About Kirin
I’ve worked in the fields of printing and publishing since 1980. My life changed in 2000 when I moved to Tucson, Arizona. I was hired by Morgan-Cain, the parent company of the online educational publisher Reading A–Z (now part of the Learning A–Z family of websites). I became the design/production manager of Reading A–Z during its infancy and also got my start at writing books for K–6 students. It was love at first sight.
I’ve since written 100+ nonfiction leveled books for Reading A–Z and Science A–Z, along with 200+ nonfiction books and many hundreds of reading passages (through Grade 8) for other clients, including:
Other information
I worked in the field of archaeozoology for the Illinois State Museum and New Mexico State University.
I found a mistake about dinosaurs in the World Book Encyclopedia when I was seven.
I grew up in a family that was active in social justice issues.
I'm also a Board Certified Coach (life coaching).
I love to travel and have visited all fifty US states. I made a big dent in the Canadian provinces and US national parks before moving to Portugal in 2026. I've also spent a lot of time in Scotland.
In my free time, I love reading, doing process art, being in nature (especially near an ocean), and exploring the connections between emotions and physical health.
My spouse is a gifted nature photographer, 3D artist, and illustrator.
I was also the principal writer for Vocabulary A–Z for five years, during which time I wrote 9,000 database entries (definitions, context sentences, multiple-choice questions, and more). In addition, I’ve done an extensive amount of educational copy editing and proofreading, including student materials for Reading A–Z’s and Science A–Z’s monthly uploads. I’m intimately familiar with The Chicago Manual of Style and am an expert copy editor and proofreader.
Also, I have a writing partner who is an excellent fiction and magazine-style writer. We used to collaborate on Science in the News, a Science A–Z product, and have also frequently worked together on fiction/nonfiction paired passages.
Pearson • Benchmark Education Company • Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
Trillium Publishing • Zaner-Bloser • BlueAppleWorks • Rosen Publishing
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) • Be Naturally Curious
Favorite writing topics
Animals • Other life science
The civil rights movement • Other history
Weather • Landforms • Other earth science
Biographies • Cultures around the world
Music • Art
Education
MA, Integral Counseling Psychology,
California Institute of Integral Studies
MA, Anthropology,
University of Colorado-Boulder
BA, Anthropology,
Oakland University
Certificate, Nonfiction Writing,
University of Washington-Seattle
Certificate, Equity and Diversity,
University of Minnesota
