I read books that have been recommended to me with an edge going to books by self-published authors. I like to support the small time writers that are doing it all themselves over the big name, traditionally published authors. It's an exciting time because self-published no longer means the book lacks quality. I do have a few guilty pleasure books from the big names though.

About 2 and a half years ago I was very sick for 6 months straight. I could barely leave my bed. I was bored out of my mind and could feel the depression creeping in. I started to write to pass the time. I fell in love with it but I thought my work was really really bad. I sent it to a friend who begged me to read it. She loved it and that gave me the confidence to show it to the person who would end up being my editor.

I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would publish a book, let alone more than one. It is a perfect example of something good coming out of the worst time of my life. I had never had anything that I was truly passionate about or was even the slightest bit good at. Suddenly, I couldn't envision doing anything else with my life.

I don't put much stock in a writing process. I just sit down and begin to write. I don't take notes and I don't do outlines. Some days I don't write at all because I just don't feel like it. I have to be in a good mood or else I'll get blocked. Many writers advise people to write through a block but it helps me to take a hiatus from the story and, eventually, the next step will come to me. I usually don't write for more than 2 hours at a time. After that, I've found that the words have to be forced out. When the words are forced vs. flow out, they probably aren't good enough.

I actually read a lot of news stories for pleasure. I like to know what's going on in the world. I also read stories about my hockey team. I am fascinated by sports statistics and how they are used to make decision.

As for books, I like young adult books as well as science fiction and fantasy. Anything that gets me out of my own head and into someone else's.

I have a nook tablet mainly because I have so many nook books that I want to be able to read. I want a kindle, though, because of the benefits that Amazon gives.

Free promotion has been the only thing effective so far.

I don't have a desk. To write, I sit on the couch on my porch. It has a view of our lake.

I grew up in Ohio but I don't think it influenced my writing at all. I now live in Florida and that has influenced my story's setting more than anything.

Dawn of Rebellion and it's two sequels are set a couple hundred years in the future. The world has been forever changed by the consequences of global warming. The U.S. no longer exists. The English have recolonized Florida and now send their criminals to work in the orange groves. Dawn and Gabby are teenage sisters living on their own in London. When Gabby is arrested and sent to a slave camp, Dawn goes after her with the help of Drew, a highborn English boy. Along the way they learn the secrets about the colonies that have been kept from them. They receive help from the most unlikely sources and Dawn is ready to do whatever it takes.

Being able to create emotional moments is a powerful thing. When I am writing love scenes, death scenes, or anything in between I feel it. The first time you make one of your readers cry, all of the work is worth it because those emotions mean they feel connected to your character. My characters feel like family to me and I only want others to care about them as well.

It's hard to explain the depth of a writers feelings for their fans. Without readers, we wouldn't be able to do what we love. It's as simple as that. They fall in love with our books that we have poured our entire selves in to. Writing is a deeply personal feat. Sharing it feels like exposing ourselves to the world. When people like it, it feels like their reviews are reflective of us as a human being. The flip side of that is that negative reviews hurt in a way that most people can't understand.

I am in the editing process for the final book in my trilogy, Eve of Tomorrow. I am also trying out new genres. I've got a non fiction book and a literary fiction book in the works. A lot of my time is going towards an online project that will encourage people with disabilities or depression to write and publish as a form of therapy.