I’m often asked where my book ideas come from and, quite honestly, they come from too many sources to list. I’m one of those people who can imagine almost any situation as a novel. And I really do believe that every person walking the planet has a unique and interesting story . . . if you dig deeply enough. Consequently, I doubt I’ll ever run out of material to write about. And since I plan to keep writing until I’m, say, a hundred, I should have sufficient inspiration to keep me going. Speaking of growing old, the story idea of Courting Mr. Emerson was inspired by the simple fact that we are all aging. It’s simply a fact of life. As a ‘baby-boomer,’ I’m constantly confronted with this news via obnoxious email ads for anti-aging products like hearing aids or granny-diapers. I also get unwanted letters from AARP and a multitude of other “gentle” reminders that seem determined to remind me that I’m “of a certain age.” Not to mention some aches and pains I didn’t have twenty years ago. So, okay, I get the hint already. As a result, I sometimes find myself observing other aging “baby-boomers.” I probably…

I’ve always had a fascination with the 1940’s. Whether it’s related to glamorous fashion, big band music, fabulous films, or a generation that rolled up their sleeves to fight an extremely important war, this era never fails to tug at my heart. In fact, my very first books (The Allison O’Brian Chronicles) were set in post World War II forties. At the time my research relied on memories of family members who’d lived through those years. And I must admit it was fun and educational to ‘interview’ my mom and relatives—many who are gone now. Nearly twenty years would pass before I wrote about the 1940’s again. That came in the form of The Mulligan Sisters (an adult series about a large Irish family living in San Francisco during WW 2). This time, my research was much easier. With access to the internet, all this historical information was instantly available at my fingertips. I’m so grateful for those who took the time to tell their stories and record their experiences. Especially considering how so many of those heroes (from the battlefront as well as the home-front) have passed on. I felt like a treasure-hunter as I unearthed all sorts of…

Sometimes I’m asked why so many of my books are set in small towns. Well, the answer is simple—it’s because I live in small towns. My husband and I divide our time between a very small “mountain” town (population less than 3,000) and a slightly larger (but still quite small) “beachy” town. Yeah, I know it’s rough. <g> But the truth is—it is not for everyone. For instance, there’s definitely limited shopping options and restaurant selections. Sometimes that gets old. And if you want to make a fast run to the grocery store (which is overpriced) plan on taking your time because you will run into someone you know. Also, you don’t want to go slumming unless you want someone to start spreading rumors that you’re having “difficulties.” Really, it’s surprising how many people can’t handle the whole small town thing. Oh, sure they think it’s “charming” at first, but it can wear thin for some folks. I know because we’ve been here almost twenty years and we’ve seen people come…and go. However, life in a small town is different in the fictional world. I’m able to create small towns that are similar to my town, but with my fictional…