My formative years were spent shuffling between my home in Chicago, my grandparents in Canton, Ohio, and various hotels across America with my nightclub singer mom. While other kids were making macaroni necklaces, I was on the road, studying the fine art of false eyelash application. This unconventional beginning paved the way to an obvious destination: Hollywood. The only surprise is how long it took to get there. After graduating from Northwestern University, and working for NBC News, I earned my M.F.A. in producing at the University of Southern California. I worked as a story analyst, sold a movie to MGM, and wrote on the staff of two television shows before signing on to the ultimate creative project: motherhood. I now write short stories and Young Adult fiction, while drinking lots of coffee and worrying about the demise of civilization.