I
was born and raised in the Blue
Ridge Mountains
of Western North Carolina.,
where I spent many hours hiking and developed a deep respect for
4-wheel drive automobiles.I
always enjoyed camping on GrandfatherMountain,
although it seems the temperature
was always frigid. My parents still live in Avery County, N.C.
My husband, Steven, was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He is currently the managing editor of Overdrivemagazine.
We met when I was an intern and he was a reporter for The Hickory Daily Record.
My sister devoted much of her childhood to torturing me with a rubber
alligator. I continue to fear rubbery reptiles to this day.
That loving sister, Kathie, now lives in Charleston, S.C.
with
her new
husband, Paul.
I spent much of my childhood learning to play the piano and saxophone.
I am now attempting to teach myself to play the banjo.
I admit that my dissertation research has temporarily stalled
my banjo practice.
As a child, I also spent a great deal of time watching my
mother decorate
cakes. Now, I
am slowly inheriting her cake pans and dabbling with a bit of
decorating. One of my friends has referred to my cake pan collection as
"freakish."
.
I currently have one very spoiled
cat and a puppy, who are helping me with my
research.
I recently lost my beautiful Dalmatian
Symphony during the
Menu
Foods pet food
disaster. She had been eating Iams canned
food when
her kidneys failed. I buried her the day the pet food recall was
announced.
Interesting
Tidbits
I
was born and raised in the 
