Once upon a time, I told stories to my neighborhood friends as we played in mud puddles, climbed trees and splashed in the creek. I made up stories for them, and for me, about exploring a new planet (thanks, Robert Heinlein), about being a pioneer building a new town (you too, Laura Ingalls Wilder) or running like wild horses (Walter Farley, you created my first loves — horses, I mean).

And when I grew up? I learned to tell other people’s stories as a journalist, and saw the power of being heard, of having your story recognized, and I was hooked. Stories explained people to each other — and to themselves.

Then, I spent a long career teaching others to be journalists, which morphed into decades as an activist using journalistic tools to give a voice to marginalized students.

And now? Now I’m telling stories again. Making them up. Creating worlds full of imaginary people. Letting them give voice to the stories that need to be heard. Stories for entertainment. Stories that illuminate, perhaps.

Stories. They’re powerful. Here are some of mine.

(More about me can be found here.)

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