About Valerie

In December 2012, Valerie launched BooksEndependent, LLC, a micro-publisher of fiction and non-fiction in support of new, independent authors. (www.BooksEndependent.com)

The first title, I Believe… A Ghost Story for the Holidays, is Valerie’s novella. (Available at Amazon.com) Next up is Valerie’s "tween" novel, Katrin's Chronicles: The Canon of Jacqueléne Dyanne to be released in August 2013.

Also in 2012, Valerie completed the screen adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel Tempest Rising by Diane McKinney-Whetstone, which is optioned by talented actress, producer and director, Phylicia Rashad.

In 2010, Valerie edited The Medicine of Prayer a memoir and collected talks of Litefoot, Native American rap artist, motivational speaker and entrepreneur. The book was published in November 2010.

Currently in publication is Valerie’s collection of audition pieces, Something for Everyone (50 Original Monologues), which is available through the publisher Samuel French, Inc.

Valerie was awarded an ABC/ Disney Studios Fellowship, based on the screen adaptation of one of her stage plays. During her fellowship at Disney, Valerie completed her fourth screenplay, which led to an eleven-year career as a network and cable television writer and producer; first with writing on three one-hour drama series for CBS:  Under One Roof, Touched by an Angel, and Promised Land. She was awarded a commendation for The Templeton Prize for Inspiring Movies & Television for her work on Touched by an Angel.

Valerie then moved over to cable and became a Co-Executive Producer/Writer on the drama series, Any Day Now on the Lifetime Network. Her episode, "Family is Family", was awarded a nomination for a GLAAD Media Award.  She then became a Consulting Producer on the final season of Soul Food on Showtime Network.

Independently, Valerie wrote and directed the short film, The Last Wash, and the feature documentary Road to 211, which chronicles Litefoot’s journey to 211 Indian communities.  She is also in development on two documentary shorts Facing the Rising Sun – A biography of Ericka Huggins and TAPestry – A look at an LA teen tap dancing ensemble.