Writing has been a passion and an important outlet in my life. Born in Belgium, I lived in South Africa for fifteen years before moving to Toronto, Canada, where I now live. As they say, "life is a journey," and I try to use all of my varied experiences and exposure to diverse cultures to enrich my writing.Another passion in my life is a deep love of animals. Cats are especially close to my heart, and I use my writing to bring awareness to their issues. Most importantly, I try to focus on the critical need to educate more people about the importance of neutering their pets, and encouraging support of local animal rescue organizations.Earlier this year I released a book entitled, "Kitten Diaries." Both stories in "Kitten Diaries" are based on real cats and, although their humorous adventures are fanciful, both are based on a real life event. First there is "Chanel's Story" about the time when I adopted my wonderful cat, Chanel, at an animal shelter. This story is followed by "Queeny's Diary" and is about a kitten sent to spend time with family friends while her owners go on vacation. Fur flies when Queeny finds herself at the mercy of a household full of older cats.I also have opinions and points of view that I like to share here on Helium. Networking with other writers, sharing ideas and stories has been an especially enriching experience.