Biography

I am the sixth of seven children born to Harold and Helen Monson. The oldest three were born in Utah, and we last four were born in Washington. I grew up on a small cherry orchard in Benton City, population just over 1,000. During my childhood, I claimed hundreds of stray cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens, polliwogs, crayfish, several foundling baby birds (most raised to adulthood), a duck, and one short-lived, very unlucky gopher. During COVID my siblings and I stayed connected by sharing emailed stories from our unique childhoods—it was a blast.

I graduated from Kiona-Benton High School (Ki-Be), Ricks College (General Studies, AA), and Brigham Young University (English, BA). I have three adult children, and a very supportive husband. I currently live in Orem, Utah, with a spectacular view of Mount Timpanogos through my kitchen window. I visit Washington often, and I have attended every one of my high school reunions.

I was a stay-at-home mom until I was in my forties when I went to work outside the home. For slightly more than ten years, I met remarkable people and made memories in four different jobs at BYU.

I inherited my love of story and family from my mother, Helen Mar Carter Monson. When she passed away, I also inherited a goldmine of boxes containing her written history. I am thrilled to say that I have been able to make my dream and my mother’s come true in publishing No Ordinary Life and its sequel Help Me to Feel.