I grew up in a house where we laughed a lot. We often poked fun at one another, called each other out for stupid things we did, and never let anyone live down one bad mistake. As a result, I find myself drawn to novels and movies that have a large amount of humor and wit in them. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate deep, heartfelt storylines, but I’ve learned that I have to be in the mood for a good cry. And the older I get, the less I enjoy putting myself through the emotional roller coaster. Wow. That made me sound like an old maid. I guess what I mean is that it takes me DAYS to recover from a novel or movie where I’ve balled my eyes out all night. Instead, if I’ve laughed through most of it, no recovery is needed and I move onto the next enjoyment. That’s important. I feel like life is serious enough. We deal with so many stressors every day that we need an escape from it all. These are my top 5 laugh-out-loud movies that no matter what kind of mood I’m in, they are my go-to in order…

After falling in love with historical romances during my years as an elementary school teacher, I eventually decided to try my hand at writing one. Since the publication of my first western historical romance, SUNFLOWER, I’ve been blessed with a long and fruitful career as a published author. I’ve written thirty novels, numerous novellas and short stories that include both Historical and Contemporary Romance fiction in both paperback and hardcover, Inspirational Western Romances, and most recently, a series of cozy/amateur sleuth mysteries set in Hawaii. The reason I turned to writing who-done-its set in Hawaii is no mystery. Many of my books always contained an element of suspense and because we owned a summer home in Hawaii, I was always trying to get away with island settings. GLASS BEACH, is a Victorian Western set on Kauai. The heroine of DAY DREAMER, ends up on an island in the Caribbean. One of my more humorous historicals, THE ORCHID HUNTER, is set in England and on a fictional island off the coast of Africa. Thanks to E-book publishing, all of my backlist historical romances are available to a new generation of readers. In 2005 we became permanent residents of Kauai, the northernmost…

One of my favorite things to do as I’m writing is to create a Pinterest Board and a Spotify playlist that match the theme of my book. I start adding songs to my playlist as soon as I begin a story and continue, adding as I write. The same is true of my Pinterest board. By the time my manuscript is complete I have the journey well documented. Even more thrilling is when one of my readers shares graphic artwork that they’ve created after reading one of my books. As an author, I love the glimpse into my readers’ concept of my characters, and considering whether it pairs well with my own vision. Like other art forms, reading is in the eye of the beholder. Many of us who like to read also love to discuss books. These discussions yield similar opinions and often open my eyes to something I hadn’t considered. For the same reason, when someone shows me my work through their eyes, it’s a huge RUSH! :-). The quote picture images on this board were created by one of my gracious readers! Thanks @wishfulmiss! You can see more RUSH images on my Pinterest Board and hear the…

I’ve always been a daydreamer. When I was a kid, it usually translated into some epic imaginary play with my brother and cousins. Nowadays, it ends up providing great creativity to my day-job as a pediatric speech language pathologist and in my night-job as a writer. Daydreaming is a powerful tool of creativity, whether as a carpenter, teacher, game designer, architect…any profession really. In story creating, it’s a foundational element to bridge the gap between the ‘real’ world and the fictional dimension. In daily life, it’s that little bit of glitter on the ordinary. Though many daydreams may take us to new and exciting places, imaginary or real, some of our daydreams can carry more of a homemade scent. I think that’s why I have such fun writing both novels that happen in this time period in my native Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as in historical or fantasy time periods. Homemade daydreams in fiction are those that happen in the known world. Blue Ridge Mountains for me. With this type of daydreaming comes a stronger sense of smell, a tangible touch to the world around me, a physical knowing of the way the weather hits my skin and the…

Music can be the sound track to our emotions. A great song can not only change your mood but also change your day. When a song speaks to you and knows your heart, you bond with it. I thought it would be fun to pick my characters brains and pick the top 5 songs for Hök Magnusson and Lady Sovia, the hero and heroine of my new Viking romance, THE NORTHMAN’S BRIDE. To give you a touch of context, my young Viking warrior Hök Magnusson gets his heart clawed out by his first love, Lady Sovia. Seven years later and his wound has yet to heal. Don’t judge my book by the cover models. I promise Hök is not always that grumpy looking. Hök’s Playlist would be: Bite Hard by Franz Ferinand. After Sovia tossed Hök’s love aside, he’s gutted and understandable ill tempered. This song is about breaking hearts and breaking minds. Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons. Scorned and feeling he has dishonored his family, Hök volunteering joins the neighboring counties civil war to secure his families boarders. Tick Tick Boom by The Hives. Years later, on his second encounter with Sovia, Hök is a ticking time bomb…

