TELL US MORE ABOUT YOU

I was at a community author talk not too long ago for aspiring authors, when a young lady in the middle of the room raised her hand, "Would you tell us more about your background? What were the influences or experiences in your life that led to your writing?" I smiled at the request, looked down at my feet for a brief moment, and nodded my head in silence. "So many," I answered, "so very many!"

I was born in a small rural community in the Pacific Northwest. Our small one-bedroom home was situated just a stone's throw from the banks of the Snake River. Being an only child, I slept in the basement next to the warm coal furnace. During our freezing winters, this was an ideal place to have bed. 

It was at this time, my mother took me to the library for the very first time. I stared at the rows of books in disbelief and excitement. My very first picture book book was one about dinosaurs. This love of books would later include Mark Twain's characters of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. I would often find myself laying in the grasses along the banks of the river and skinny-dipping with my buddies every so often.

It was also a time of great wonder for me about the world outside of our tiny town - the hidden knowledge at a finger's touch. The thirst for knowledge had begun! 

When I was almost 12, disaster struck our community. The main source of employment for workers closed it's doors for good. This resulted in most people losing their jobs and homes. My family was one of those victims.

By the end of the summer, we had sold our house and pretty much everything we owned - moving to a larger city. The months ahead would be a collage of bullying, no friends, little food, inadequate clothing, and poverty such as I had never experienced. 

I never could understand the meanness in others. One night I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, "What did I ever do to make someone want to hurt me so badly!" I would repeat that statement for years to come and write 'BOBBY'S STORY'.

These event would continue for three more years and become the foundation of my teaching, writing, and an international expertise in bully prevention and communication. With advanced degrees from Boise State University and the University of Oregon, I would later teach graduate level courses for the University of Oregon, guide the state legislature the development of the Anti-Bully Law (Founder of Stop-Bullies.Com).

Always remembering, "If you don't do something to stop something wrong from happening - who will?"