I've free-lanced for a N.J. suburban weekly, published in magazines, and served as editor/writer of a South Florida community publication prior to relocating to the Gulf Coast of Florida. I studied journalism and creative writing.  I have also worked in sales, both direct and retail, had, at one time, a license to weigh coal trucks; been a service representative for N.J. Bell long before it became Bell Atlantic; sold Memorial Estates for four leading cemeteries in Broward County; did home demos of Faye Swafford Originals (no, it's not like Fredericks of Hollywood); was a server at Dan's SteakHouse when they still called us waitresses (got quite an education there ); been a housewife, mother, den-mother, church soloist, actress, executive secretary and legal assistant.  (I neglected to mention my five-month stint as housekeeper to a bachelor millionaire. Yep. Home in Lighthouse Point, 60' yacht tied up at his dock.  He owned a Las Vegas-type night club in Ft. Lauderdale called Pete & Lenny's. (Oh what stories I could tell you.) My life has been described as "colorful."