In all the author interviews I have conducted, I have found that most began as story tellers as children. I, too, have always been a story-teller. As a child, I got into a lot of trouble for "making things up." Now, I’m rewarded for making things up!
I’ve been writing fiction since middle school and have the rejection slips to prove it. I even handwrote a script on yellow lined paper for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. It was rejected, but little did I know at the time I was writing fan fiction. All I knew was I had a massive crush on Ilya Kurykin, played by David McCallum, and I wrote myself (well, my older, more sophisticated alter ego) into that script as his love interest. Yes, even then I was writing romantic suspense—I just didn’t know it was called that!
My first novel, Some Other Child, took a long time to be born. I began to write it in 2010, and revised it many times before putting the manuscript in a drawer. Years later, when I was working on short stories and novellas with a wonderful editor with the Wild Rose Press, she asked me if I had any full-length novels I wanted to submit. I did, and the rest is history. Some Other Child takes place in Baltimore and involves a stolen baby, a missing aunt, decades of family secrets, and love lost and found. This 2012 Winner of the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Best Mystery/Thriller is available at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance and where ever find e-books are sold.
After graduating with a BA in Psychology and no job, I realized my dreams of working in the attic writing great novels would have to take a back seat to the simple pleasures of eating, drinking, and having a roof over my head. After working in health care delivery for years, I became a researcher, association executive, a Registered Nurse and an academic with a PhD in Public Health.
Many people believe higher education is full of dull, white-haired professors. While that is not entirely incorrect, I found academia to be full of interesting characters. When I wrote Desire and Deception, I created a fictional university and placed these combined characters into that setting. Sarah Wright Rosen, the goody-two-shoes heroine from Some Other Child obtains a position as an assistant professor. One of the first people she meets there is Isabel Ramirez, a Latina who comes from the family of one of the most powerful cartel bosses in North America. They become unlikely best friends. When their boss dies, Sarah is convinced it’s a murder. She follows a trail of clues that lead to the office of the university provost and her best friend’s front door. This 2011 Romantic Times Nominee for Best Erotic Fiction can be found at Red Sage, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance and elsewhere.
I had it all-- a terrific, supportive husband, an amazing son, a wonderful job and numerous non-fiction titles. Despite having numerous non-fiction titles, that itch to write stories (some call it an obsession), keepsme coming back to fiction. I cannot imagine not writing novels and I cannot believe my good luck in finding friendship, support, and opportunities to develop as a novelist with the Romance Writers of America(RWA). Since romance has over a dozen sub-genres, I have been able to turn my fascination with horror and mystery into paranormal romance and romantic suspense.
With Obsession, I took full advantage of two years of research into cults, cartels, angels, and near-death experiences to create a thriller that takes place in Mexico. At the end of a long work day, Angie Edmonds finds herself in a parent's worst nightmare: her one-year old son, Jake, has been kidnapped and taken across the Mexican border by a cult leader who believes the child is the "Chosen One." Angie is forced to go to the head of a Mexican crime syndicate for help. Much to her chagrin, she must work with Alejandro Torres, a dangerously attractive criminal and the drug lord's right-hand man. Little does she know Alejandro is an undercover federal agent, equally terrified of blowing his cover—and falling in love with her. This 2014 EPIC eBook Award Finalist for romantic suspense can be found at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and elsewhere.
The Haunting of Hotel Labelle. This short novel gives readers insights into Homeland Security Anomaly Defense Director Bert Blackfeather’s Native American heritage. An in-between book in the Jinni Hunter Series, this is a lighter paranormal tale than the others. Take one Montana innkeeper from an era when men were men and women were glad of it, one sassy hotel inspector with a pug on patrol, and stir in a generous dollop of humor and sexual tension—and you have The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle. Come along to Big Sky Country and enjoy the ride with Tallulah, Lucius, Bert, and his sister, Emma as they join forces to rescue the people and the hotel they love.
I’m working on a new series now. If you examine the graphics on my website, you’ll see some clues to the shape shifters you will meet, along with the special agents who love them. I don’t want to say too much…that would be letting the jinni out of the bottle!
When not writing I can be found reading, fishing, walking my dogs, or cooking and enjoying a good meal and laughter with friends and family. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, to see what I’ve been up to and to read about what’s simmering on the backburner in my brain for my next stories.
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Thanks for stopping in and I look forward to connecting with you on the web and in person.
Many people believe higher education is full of dull, white-haired professors. While that is not entirely incorrect, I found academia to be full of interesting characters. When I wrote Desire and Deception, I created a fictional university and placed these combined characters into that setting. Sarah Wright Rosen, the goody-two-shoes heroine from Some Other Child obtains a position as an assistant professor. One of the first people she meets there is Isabel Ramirez, a Latina who comes from the family of one of the most powerful cartel bosses in North America. They become unlikely best friends. When their boss dies, Sarah is convinced it’s a murder. She follows a trail of clues that lead to the office of the university provost and her best friend’s front door. This 2011 Romantic Times Nominee for Best Erotic Fiction can be found at 