who is nancy pants?

NANCY IS

A WRITER

Her father bought her a vintage Underwood typewriter from an antique shop when she was in grade school. After cutting paper to “book size,” she created stories one letter at a time, using all her finger strength. When her “books” were completed, she’d staple the pages together along the sides and share them with her family and friends.

A GARDENER

Connecting with Mother Earth gives Nancy inspiration and hope. Feeling the sun on her face and the dirt on her hands takes her out of thinking and helps her breath in creativity.

A WIFE

She married the guy her family calls “Captain Random” 41 years ago. He is funny and quirky and loves his family. In his life he has been a marathon runner and a triathlon competitor; he still rides his bike 80 miles a week, fast-walks 30 miles a week, and swims 4 miles a week.

A MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER

Nancy has three sons who are as different as the stories we write. They have given her grandchildren with whom to laugh and play and love. They inspire her to create the words that fill her brain, her heart, and her pages.

An educator

Nancy began her college experience in her mid thirties, finishing her degree and teaching credential when she was 42. Her teaching career was not as long as some but was intensely appreciated  because she waited so long for it. Nancy is grateful for the lessons so many students taught her during that nearly 20 years.

an advocate

In her work as Director of Teen Programming for the San Diego Writers Festival, Nancy organized teen panels, workshops, and opportunities to perform prose and poetry. Here is an interview with Nancy about her role the Festival. Here is an essay she wrote for the Festival Essay Series called Messages of Hope and Bits of Distraction.

a leader

Nancy continues to hone her craft by taking classes at San Diego Writers, Ink, working with a weekly writing group, and being highly involved in the San Diego Memoir Writers Association. Here is an interview from when she was chosen as Member of the Month.

a mentor

Nancy loves to help teens write honest, compelling prose and poetry. For the Festival, she mentored students and teachers at Hoover High School and received over 100 submissions to the San Diego KidsWrite! contest, several of which won top honors.