Amber Starfire

If I had a dollar for each time someone said to me, "You should write about your life," I would be much wealthier than I am. Though I have journaled and kept diaries since I could write, I am just beginning to look back and write about my life. The death of my mother a year ago May made me reflect more deeply about who I am and how I fit into the "bigger" scheme of things. I quit my full-time job at the end of May (2007) to take a year off—a sabbatical—to write, practice photography, and to grow. And I haven't looked back.

Since June of 2007, I have bicycled in Colorado, spent three weeks camping in western national parks, traveled to Spain, started an online magazine for writers who are also artists (http://www.thewriterseye.com), successfully completed NaNoWriMo, joined and participate in two critique groups, taken thousands of photographs and joined a local photography club.

I am a 5th generation native Californian and currently live in Napa with my wonderful boyfriend/partner, Rich. I have been married twice and have four children—2 boys and a girl from the first marriage, and a son from the second (my oldest son is 32 and my youngest is 13). I am also blessed with four grandchildren (3 girls and a boy), ages 4-8.

In case you're wondering, my name—Amber Lea Starfire—is a chosen name that I began using in 2002; I think it fits me very well :-) Besides writing and reading, I love road cycling and am planning several long-distance tours in the next couple of years. Careers/Jobs I've had range from ballroom dance instructor to massage therapist to management and special projects consultant. I like to keep growing, keep moving, keep learning. And I find that writing and reading are the best ways to do that!