My name is Laura. I call myself Woodswalker because I would rather be walking in the woods than going to a spa, staying at an expensive hotel or even vacationing in Cancun.
I used to work as an LPN. That was rough on my back, so I received an Associates Degree in Computer Graphics in 1997. I put some of my graphics and illustration on this web site. Unfortunately the Graphics field, like many "creative" fields, is full of exploitative, greedy and clueless bosses who think that since you are privileged to work in The Arts, you shouldn't mind working 100 hours overtime (to fix their mistakes). If not, you are not a 'team player', and can easily replaced by a college freshman who puts up with the abuse because it looks great on her resume.
I now work in the boring and un-creative field of Medical Coding. There are no bright eyed young artists competing for my job.
As for my spare time, when I'm not hiking, some of my other interests include:
Fiction: I like science fiction, fantasy & historical fiction. Fave authors include Marion Zimmer Bradley, Isaac Asimov, Ursula Leguin, Sherri Tepper, Morgan Llewellyn, Jack McDevitt, Robert Sawyer. One of my short stories was published in Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, and I have several novels that have made the rounds. My most recent were an ecological fantasy Tangletown Fever and the historical novel The Prophet Queen. Excerpts are posted on the Fiction section of this web site.
Khazaria: 2001-3 I was fascinated to learn that Jews may have an unusual branch in their family tree. When I learned about the Khazars, a Turkic steppe people of the Caucasus who converted to Judaism in the 8th century, I realized that this would make an awesome novel about some possible ancestors of mine. So I wrote "The Prophet Queen", a historical epic about a Khazar woman who becomes a warrior, princess, and shaman/prophet.
Earth Spirituality: I see Nature as the physical expression of God/dess. Mother Earth, or Gaia, is a sentient planetary being of which all living things are a part. God/Mother Nature speaks to me through the sounds of trees in the wind, the grace of the deer, the intricate beauty of a humble weed field. I have been very active in environmental causes over the years. My companion site Earth Awareness contains some of my favorite Nature writings and quotes. Oh, and also I try to conserve, recycle, not drive, not eat meat (although I'm not a strict vegetarian) and turn my thermostat down. I was there for the very first Earth Day. For 25 years people laughed at my convictions & called me a dirty Hippie. But guess what: people are finally realizing that "Earth" is not just for Hippies anymore!
Insects: 2004: Insects are an essential part of Nature, a fascinating life form that is despised by most people. I have always loved the singing insects (crickets, etc) but in the year 2004, the 17 year Cicadas completely captivated me. I spent all my time listening to their beautiful song, collecting them, drawing them, and generally being a freak. After they disappeared I branched out to the annual cicadas and crickets. I bought a minidisc and recorded their songs onto a CD, Insect Summer of Love, to bring back the summer sounds during the cold of winter.
Music: I used to be a banjo player with the "award-winning" women's bluegrass band "Sugar in the Gourd". More recently I played bass with the Grateful Dead cover band Wharf Rats. Currently I listen to Middle Eastern, Balkan, Klezmer and other ethnic music. I also love 60's rock: Jefferson Airplane, Byrds, Iron Butterfly, Steve Miller. Also I love most classic & hard rock up till the 90s. Also ambient, electronica, 'space music', (Eloy, Hidria Spacefolk, Ozric Tentacles) and Progressive Rock (Dream Theater). I recently began playing electric guitar & bass after a long absence. Then I realized how much more creative I could be with a keyboard (61 keys vs. 6 strings, it's a no-brainer). So I am now teaching myself the keyboard and synthesizer, and if I ever have a free weekend I practice recording with Cubase.
Outdoors: Did I mention I love to hike, walk, bike and camp. Also, I look for opportunities to canoe and kayak. I just wish it were possible to get a kayak on top of a Nissan Sentra all by myself.
