Beyond the Page: Science, Mystery, and the Arizona Sky
After retiring from my career as a laboratory biologist, I shifted my focus toward writing. Before moving to Arizona, I dabbled in audio theater scripts with the Hunterdon Radio Theatre; I always loved the challenge of bringing quirky characters to life using only sound.
In 2014, I made the jump to writing books. That’s when Curtis Curly-tail began his adventures, and I started my journey of “rhyming science” in picture books. Inspired by the incredibly talented writers of the Tucson Poetry Society, I’ve even begun composing more traditional poems. And, with some encouragement from the Tucson Sisters in Crime, I’ve penned a couple of science-based mystery short stories. I personally think my story, “It’s Good to be Alive?”, is the creepiest tale in the initial Trouble in Tucson anthology!
Expanding the Literary Horizon
I’m very proud to have another short story included in the second edition, More Trouble in Tucson. This one features the fast-paced escapades of a thief, and I’m already hard at work on a story for the third edition.
I first met John Stuart Watkins when a friend took me to a Tucson Poetry Society meeting at Antigone Books (a huge shout-out to them for supporting local authors and selling my books!). I read from my book, Don’t Call Me Turtle!. My poetry was—and still is—quite different from what others are writing, but that’s the beauty of Tucson; all forms of poetry are embraced here.
Capturing the Immensity of the Sky
Stuart recently invited me to participate in a unique project. While I’ve had books, poems, and short stories published, I had never had a photograph published. He requested that Arizona residents contribute photos of the sky: “beautiful cloud formations, thunderstorms, sunsets, sunrises, moon risings, and even double rainbows.”
I’m familiar with the spectacular sunsets of Key West, Florida, but I truly believe the skies in the Tucson area are the most consistently amazing in the world. The wide-open desert landscape only enhances the immensity of the sky. I am constantly snapping photos of atmospheric phenomena—moments I want to preserve or use as inspiration for future writing.
I was thrilled when Stuart selected some of my photos for his collection. Poets then provided verses to enhance the scenes. While my muse was off floating in the clouds, Stuart was doing the hard work of curating the book. I don’t envy him the task of choosing from so many beautiful submissions!
A Shared Orbit
I’ve known Stuart for a few years now, and he was a pivotal part of my joining the Tucson Poetry Society—an organization we have both served as President for (a role I currently hold). Our authorial orbits seem to overlap constantly. At a recent fair, a customer told me they had a neighbor who was an author and poet; I wasn’t at all surprised to learn it was Stuart!
The resulting book, Our Wondrous Arizona Skies, is a beautiful collection of the natural beauty we see every day.
My advice to you? Keep snapping those pictures of the world around you. You never know when they might end up in print!
Adventure Awaits in the Desert Whether it’s under a double rainbow or a glowing sunset, the animals of the Sonoran Desert are always up to something! Explore my science-based picture books to meet the creatures that live beneath these wondrous skies.
