Huff's Neck

About the Book

Joan Brooks, a daughter of wealthy Canadian socialites, meets Tom, the man she marries unexpectedly in her yard. He weasels his way into her family circle. After they marry, Tom moves her to the U.S. It is 1950, and they are happy for five years. During that time they have five children. Then Tom begins to drink heavily, lie and forge checks. Joan winds up poverty stricken, evicted and estranged from her family. Her two oldest daughters finally commit her to the state mental institution.

About the Author

My first story was written in the tenth grade.  When that teacher returned the story, she had commented, “You have a flair for writing.”  I hoped she was right, but I was never sure.  Later at a gym, a good friend told me his father always said, “Can’t never did anything.”  That has been my mantra.

At one time, I was politically active and covered the political beat for a small newspaper.  I was overwhelmed with research and disappointed by a lack of concern from the public; so I stopped writing for a long time.  I had tried to implement the maxim, “it’s better to light one candle than curse the darkness.”  I was on a one-woman crusade to clean up dishonesty in government, but I quickly discovered one person couldn’t do it alone.

In later years I studied creative writing at University of California, Los Angeles, Trace Writing School at the University of Nottingham Trent in the UK.

Recently, I attended a residency at Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina with members of the North Carolina Writers Association.

I want to thank two teachers at UCLA:  Gayle Brandeis and Thomas O’Malley.  They shared their immense knowledge, and that has encouraged me to continue.