Where do you hail from and what do you love most about your hometown?
I’m a child of multiple communities – I was born in Florida, raised in Texas, California, Tennessee, New Jersey and Texas. Texas, though — Texas is home because I spent most of my time here and what do I love most about it? Cowboys.
- As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
It might be easier to say what I didn’t want to be, but in no particular order – a pilot, a doctor, a war correspondent, a journalist, an astronaut, a Marine, and teacher — that’s just a few. As a writer – I can be all of these things.
- Tell us about your latest book.
Jacob’s Trial is the second book in the series that began with Cassandra’s Dilemma. Jacob Book, one of the two men Cassandra is in love with is also a Wizard. In this world, Wizards are the product of liaisons between Fae males and human females. Cassandra’s choice to help the Fae out themselves to the world has changed Jacob’s life. To keep the woman he loves safe, he has to build a true alliance with the Elf Helcyon, and stand against his own kind as they come after Cassie. As much as I enjoyed writing Cassandra’s Dilemma, it was exciting to see this story come to fruition as these three delved deeper into what it their commitment to a triad means.
- Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?
Several more releases are coming out this year including my superhero romance from Carina entitled Yesterday’s Heroes. Rory and Michael were two of my favorite characters to write. Also coming is The Lady is a Thief, the third and final installment in the Fortunate Buddha trilogy, Micah & Mrs. Miller, book three of the Fevered Hearts series and No Regrets, No Surrender which is the full length follow up to Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here (Always a Marine series).
- Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?
Finding more hours in the day, doing a story justice and digging deeper to immerse myself in the emotion.
- What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Don’t give up. Ever. Keep writing. All the time. Take classes and learn. But write like you mean it. Write for yourself. For me, writing is a lot like working out, the more you do, the stronger you become.
- Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I don’t believe in writer’s block. Writing is equal parts inspiration and perspiration. You put your butt in a chair and you write. You do it often enough, you develop those muscles. I still take days off and I can still be distracted, but I know how to make it work for me.
- Who is your favorite author and why?
Patricia Briggs – She packs so much into a story – and I want to be able to make a reader feel the way she does me
- What books have most influenced your life?
Harlequin romance novels because my grandmother read them to me.Science fiction and fantasy for daring me to dream. Comic books for telling me anyone can be a hero and every other tale that involved a ‘the end’ because it said I could do it too.
- How did you deal with rejection letters?
They’re a learning experience. This is a very subjective business. I don’t like every book that’s published and I can’t expect every editor or publisher to like me. I see them as a sign that I’m doing what I want to do – I’m writing books and putting myself out there.
- What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Self-discipline, drive and the ability to daydream.
- Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?
You know I’ve totally creeped myself out so I don’t think I have a line – except that I don’t use violence or eroticism gratuitously. If it doesn’t serve the story or the character development – I don’t go there.
- What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?
I don’t know that I have a weirdest thing – but I take a lot of classes and spend a lot of time with experts to learn more information about everything from IEDs to special forces training to autopsies to forensic psychology.
- Don’t forget to give us links to your website etc.
