My latest book is an autobiography of my experiences from the age of 17 years old when I became pregnant with my first child all the way up until I walked across the stage with my Ph.D with my four children sitting in the audience. It is a story of faith, hope, renewal, restoration and transformation. It is my attempt to share with the world my belief in the fact that all of us were created with God-given purpose and as we begin to put the pieces of the puzzle of our lives together, purpose begins to emerge.

I discovered the true joy of reading when I was in the 8th grade. The first novel that I ever ready was "Jubilee" and from the day forward I was hooked on the written word. I am a die hard fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Saul (I guess you can see my dark side). I also love Christian fiction, anything written by Ted Dekker is a must have for me. On the more professional side of who I am, I love books on self-development and leadership development. John Maxwell is my go to person for books on leadership. I would definitely say that I am a risk-taker, and I would be willing to read just about anything. Anything but romance that is (sorry for all of you who have to have your romance novels :) )

I am a Barnes and Noble's NOOK kind of girl. My mother purchased my first NOOK color several years ago, and I have been hooked on that device ever since. I have to admit that lately I have been resorting to my Samsung Galaxy S6 Smartphone as my e-reading device of your choice. Mainly because it is so convenient, and I spend so much time on it anyway.

My desk mirrors my thought processes: everything all over the place. I have a system, but I can guarantee you that I am the only one who can follow that system. I have tons of articles that represented my various research interests at different points in time. I am a collector of thoughts. I love to print out any good article that I see even though it can be accessed electronically. I am still a pen and paper type of girl so I prefer to be able to hold and touch whatever I am reading. I am obsessed with pens so I have pens of every color on my desk. A good writing ball point pen helps to get my creative juices flowing and makes me feel like a true author. I have multiple journals on my desk at all times to catch the thoughts that are constantly running through my head. I have some of my favorite quotes surrounding my desk to keep me encouraged and inspired to press forward even on those days that I am not feeling the most creative.

I grew up in a small town by the name of Griffin, GA. There was not much there, but it was a place where I felt safe, secure and loved by my friends and family. I really began writing around the age of 13 or 14 years old when my family moved from the place of my birth into a more desolate area. I was very reluctant to make this transition, and I began to act out in many different ways because of my frustrations and disappointments. I found comfort in writing poetry to express my feelings and in my reading. My teenage years represented very turbulent times in my life, and I found myself using my writing to try to work through many of the issues that I was facing during that time.

I first began writing poetry at the age of 13 or 14 years old. I found my passion for writing journals and being able to share the innermost parts of myself on paper. I was not really good at expressing myself verbally so I found solace in the written word. I was always told that I was a good writer by my teachers so I was always encouraged to continue writing and explore the possibilities that lie in my gift and passion for writing.

The greatest joy of writing for me is the ability to express the innermost parts of my being on paper. Writing allows me to slow down the fast pace of life and reflect on all that life means to me at any given point in time. Much of my writing I may never share with the world because it just represents my many different thoughts on life, both good and bad. I also enjoy being able to encourage others through the written word. In my opinion, words carry life and if delivered in the right form, they are able to encourage and inspire others in a way that is life transforming.

My fans mean everything to me; not just because they are my fans. They mean everything to me because I believe that those who are connected to me are in my life for a very specific reason. I believe that God has given me a special message to the people who will read what I write. I believe that my writing will change the lives of those who read my books in a very special way. I believe that there is something about my life story that is significant to the life and purpose of my fans and I pray that I can meet my obligation to encourage and inspire them through my writing.

I am working on a couple of projects. As I have said before, my mind is on constant overload. There are always tons of thoughts and ideas flowing through my head at any given moment. My challenge is to prioritize those thoughts in a way that will cause me to be most productive. I definitely want to complete the workbook to my book "Striving to Live A Life of Purpose." I want to ensure that everyone who reads this book will have a full fledged road map to assist them in working their way to discovering and living out their life's purpose. I am also working on a book about living out your dreams and not allowing the hardships of life to drown out your dreams. Many, many good things in store for the future!

My favorite authors are definitely Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Ted Dekker, and John Maxwell. I am adding to this list each and everyday because I believe that there are so many talented and gifted writers waiting to be discovered.

I am inspired to get out of bed everyday by my four beautiful children. They are the ones who have inspired me to do much of what I have accomplished in life. They are my legacy, and I believe that it is my duty and obligation to live the best life possible so that they have an example of what it means to never give up. I want them to remember their mother as someone who persevered through life with a grace and a humility that inspired and encouraged others to fulfill their dreams and walk in their God-given purpose.

When I am not writing, I spend my time reading and watching some of my favorite shows, "Criminal Minds", "The Walking Dead," and "Law and Order: SVU."

I discover most of the books I read by looking for recommendations from some of my favorite authors. Most of the authors I read will always refer to other great authors within their books. I also seek out good books from blog posts and the top selling books for the year. Of course, Google is my best friend and if I am seeking a book on any given topic, I just google it!