Sheila Quirke is a freelance writer in Chicago who is so new to the gig that she just had to look up and check to see if "freelance" was one word or two. Trained as a clinical social worker, she began writing in an online journal when her daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in 2007. Her blog, 'Mary Tyler Mom' on ChicagoNow, was created in 2011, fifteen months after her daughter's death, so that she could write about something other than grief and cancer. The Huffington Post also regularly features her writing. And because she is not busy enough, she manages the family run non-profit that honors their daughter, Donna's Good Things. Sheila lives in Chicago with her husband and son where her favorite things are weekends in Michigan, driving down Lake Shore Drive in every season, and eavesdropping on the conversations of people whose language she does not understand.
What was your favorite toy as a child?
The Lemon Twist was a toy I loved. It was a yellow plastic lemon that attached to your ankle and was like jumping rope without using your hands. Manufactured by ChemToy, which should have sent the parents running, but didn't.
