When I’m asked to talk or write about myself, like most writers, there’s always a touch of the imposter syndrome lurking. Why in the world would people want to know? But here goes.
I’m an avid reader. I think you have to be to write well. Reading has always been an escape and a pleasure for me since middle school, when social ineptness made books a welcome diversion from real life. Books still provide that. I read mostly fiction of all sorts and the occasional nonfiction.
I’m an indie author, and I write a mystery series--book five will debut late fall 2024--and standalone romantic suspense. I’m a Colorado native, and all my books are set in Colorado. My former career as an OR nurse triggered the idea for my first book in the series, The Mad Hatter’s Son, and there’s always a medical aspect to the series. Less so in the standalone books. Several of my books have won awards, and I had the honor of seeing my newest book The Killer Without A Face become a finalist in the Colorado Author’s League contest.
My biggest failure as a writer is being baffled by commas. I put them in, my editor/proofreader takes them out. I don’t use them, they add them. Just when I think I have it figured out, I don’t. It’s a work in progress.
I began writing in high school for personal pleasure with no other goal than spinning stories that amused me. Later in life, I had the vague idea that one day I might write a story that I could publish. My story ideas come to me either as a character or a scene that leads me to ask further questions. Who is the character? Why are they in the scene? What is happening or what will happen to them?
In The Killer Without A Face, the scene that popped up was the main character, Dani Calderwood, stranded on an isolated mountain road in an old truck that had broken down. She was frustrated and scared, and I wanted to know why. As you can probably tell, I write by the seat of my pants. I can’t outline. The times I’ve tried, the story ends up in an entirely different spot and the outline turns out to be useless. I’m impressed by those who can. I think it probably prevents a lot of revising!
I’m not sure what makes a person write and put their books out in the public domain, with all the risk and vulnerability that entails. But for me, I thought my books were worth publishing and sharing with others, and I hoped to entertain readers. So far it’s been a good run, and I have a core of devoted fans. I’m very grateful for that and for all the fellow writers I’ve met and made friends with through CAL and other professional organizations and social media. It’s been invaluable and a pleasure.