I used to love the old hum and ding! of electric typewriters. It was the sound of a story unfolding. As a child in London, I'd quietly listen to my family's stories—of war and death, love gone wrong, faraway places—and later I would rewrite them in my head. Fill in the details, the motives, make up new endings. Looking back, it's no surprise I ended up a writer.
One of the interesting things about being German and moving a lot is that I hear so many stories from all sorts of people. It's remarkable to me the way our lives share similar themes, whether we are from the Philippines, Phoenix or Frankfurt. In my teaching, I emphasize this breadth of vision. In my reading, I like the sound of the different voices in my head. And in my writing, I value the quiet moment before the keys start click-clacking and the story resumes.
Mothers Need Time-Outs, Too (McGraw-Hill, 2008) is a self-help book I wrote about taking care of yourself so you can take care of others. I have just completed a novel, The House of a Thousand Eyes, about the search for love and redemption in post war East Germany. I also edit, ghostwrite and teach writing.
"Mothers Need Time-Outs, Too is breaking new ground for mothers everywhere. It stands
the motherhood-as-sacrifice model on its head. The result is healthier moms and
healthier families. Bravo!"