I was born in Corpus Christi, Texas but I have traveled the United States and Canada extensively.. Although those travels took me to almost every state(my dad was a pipeliner and we traveled all over) I was still glad when we came home. In many states they didn't have Mrs. Bairds Bread, nor Dr. Pepper. In Canada at that time they didn't have Coke or Pepsi, they had Chocolate soldiers and Orange Crush. I met all kind of people and learned early on that not everyone was alike. People spoke different in different parts of the country, their sports were centered around the kind of weather they had. Their TV was different. Grocery stores up north were much different than down here in Texas. Although we had our share of seafood, the stores at that time didn't carry a lot of what the New England states did. Live Lobsters and fresh shellfish all the time. I was amazed, but still very happy to see Texas once more. In different parts of the country there were different ethnic groups, like up north, more Irish, Italian, less Mexican, and even less African Americans. We had drive in hamburger places, and shows, I didn't see that up north as much. On the west there were mountains. I loved Arizona and read a few epitaphs in that area, very colorful stuff. So I met a large variety of people, and had to learn as a child to get along with strangers. They all thought I lived on a ranch and knew Roy Rogers, and naturally I didn't dispute the fact, didn't want to disappoint them. So I learned to tell tall tales way back. LOL

At thirteen I wrote a short story and sent it to Red Book. They thanked me but I got my first rejection letter then. In high school I wrote a book, a Swiss Family Robinson kind of book, with more gore and detail of dirty ships and disguising my heroine as a boy. Let everyone read it and never got the book back, darn. I wrote off and on but always stuffed it in drawers. Then in the 80's I joined RWA and went to their local meetings. Wrote books again and sent them away, only to be rejected time after time, as I look back I can understand why, they were pretty bad.And then one day an ebook pioneer came to talk and opened my eyes and ears to ebooks. Since I was learning all about computing the hard way, it seemed only natural I should strike out in this avenue of publishing. I got a contract, and the publisher went under. I sent off more stuff and got it published by another e-publisher. When self publishing became a hot topic, I investigated as ebooks were not paying off well. I decided to learn how to self publish my books. I did and I am still doing that until this day. The learning process is a lifetime of work and I'm always interested in whatever is happening in this business. I learned everything the hard way, but I am now a very happy author who supports herself, and writes full time now.

My latest releases are the McKay series. Raining in my Heart, which is a free book begins with Julie McKay and her going home to her dad's funeral. How could she face the fact that her father never saw her daughter?
And her daughter's father never saw her either. Julie had to make some adjustments, and possibly losing her daughter to Cade Weston, Kellie's father.

Ring of Fire is the next book in the series and it is out at Amazon and Smashwords. It is Letty McKay's story. Letty comes home per the instructions in her father's will. She'd been going to law school, but it held no interest so she really didn't mind moving home. She never expected to meet someone like Hank Silver. He was a man's man, a horse wrangler and determined not to get involved with her. There was an unwritten law her daddy laid down long ago, the cowboys were to keep their hands off the McKay girls, and Hank respected that. He'd never be able to afford a woman like Letty, even if she did light all his fires.

The Third book is Twelfth of Never. Sandy McKay's story. She dated Mike Tobin with a warning from her sister that he was a more worldly man than she was used to, not to get involved. So when Mike's brother came home from the service, a hero, and everyone seemed to be celebrating him, she joined in. Before she knew it, she was engaged to a man who expected her to put him through medical school with her inheritance. But deep down, it was Mike she missed, and something told her not to let him go. That is until he ran over her dog. When she blamed him without listening to him, he left. But had she made a mistake?
Because it was Mike she was in love with.

