1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I wear many hats. I work part-time for a non-profit after having retired from statement government in 2010 and relocating to Oklahoma (don’t miss Wisconsin winter driving at all). I’m married to a crush I had way back in high school...it just took 30 years for us to reconnect. We have four children and two grandchildren. I write by the seat of my pants (basically no plot outline) and generally don’t have a set time I sit down and write. My characters have total control of when they have something to tell me. My writing process is puzzling to my husband...but he’s a left brain type of person.
2. Describe your book ‘The Queen (Seasons of Passion: Summer Lovin')’ in 30 words or less.
Cole Masterson needs to solve a family mystery with the help of an old locket photo of Hanna Amery on The Queen Mary Hotel.
3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Remembering the different parts of the ship while I was there for a week in 2005. I fell in love with her then. I wanted to make sure the history and scene locations were correct. Lots of research and watching YouTube videos people had posted of the QM.
4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?
Honestly I couldn’t tell you. I read a lot of romances from the 1980s and 1990s. I love time-travel and paranormal romances, and am starting to test the reading waters with some Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) and Agatha Christie stories.
5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?
BookBuzzr of course is one of my venues. I also post to Facebook, Twitter, and my blog. As an author you have to talk to people about your books. For example, I get a protein shake each day from a local place here. About a week ago Delilah asked me what I was going to do over the weekend and I told her I had edits. She asked me what for and the conversation lead to her wanting to know where to get my books. Now I’ve got promo material there as well. Sometimes you have to think outside your storyland creative box and step back into the real world to talk to people.
6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing?
My husband and I have three horses now. We don’t spend nearly enough time with them but love it when we do. Of course there’s friends and family, and discovering new places to see in Oklahoma.
7. What are you working on next?
I’ve got a couple of things in the works. Nashville Rising Star will be my first self-pub book and should be available shortly. NSR will be followed up with Nashville by Morning, with a couple of recurring characters from NSR. Blood Ties will be coming out very soon and then Road Trucker in December for the holiday season, both from MuseItUp Publishing.
