I love my Kindle app on my iPad. I never thought I would say that since I'm someone who loves books, but I really enjoy the fact that I can take several books with me wherever I go. I also like looking up unfamiliar words through the device. This all started when the publisher of my last novel published primarily in ebook form. I figured I had to get familiar with ebooks, so I published my first novel, FIRST SATURDAY, as an ebook after receiving the rights to the book. I still enjoy paper books, though.

I love intelligent fiction. Anna Quindlen and John Irving top my list of favorite authors right now. In fact, I just downloaded Anna Quindlen's latest book, 'Still Life With Bread Crumbs' and can't wait to read it.

I knew the story of the parks in BEST Pocket Parks of NYC needed to be told. People walk by them every day and rarely know anything about them. After finding 500+ on the city's database and then finding others in other places, I knew I had to write this book whether or not I found an agent or publisher interested. I had the vision and I made it happen by publishing this myself. It is actually the first book of my new niche publishing company focused on pocket parks and public spaces around the U.S. and perhaps those in London.

I love New York. I consider it my chosen hometown. When I was 19, I moved there from nearby Connecticut to work in musical theater and attend school. Life has brought me in and out of New York City my entire life and I hope to move back for my retirement one day.

When I was acting, I used to stop in these parks because they were free and comfortable places to stop off to read or drink my coffee between auditions or job interviews. They stuck in my mind throughout the years and when I went to research them, I just had to write the book. Through my work with the EBV-F (Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans' Families) I realized this was more than one book as I had planned. That's how Pocket Parks Publishing was born. I hope to have other writers help me with future guides and to write a few more of them myself.

My fans are amazing. They've followed me from my novels to this non-fiction project. The new fans are full of information and insight. If I make a mistake about a park fact, they are quick to email me or tweet me and let me know. It is very helpful in making my information as accurate as possible. I can't wait to meet fans from other cities' guides in the future.

Right now, I'm working on getting the word out about BEST Pocket Parks of NYC. After that, I think I'll either work on Washington, DC's guide or head to Los Angeles or San Diego. I got my BA from San Diego State University and would love an excuse to visit. I also want to spread my range by working on a West Coast city and then filling the country from there.

I hope it sells a gazillion copies to help launch my publishing business, of course! I also want people to know about these parks. They are little gems in the middle of a bustling city. Leave it to New York to come up with the idea of green space to be used by the public and spread all over the city, but they did. The subject deserves to be illuminated. I hope to be the authority on the topic for the tourists and the locals alike. To that end, I'm setting up speaking engagements to tell people all about them.