I remember the day I first wrote something creatively merely for myself like it was the back of my hand. I mean, sure, I had written here and there for school work, but, up until that precise moment, I had never truly written something for myself, for my sheer enjoyment.

I was relatively young, at the youthful age of nine years old, and was watching some show on the Disney channel. In case you aren't aware, Disney has an incessant need to sing. Their characters are constantly belting out a tune, which I usually followed along with, though I sounded like a dying cat. On that particular day, however, I stopped singing along...

In the middle of one of their shows, during a musical scene, I scrambled up from the floor and ran into the other room, desperately in search of a notebook and a pen. An original song lyric had popped into my head and I knew I needed to get it down on paper as soon as possible. Once I'd found the objects of my desire, I sat down on my bed and began scribbling away furiously, the ideas in my head flowing through my hand and onto the paper as quickly as they came to me. By the time I was finished, my little nine year old self had concocted a full song, complete with three verses, a chorus, and a bridge. I felt quite accomplished and, more importantly, I felt truly alive. That was the day that I knew I wanted to be a writer.

I grew up in a town called Newport, KY, directly south of the border of the well-known Cincinnati, OH. My home life wasn't the greatest, which definitely had an impact on my writing. Often times, I would barricade myself in my room, shutting myself off to the world so that I could get lost in my writing.

Writing has always been a creative outlet for me, as it is for all writers, but it was also my escape. Within the realms of my mind, I was able to create a new life, alter egos, and venture into a fantasy world I could only ever dream of being a part of. Young as I may have been, some of my greatest songwriting, poetry, and short stories were created during that era of my life.

My writing process typically begins unexpectedly. The first spark of a piece hits me out of nowhere, usually inspired by something I see/hear or something I'm doing. Once the initial idea hits me, I jot it down then continue with it later. When I revisit an idea, I brainstorm, working out the kinks and developing a plot line. I then begin an outline. Once that's completed, I move on with the actual writing.

In some cases, however, I just start to write, not stopping until I absolutely have to. During those occasions, I don't worry about the plot or an outline, I simply write and the plot will develop as I go, revealing itself to me over time.

Ah, my lovely work space... My desk can be the tidiest corner in the world some days, whereas it looks as if a hurricane raped its heart and soul on others. I'm very anal about organization, but that doesn't always mean my definition of "organized" is synonymous with "nicely put together." I like to keep my desk organized in a way in which I understand, keeping certain papers together here, paper-clipping particular magazine cutouts there, etc. My methods of organization probably come across as ludicrous to others, and that's quite all right. No one really needs to comprehend my work space methods other than me, anyhow, so I don't stress the messy appearance of my desk too often. :P

On my desk you will find ridiculous amounts of scraps of paper that have just a few lines jotted down on them, Post-Its EVERYWHERE, and several different folders marked "Story Ideas," "Lyrics," "Poetry," and "Inspiration." By taking a gander at my desk, you will also learn that I have a slight problem with making lists. Seriously, I make lists for any and everything. It may seem unnecessary, but I am terribly forgetful. I'd much more prefer to write out list after list and remember everything I needed to, rather than skip my list-making and forget something.

The greatest joy of writing for me is the rush I get when I'm writing something really good. This typically occurs out of nowhere, when I'm struck with inspiration at the drop of a hat, and just have to start writing down the thoughts that are racing through my mind. That reckless abandon I feel when I'm struck with a solid idea is what keeps me going; it's what sets my mind aflame.

I'm a creative little bugger, so I spend a lot of my non-writing time creating other things. I recently started painting and I often make paper mache wall murals. I also adore scrap-booking.

In addition to my creative activities, I spend a lot of time going out and about with Dylan (my fiance) and friends and family, watching movies, and playing with my black labrador retriever, Bentley. When I'm not doing any of that, I can usually be found with my nose in a book (or my e-reader).

I actually just recently got my first e-reading device, and I love it immensely! I really love the Amazon Kindle Fire but instead bought a Vizio tablet off of a friend who had hit hard times. It was a win-win because I got the tablet at a great price and she got the money she needed. I know that tablets aren't exactly e-reading devices, but, with the Barne's and Noble "Nook" app, I treat it as such.