The last book in the series is Stand By Me. Wendy has adored Wade Weston all her life. He was the foreman of the ranch. She'd do anything for him. So when he came in the kitchen that day and announced he was getting married to a total stranger no one could have been more shocked. Thank goodness Sam Jamison had been there. Sam was on probation and Cade wanted to give him a chance at work. But Sam was surprised when Wendy grabbed him and announced he was her new boyfriend. It had all been a saving face tactic at first, but Sam grew on Wendy.. Wade on the other hand nearly exploded. The Wade Weston she knew was gone, and his replacement was straight from hell.

This is an easy question, money. I think if we are all honest, we'd agree. Years of learning the business only to find out that your manuscript has a one shot in the publisher's office, and ebooks had no money to back the business, and self publishing looked better and better. Especially after Smashwords.com came along. They made it possible to publish your own book and make a profit that was twice to three times what the Print Publishing industry offered. From what I learned if you weren't a A published author, the company didn't invest as much in you, so you had to really sell to really sell. Otherwise it was like a three year wait to get a contract, if then, and a book shelf life of 6 weeks. If your book didn't make the grade, then after those six weeks you were almost forgotten. To me, and at my age, I felt I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to start selling. For a young person it was worthwhile, for an older person, it was to me a waste of time and effort.

With Indie publishing you have your choice of finding the cover you want and making it yours. You have the ability to have someone edit your work, format your work, and present it in a manner that is just as acceptable as any author on the market. Of course it takes more work, more learning, but it is fun too and rewarding and I think you learn so much more being an Indie Author than having a publisher with contracts you can't get out of. What it boils down to is you are really involved with all aspects of publishing your book. I love it. I thank God for it. I'll be writing until I can't.

No one is paying me to say this, but Smashwords provided all I needed to be a successful author. That's very important. They actually gave me the royalty that a lot of publishers take off a book themselves. They are so fair, and so easy to work with. They know that authors have problems and they are so understanding. They stay up with the marketplace, they research it. I love Smashwords. Now even publishers use Smashwords.

My first big distribution showed me that they know how to get the book out there and seen. They work just as hard to help us as we do ourselves. I feel I have learned, I have finally succeeded in this business and that it has been a slow process, but a great one. I enjoy all the work I do. I enjoy seeing others succeed. All of us here at Smashwords see the differences in the publishing industry. Smashwords and Amazon are the only two places I know of that an author gets what they deserve for their books. It only makes sense to be a part of it. I'm 66 years old and I am looking forward to my future. Doesn't that say it all?

Funny, but I used to think I was nuts. You keep hearing these voices, they are so real to you and you feel the need to write the story. A writer, a true writer to me is someone who despite themselves has to write, or go nuts.
The joy is seeing the finished product. The joy is putting the money in the bank for all your hard work, and anyone who thinks this business isn't work, hasn't really become a writer. Not to say it is not enjoyable. It is. Because your intimate knowledge of the people in your head finally come to life. And others can see them too.
Writing is a need. A real basic need. People always ask, "How did you know you were a writer?"

The answer to that is simple. You can't stop. You have to bring the voices to life. The answer to why you are a writer, is also simple....you have to be, you have no choice. A real writer will continue writing no matter how many rejections they get. No matter how many bad reviews they get, if they continue to write, it is because they are "a writer'.It is inbred somehow. God given. Getting paid is not what makes you a real writer, but continuing through good times and bad to write, makes you a writer. And the joy comes from within. The big payoff is when someone says, they loved it, and tell you why. It feeds the soul, it connects to people. Never give up if you love writing. Even when everyone else tells you, you aren't any good at it. Keep going, keep it up, don't give up. If this is what is in your soul, then you must. A painter paints whether the painting itself sells or not. He keeps on painting, that makes him a painter. When you give up, you are simply saying, you are not a writer.And it's easy to get discouraged. I'll probably be like one of my favorite mystery writers, and keep on doing this, until I can't any more. It is in you, you can't stop.The best thing I can say to a struggling writer is that no one, but no one, no matter how cruel, or insulting, can stop you from being a writer.

