I’ve been writing for a long time now and have been published with Harlequin/Mills & Boon since 2012. I write contemporary romance – and even with deadlines and late nights and the occasional staring at a blank page – I truly love every word I get to write. What I adore about the romance genre is the diversity in the storytelling. The cultural diversity, historical diversity, books with elements of faith, the suspense, medical romance, the paranormal, fantasy…there is so much to choose from as a reader, and so many ways to be a storyteller as an author. I write for Harlequin Special Edition – a home and heart series that has a strong focus on the central couple, but also on the sense of community within the pages. There can be minor characters – like the meddling mother, the cute kids who want their parent to find a happy-ever-after, the nosey neighbor who wickedly stirs up trouble, and even a four-legged character who adds another dimension to the story. But at the core, is a love story about two people who simply have to be together. Whenever I start with an idea for a new story, I usually start…

Jeff Resnick never asked for the gift he was given. Gift? More like a curse. And that curse was? Becoming a little bit psychic. But don’t way the “P” word infront of him. Maybe he’s in denial. After all, experiencing weird stuff just wasn’t a part of his life … until the mugging. That’s when things changed. Broke and broken, he’s forced to accept help from his estranged, older half-brother, thus losing his home and the new job he was about to begin. Forced to go back to a city he had no love for and a house that was never a home. Visions of a slaughtered deer hung to bleed out take on a terrible new meaning when a local banker is found in just that condition. How could Jeff have known? Why did he feel compelled to find out more about the man, about the murder? As an insurance investigator, with crime scenes his specialty, Jeff knows what it takes to look into these matters. Too bad his brother, physician Richard Alpert, isn’t an enthusiastic collaborator. He’s convinced that these so-called visions are the manifestation of an injured brain, and he’s only willing to go so far to…

I hate the adage “write what you know.” Hate it. But I don’t hate it because it’s wrong. As an author, there are plenty of things about your life woven into your fiction, and most of the time this is done unconsciously. The car your character drives has a striking resemblance to your own. A few choice turns of phrases that you’ve been known to use pepper your manuscript. Your protagonist’s drink of choice is, coincidentally, a margarita on the rocks, two parts tequila, one part lime, touch of orange liquor and a drizzle of agave nectar. No salt, not ever. No, I hate that phrase “write what you know” because too many readers take it as an unalterable truism. By readers, of course, I mean family members. They mean well, God bless ’em, but boy do they want to know where all that darkness comes from. It has to come from somewhere, because, you know, you write what you know, and if the villain in your book fancies choking out hookers and making totem poles out of their torsos, well, we may need to revisit that time you went to summer camp when you were sixteen. My mom always…

My new book, THE PURSUIT OF MRS. PENNYWORTH takes place in the fall of 1888 in London, England. If that date seems notable, it is because that was when Jack the Ripper was wreaking havoc in White Chapel, one of the worst sections of London at the time. With a degree in Education and History, doing research, while absolutely necessary, can be a time suck for me. Once I find a subject I need to learn a few facts about, hours later I am oftentimes still reading and googling for more information. (The research black hole) Thus became the overload of data I uncovered about Jack the Ripper. While the actions of Jack the Ripper don’t have a direct effect in my story about a widow who is being stalked, it does impact the plot. Mrs. Charlotte Pennyworth is receiving disturbing packages on her front steps. When she goes to the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) they deny her help because Jack the Ripper is keeping them busy. The police officer she speaks with indicates she probably has an admirer, she is in no danger, and should enjoy the attention. Charlotte then turns to Mr. Elliot Baker, a private investigator to…

In my new book, THE HIGHLANDER’S GIFT, I had to do a lot of research about archery. The various bows, the parts of an arrow, and whether or not someone can use a longbow if they are without the use of one of their arms. In my story, the heroine, Lady Bella Sutherland, meets the hero, Sir Niall Oliphant, for the first time when they are children, at a skills tournament. She beats him at archery, but not by much! They are both extremely skilled. In fact, as an adult, Bella often practices with a blindfold on, or shooting apples and such off of her maid’s head (who is perfectly confident in this activity!) When Niall and Bella meet up again as adults, where our romance story begins, Niall has recently lost an arm in battle. He no longer uses his bow because of the injury, thinking it impossible. Bella is determined to help him regain that skill, which she knows was a vast source of pleasure to him, and hopes it will build up his confidence, too. How about a few facts I learned while doing research for this story? A bow and arrow can absolutely be used by…

