Q: Did you always want to write?

A: I can remember creative writing assignments in school where the teacher would request two pages and I’d turn in ten. So, in a way, I guess I did. Although, I never seriously considered being an author until about three years ago when I tried to write my first novella.

Q: What inspired you to write?

A: I read my first romance novel when I was 23 and by the time I was 26 characters began to form in my mind. I bought a simple notebook, a few writing guides and began to make character outlines. A year later I had a notebook full of characters and decided it was time to write their stories. From there, it took me three years to get the courage to submit to a publisher. To this day I have only worked through a few of them and new characters appear faster than I can keep up with them.

Q: How have your personal experiences affected your writing?

A: My father passed away when I was just finishing high school and my mother has not played a leading role in my life. Because of this loss I am better able to understand and relate to pain and grief. Additionally, I suffer PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Disease) and living with it has taught me the will to fight and accept change. These two things have shaped much of my emotional landscape and are often reflected in my stories.

Q: What do you think your readers are looking for in your stories?

A: An escape. I strive to tell a story that makes the reader forget about the real world while they sink into a great story.

Q: When you begin a new story what’s the first thing you do?

A: I get out my trusty notebook and begin giving my characters life, there is nothing better than a pen and paper. I have standard questions I answer about each character such as: looks, favorite saying, and one thing he/she believes above all else. Once I have the basics down, I can start adding in the quirks. I can’t begin to write the actual story until I feel like I know the main characters inside and out. Once I know them, I create a notebook in Evernote and transfer my notes so I can access between my laptop and tablet.

Q: Where do your plots come from?

A: I generally don’t know where the story will go when I set out to write it and I do not outline a book before writing it. Once I have the characters figured out I focus on what their one truth is and how they would react if it were broken. Then I write the story to get to that breaking point and see how it unfolds. If I am stuck I might outline a chapter to push the story forward, but mostly it just flows as I write.

Q: What would you recommend to anyone wanting to write?

A: Read a few guides before starting out. You will learn invaluable tips and strategies and will help nurture your own style. But, above all else, sit down and do it. I thought about it for so long and looking back I wish I had just sat down and started.

Q: Timing! How do you fit it all in?

I generally get up at 6:00 am and make my way to the bus stop for work. Around 5:00 pm I am back on the bus home. My thirty minute bus ride is where I get all my reading in each day. Then I feed my dog, cats, and husband. From there I am either doing school work or writing. During the weekends I am at my computer writing. While writing is not my first priority because of school and work, it is the one that fulfills me most, so I take whatever time I can to nurture it. I often carry a notebook in my purse and write bits there so I can type it out later.