I am currently working on a Blackstone Affair spinoff story called Cherry Girl. It is the love story of Neil and Elaina and takes place about a year before the events that happen in NAKED.

JR Ward, Ken Follett, Jean Auel, and Elizabeth Hoyt have all written books that pretty much influence everything that I do in my own writing and impacted my life in some way.

I like to walk and work in the yard. My favorite activity is reading a good book beside the pool in my backyard.

I used to just troll Amazon and search around for books they suggested, but now I know so many authors I get suggestions from the people who write them. I have so many books on my kindle waiting for me, I need years to read them all.

I do. I was probably about 13 and wrote a story in my mom's office using her Selectric II typewriter (the ones with the balls that spun). My story was about a girl who was on a shopping expedition to buy a birthday present when a dark car pulled up and tried to kidnap her. It was a case of mistaken identity and something to do with a stapler being confused for a gun. LOL

I outline very thoroughly and then start to write. I am an organic writer, so stuff comes to me as I go along and new ideas form after I am into the story. I note those new ideas down and try to incorporate them into my plan for the book. I can usually work it in and if I can't then I evaluate what I need to do. The book has to go in the direction it needs to go. I am kinda paranoid about "my voice" being influenced by outside forces. I try to never allow that to happen.

The first book series I remember reading was Laura Ingalls Wilder: Little House in the Big Woods. I devoured those and also Anne of Green Gables. When I was older I read all the Nancy Drew books and still have a treasured collection of books 1 -40 in hardback. I learned to read in bed with a flashlight at a very young age. I still read in bed but thanks to technology, don't need a light anymore. *winks*

I am picky about making sure that the image on the cover is a written scene in the book. I have hired many different designers and like to choose the photographic image myself. I let the designer do the rest with the understanding that there will be somewhere around 10 - 15 proofs before we get a final cover.

Just about everything. I love historical fiction and non-fiction, mystery, romance, suspense thrillers, the Los Angeles Times, children's books...anything.

Kindle Fire for inside. My old Kindle 3 for outside by the pool.