I received my first smack on the backside on January 10, 1971. Being the curious child that I was, many more followed over the course of my childhood. I was raised in Denver, Colorado with 2 sisters and 2 brothers who managed to make life a continuous adventure.

My love for science began early in life. My primary objects of study were the local nightcrawlers and grasshoppers. Although my mother did not particularly care for cleaning off insect remains from the kitchen counter, she fostered my interests by buying a microscope when I entered the 6th grade. All creatures beware!

At age sixteen, I was hired by Rose Medical Center as a file clerk. I quickly latched onto one of the doctors who allowed me to observe many office procedures. It was then that I knew I was to have a career in the field of Medicine.

In 1989, I graduated from George Washington High School and continued my education at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "Go Jags!" After passing organic chemistry (barely), I acquired my Bachelors of Science degree in Pre Med. Biology. From 1994 - 1995, I performed research at the University of Colorado in the Department of Dermatology, after which I was off to New York to become a Physician Assistant at Cornell University Medical School.

I wrote children's stories throughout my college career and upon graduating from Cornell in 1997, I desperately wanted to experience the literary world. In 1998 I landed an internship at Ms. Magazine. It was after I accompanied one of the editors to a book signing that I knew I had to have one of my own. That same year I accepted a full time position at New York Hospital in Queens in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and a per diem position at Flushing Hospital in the emergency room. During this time my writing skills matured and I incorporated medicine into my short stories, thus the birth of Smarties Series.

Brian Harrold (Illustrator)

Smarties fans, meet new Smarties illustrator, Brian Harrold. Brian has been illustrating for twenty years and has illustrated several books as well as book covers. He currently resides in upstate New York with his wife and their two children.

I was born on a little island called Puerto Rico in a pueblo (town) called Arecibo. I moved to New York City in the late 60's. We settled in a lovely section of Brooklyn called Sunset Park.

Having survived elementary school and intermediate school, I was accepted into Manhattan's Prestigious High School of Art and Design. After high school I attended Center for the Media Art (C.M.A.). Upon graduation I landed a graphics job at a company in Brooklyn. While working there I applied for and was accepted into the New York City Police Department. In July 1987, I became a full fledge police officer, and was assigned to the 88th Precinct in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill area.

One of my favorite assignments was getting the foot post that covered Pratt Institute, I loved walking into the campus and watching and talking with the art students. Some of the students could not believe that this man in a police uniform was an artist.

In 1993 I was assigned to the Composite Artist unit of the N.Y.P.D and I still hold that assignment to this day. I enjoy the career I've chosen. Combining my art skills and police work has been a dream come true.