Aside from required reads due to former school work, I refuse to read anything that isn't pleasurable to me. I typically reach for mystery and thriller novels, but have also found pleasure in some books of the fantasy genre. On my bookshelf, you will find quite a few Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Erica Spindler, Iris Johansen, J.K. Rowling, and James Patterson novels, amongst many others. Some of my guiltier pleasures include the "Pretty Little Liars" series by Sara Shepard, the "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer, and the "Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood" series by Charlaine Harris.

I have a great deal of authors whom I adore, but a few of my favorites are Erica Spindler, Mary Higgins Clark, J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Stephenie Meyer. Each of these lovely ladies have kept me on my feet, flipping through page after page of their novels, eager to see how their stories play out.

Well, first off, let's just say that I absolutely love to read, which is probably a given. I've read countless novels throughout my years, but there is one that has stood out to me in particular.

The first novel I recall really piquing my interests was "Shocking Pink" by Erica Spindler. I first read this novel when I was far too young to fully comprehend the delicate, adult nature of its contents, but that didn't stop me from adoring it. I was intrigued by the mystery, suspense, and, above all else, the lust and desire of the characters in the book.

In all honesty, I believe "Shocking Pink" assisted in my transition from a mere adolescent into a young, curious, and sexually budding woman. Not only that, but this novel set off my career, inspiring me to delve into the wonderful world of erotica, as well as the mystery genre.

You see, I understand that this book isn't really an erotica novel, but it does have graphic, explicit content, hence where I gleaned my erotica inspiration. I also heavily loved the suspense of the novel, giving it a dark allure but also keeping me on my toes, eager to discover who the antagonist really was. That combination of raw, sexual passion and page-turning mystery became my muse. I didn't only want to write something so alluring, so captivating, but I needed to.

My fiance, Dylan, is my greatest inspiration. He's my rock and has been nothing but supportive of my writing career. Waking up next to him everyday fuels me with the strength and courage I need to battle the day's monstrosities, whether it's something as big as getting ready for an important event or something as minute as fighting my urge to lay in bed all day so that I can get up to pee. :P

A friend of mine, Kay D. Wilson, and I were chatting one day about novel writing. I was in the process of writing a novel and we had begun to discuss the costs of publishing. I must admit, I nearly had a heart attack when she told me the typical price range of publishing companies. She then told me about Smashwords, where I could publish my novels for free and where I would receive more royalties from book sales than I would with other publishers. Needless to say, I was sold.

Smashwords has greatly contributed to my success! My career is built around freelance writing, but a lot of my clients allow me to keep the copyrights for my creative work, short stories in particular. Therefore, I am able to share some of my best stories with the public, which I do via Smashwords. Not all of my short stories are work orders I'd completed for clients, but a great deal of them are. With the ease of publishing on Smashwords, I am able to quickly upload my work and share it with the world. Smashwords has helped me reach a larger fan base, thus generating more sales. To say that I love Smashwords would be an immense understatement.

Direct sales has been my most effective selling method, though promoting my work via social media sites has also been efficient. I often promote my new books on my Killer Quiller Facebook company page (www.facebook.com/KillerQuiller), which has helped me glean quite a few sales. When chatting up a friend/family member/stranger/acquaintance, I usually try to slip in some sort of mention of my novels, passing them a business card with my Smashwords profile link and contact information, as well. I also send out an email every month to my fan mailing list with news of my recently published books and coupons codes for my previously published works.

My fans mean the world to me! For one, they help me put dinner on the table, but money is only a small aspect of why I adore my fans. Knowing that my stories are loved and craved by my fans is a huge ego boost, and an even larger compliment. Their feedback and desire to read my work keeps me writing, and it keeps me inspired. Without my fans, I'd just be a lonely girl with a typewriter.

I am currently working on a mystery novel, laced with murder, suspense, and unbridled passion. It's going to be a racy read with twists and turns throughout the book that are sure to keep you on your toes!