BLAKER, Kimberly Kae 1965-

PERSONAL:

Born February 20, 1965, in Adrian, MI; daughter of David (a supplier quality control inspector for an automotive manufacturer) and Ann (a chemist; maiden name, Fox) Chrysler; married Terry John King (divorced); married Donald Blaker, III (a finish carpenter and business owner), July 25, 1991; children: Cassandra Leigh King, Caleb Dustin. Education:

Academy for Tax Preparers, certificate, 1990; attended Monroe County Community College, 1997-99. Politics: Democrat. Religion: "Atheist/humanist." Hobbies and other interests: Reading, biking, roller-blading, nature hiking, camping.

ADDRESSES:

Agent—c/o Author Mail, New Boston Books, P.O. Box 195, New Boston, MI 48164. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Freelance journalist, 1999-2000; Huron River Weekly, New Boston, MI, syndicated writer and columnist, 2000—. Freedom from Religion Foundation, founder and president of Southeast Michigan chapter, 1997—; Freethinkers for Humanity, founder; Democratic National Committee, member.

MEMBER:

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, American Humanist Association, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, American Civil Liberties Union, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

WRITINGS:

(Editor and contributor) The Fundamentals of Extremism: The Christian Right in America, New Boston Books (New Boston, MI), 2003.

Author of "The Wall," a syndicated column. Contributor of nearly a hundred articles to magazines and newspapers, including South Florida Parenting, Connecticut Parent, Rochester Woman, Area Woman, San Diego Family, New Mexico Kids, Metro Parent, Complete Woman, San Francisco Examiner, and Los Angeles Daily Journal.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

Horoscopes: Reality or Trickery, a children's book, for New Boston Books (New Boston, MI); Crimes of the Clergy, completion expected in 2004; A Treasury of People Who Succeeded in Spite of a Hidden Disability, 2004.

SIDELIGHTS:

Kimberly Kae Blaker told CA: "My primary motivation for writing is to inform and persuade society on issues that I feel are of importance and to share my own experiences when applicable, with the hope of touching others' lives. Equally motivating is my desire to express myself and my ambition to find a way around lifelong communication struggles that have resulted from undetected and untreated attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders and from language and other processing disabilities.

"Two of the topics that are most important to me and are reflected in most of my writings are the separation of church and state and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). As both an atheist and a humanist, I firmly believe in both freedom of and freedom from religion, and I am deeply concerned with attempts by religious fundamentalists and the religious right to impose their views on American society through our government and our schools. I am equally disturbed by the controversy that has been stirred and the confusion that has been created in recent years regarding AD/HD and its most studied and effective treatment, stimulant medications such as Ritalin. This has detrimental effects on those with AD/HD and their families who are led astray and therefore fail to appropriately and adequately treat this very debilitating disorder."