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I love creating a world and characters and seeing where they're going to take me. I may craft them, but there are always surprises for me along the way.

Currently, I'm working on my next Animal Senses book (#10 - 5 are yet to be released). I started this series as a trilogy but with so many dynamic characters and events occurring, there was no way to stop at 3 books.
I'm also working on the first spinoff book from my Alterealm Series, which I write under the name, J. Risk - Concealed is the first book in the Solrelm Series.
I can't wait to see where we go in these!

When I'm not writing? I'm always writing, even if it's just in my head...
I watch my grandchildren for my kids when I'm not physically writing. Having five children has so far added up to nine grandkids (my own tribe!) It made things so much less stressful during the pandemic to know that I was able to help so mom's and dad's could continue working and the kids were safe.

The first one I wrote as an adult (it's too far back to remember anything before that) was Beltane Magic.
It was not a planned thing. My friend was going away for a month and I asked her "what am I supposed to do while you're gone?" She told me to write a book.
So I did.
Actually by the time she came back I was on book #3 and completely shocked that I had these stories in me.

Hmm, I don't know if what I do could be called a process. I write anywhere and anytime I can.
I am not a planner. When I start a story, I know (most of) the characters and have a general idea of where it's heading, but I can't plot it all out. I know other authors that can outline each chapter, I've tried, but can't do it. I will even write scenes that are not in order and then go back later and piece it all together.
I write a lot with pen and paper, because grabbing a notebook on the go is easier for me, and the scenes seem to fly this way. I use index cards for all the ideas I have as I go, so I can move them around and figure out where things go.
Once the first awful draft is finished, I print the entire thing out and then start rewrites and corrections (a lot of corrections!). After I've made the changes on the computer, I'm better able to go through it a few more times before my editor sees it.

I will read anything with words. Almost any genre.
I don't get as much free time for reading as I'd like, but if I've had a really stressful period, I find the time. In those moments I lean towards dark fantasy, dark paranormal with or without romance.

When I'm working on a story, it's a mess.
My kids always say the best way to know when I'm finished the first draft is the entire writing space gets a deep clean and organization. Notes, sticky notes, and index cards everywhere, whether just a reminder that I have an appointment, I need to remember to do something, or a fantastic scene idea; it's a big cluttered mess.
The mess actually bothers me, so when it reaches the point that it's distracting me, it's time to sort it out.

We moved around a lot until I was in my teens, so I don't associate anywhere as my ' hometown'. A few small towns along the way, but mostly rural locations.
There is only so much you can do when you're surrounded by empty fields, so I read a lot. I fell in love with exploring the worlds authors created, so it's not surprising I create my own now. Another part of rural living it being active and adventurous, so it's not surprising that I toss my characters into challenging situations - often.