What first interested you in writing?
Money, I thought this was an easy way to make a living. It didn’t take me long to figure out that waiting tables netted a higher income, but by then I was hooked and I haven’t been able to give up my addiction.
How many novels do you currently have published? What genre are they? Where are they published?
I feel very lucky that I’ve had three books accepted for publication. In January, The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract for my paranormal romance, A Sterling Affair. The electronic edition was released on December 5th and the print edition will be released June 5, 2009. Then Hearts on Fire accepted two other books. Death Likes Me is a mystery. And The One and Only is a children’s book, which previously won The Loft Children’s Literature Award.
Do you write full time or do you have another job as well?
I write full time, but not fiction. I’ve been a freelance writer since 2000 when I quit my job as a publicist. I’ve written for consumer, trade and custom magazines and I run my own Web site… small shameless plug here, The Budget Smart Girl’s Guide to the Universe.
Where do you see yourself writingwise in five years?
I’d like to say on the bestseller’s list, but I hope to be still writing, still getting published and have a loyal following of readers who love my work so much that they can’t wait for my next novel to be published.
What goals or dreams do you have for your writing career?
I’ve always had an interest in screenwriting and I’d really like to see Death Likes Me turned into a series for a network like Lifetime or USA. I’d love to see the character of Niki Webber turned into a TV character.
What is your favorite genre to read?
My first love is mystery. When I was a little girl I’d spend most of my time reading Agatha Christie. But I also like romantic suspense and paranormal novels, especially a good ghost story.
Do you have any favorite authors?
Too many to include here, but if I had to name some it would be Sue Grafton and Peter Robinson.
How hard was it to become published?
Very, and if anyone wants an incentive for not giving up, it’s my story. I did take a break for about five years, but it still seems like a lifetime ago, that I started writing. But then, wow, in just the last 11 months I’ve sold three books, had a short story published in Woman’s World, I was long listed in a major writing contest in England. And I was recently given the opportunity to write a sample for a new crime series. And my Web site just got picked up for syndication.
Do you have any suggestions for writers who wished to published?
If writing is your dream, don’t give up. Start writing another manuscript when you send one out so you don’t think about the one that’s out there. Read, read, read, and polish your craft. I still have a lot to learn about writing and I’m continually trying to improve my writing skills.