I wrote fiction as a teen, then discovered the joys of creative literary criticism in college and did that for many years before realizing I wanted to do something else. I didn't think I wanted to write novels because I wrote one that was a huge mistake (and will never be published, ever). Then I had an idea for a novel and thought, why not? That one novel led to many more, and now I can't imagine doing anything else. And since I was 42 when I wrote that first novel, I like to tell people it's never too late to try something new.

I grew up all over the US, in cities ranging from Portland, Oregon to Syracuse, New York, and many points in between. This made it hard for me to keep long-term friends in an era before the internet and email, and I turned to reading as something consistent in my life. As an outgrowth of my reading, my writing reflects my love of places and people different from myself. I'm particularly interested in speculative fiction and its emphasis on other worlds. I love writing about strong, dynamic people who change their worlds, and I love writing about people who understand what it's like to be different from everyone around them.

I love seeing a book come together on the page. There's a real rush when I get into the groove and the story just flows. That's when I don't want to stop.

I originally attempted to sell my first novel traditionally, but the more I researched publishing, the less comfortable I felt about signing with a publisher. I liked the freedom indie authors have, particularly the freedom of a faster publication schedule. It's been so worthwhile, too.

My latest book is in my longest-running series, set in the fantasy world of Tremontane. This series is about remarkable women who all have some connection to the ruling family, whether as queens, princesses, or ordinary women. This particular book started out as something completely different, set in a different era with a different main character, and was version 2 of that other main character's story. I eventually wrote that woman's book, which left me with this orphan piece I didn't want to abandon because the story was interesting. So I rethought the characters, moved the action to an earlier time, and now I have yet another volume in the Crown of Tremontane series!

My husband is my first reader and most valiant supporter. He's a reader of romance novels of all kinds and has been essential to making my characters' romances work. I go to him when I need feedback in the middle of a story, or when I can't figure something out, and although his suggestions don't always work, the ones that do work are outstanding. His input has been key to the success of many of my novels, and I'm so glad to have him in my life.

I think fan responses are the most rewarding part of my career. I love getting fan mail, not because of the boost to my ego (though that's nice too) but because it's easy to fall into feeling as if you're doing this in a vacuum, as if you write and publish books and they sort of disappear into the void. So getting those responses is a nice way to remember that your books matter. In a way, I'm writing books for them, and I'm happy when I learn they've connected with those books in any way.

There are so many authors I admire, it's hard to narrow it down to a few influences. Patricia McKillip is probably first on the list despite her writing being very different from mine, because she's written so many books I admired as a teen. Martha Wells writes the kinds of books I'd like to write myself, and one of the greatest compliments I ever received on my writing was when someone compared my first novel to one of hers. Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fforde have wit, humor, and a turn of phrase I find myself trying to emulate. Sherwood Smith creates incredible characters I fall in love with every time. And Tim Powers is simply a genius at plot and making connections between events.

It's not so much a secret, but I am in love with Vidanric from Sherwood Smith's novels A Stranger to Command and Crown Duel.

I read, though not as much as I used to. My favorite hobby now is painting fantasy miniatures, which I do while watching TV or movies with my husband. I also love to do things with my family, though that's harder now that my children are grown and have their own lives. I also like browsing used book stores to add to my ever-growing library.

This is an interesting question because I have bipolar disorder, and sometimes getting out of bed is very hard. What keeps me going through the difficult times is my joy in writing. I love sitting at my computer and creating new worlds. Sometimes the promise of being able to do that is what helps me push through when it's hard.