Music can be the sound track to our emotions. A great song can not only change your mood but also change your day. When a song speaks to you and knows your heart, you bond with it. I thought it would be fun to pick my characters brains and pick the top 5 songs for Hök Magnusson and Lady Sovia, the hero and heroine of my new Viking romance, THE NORTHMAN’S BRIDE. To give you a touch of context, my young Viking warrior Hök Magnusson gets his heart clawed out by his first love, Lady Sovia. Seven years later and his wound has yet to heal. Don’t judge my book by the cover models. I promise Hök is not always that grumpy looking. Hök’s Playlist would be: Bite Hard by Franz Ferinand. After Sovia tossed Hök’s love aside, he’s gutted and understandable ill tempered. This song is about breaking hearts and breaking minds. Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons. Scorned and feeling he has dishonored his family, Hök volunteering joins the neighboring counties civil war to secure his families boarders. Tick Tick Boom by The Hives. Years later, on his second encounter with Sovia, Hök is a ticking time bomb…

Hey Writers, are You afraid of Social Media? I’ve been in your shoes. In fact, I wore out several pairs called, “I can’t do social media.” They pinched my toes and hurt my feet. So I tossed them in the trash and bought a new pair titled, “I’m not afraid of social media.” Those shoes were made for success, and I wear them every day. My real issue was fear. I thought I couldn’t learn the different platforms. Questions hovered, like where does my brand and genre fit? How many platforms must I use? I’m foremost a novelist, not a guru in mastering the social media universe. It made sense to me that doing nothing meant no risk of failure. Wisdom marched in with clarification: Doing nothing meant I’d always regret not trying, and I was limiting my exposure to readers. That’s when I made up my mind to educate myself in the art of social media. I made slow but steady progress and climbed a mountain. So much satisfaction at the top. Now I can look down and see where I’ve failed, pick myself up, and climb a taller peak. Good news! My readership has increased, which means higher…

I love romances. Not only writing them, but reading them as well. When I was invited into the Heartbreaker and Heroes anthology, I was not only excited to write with some of my favorite authors, but I also had the chance to read the stories before anyone else!!! A few things I learned about our heroes: They all had rough childhoods, whether from abuse, neglect, or caught in a bad situation. Most of them don’t want to fall in love, but their hearts override their fears. Falling in love with men who have had a difficult past isn’t easy, but the heroines are tough enough to handle what ever comes along. Whether billionaire, biker, cop, or cowboy, heroes are all around us. Sometimes heartbreakers should be left in the dust. Other times, they are completely redeemable. I must admit I threw in some thriller elements to my story. I can’t help it. The story of a cop who tries and fails to rescue a woman from an abusive father had to go somewhat dark. But between writers like Jennie Marts and Jodi Linton, there are lots of humorous stories in the mix as well. About HEARTBREAKERS AND HEROES A brotherhood…

What is it about opposites that attract? You could say that the heroine and hero in THE BAD BOY’S BABY are an opposites attract kind of couple. Admittedly, there are sometimes that I wonder how my husband can think so opposite of how I do. Last summer we remodeled, and our taste were so opposing that I often wondered how we ever managed to buy a house together in the first place. So there was some compromising on both ends, and we both loved the finished product. So I thought I’d explore what it is about opposites that attract. A new way of looking at things – I always like learning the way certain things affect another person and comparing it to how they affect me. Like music. I love asking what songs speak to someone and why, because I think it provides a great insight to other people. The challenge of stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things that the other person likes. In THE BAD BOY’S BABY, Emma loves carnival rides and Cam would never set foot in what he thinks of imperfect machines made by imperfect people. Not to mention he doesn’t like confined…

First off, thank you for doing this interview for us. I know you don’t have time for frivolous activities these days, what with your IVF cycle and your husband’s chemo. Simeen: It’s okay. I actually could use a break from all that. And from checking off items on Nirvaan’s tedious Titanic Wish List. What’s the Titanic Wish List? Simeen: Nirvaan’s bucket list. You know he doesn’t have long, so he wants to do all the things that matter to him before…he succumbs. I’m very sorry about Nirvaan’s cancer… Simeen: Thank you. But it’s okay. We’re okay. We’re dealing. So ask away. Right. Um, so…let’s start with, What’s the secret to having a good marriage? Simeen (grinning): A kinky spouse. Interesting answer. It certainly broke the ice. Next question, What’s the most fun party you ever attended? Simeen: The beach party where Nirvaan, Zayaan and I met for the first time. It was our fifteenth birthday—you know the three of us share our birthdays, right? So, we met at Dandi Beach, one hot summer night long ago. Wow. That’s some coincidence—the three of you sharing a birthday. Simeen: That’s not all we share. No pun intended. We also lived on the…