The characters! I love my characters, and I know each one of them intimately. They're friends. Everytime I need a little boost, I sit down and write a little dialog with Carol, Monica, Marie, or any of them. It's a great experience.

When I was a little kid I wrote short "radio scripts" that I read and recorded on a tape recorder. There were short stories, mini-monologues, and even a few commercial parodies. The Unconventional Affairs series started as me finally writing down an idea for a scene that I had for decades.

It usually starts with a scene idea. For instance, The Unconventional Affair started with me writing the end climax scene. (It's the scene where Carol and Doug are reunited in the office building atrium.) I then had to write about how they got to that point. The second book in the trilogy, Tangier, happened because the lead character, Monica Kessel, was in a scene at the very end of The Unconventional Affair. I liked her as a character, so I developed her into an ugly duckling story. The actual process I fall into is pretty simple. I write out a skeleton story, then go back and add and embellish. I don't outline, but I do make notes of key points I want to get in the story. I also write a timeline. For instance, the entire Unconventional Affairs series takes place over a five year period; I had to keep that straight to make the trilogy work properly. Perhaps one thing I do that isn't commonplace is that I use online photos I find as character and scene inspirations.

Color! Color! Color! I try to stay away from the standard romance novel design tropes. You know what I'm talking about: a raven-haired damsel being held by a shirtless bodybuilder with oil covered skin. I like covers that a reader wouldn't be embarrassed to show in public.

I always like to spend time with a boating cruising guide or a memoir from a fellow boater. As far as fiction goes, I gravitate to science fiction or seafaring stories. However, I must confess that one of the reasons I write is because they turn out to be what I like to read myself.

Kindle app on my phone and tablet.

Directly promoting my books to individual readers on Facebook, Twitter and online forums.

I use a laptop with an ergonomic keyboard. I sit on a padded stool so my arms are in a more comfortable level and position. I'm an early riser so most of my writing is done before sunrise. "A place for everything, and everything in its place." (That doesn't mean it's not messy. I just know what all the mess is.)

I like the ease of use of Smashwords; it doesn't add to the angst one feels about the actual act of publishing. I also like that it processes new publications and changes quickly. Waiting and waiting and waiting is a pain.

I think I'm going to be diving head first into my travel material for a while. Our cruising season for 2018 is a very busy one indeed, and we'll be visiting a lot of new and exciting destinations.