong to the reader, whether that reader is a child being read to, a parent, or a grandparent.

It is my hope that somewhere in my writing, whether it is a children's story, a non-fiction book about aging, a short story or a romance, you will find something that resonates with your own life's meaning.