Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, where I still live. Obviously, spending your entire life in one place has a huge influence on the characters you create and the settings you put them in. Being a state that's mostly rural with what's classified as "small towns," I create a lot of people that are simple yet complex, living in areas where "everybody knows everybody else." But doesn't the simplistic beauty of small town gossip make for the most interesting stories?
When did you first start writing?
I've been writing my entire life. Before I learned how to write, I'd draw pictures in my books to "expand" on the stories that my parents read to me. I always liked writing short stories, but I didn't seriously pursue writing and novels until my husband and I got our first home computer in 2001.
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