Hi there and welcome!
Thank you for popping in to take a peek at my About page which, for the record, I consistently rewrite in search of the right words. I find it to be one of my more difficult tasks. Composing it, alone, brings out the many sides of me. Yes, as a writer, but also as a wife of almost twenty-five years (beginning five years after my first marriage of sixteen) mother of one grown son, former nonprofit leader, dancer, actor/singer, and an ongoing, determined woman of faith…
I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with my very tall red-headed husband, Todd, who I met in high school, a very large red-haired dog named Fannie, and Mary, a sassy feral, all of which I love like crazy. My stories, prose and poetry focus on the intersection of faith, art and being human.
I hold a BFA in Inter-Arts with a focus on Voice and an MFA in Dance, both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee — though during my many moves and travels pursuing a career in theatre, I also earned credits at the New School for Social Research in NYC, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In 1999, marriage brought me back to Milwaukee where I was Executive Director of a nonprofit, Danceworks — taking the arts beyond the stage and studio to people of all ages throughout the city and southeastern Wisconsin. After eighteen years, I stepped down to focus on writing.
I am a certified Mental Health Coach and Advocate through the American Association of Christian Counseling and publish weekly on my blog to encourage hope in hard places.
I have one published book (Conversations with Dad through Westbow Press) and a new biography about the missionary journey of Marc and Nancy Erickson on the way. Currently, I am working on my debut novel. To receive my weekly posts directly, please subscribe below. You can also say hello on Instagram or Facebook.
It’s wonderful to connect!
Debi
Website: Norman Design / Photos: Jeff Zmania / Design: Lisa Wenzler