I have recently discovered this invention called a Fit-Bit. Now there is more than one type on the market but I was drawn in by the catchy theme song…Go you chicken fat…go! Diabolical I tell you. It keeps track of my steps each day. Now it sounds innocent and maybe the true problem lays in my competitive spirit. Which is sort of like an inner Warrior Princess. But I find myself checking my groups for the leadership board…Am I ranking? No? I’m sure this means I need to run around the block. LOL! Okay…so I am silly but I am really enjoying my little fitness challenge. In fact, I’ve discovered that those impromptu block journeys really freshen up my imagination. It’s the beginning of the end of summer…so get out there before the chill shows up. Here is a picture of me out with my parrot Ginger. I ride my bike to the park and she comes along in her Pack-o-bird. It’s the green thing behind my right shoulder. My bike is actually a recumbrant trike. My newest book is THE HIGHLANDER’S BRIDE TROUBLE. Its book four in the Sutherlands and the last one contracted. I hope you enjoy it,…

In 2007, I sold my first novel for children. This month it got published. This is not normal. No, it’s normal for a first book to take seven years to sell, but it’s not normal to have to wait seven years for the book you sold to be released. I’m going to tell you about that wait. Because it was worth it. Rewind to 2006. My short story THE WATER FIGHT PROFESSIONAL came out in an anthology. I met the publisher. She was interested in a novel based on the book. So I wrote one. She bought it. I jumped around the house like a cheerleader. Then nothing happened. The publishing company went under. Which was pretty sad. But by that time, I’d also sold a romance novel. So I figured I’d focus on writing romance. (Cue angels with harps.) Except that didn’t work out for me either. (Angels fly away to play cupid for someone else.) The romance sold well, but the second publishing company went under, as well. So where did that leave me? Back at square one. Where to next? This is where the story started to get exciting. See, I received an unexpected email from a…

I’m often asked how I get ideas for my books. I always want to answer, “Where don’t I get ideas?” I get character ideas by people watching. I travel quite often, and while I really detest the whole traveling experience, I use my time wisely—I watch people. I study them. Yes, even been known to snap a picture of one with my cell phone because of a certain hairstyle, or quirk, or expression. All of this information filters down and finds its way into a character. Some of my favorite character traits used have been gleaned from strangers in an airport. Newspapers, television, and yes, even those true-crime shows all provide fodder for my plots. No, I don’t see something or read about it and then just change minor events for my story. I play a game called what-if. For example, I’ll hear a story about a woman who shot her husband for having an affair. My mind starts the game: What if the woman had hired a private detective to get the “goods” on her husband? What if the private detective had a grudge against the husband for some wrong years ago? What if the man wasn’t having an…