Fans are people who really like your work. But what they mean to a writer is so profound. When we write, we do so to connect with others. Like the parables in the Bible, the ones that connect to those verses are priceless to you. A fan lifts you away from all the bad, and tells you that you reached someone. Despite it all, they are more valuable than money itself. Because it is that connection we seek with people that holds the key.
Just touching one reader, can bring us out of depressions and rejections. Just one fan. Can you see the value there, can you measure it, no. Not that a writer is a glory seeker, but a connection seeker.

I have ten manuscripts in the wings I am working on. A historical series about whores wanting to become ladies so they answer a mail-order-bride ad in the paper. Another sequel to Better Off Without Her, the final chapter of the Travers brothers, Sammie Jo's story. Mail Order Nanny, the end of the Amory's. Just one manuscript after another. Have lots to come out, so be watchful. I'll announce things on Facebook.

I really liked O'Henry and I know that is not the norm, but he told short stories that touched the heart. I loved that. He could be humorous, or serious. I liked James Patterson, I like Mark Twain, Nellie Harper Lee, the message in To Kill a Mockingbird is priceless. And of course Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind.

God gave me a new day to live. I appreciate it and embrace it. And the joy of knowing I can spend my time doing what I love...writing.

I allot one day a week for my grandchildren, we go out and eat, catch up on things. I love movies, bowling, and kid parties. I like relaxing at home with an old movie. I'm a big John Wayne fan. I like watching my grandkids play baseball, or dancing. I like to shop, and look for things that have caught my eye.

Sometimes I just stumble upon them while either researching or going to a website. I also check Amazon out for new books that come out.

The first short story, was at thriteen, and very badly writen. My first book was at seventeen and I loved it, but it went around school so much, I never got it back. And back then we didn't have computers nor easy ways of copying something like that. But the book was good.

I'm a seat of your pants writer. I have no organization to me at all. Something hits me, an idea for a story, I might just have woken up, or watched a movie, or taken a bath. And it hits. I begin with the idea, but if I see it isn't going anywhere, I save it and go onto the next one. Lately I've been hit with so many that it is hard to get them all down at once. I go through spurts of creativity. I might go through weeks of nothing, and then all of a sudden, wow, they start hitting me. I get my characters into focus in my mind, they are this way or that, that helps to develop the story. Once i know them well, I can work with them. Lately if I see a cover I can't live without, I get an idea from it and start writing. I work on about 4-10 manuscripts at a time. When one lags, I go to another,until I can clearly get a picture of what to do with it. Then I go back and work on that one again. I find I dont' get bored or as lazy this way. Sometimes I will write several chapters in one day, if an idea hits. Other times I reread chapters to get that certain feel for it, to see if I added the senses to the scene or the feel of it. I'm very helter-skelter about writing, but it works for me.

One of the first stories I remember reading was about a pig with a curly tail. He lost his curl. I read and reread that book so many times that back then I could almost recite it word for word. My mother thought that was a good way to practice my reading, and she was right. Don't even remember the title, just the poor pig with a straight tail.

My books are about people, and they are as real to me as you and i. So when I look for a cover, I want it to convey the mood and the people. I don't want hearts and flowers just because it is a romance. And I take a lot of time finding what I want. In the end, it is usually worht it, but I have to admit, that in the beginning I wasn't as good at deciding what to get. I like color, and emotions to be front and center. I used original oil painting pics that an artist made for me, photos, and off the wall designs. But that's another freedom of an Indie Author, we get to pick what we like.

To Kill a Mockingbird
Gone With the Wind
Withering Heights
Mistress
The Bible of course
Fiction is Folks

Mystery
Comedies
romances
historicals

I have a Kindle Fire

Writing series books and putting the first book up as free
Joining the TRS parties, you meet a lot of nice people there who want to read.
Having sales and contests and giveaways

It is a mess. I"ll admit it, and if you come over and want to organize it, forget it. I'll never find anything I need. So leave me alone with my mess. I know where everything is, this way.