TB: Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Ummm, they are all my babies. I can't love one more than the other, because
they all carry a part of me in them. That's like asking a mother who her favorite
child is. Though, I'll share a secret, Amy is my favorite child. Okay, she's my only
child. But when it comes to my books, they are all my darlings. The finished ones
more so than the unfinished ones on my hard drive. And since most of my
protagonists are a bit cray-cray, I'm not gonna pick one, because they all talk and
who knows that they'll do to me.
TB: What books have most influenced you as a writer?
Does Weekly Reader count? Highlights? I'd have to say, To Kill a Mockingbird.
The way Harper Lee turned a phrase made me re-think writing. I loved how she
got into her character's heads. Each one had a unique voice. Stephen King's The
Shining, kept me awake at night. When a book can continue to scare the stuffing
out of you weeks and months after you read it, so much so that you turn the
cover around on the bookshelf, so you can't see the title, you know it's powerful.
TB: What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing?
Easy, breezy question. The hardest part for me is sitting down and doing it. I am
a procrastinator. My absolute worst trait. If I'm working on a tough scene, I'll find
myself cleaning out a closet rather than siting down and working though the
scene. And I hate cleaning, so that says a lot. And the most rewarding? Having
someone, I don't know, tell me they loved my novel and can't wait for the next
one. It makes the time spent worthwhile and fills my heart with joy. If I can
connect with a reader like that, it's like fuel in my tank.