About Me

 I was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1954, and spent my adult life working in major event productions and the motion picture business.

After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Ithaca College in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree, I relocated to California in 1978, and in 1979 began my career working at Billy Jack Enterprises. For 35 years I have had experience in every facet of the motion picture business at Billy Jack Productions, starting in post-production, then becoming an editor, screenwriter and finally a producer. I was business partners with Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor until Tom's death in 2013.

I was Tom (Billy Jack) Laughlin’s writing partner for over 33 years, and am co-author of The 9 Indispensable Ingredients in Every Hit Film, TV show, Play and Novel by Tom Laughlin. I also have “Assisted by” credit on Jungian Theory and Therapy, Vol 1 & 2  by Tom Laughlin; and did all of the editing and research for The Psychology of Cancer by Tom Laughlin. I also have a homage published in the “festschrift” for Dr. Marie Louise von Franz, CG Jung’s closest associate, The Fountain of the Love of Wisdom: An Homage to Marie Louise von Franz.  

My first book, Sgt Reckless: America’ s War Horse, is a biography of the famous Korean War horse, Reckless, whose heroics were so incredible she is listed in Life Magazine’s “Celebrate our Heroes,” as one of our all-time great heroes. Published by Regnery History (Salem Communications), the book was a categorical New York Times Bestseller in September and October 2014.  Other awards include (but not limited to) the 2015 Equine Book of the Year from American Horse Publications, and a 2016 Gold Medal winner from Military Writers Society of America. In October 2020, it became a selection on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Professional Reading List for enlisted Marines. Very proud of this honor, to say the least!

My second book,War Animals: The Unsung Heroes of World War II about the incredible heroes that served with our armed and allied forces in World War II was also released by Regnery History in 2018. This book received a Gold Medal in 2019 from Military Writers Society of America.  

Both books books inspired the Animals in War & Peace Medal Ceremony (see below), and the Animals in War & Peace Museum.

Currently I am the President of Angels Without Wings, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation that spearheaded the development and dedication of SIX national memorial monuments to Sgt Reckless by artist Jocelyn Russell. The 1st monument was dedicated at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in July 2013; 2) in October 2016 at Camp Pendleton, CA; 3) on May 12, 2018 at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY; 4) is at a horse park in Barrington Hills, IL that works with veterans with PTSD; 5) was dedicated on November 13, 2019 at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, TX; and 6) on December 9, 2020, one was revealed at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL. Very proud of these monuments, and we are still hoping South Korea is next.

On November 13, 2019, I was humbly awarded the inaugural Sgt Reckless Award that the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame instituted in 2019. This award recognizes animals, individuals, or groups who risk their lives for the betterment of others, and who stand courageously in protection of others.

The following day, on November 14, 2019 on Capitol Hill, Angels Without Wings awarded the very first Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery honoring eight animals that have served our country heroically from World War I to present day.  Read about the ceremony on Wikipedia or go to AnimalsInWarAndPeace.org to learn more. 

Our second Animals in War & Peace Medal Ceremony took place on March 9, 2022 on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC.  Six heroic canines were honored: three with our Medal of Bravery, and three with our brand new Distinguished Service Medal.  Click here to read about these amazing heroes. 

Inspired by Sgt Reckless and the heroes in War Animals, Angels Without Wings, Inc is now in the process of spearheading a new international museum to honor animals that have served in war and peacetime throughout history. The Animals in War & Peace Museum will be a place for people to learn all about these great heroes for generations to come.  While we work on finding the perfect site in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, we are develping smaller traveling exhibits that will be made available as we develop the brick-and-mortar museum concept.

OTHER AWARDS:

• Three Certificates of Appreciation from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (2013, 2016, 2018) 
• 2013: Award from the Department of Defense’s Korean War 60th Anniversary Commemorative Committee for making the 60th celebration of the armistice such a special event for the veterans who served in that war.  
• 2014: Named “Patriotic Citizen of the Year” by The Military Order of the World Wars and The Military Order of the Purple Heart for her charitable work honoring veterans, specifically Sgt Reckless. 
• 2016: The Ambassador for Peace Medal from the South Korean Government 
• 2019: First recipient of The Sgt Reckless Award, a new award presented by the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, TX for her work. 
• 2020: WINNIE Winner for Best Screenlay, EQUUS Film Festival
• 2022 WRITER OF THE YEAR, Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)