When I'm not writing I spend my time teaching and motivating others. I am a professor, but I am also a people person. I love my students like they were my biological children. I spend a lot of time talking, listening and motivating them outside of the classroom. I go to their weddings, baby showers, graduations and funerals. I have taught thousands of students and I try to keep in contact with as many as I can. I love watching their lives unfold and offering them advice a long the way.

My fans mean the world to me. They have stuck by me and beside me for the last eleven years. We have been through all of my joys and pains together. I have become best friends with some of them. I've celebrated with others at their birthday parties. I've run into them in the mall, on the subway in NYC and walking down the street in DC. We are family. I love and appreciate each of them.

I remember reading "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume when I was in elementary school. I remember seeing the story unfold in my eleven year old mind. I remember what Margaret looked like. It was a brilliant coming of age story that became a part of my adolescent fiber. In some ways I was Margaret. I've never forgotten it or Judy Blume. I went out and purchased the book as an adult to add to my collection. My library would be incomplete without it.

I craziest and the most heroic thing that I have ever done as an author is abandon my job and my supervisor on the beach in Miami to go catch a plane to New York City to do three book signings in the middle of winter without any luggage. I didn't even have a coat. I knew I would get fired when I returned, but I decided to choose my dreams over my job. I've never regretted that decision.

When I decide to write a book I am very disciplined. I get up at the same time everyday, I have breakfast and I sit down to write in the same spot at the same time everyday. When I run into writer's block. I get up and go do something else until my inspiration returns. By doing this routine I was able to write my first novel in thirty days.

"Disappearing Acts" by Terry McMillan made me fall in love with reading all over again. I was in college at Florida State University at the time. My roommate and I decided to go to Atlanta for the weekend. It was cold outside. The friend we were staying with told us about the book. We started reading it out loud and ended up spending the entire weekend in Atlanta, indoors, reading that book and drinking hot chocolate. It was a perfect trip.

Word of mouth has been great for me, as well as, doing lots of book signings.

My ipad. My kindle is outdated now.