Q: What is your writing day like?

A: I do my best writing in the morning. Can’t get up too early as my brain takes a while, and good amount of coffee, to get going properly. Sometimes it’s hard for me to start, like an old steam engine trying to pull a heavy locomotive and a long train of coal. But once that train gets rolling, watch out. The words are comin’ down the track. I generally take one day off a week from writing, usually a Friday. This serves to give my imagination some time to rest, and helps keep me from the dreaded writer’s burnout.

Q: Where do your ideas come from?

A: That great ephemeral consciousness from which all good fiction comes. I think. Wait. Really though, my ideas can come from anywhere, people, nature, a scene in a movie, an interaction with someone. Perhaps a stray thought that simply wanders in. Nostalgia is a powerful force for me, and sometimes that inspires an idea.

Q: What is your favorite kind of character to write?

A: The strong, yet flawed heroine, definitely. More than any other character, I like to write heroines that have the strength and backbone to accomplish anything they set their mind too, but are yet still grounded in their humanity. For example take Shanna Shane, the heroine of the Night Wars series. She’s an average, plus-size young woman with spunk and attitude, yet she’s got confidence issues when dealing with men. She overcomes these though, when she realizes she’s beautiful just the way she is. I also enjoy creating characters outside the physical norm, older, not so thin, people who exist everywhere but who might be underrepresented in fiction.

Q: What is your favorite setting?

A: I’m a sci-fi nerd at heart, so science fiction and fantasy are always my favorite places to play. The Night Wars saga takes place in Modern America, but with a twist of the fantastic. I’m also a big fan of historical fiction, and have got a story or two lying around here somewhere concerning the 17th century or pirates or something.

Q: What are some of your favorite books?

A: I lean toward the sci-fi classics here. The Dune series by Frank Herbert, The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. I also enjoy reading authors from other cultures. The Vampire Hunter D series by Hideyuki Kikuchi comes to mind.

Q: How do you find time to write with a full house and a full schedule?

A: It’s not easy! Whenever I can find the time is probably the best answer. Weekend mornings are best for creation, when the rest of the house is quiet. Occasionally I get a good weekday morning where time and inspiration come together in a maelstrom of creative energy.

Q: How did you get started writing erotic romance?

A: It just sort of came to me. As a deeply romantic soul, I love seeing loving relationships work out in the best ways possible. And I love writing, so they just sort of came together.