A Bit More About Me

The early years - Iran

As was the common custom back in the 1960's, I married my sweetheart Vietnam veteran just after graduating from high school. Since there wasn't an abundance of work in the US for helicopter mechanics at that time, my then husband, Kenny Johnson, took a job with Bell Helicopter International. Suddenly, I found myself living in Isfahan, Iran. This was way back when the Shah was still ruling Iran. It was certainly a fascinating experience.

We did the obligatory (and interesting) sightseeing. The only American television shows available were Bonanza and Star Trek (the original series), and even then, they were in Farci (the Iranian language). I learned some of the language, but only remember snippets of it now. We had an American Club, which was, basically, a place we could go and drink (if we so desired), but they had a pool and a snooker table, and I was taught how to play pool by an American who'd spent far too many hours playing for money in various ports as a sailor in the Navy.

We lived "on the economy," which meant that we had to fend for ourselves as far as housing, food, etc. went. The picture of me here on the left was taken in front of a typical Iranian market. For those of you who have visited me in the French Quarter of New Orleans, you might notice JUST how much this looks like our French Market!! I must admit that one of the things which drew me to the French Quarter was the old world feel that it has.

The other hobby I pursued while living in Iran was motorcycles. We had quite an active club which met every weekend to camp in the desert and race. We had hill climbs, motocross, flat track, and the infamous river race, where it didn't matter HOW you got to the finish line -- as long as you got there first! (Laying in wait for your buddies along the river bank was quite popular. When you saw them, you slid your bike up to them, covering them in mud and, hopefully, covering their bike with enough of it that it would stall out and buy you some precious time!)

At the time, I was a little bitter when we returned from Iran. I had spent some of my best years there (age 17 - 21) and had missed some VERY American happenings here in the states -- like Star Wars (!) and Watergate (well, some things you didn't mind missing). But it was an experience that few have had, and as the years have passed I have come to appreciate the experiences I had there. As an author, it gave me a wealth of memories to draw from for my writing.

The Fire Department Years (1978 - 1982)

You would think that living in Iran would have been enough strangeness in my life, would you not? Nah. When we returned to the states, I spent a couple of years as a housewife and then found myself going into training to become a firefighter/EMT (emergency medical technician). Why and how is a story unto itself, which there isn't space for here. (If you get to meet me at a convention, ask me about it!) I worked for the City of Denton, Texas for 5 years as a firefighter/EMT. (Yeah, that's me there in the red helmet.) By the time I quit, I had obtained the rank of "relief driver," which meant that I worked as an engineer (driving and working the engine) when the regular driver was sick or on vacation. I also worked ambulance on the side, working motorcycle races, rodeos, and volunteer ambulance for several of the small towns I lived in. I kept my EMT license active for 8 years after I quit the department, but finally let it go. It was a strange period in my life, but again, gave me a wealth of experiences with which to feed the writing. As was quoted so aptly in a movie, "It's your basic crazy person's job - everyone runs out, you run in!"

A Leap to the Present

There is a lot that I'm skipping, but the years in Iran and the years as a firefighter were what shaped my writing the most. After leaving the fire department, I worked as a fire department secretary, a deli clerk, a deli cook, a typesetter in an advertising department, an executive secretary, a medical secretary, legal secretary (for 9 years!) and finally, to a "day job" of "public finance" paralegal. A public finance paralegal works with financial deals, such as municipal bonds, so while I can't help get you out of jail, I can talk about Trust Indentures and Official Statements. . . (Little do THEY know that their "mild mannered" paralegal used to run into burning buildings for a living!) If you're interested, my law firm is McGlinchey Stafford. I am currently working for Pat Beauchamp and Sherman Boughton. Before working for them, I worked in the business/real estate section of the lawfirm.

And just where is it that I live these days? Well, I found myself drawn to the French Quarter of New Orleans. It's the type of place that you either love or hate -- I don't know anyone who's a fence-sitter on that particular issue! My friend and writing business mentor, Robert Asprin, moved here a number of years ago and when I came down to visit I fell in love with the city. It's noisy, it's raucous, it's strange -- but it's home.

The N.O. Quarter Sword Club

A hobby which I am thrilled to report is now more active is the N.O. Quarter Sword Club. The club originally worked with rapiers, and now we are working more with traditional fencing. The rapiers are a LOT of fun. (These are the swords you see them using in the Musketeer movies.) For a long time there were problems keeping the club going, due to problems such as hot summers, weird schedules, etc. But it has CERTAINLY been invaluable for my writing!

Pool - The French Quarter 9 Ball League

Another hobby has been pool (remember, I learned how to play way back in Iran). It all started when Bob got tired of listening to me complain about the condition of the "house cues" and so he bought me a relatively inexpensive cue stick for my birthday. Since he was getting me one, he got himself one. It is, after all, a nice, relaxing, inexpensive sport here in the Quarter. Something which can be done when it's too hot for the swords. Wellll, we were approached by the locals who shot league pool and asked if we could put together an 8 ball team. We did, the Agents of Chaos, and started playing on Wednesday evenings. The team won the Division it's first time out. Then we placed 2nd the next time, and then 3rd, and then 1st again. . . . Then the 9 ball league got started, and we added 9 ball on Monday's. Then the Quarter shooters decided that they wanted to run a league in the French Quarter just for the French Quarter (not part of the city-wide leagues). To quote one of Bob's Myth books, "Do you know what an organization like ours needs. . . ?" Somehow I ended up with the job of creating and running the "French Quarter 9 Ball League". . . . I finally laid the French Quarter 9 Ball League to rest because it came down to "run a league" or "write." Yep. Writing won out....

And there are and have been other hobbies. I was a member of a very irreverent Mardi Gras krewe, The Krewe du Vieux, a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and when I have "extra" time I play Ultima Online to relax. (For you UO players out there, I play on the Nappa Valley shard and am a proud member of the Marrach Faol Guild!)

Post-Katrina:

Ah yes, Katrina. Another validation of my sometimes 'tag line' - "Some have to seek adventure, others have no choice. . . ." There are books and movies and endless commentary on that deadly storm and its aftermath - I'll not add to it here. I weathered the storm from Lafayette, Louisiana, where I evacuated and stayed with SCA friends. But I had friends who chose to remain in the French Quarter, and getting them out was an adventure and stress unto itself. The law firm I worked for laid off 70 of us after the storm, so for me, Katrina was followed by worry about friends, and then 3 months of unemployment. (I had to wait for the businesses to start to return to the City!) I moved from the French Quarter to a safer location within commuting distance of the City, where I still work downtown. Bob talked me into playing league pool again, so I still come into the Quarter twice a week - Wednesdays to shoot pool and Saturdays, just to keep up with the news of all my friends.

My gratitude certainly goes out to all the brave people who weathered the storm and worked to save others afterwards. For myself, I will always be grateful to the SCA members who helped me - not only the friends who took me in just before the storm, but the ones who helped me get moved from my 3rd floor condominium when the movers I tied onto decided they were going to just leave half of my belongings behind - it was dark days during that time and there were a large number of irreputable people in town "helping." For those who are a little more curious about my SCA activities, the Shire I belong to is the Shire of Northover. And I certainly could let any of that swordfighting practice go to waste... So here is a photo of me at Gulf Wars in 2005 - the one in the red sash (chirurgeon's [first aid] sash).

Exciting stuff, huh? Hey, what can I say? It can't ALL be like running into burning buildings!

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Last updated April, 2008
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