Born in the high desert country of New Mexico, Florence loved exploring the wildrness on foot and horseback. Those grandiose landscapes formed her sensibility. Hidden pockets of unexpected greenery tucked away near springs in folds of barren mountainsides spoke to her of gentleness and beauty in an otherwise harsh world. She published her first poem in a children's magazine shortly after she learned to read at age four; wrote hr first 'novel' at age six, entitled Ywain, King of All Cats. She illustrated the 'book' herself. She has traveled extensively, first as an army brat, then with her husband, the brilliant scholar Kurt Weinberg, working and researching in Mexico, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland and Spain. After earning her Ph.D., she taught for 22 years at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, and for 10 more at Trinity University in San Antonio. Shepublished four scholarly books, many articles and book reviews. She retired in 1999 to write fiction and so far has produced eight novels, three in print, one an e-book shortly to be issued as a paperback. Her favorite animals are horses -- an intense love affair over many years -- and cats, her constant companions. She enjoys music, traveling, horseback riding, hiking, biking, gardening, and swimming.

Accomplishments: Teacher of the Year Award (St.John Fisher College)
National Endowment for the Humanitis Senior Fellowship (1980-81)
NEH Summer Research Grants and other awards and fellosships
Four residencies at The Hambidge Center for Writers and Artists (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)

Sonora Wind, ill Wind
Father Ignaz, SJ, risks his life in Apache country in 1766, seeking the murderer of an army captain, to clear the name of a fellow missionary slated for execution.

Published novels so far: Sonora Wind, Ill Wind (2002); I'll Come To Thee By Moonlight (2002); Longs desirs (2002, available at Amazon.fr. The book is in French); The Storks of Caridad (e-book, available 7/04 at Twilight Times Books)