Trakhtenberg Izolda

About

Born in Moldova, in the former Soviet Union, I grew up deeply steeped in the rich heritage of Eastern Europe. After my family immigrated to the USA, I graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English. I pursued my passion for travel and education and worked for the educational media division of the National Geographic Society. Then I worked as an environmental educator for NASA. My work at NASA involved traveling around the world to support environmental education workshops. I met many incredible people working to teach children about Earth. I launched my first book, "The Elements of Life: Transform Your Life with Earth, Air, Fire, and Water," in 2008. My first book in the Fairy Godmother Chronicles series, "The Fiddler's Talisman," was released in 2011. "The Piano Key," the second book in the series, was published in 2016. "Die by the Sword," the first book in the Cassie Belmont Tarot Reader mystery series, came out in 2022. In 2011, I wrote, directed, and created the NASA film "Breathable: NASA Monitors Air Quality Change." The film traces air quality research and innovations from the 1940s to the present. I released the first book in the Cassie Belmont Tarot Reader mystery series, "Die by the Sword," in 2022. I am currently writing "The Poisoned Cup" and hope to finish it by the 2025 holiday season. The Functional Tarot deck that accompanies the Tarot Reader Mystery series is available, and to make reading the cards easier, I have written and released the book Functional Tarot. I teach classes and facilitate workshops on writing, public speaking (for authors and others), and singing. I also host and produce the long-running, successful podcast, Your Creative Mind. I practice and teach yoga, Tai Chi, and hold a 1st degree black belt in aikido. In my spare time, I still sometimes take photos like these.