There was never a conscious decision to write, honestly. Rather, it was something I could not help but do. From the moment I can recall there has been a press in the deepest part of me to weave stories. As I matured, it blossomed into a daily, unquenchable thirst to bring characters to life on the page, to heal the tortured soul, to tell the story of the characters I see so vividly in my mind. Whether the story was inspired by a movie seen or a book read, there was always the impression that another story waited just on the horizon.

Of contemporary writers, I most admire a little known author by the name of Dana Pratola. Her most recent releases have been 'The Covering' and 'Descended~ Jett'. She writes "edgy" Christian romance that smack with sexual tension and page-turning story. She understands characters and what drive them, understands their passions and hopes. She is an exceptional writer, and I can hardly wait until her next book is released.

I grew up on a 30-acre homestead outside Aurora, Oregon, population 540. My parents wouldn't let us back in the house (during the summer months) until dark, so the four of us siblings would have imaginary adventures in space. This meant climbing the walnut tree mother ship, or flying around in the abandoned Toyota complete with old waffle irons as computer consoles. Without the encouragement to utilize our imagination, I don't believe my creative juices would have been so encouraged to continue plotting stories.

Truthfully? The economy. After another traditional house passed on publishing 'Searching for Sara' due to the slow market, I knew that was the motivation I needed to dedicate myself to the Indie market. I had already been independently publishing fan-fiction for ten years, so shifting to original fiction required only a little more dedication to networking and marketing. I love the control it affords me with covers, design, and getting to know other indie authors while learning what works for them. It also allows me to focus on the stories my characters want to tell rather than on what the market fads demand.

The favorite of my books, Searching for Sara, was intended as a sequel to Broken Angel (not yet released). In this first version I killed the heroine, Rachel Samson, and inserted Sara Little as a new love interest for our grieving hero Robert Trent. The only reason I killed the heroine was to experiment with the intense emotions of grief and sorrow. This appalled my sister, who directed me to rewrite the book. To be honest, the rewrite gave me a sense of relief, and became one of my favorite projects. Being able to create a new grieving hero, Christopher Lake, likely helped with that, I imagine.

My latest book (due to release in Spring 2014) is 'Releasing Yesterday', the sequel to 'Searching for Sara.' At first, I planned to deal with Sara Little's relationship (or lack thereof) with Christopher Lake's In-Laws. The conflict would force Sara to learn how to balance compassion and civility with assertiveness. But I soon realized the real conflict would be Sara's discovery that her father is indeed alive and now wants a place in her life. It has given me the opportunity to deal with the intense emotions of betrayal and mistrust before learning to love.

I LOVE Smashwords! Let's just start that right off the bat. They have been a guiding light, as it were, into the do's and don'ts we Indie Authors need. From pricing to marketing they are there with information and support. I especially love how they continue to expand and improve on offering us Indies the tools we need at an affordable price (FREE!).

In writing I discover so many different things about myself and my own struggles. My characters become my heroes, my inspiration to become more than I am. An encouragement to continue walking forward in determination, comforted by faith. They teach me a deeper truth about love, compassion, and forgiveness. I love them, my characters, and their stories of romance and angst.

They are everything to me! Which is probably why a low-star review hits me so hard. I want them to love my characters as much as I do. But, on the other hand, those low-stars (and the high-stars) motivate me to keep seeking out the perfect story. To try one more time. I love my fans, and I get teary just thinking about how awesome they are!

To be perfectly honest, I don’t know for certain. Each man is so wonderfully different. I always strive to make my male characters react as close to the real thing because I believe it makes the reading experience, as a whole, more enjoyable. Throughout my books I do my best to honor the blessings men are to those around them, as well as the struggles they face as head of the household.

Let me use Christopher Lake from 'Searching for Sara’ as a possible example. Christopher has struggled to overcome the grief of losing his wife and newborn child. Though his faith flounders due to her death, his devotion to his five-year-old daughter continues to drag him out of bed each morning. When he meets Sara, he is faced with the challenge of letting the grief go and facing a bleak future. More than that, he comes to see that his role is less when he does not have faith to guide him.

My favorite authors always change depending on my mood, but I have some constants (don't we all) such as Andre Norton, Dana Pratola (looking forward to Descended~Sebastian!), Jane Austen, and Davis Bunn. I recently returned from a Romance Novel Convention and discovered more Indie Authors that I am hopeful will be added to this list!