It seems that I am constantly telling a story to someone. It can be about a person, an event, an animal, my day, and even my house. My love of language began as a child. My mother read to me every day; poetry, folk tales, fairy tales, animal stories. My father, an oral storyteller, recounted local, often humorous vignettes of human foibles.
In school I studied public speaking and dramatic readings, which led me to a college major in Speech and Drama with a minor in Education. I formed Storybook Theatre for children, writing, directing, and narrating performances. For a number of years I acted on stage, including the role of Peter Pan, and on film for screen and television.
I became a professional storyteller over 45 years ago. I have performed in schools, libraries, museums, senior centers, at special events, and “anywhere people enjoy a good story.” My story repertoire ranges from ages 3 to 103.
I have taught Storytelling Magic for grades three to six, and to adults at several Community Colleges. Exploring Russia Through Its Art and Stories has been a popular college class that I teach, as well as being the subject of popular school presentations.
Although I present stories from a variety of countries and genres, I specialized in those from Russia, rewriting ancient tales for storytelling. In 1995 I was awarded the Parents Choice Gold Award for my recording of Russian Wonder Tales in Stories from the Hearth. For some time now I have been writing stories for children, many of which I originally created as a storyteller. Over the years I have written newsletters and speeches on a variety of subjects. My articles and essays have appeared in newspapers and magazines such as Christian Science Monitor. A fascination with history led me to write historical biographies, commissioned by well-known Oregon families.
Since making Estacada my home, I have made friends with others who value the history of the area. Based on my research and personal interviews, three books on Estacada history have been professionally published. I am passionate about collecting information on the growth of Estacada, beginning with early settlers in 1840 and following the expansion of the city and its surrounding communities to the present. It is a pleasure and privilege for me to record the history and see it published for today’s citizens, and for the generations to follow.
In whatever I write, I am fortunate to be able to use my love of language to create pleasure, excitement, and beauty.