Currently I spend 24-7 creating thrillers in the shady realms of espionage, intelligence and the underworld of narcissistic psychopaths. If you survey my professional history—Girl Scout camp counselor (began at age 13), Latin teacher of gifted kids, modern dance teacher and composer of script, movement and music of dance dramas, including one based on De Rerum Natura by Lucretius, Girl Scout and YWCA camp director, Headmistress of a College Prep School, College Dean of Admissions—you may question my bona fide credentials for writing about criminals!! Or psychopaths!

But other jobs have included Corporate Assessment Center creator for a Fortune 100, Executive Outplacement with Drake Beam and longtime membership in AFIO (Association of Former Intelligence Officers, where Joseph Finder is also a member), places where a writer finds great material for the thriller realm! You may guess the rest…

Though I've always been devoted to the mystery world, I began my publishing career with short fiction with a blatantly commercial national publisher and a volume of poetry with the University of the South press, as well as numerous poems in places such as the Christian Science Monitor and articles for professional publications.

A member of numerous organizations along the way, such as Financial Women of New York, the love of my life is the Mystery Writers of America, where I've been privileged to serve in the New York Chapter as District Director, Chair of the Nominating Committee, Co-Chair of the Mentor Committee, other committees, Noose contributor, as well as proud servant and slave on countless Edgars Week posts!!! I also reviewed mystery novels for several years for Marilyn Henderson's online Lady M Mystery International with my own column, "T.J.'s Winner's Circle," and for Florida-based Orchard Press Mysteries.


Though I enjoy praise as much as any other shameless writer, I keep a low profile while writing about my ex-CIA agents, New York cops and psychotherapists, as well as the Womb Tomb White House gang, "POTUS" and some of the nastiest villains on the planet!

I've lived in Manhattan's Carnegie Hill many moons, but my heart is in the woods, the nation's countryside and by the sea in Maine, Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. Born in Fitchburg, MA, I got my B.A. in Virginia and my M.A. in Tennessee, dipped my cerebral toe in Harvard and Oxford, have spent wonderful times in the Caribbean and Europe and my passion is Red Persians!

Goal? Why, to win an Edgar—of course!