Cosmopolitan life defines Marie in many ways. Born in Hong Kong, raised in New York City, and a resident of Shanghai for over a decade, the unique characters and neon lights of the “Big City” are where she derives much of her inspiration. When she needs to escape, she retreats into nature where she ogles at trees, sings with birds, and talks back to chatty squirrels. Despite her conversations with creatures, Marie’s primary writing focus is not on animals but on her people and the deep power of their culture. She proudly tells tales of the grit, tenacity, and compassion of the Asian people.

Marie develops her craft through webinars, blogs, and any course she can get her hands on. During the time she taught literacy to kindergarteners, she recognized the correlation between childhood literacy and reading aloud to children. She is dedicated to spreading this message to parents and caregivers.

A long, long time ago, Marie graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.F.A. in Communication Design after which she dabbled in the "real world" as a gas station attendant, a cocktail waitress at Studio 54, secretary to B-list actors, Manhattan real estate agent, and whatnot, until becoming a teacher.