Gloria in a clamshell

This is that whole "about you" section that always gets me, I never know what to say. I'm Gloria, the one in that picture you see at the top of this post. Hello! *gives a little grin and a wave.* And welcome, anyways enough chatting lets give this whole "about me" section a go.

I was born and raised in small town southwestern Ontario Canada. My parents were the leftover hippies who didn't want to grow up. My dad an atypical blue collar partying man-child, my mom a free spirited vegetarian artist, my bio-dad a handy man who loved his sports. Needless to say that led to a lot of interesting stories from my childhood - most of which will remain untold. I have two brothers and two sisters, all of whom are very adept at putting me in my place if I need it. Most people find it hard to believe but of my family I have always been the most conservative, my siblings both wilder and more fun than I am.

I rebelled against my hippy parents by being a preppy model student and going to college (so exciting, huh?) I graduated from college (on the honour roll of course) with a diploma in Interior Design, and moved back to my hometown with a much wider view of the world and a live-in boyfriend (the future Mr. Gloria, whom incidentally I met while drunk at the only toga party I ever attended).

Eventually Mr. Gloria and I married, had the prerequisite two children (thing 1 and thing 2) and a dog. My kids, Thing 1 is a boy and Thing 2 is a girl, both are teenagers now and definitely give me joy, pain, excruciating frustration and ultimate love. My dog, Spike also gives me joy and pain in equal intervals. In my mid-twenties I gave up the preppy for the alternative and now I find myself just doing and wearing what makes me happy.

I am, and always have been, an avid reader gobbling up to 4 books a week. I read everything from fantasy to romance and love it all. I have a weakness for chocolate, hair dye, geek culture and reality tv. I have a great group of friends and family that surround me keeping me both busy and grounded. Overall I'm just me, a wee bit odd, but that's the way I am.

I have had a plethora of careers over the twenty some odd years since I graduated from college. From interior designer, to banker, to retail manager, to fantasia sales person, to video store clerk, and most recently to shopkeeper (when I'm not writing I can be found at my store).

But the one constant in my life has always been writing. I just never saw it as something realistic that I could do. But here I am, with my first novel written and waiting for publication.

I guess that's enough about me for now. You've got a little history and a lot of words explaining a tiny slice of what makes me the me I am.