Because of my first name, a lot of people assume I grew up on a commune with hippie parents. I'm afraid my background isn't that interesting. Like Lee, the main character in Tales from the Yoga Studio, I grew up in suburban Connecticut. My mom taught English at a private school, and instilled a love of books in my younger sister and me. She grew up reading Dickens, so she read David Copperfield and Oliver Twist to us when she put us to bed and on long car trips. My dad was a lawyer, and, despite the stereotype, was one of the kindest men I've known. He's in my personal fiery pantheon of heroes for pro bono work he did for prisoners who had been wrongly convicted. Unfortunately, he died from an undiagnosed heart condition when he was in his early fifties.
At the suggestion of a teacher, I went to college in southern California, where I studied journalism and dance. Like a lot of people I know, teachers included, I discovered yoga as the result of an injury, in my case, a tendon problem similar to Graciela's in Tales. I know it's a cliche to say it was love at first meeting, but that pretty much describes my reaction to my first yoga class. The practice seemed to address so many of my needs-for athleticism, grace, and inner composure. Doing yoga truly did change my life for the better.
I moved back east after graduating college and worked for a while pretty low down the totem pole at three different fashion and "lifestyle" magazines. After that, I worked as a staff writer at a cable news network for a brief spell.
Love brought me back to California a few years ago. The relationship didn't work out, which, after years of long-distance dating, turned out to be a truly devastating disappointment. After a couple of weeks in the fetal position, curtains drawn and hair unwashed, a friend dragged me to a yoga studio, and even though my balance was off and I cried during savasana, it was the beginning of the inevitable letting-go process. Renewing my practice helped me stay focused on the present and got me in touch with the realization that I wanted to write fiction. After a few false starts, a friend in publishing suggested I try writing about a yoga studio. Once I began, I knew I was on the right track.
I now divide my time between both coasts, and slip in as much travel as possible.
As for my name, it comes from the title of my mother's favorite story--Rain by Somerset Maugham. I used to get teased about it a lot as a kid, but as my friend Adele was always reminding me, "At least they didn't name you Sunshine."
