- Husband Matt; kids Reese, 14, Dain, 11, and Harper, 3.
- Libertyville
- Full-time mom and author. She is co-author of Your Perfect Life with best friend, Liz Fenton. She is a former producer of the Dr. Phil show in Los Angeles.
Your novel is about two friends trading places and lives. Who would you like to change places with?
My 3 year old. Because what a life! She has so much fun every single day exploring and learning and playing. (Who wouldn’t want to dress up like a princess every day?) And she is still so innocent and ignorant of judgment and bad things. Not to mention, she always gets 12 hours of sleep per night! I’m probably most jealous of that.
How did becoming a wife and mom change you?
I got married and had kids later in life than the average. I was almost 38 when I had my daughter. … It’s changed me for the better. It’s made me selfless. I have a lot of other people I have to put first. Watching life through their eyes, it’s showing me to not sweat the small stuff. It’s made me a lot more easygoing and just opened my heart quite a bit.
If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
Honestly, I wouldn’t. I’m really happy with where my life is right now. I’m just so fortunate to have accomplished this goal of getting a book published, to be married, to have a great family. I don’t think I would change anything today.
What is the best thing about raising your kids in Chicago?
The community of people. I have met so many just nice, good quality people, other moms, even people that don’t have kids. Having come from the West Coast, I really enjoy the people here.
What is your ideal summer day in the city?
Our family likes to go for walks. So it would be to go for a walk and sit out on a roof deck and read a book.
Your Perfect Life is a quick read ideal for chilling on Chicago’s beaches this summer. The book, available June 10, is about two best friends mysteriously switching lives after their class reunion.
