The truth is that they can come from anywhere. Inspiration has come from songs, news stories, books I've read, or even a phrase that occurred to me. As a historical fiction author, I'm always looking for ways to show the human face of actual events.

I don't remember the time before I started writing, to be honest. Even in elementary school I was writing little stories and plays to share with my friends.

Back in 1995, I was working for the Dept. of the Army as a newspaper editor. The three-star command where I worked was scheduled for inactivation, and I was given an assignment to write a souvenir book about the unit's history. It was a great opportunity to delve into four decades of photojournalists' archives for photos and first-person stories.

It wasn't without its challenges; I ran into a couple of "hitches" in the process and mentioned the issues to a colleague. He was a military historian by hobby at that time (he is now a military historian by profession), so he co-wrote a couple of the difficult pieces with me.

I remain grateful for this project, which became "Born of War ... Dedicated to Peace: A History of Sixth US Army."

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. I wrote a lot when I was growing up because it rained so much, to be honest; it gave me an escape.

Interestingly enough, only one of my tales, "The Rock Star in the Mirror (or, How David Bowie Ruined My Life)," takes place in the Pacific Northwest.

"Bayou Fire" is my first full-length historical paranormal. The two protagonists have had recurring dreams since childhood about a fire ... and once they meet, all the pieces fall together.

The inspiration was an actual historical event: the LaLaurie mansion fire in New Orleans, which happened on April 10, 1834. I'm really enjoying the research and writing on this one.

I like the idea of controlling the whole process, from story ideas to genre, even down to the cover art. There are so many great stories to tell, and the Big Five don't always seem interested in making sure that they see the light of day.

I cannot say enough good things about Smashwords. I came on-board in 2009, before the extended distribution/Premium Catalog was even available. I sell more books through the Premium Catalog than any other outlet.

I love that Smashwords is so easy for authors to use, which encourages me to publish more works.

Bringing new characters and situations to life!

I am grateful to each and every reader ... each and every fan on my website or Facebook page ... all of you! Knowing that my stories make a difference in your lives makes me smile every single day.

I've just released "In The Eye of The Storm," the sequel to "In The Eye of The Beholder," and my first Regency novelette, "Clytie's Caller." The next items in the pipeline are an eBook "box set" of my paperback, "Brief Interludes," which is a collection of my short fiction, and an omnibus edition of the "Seen Through the Phantom's Eyes" series.