Writer, composer/pianist, and French teacher living in France. Rat mom, wife, and traveler. Author of The Four Suitors and The Sea. Composer of “Awed, Aware, and Alive,” “Instruments’ Tales,” and “Ebony Heartland.”
Bio
Born in Venezuela, I was adopted by French parents who moved to the United States when I was three years old. My family taught me French from birth. After following the French curriculum through the CNED, and the English curriculum through public and home school, and also learning Spanish, Latin, and Chinese, I was left with a love of languages that I use in my academic and creative works.
I immersed myself in all kinds of stuff as a kid: music, art, books, and movies from different eras and nationalities. I grew up reading Harry Potter, The Wheel of Time, Redwall, Nancy Drew, and the Time Quintet, as well as Les fourberies de Scapin, Le dernier jour d’un condamné, Bel-Ami, and American classics translated in French.
In 4th grade, I wrote my first poem. I started writing mystery stories shortly afterward and wrote my first science fiction novel when I was 12. During my teen years, I wrote a lot of poetry about nature and emotions, and during that time I experimented with fanfiction. Novel ideas came to me in droves, but I compacted them into short stories.
After high school, I was accepted into Rollins College where I took creative writing classes and was lucky enough to be mentored by amazing writers like Peter Selgin, Karen Russell, Carol Frost, and N. Scott Momaday.
I love writing science fiction, fantasy, and literary novels and short stories. My poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary magazines. As well as a short story collection, I have several more novels in the works.
In addition to reading anything I came across, I listened to tons of music: soft rock, classic blues, French pop, Motown, British invasion, smooth jazz, big band, classical, ethnic music.
At six years old, I asked for a piano and got my wish. I took classical lessons for five years, but when my lessons stopped, I started to compose. My compositions started as solo piano works and gradually expanded into orchestral pieces. I took music courses in college too, learning to listen critically, expanding my repertoire, and participating in choir.
It’s hardly surprising that I enjoy composing jazz, classical, and ethnic works. As you can see by my recent album, “Awed, Aware, and Alive,” I have recently started to write and sing my own songs. In the past, I have worked with a few local filmmakers scoring soundtracks for their films. I enjoy that so much, as it pulls on my writer side as well, fusing both creative passions together. It is my goal to continue my own albums, but also collaborate with more filmmakers.
