My first published story (1986), not listed here, was about a doctor in Tokyo who was using lasers to correct birthmarks. The first story I really loved researching and writing described Japan's beetle trade. Both of those articles--and all the work listed here--were my own ideas. For that I feel fortunate.

My work has centered on individuals because I love the connections that ignite during the interview. My dad had questions for everyone, and told me early on that everyone has something to teach me. He took me with him always--when he went down to the gas station to talk with the mechanics, or over to the sale barns to look into a breed of sheep or goat he'd heard about and thought my mom might like to raise. And of course he took me to his office in every university where he taught graphic design, the craft of communicating (visually) what you've found out to an audience that needs to know it. Starting my adulthood and career in Tokyo simply made it easier to come up with the questions, because everything was strange. I also now have the rare, if unsaleable, skill of transcribing in English an interview conducted in Japanese.