Jorge Luis Borges will always have a place in my heart. I'm also fond of Shakespeare, Donald Justice, Emily Dickinson, William Wordsworth, Jane Austen, Bram Stoker, and so many others. It's very hard to choose, you see. Once an author becomes like an old friend, though, that's when I know I really love them.

I try to wake up in time to see the sunrise. I live in the Pacific Northwest with a window that faces the ocean (there is a building in my way, but I catch glimpses of waves). The skies are always quite dramatic, and I know I'm in for a treat when I roll out of bed.

I love to walk. I also enjoy photography. These things go well together.

Yes, I believe I do. It was about a red hen. I couldn't tell you the plot of it now, but I remember illustrating it. That's probably why it stuck with me.

I share my desk with my husband. We stacked two pallets on top of each other. I scattered my art supplies and left room for the laptop. It is low to the ground, so we sit on a pillow when we write. This is because we can't afford furniture. It does the trick. We placed it right in front of our bedroom window, so when we choose, we can let the sounds of the distant sea and the wind come in.

I grew up in the Ozarks of Arkansas. The Ozarks have thick woods, and I think you would be mad not to explore them. It's a rocky place with bluffs and caves and crystals. I love it dearly. My writing is most certainly rooted in my home, but I draw plenty of inspiration from travel as well.

I enjoy how personal it feels to do it myself. This is my craft, this is my art, and I'm giving it to you. Directly.

To me, it's a culmination of art and technique. I find joy in bringing those two aspects of writing together. It is sometimes challenging and at other times almost spiritual.

I'm working on a novel. I don't want to give too much away quite yet, but I think you'll enjoy it if you enjoyed my poetry.

I write best if I walk first, and I prefer to write in the mornings. Coffee is a part of the warm-up process. Some days, I stare at the screen with very little success.

When I design a cover, I want it to relate to the contents of the book. We all judge books by their covers, so I hope to give an honest first impression.