Who are your favorite authors?
This is a great question! I have so many favorite authors, but I always go back to those few that started me on my path to writing. Don't get me wrong, I have my traditional favorites like Jeaniene Frost, J.R. Ward, Sylvia Day, Lara Adrian, Terry Spear, and Laurell K. Hamilton. (As you can tell, I'm a HUGE paranormal reader.) But the favorites who have changed my life are Quinn Loftis and Shelly Crane. They were the first indie authors I ever read and it was them that inspired me to pursue my own writing career. What's crazy is that Quinn Loftis is one of my good friends now. Years ago, I never would've thought that the author I looked up to and who would answer my silly, fangirling questions on Facebook would turn into a close friend.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
That one's easy ... my kids. This year has been a very trying time for me, both mentally and physically. Back in December, I started getting very sick. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and they kept brushing it off as it all being in my head. I was in so much pain. It was maddening how anyone could say it was all in my head/and anxiety. I pushed for more tests, spent days after days in doctors offices. My arms were black and blue from giving so much blood. It turns out that my adrenal glands don't function properly because of a pituitary tumor in my brain. Needless to say, my world got turned upside down. My blood pressure would dip so low that it felt like any minute I was going to pass out. What's crazy is that I could've died if things progressed longer than they did. I don't have to have surgery yet on my brain which is great, but to fix my adrenal insufficiency I'm required to take steroids for the rest of my life.
This brings us back to the original question. What inspires me to get out of bed each day ... my kids. I pushed for answers because of my kids. I live each day for my kids because I'm so thankful that I'm still here to be with them, to watch them grow up. They bring me joy and happiness.
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