About Me

I was born in a rural area of western New York, in what’s called the Finger Lakes region.  What’s interesting about growing up in a rural area is the different kids you get to hang out with, from the richest to the poorest, we all lived near each other and went to the same school.

There was a time growing up when I wanted to be a writer and had a poem published in a New York State teacher’s magazine.  I read all the time, including every horse story I could find, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Robert Heinlein’s science fiction books for teens, dog stories, mysteries, adventures, and like everyone I had favorite stories I read over and over, wearing out the bindings on a few.

My father took me hiking when I was growing up and he taught me to find my way around the woods as well as how to find my way home.  He helped me to become comfortable in nature, to have a good sense of direction, and now I seldom get lost when I travel.

My father led an interesting life with lots of hobbies and adventures and he traveled to some special places. I found myself inspired by his approach.  So, here are some interesting things I’ve done with my life.

I’ve raised four children (two boys and two girls), which was definitely interesting.  I lived most of my adult life in Rochester, New York, and several years ago returned to country living.  Currently I live with two of my children on a windy hillside with a great view, along with my dog Sierra and two cats.

My favorite travel includes seeing an iceberg in Newfoundland, staying on the slopes of an active volcano in Costa Rica (watching lava shoot out of the cone at night with giant fire flies swarming around the jungle nearby), swimming with dolphins and stingrays in the Caribbean, and camping at high altitudes in the Rocky Mountains.

Making kaleidoscopes from stained glass is a hobby I took up years ago and I still occasionally solder together something interesting.

I’ve always liked to learn so stayed in college a long time, earning a Ph.D. in Human Development ten years ago. At that time I said I’d never take another class, but four years ago the urge to write became so strong that I took a class on creative writing, then another last year. I guess the you should never say “never.”

In my work as a college professor I’ve studied what motivates people to learn, how people learn on their own, and how wisdom develops. Three years ago I attended my first conference on sustainability and sustainable living. If you’re not familiar with the word sustainability or what sustainable living means, it has to do with how we can make the world a better place now and in the future for everyone and everything that lives on our planet. Sustainable living has to do with making better decisions on what we consume and how we lead our lives. I’m hoping to use optimism and inspiration to educate others about making the world a better place. This is why I’ve included environmental sustainability themes in my creative writing.

If you’re curious about anything you’ve seen on this site, please feel free to write to me and let me know. If you have questions, no problem. Opinions are also good. If you write, I will answer. Really.

Please contact me at lorraine.lander@gmail.com, I’d love to hear from you.