My background in the fire service (22 years) gave me the idea to write "Finding Courage" - a story about a mouse spending a winter in a firehouse and finding a friend in Gus, a grasshopper. "Finding Courage" blends fire safety tips with Sherman's quest to become a firefighter and shows how even a small mouse with enough courage can save the day.

Raising a family is challenging -- and raising young readers is especially difficult when you are competing against screens and television. I wrote these books to provide a simpler way for children to find entertainment and at the same time, learn about themselves and their natural world. I hope that even the reluctant reader will find Sherman and Gus funny and thoughtful and their adventures exciting enough to keep turning the pages.

New York and New England have many wonderful historical sites and stories of haunted houses and ghosts. "Finding Ghosts" combines history, humor, and drama when Sherman and Gus encounter a ghost who is a bully with a backstory that explains his nastiness. This book explores bullying and how Sherman learns to find a way to trust his instincts and give help without seeking a reward.