The fact-filled books about TJ and his crazy friend Seymour were never meant to be a series, but since TJ and the Cats first appeared in 2002 Hazel has continually found the characters stepping forward calling out “Grab your pen! Start your computer! We've got new information and new adventures!”
Born and raised on farms in southern Alberta, Hazel has been writing since she was a kid. Pressing through the usual years of early manuscript rejection, she gradually learned to write well by focusing on things that truly interested her – animals, magic, important choices, humour, family and amazing facts. She is always on the look-out for a good story idea and keeps a notebook close at hand whether she is walking the trails at home or traveling to schools and libraries across Canada. She also finds it helps to read widely, from amazing information about cats to theories of the universe to stories of pioneer times to tales of nature....one never knows what bits of information might help a good story grow into something even better.
Hazel lives in the mountain town of Canmore, Alberta. Her three wonderful children are fully grown and headed off in directions all their own — but they still show up in her stories...and the family home...from time to time.