Exploring new worlds. Writing takes me out of the everyday and lets me explore the alternate realities that exist. As a writer I can live many lifetimes in a single day.

My fans are travelers with me on this journey. They get to explore worlds and meet the people that exist only in my imagination. They mean so much to me, because they share these worlds with me.

I am actively working on my ShadowGate series. This series takes the reader into a world of angels and demons, into a reality that exists inside of our own. Where angels are not always the good guys and some of the greatest heroes have fallen from grace.

I absolutely love and adore Sherrilyn Kenyon, Suzanne Brockmann and Nora Roberts. I will read anything they write. I have many other writers that I love reading as well - Marjorie Liu, JR Ward, Gena Showalter - but those three ladies are the cream of the crop.

I own a small business which takes up much of my time. On my free time not working or writing I spend time in nature hiking, Geocaching and playing fetch with my dog, Jackie.

I was seven years old when I wrote my first story. I remember I dictated it to my mom who wrote it down. It was about a girl named Trixie who was investigating the kidnapping of a beautiful black stallion.

Once I've decided on what story I'm going to write it's all about consistency and commitment. I try to work on my WIP each day. Most of my writing is done in the evenings, after the day is done and the house is quiet. For me writing is entertainment, a discovery of what happens next.

The first story I remember reading was Bears After Dark by the Berenstain Bears. But that was not the one that most impacted my love of writing. My parents were avid readers and read to us each night. I think it was listening to my father's voice as he read in the evenings that enchanted me with the written word. It taught me the joy and magic of storytelling.

That is a REALLY hard question. It's hard to say a favorite book when there are so many amazing stories out there. Instead I will list five books that have really stood out in my life, ones I will re-read every few years and that have inspired me as a writer.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott - The adventure of a knights errant, hidden identities, a love triangle and castle sieges were avid fuel for my imagination.
Robin Hood by Howard Pyle - how could I not love the adventures of Robin Hood? There was such a carefree sense to the whole story that it swept me away into a new world.
The Drift Fence by Zane Gray - The romance in this story is soft and subtle, absolutely beautiful, and his mastery of description takes you into the highlands of Arizona.
The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson - It would definitely have to say it was the woman in disguise that most intrigued me with this story. It added intrigue and adventure to the story and was the first time I had read such a thing.
St. George and the Dragon as illustrated by Trina Schart Hymann - The illustrations of this story, combined with this classic legend were the true catalyst of my writing career. I had been writing stories since I was seven, but when I read this story everything took on a new direction. Stories were no longer something I just read, they were something I had to create on my own.

I read lots of romance and fantasy for pleasure. My favorites are definitely anything with a paranormal bent, but I also love romantic thrillers, horror ala Stephen King and the fantasies of Neil Gaiman. My favorite romance authors are Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood (earlier stuff), Suzanne Brockmann, Sherrylyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, JR Ward and Katie McAllister.