An Interview with Me!

Every month, I interview other authors. I decided to start a short series where I interview myself. Why, you may ask. Why not? I spoke recently to a writer's group in Holly Hill. To get the ball rolling, I typed out some interview questions that they could ask me, hoping to spark other questions. It was a lot of fun. Here are the first three questions & answers....

1. When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was very young with song lyrics and poems, moved on to short stories and eventually to plays. I continued writing plays and short stories through college. It wasn't until after I was married that I attempted my first novel. I got the idea from a game my husband & I developed for my gifted class. That was in 1988. It's still unfinished....

I didn't really have a chance to take up writing again until my youngest son started school in 2002. Since then, I've finished 6 books in the Lone Wolf series, 18 mystery/ romance, 10 romance and about a dozen short stories. I've started 9 romances, 27 mystery/ romances, 1 steam punk, 2 sci-fi and 6 short stories. And yes, I can keep them all straight.

2. What gave you the idea for your first book?

My very first published novel, "Indian Summer", was inspired by a trip to St. Augustine, FL when my eldest son was in 4th grade. Walking around the historic city for the first time, I kept feeling that there were hundreds of stories to tell. This one solidified when I went to the sugar mill ruins in NSB. It was originally going to be set in NSB during the second Seminole wars, but the Native tribe I wanted to incorporate, died out or became part of the Seminoles & Choctaw in 1777. That necessitated a major time shift. I finally chose 1739 because it was a year prior to a major siege of St. Augustine by he British.

3. What do you do to keep yourself focused?

Focus is sometimes hard for me. My husband works nights, so he's up during the day when I'm trying to work. I have a teenage son, so fixing meals and taking care of him also interrupts my train of thought. However, when I'm writing or editing, I keep music playing constantly. It provides a barrier between me and the outside world, dulls the ringing in my ears and helps me concentrate. I also play music to help me pace different scenes.