Not every book I write contains supernatural elements, but I believe there’s a suggestion of darkness in all of them, one that harkens back to my childhood. I don’t mean to say there was a lot of darkness in my upbringing. In fact, looking back, those years seem wonderfully sunny and bright. But, oh, I did – and still do – love a good scare. That feeling of being terrified and right on the edge of unsafe began with a visit to my aunt’s boarded-up farmhouse in Saskatchewan. My aunt and uncle lived there when they were first married. Knowing my aunt, it would have been a clean and lovely home. However, by the time my sister and I saw it, everything inside the place was old and rolled and silent as the grave. We didn’t learn why until after we’d scared ourselves silly with thoughts and imaginings of dead bodies trapped inside those rolled-up carpets and ghosts lurking at the rusty handpump that once upon a time would have filled my aunt’s kitchen sink. My newly married aunt discovered a mouse in her house. Huh. How strange is that? Finding a mouse in a farmhouse that was surrounded by…

Not all bad boys are created equal. The Bad Bachelors app is currently helping with women of New York sort the good from the bad, and the bad from the terrible. It’s a fine line. Personally, I love a little bad sprinkled in with the good. So, I’m here to talk about my three favorite categories of bad boys. The Suit One of my personal favorites. A guy who’s smart, in control, looks incredible and has big dreams and goals. What can I say, ambition is a turn on! The key thing to look out for is how he treats those who work closely with him—if he’s cruel and manipulative, then he’s veered into alphahole territory and you should steer clear. But if he shows kindness (especially if he thinks no one is watching) then you have yourself a winner. Take Reed McMahon, for example. Sure, everyone thinks he’s a womanizer and a player, but he cares about his executive assistant so much he agrees to do some pro bono work for her grandson’s favorite library. And he hates libraries! He’s an alpha Suit with a heart of gold. The Wild Boy These are the guys you mother probably warned…

Throughout the Shifter Wars series, there is one character that is in the background, coming forward when needed, and providing support to the shifters. Shoshannah is the shifters’ ancestral spirit. She lives in the Cave of Whispers and usually visits any shifters that come to talk to her. Shoshannah takes the form of a white light that evolves into whatever shifter form is needed at the time. She’s been a giant white bear, a mountain lion, a wolf, a bird, and even a tiger. She gives advice to shifters seeking guidance, but similar to the Oracle at Delphi, what she says isn’t always clear to the recipients. What exactly does it mean to hear that a character will change the world? One thing we do find out is that Shoshannah doesn’t know everything—and doesn’t know how the future will play out. She’s involved in the shifters lives from before they are born until they die. The ceremony at the lake to grieve and honor the dead in the war is led by Shoshannah and though she isn’t a god, the shifters revere her. She’s become an integral part of the mythos of Deep Creek, and when she’s threatened by outside…

Spring is in the air, (hopefully) and so is our desire to get into shape. But instead of thinking seasonally when it comes to your health – think long term. I’m going to give you three bits of advice so that you can be independent for the rest of your life: Move every day. Eat well. Sleep well. At the ripe old age of 82 I have done it all. I lost 50 pounds twenty years ago and kept it off. Tom and I walk every day. Rain, snow, or shine.   Tom and I walk every day with our neighbor Ed, a former WWII Navy Vet. Ed is turning 93 in a few days. Yup, you read that right. 93. Ed walks every single day, except when it’s slippery. He is truly an inspiration. Our friend Ed, 93 and going strong!   Youth is a forgiving time, but when you treat it poorly, the consequences catch up to you eventually. That’s why it’s important to get out there and walk the walk. I say that metaphorically. If you have a treadmill at home, do that every day. If you enjoy swimming, make it happen. The point is to stay active, just…

My two favorite elements of historical romances are the settings and the heroes. The settings, because there is nothing like escaping into a different time and place. I love immersing myself in Regency and Restoration England, and of course, the Scottish Highlands. Now the heroes *happy sigh*. They just make the romance, don’t they? When it comes to John, the hero in my new book, HOW TO ENSNARE A HIGHLANDER, I combined two of my favorite types of heroes. Highlanders and Highwaymen. There’s just something about those highwaymen…well, the Robin Hood types at least. Gallant, hearts of gold, but with a healthy hint of danger that gives those handsome rogues their alluring edge. Add that sexy Scottish brogue and a kilt flapping in the wind, and I’m sold. Here are my Top 5 qualities for a lovable Highland rogue. A heart of gold – if we’re talking highwaymen, then I’m definitely more for the Robin Hood type. Sure, he might rob your carriage, but he’s doing it to help the poor and is more likely to charm your socks off than steal them. Or, while he steals them, perhaps. 😉 A dangerous side – I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker…