Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
For years, I’d write stories and would then stick them in a file. When I retired from my job as the general manager of a Harley-Davidson dealership, I decided to get serious about my writing. Traditional publishing is a difficult business to break into these days. Not only do you need a good story, but tons of luck definitely helps.
I got really lucky when I was a finalist in a big romance writing contest. Because of that contest, I got an agent and a contract with a big publisher. That early book went to auction, with several publishers bidding on it. I never dared to dream something like that would happen. The beginning of my writing career was so freaking amazing.
I’m now hybrid, which means I publish both traditionally with a publisher and I’m also an indie author with eight self-published romance books.
What is something unique/quirky about you?
I’m a thrill seeker. I’ll ride any rollercoaster, jump out of a plane (did that and it was awesome), flew in a stunt plane doing crazy stunts, and rode a motorcycle for years. I do miss my bike. I also flew in an air combat game where you go up in a fighter plane (it was a WWII training plane) and laser shoot at the other guy. That was a blast.
Tell us something really interesting that's happened to you!
I love airplanes and have always said that in my next life I’m going to be a Blue Angles pilot. For Christmas one year, my husband gave me an awesome present. He signed me up for air combat, where two WWII fighter planes dogfight with lasers. The company that did this was in L.A., and they fly you out over the desert to play. I arrived a little early and was sitting in the lobby when this guy wearing a flight jacket with all kinds of patches on it comes in. He was my opponent. He asked who he was going up against, and when they pointed at me, he scowled. “You scheduled me against a girl?”
I didn’t say anything, but I was thinking what a jerk. So, we go through an hour of preflight instructions, and he was just rude the whole time because I was female. After putting on our flight suits, he takes off with his pilot and then my pilot and I take off. We get out over the desert and start dogfighting, trying to shoot each other with the lasers. The two pilots are doing all kinds of maneuvers, and after about ten minutes of playing, his pilot radios that they’re going to fly off for a while. My pilot laughs and says, “He’s sick. Guess you showed him that girls rock.”
“You want to have some fun?” my pilot asked. “You bet,” I said. We spent the rest of my allotted time doing all kinds of crazy stunts. It was a blast.
When my pilot and I landed, I went inside to take my flight suit off. The jerk guy was already there, and his face was still green. I couldn’t resist saying, “Boy, that sure was fun, wasn’t it?” He muttered something under his breath that didn’t sound very nice, then stormed out. Guess he couldn’t take a joke, but I thought the whole thing was hilarious.
What are some of your pet peeves?
I’m a very easy-going person and not much bothers me, but... people who leave their grocery carts in the middle of the aisle—not leaving you room to get around them with your cart—and walk away drives me bonkers! LOL
Where were you born/grew up at?
Born and raised in Florida. I now live in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I don’t at all miss Florida.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
Writing, reading, and wine!
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
I think OPERATION K-9 Brothers would make a great movie! You have a hot romance, a SEAL hero with a soft heart, and puppies. Who doesn’t love puppies?
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
A kitten. Definitely a kitty.
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