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Where do you get the ideas for your books?
From life. From people all around me on a daily basis. For contemporaries,
you don't have to live the life of the rich and famous. A CHRISTMAS DREAM was born from an incident at a local McDonald's!
I got a lot of the ideas for IN ST. PATRICK'S CUSTODY from many of the people I deal with on a daily basis on our Help line.
Historicals are a little different, but again, I love to take real people and real situations abnd build the story around
them. A war, a witch, whatever. Life is exciting; I just utilize it.
How long have you been writing?
I began
writing for magazines 20 years ago. I also began writing books then. I've been published in magazine for 20 years. My first
book, DUNNOTTAR, (which incidentally was the first book I wrote!) was finally published last year, after 20 years of rejections!
Are the characters in your contemporary books real people?
Yes and no. They are probably a composite of a
lot of different people rolled up into one, but that is not intentional. A woman in church asked me, after IN ST. PATRICK'S
CUSTODY came out, "Am I really Grace?" She seemed genuinely relieved when I said "No."
Which
of your books is your favorite?
That is like asking a mother, "Which of your children do you like the best?"
I guess I would have to say that DUNNOTTAR is my pride and joy. It is probably the most serious book I have written. But my
favorite characters are without a doubt Patrick and Grace from IN ST. PATRICK'S CUSTODY. They are the best friends I have!
Well, except for... Oh, yes, I have so many friends--some actual close friends and many from the internet and still a whole
flock of new ones I have accumulated from the books.
Your books seem to be selling well. Are you now among the
rich and famous?
I am quite a bit more famous, and not much richer. Writers have to write because they love to write;
if they are in it for the money, they might as well quit before they start.
You write in different genres. Why?
That's an easy one. Because I like to read different genres. I write what I like to read. I am currently working on an
anthology for FirstPublish; it will contain one historical romance, one contemporary romance, one mystery and one time travel.
You will get a little taste of the four genres I love to write.
HELP! I'm trying to get into "the system!"
This is the lament of a lot of authors. The way to get books into
bookstores is to go through Ingram, the distributor. Recently I spoke to my good friend, Dwan, there and she said the reason
it takes so long is "We're up to our eyeballs in books!" Have patience, my friend. She'll spot yours as soon as
she can see over them!
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