In February 1987, I was thriving. I was performing in local Seattle clubs to promote my new album and researching a historical fiction novel based on the life of Joan of Arc. I was in love. But then I got a headache that wouldn’t go away. Throbbing pain made me nauseous. Over the course of a week, my vision morphed from tones of sepia brown to black nothingness, and I became blind in one eye. There were blood tests, spinal taps, and visits with doctors tapping my joints with rubber mallets. How many fingers do you see? And then the final, fateful test with an ophthalmologist who didn’t mince words. See those white spots? I squinted with my good eye at the black and white Seurat image of my brain. You definitely have Multiple Sclerosis. I took a sobbing breath, already knowing my world would never be the same. The headache morphed and moved throughout my body, a wolf chewing my arm, a knife stabbing my back. But, eventually, I discovered a hidden secret. Extreme pain left me with the most significant, most liberating gift the universe could ever give –the realization that I had nothing left to lose. I…

1–What is the title of your latest release? UNTIL LEAVES FALL IN PARIS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When the Nazis march into Paris, an American woman uses her bookstore to aid the resistance, while a businessman chooses to sell his products to Germany—and send vital information home to the US. Can they work together for the higher good, or will it cost them everything they love? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Paris is so romantic, World War II novels set in Paris are very popular, and I’d never set a World II novel in Paris, so it was time! I wanted a fresh spin, so when I learned of the thousands of Americans who remained in Paris after the Germans invaded—even though the US was neutral and they were free to go home—I wondered why they stayed. The hero and the heroine in UNTIL LEAVES FALL IN PARIS represent some of the reasons Americans remained in the blacked-out City of Lights. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! Lucie Girard is delightful—creative, enthusiastic, and warm. She’s interested in everything artistic and literary, but in the…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LADY OF GALWAY MANOR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When a descendant of the creator of the famed Irish Claddagh ring is tasked with apprenticing the daughter of the new British landlord, worlds collide. He doesn’t believe in love, she’s weary of the hate. They both long to escape, but can they do so with their hearts—and lives—intact? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew I wanted a book to surround the legend of the Claddagh ring, which made the decision for me! The ring was created by a resident of the area of Galway City called The Claddagh, so I knew it had to take place in that area. I also lived in County Galway for 4 years,  so it has gotten under my skin, and I just had to tell the world about it. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Oh, I totally would! She loves dresses and tea and a good dessert, but also isn’t afraid of a good pair of trousers or to speak her mind. I’d say we’d pair well together because…