Maureen Boyd Biro

Taking on new challenges, and new roles, has been the hallmark of Maureen's career. She's worked as a freelance writer and editor, columnist, essayist, children's book author, and as editor, freelance copy writer and associate publisher for independent San Francisco Bay Area presses. Her articles, essays and fiction have been published in national and regional magazines, including: Glamour, Family, Ladies Home Journal, GRIT and Whispers From Heaven. She's the author of two picture books, Walking with Maga, 2002, and Blueberries Make Good Cannonballs, a picture book/cookbook, forthcoming in 2011.

Adventure captured Maureen's heart early. Her favorite childhood books transported her to magical places and sparked her lifelong love of travel. As a middle child in a family of nine, Maureen grew up surrounded by characters. Place, character, and a yearning to comprehend the sorrows and wonder of life, are the heart of her writing.

A native Californian, Maureen earned her B.A. degree in English from St. Mary's College of California, and also attended Loyola University in Rome, Italy, where she studied Roman art and architecture and learned to speak passable Italian. Her first job post college was in bookselling. In recent years, Maureen has wed her writing background with her interest and expertise in dreams, and teaches an innovative workshop series called "DreamCrafting," for venues including the California Writers Club, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a dream group facilitator.

Maureen's philosophy, in work and life, is to seize the opportunities that come your way, no matter how challenging they seem. Writer. Speaker. Dreamer. Astronaut? Well, not yet, but give Maureen time - she just might take on the stars, too.