 I was born and raised in a tiny town in Iowa, the perfect smart, good girl. (All together now, say: "geek") I went to church, didn't swear or drink, and read everything. Classics, westerns, mysteries, even some romances steamy enough that the librarian would frown and ask, "Does your mother know what you are reading?"
The good girl image got dented in college when I discovered beer and boys. I went from being an honor student to probation all in one year.
But, I eventually figured out how to balance fun and work, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. I worked as a nurse for a while and then looked around for something else to do.
Computers! I went back to school to be a computer programmer. You might not believe this, but programming is a lot easier than being a nurse. I went to work for Hewlett-Packard and discovered the joys of living a Dilbert life.
I met my dearheart while scuba diving in the Caribbean. He was there from New Orleans, I was there from Oregon. Whoever thought a vacation romance would work out? It did, and not quite a year later, we were married--barefoot on a beach in Key Largo.
We have two children now: Richard is seventeen, gorgeous, smart, creative and can talk a person out of their eyeteeth. We figure he'll either be a lawyer or a used-car salesman.
AnnaMaria is also gorgeous, smart, creative and the word "quit" just isn't in her vocabulary. She's torn between being a dress designer, an artist . . . or a marine. Knowing Anna, she'll accomplish all three.
Now that they're teenagers, Tom and I have learned the true meaning of stress.
To add to the fun, we have a neurotic poodle and three cats. The poodle goes through the "I've been abandoned for days, thank God you came back!" ritual every time I come in the door, even if I was only getting the newspaper. One cat was a gift from a neighbor, one came with the house (that's Snowball's story and she's sticking to it). Our latest addition is a kitten who thinks the poodle's tail is the absolutest best toy.
I've been writing for several years now. My first book was targeted as a category romance. One editor wrote back wondering if I might add at least a little conflict between the hero and heroine. I hadn't a clue what she meant.
So, I joined Romance Writers of America and started learning the craft of writing. I wrote a science-fiction romance and a fantasy romance, then started a contemporary and realized my hero just didn't want to be living in today's world (some men are stubborn that way). I put him back in the 1860's and he settled right in. And the book won awards.
The next historical won the Winning Beginnings contest for Best Historical and Most Unique Plot, then went on to tie for first place in the Dorchester New Historical Voice Contest which meant a contract with Dorchester. That was: A STOLEN TIME.
But, alas, now I've been seduced to the dark side . . . to demons and shifters and a world where the unseen is as close as the whisper of wind in your ears.
Which world do you like to play in? Email me and let me know!
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