I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be somebody else, living in some other time, experiencing some other place. A long time ago, library cards were my ticket to all those strange, inviting other worlds — as long as I had transportation to the library. Now I have an e-reader that lets me instantaneously fill my hunger for unusual stories — especially today’s imaginative, exciting novels and short stories for teens and young adults

My writing life…

Every weekday, I work with other writers at a nearby public library. The intense, focused atmosphere keeps us committed. And the camaraderie feeds our creativity. Last year I attended a Cruising Writers retreat in the Caribbean. I’m the one with the big grin on the far left. We learned a lot. Really.

One member of our library group writes mysteries, another writes science fiction, and one writes medieval romance. Every once in a while we have a playwright or a young adult romance author drop by. My stories are always historical, always romances… with unique characters learning about life, love, treachery and loyalty. I also have nonfiction projects I’m developing, like a journal for people setting out to achieve a goal.

…and the rest of my life

I love to spend time with my large family, especially the youngest members. In my spare time I enjoy watching great movies (like every single Marvel movie and anything with The Rock), playing with new software and computer graphics, making jewelry, exploring new gadgets and other geeky things — like trying out Google Glass. I drive a cool Mazda 6 I call the Silver Shark (for obvious reasons) and love to go on faraway cruises.