I started writing romances after my mother gave me a few Harlequins to read. Some of them were pretty good, but others were so bad, I would toss them into a corner where they stayed for months. I did eventually finish them, but it was agonizing. Like so many other authors, I figured I couldn’t do any worse, so I began writing The Courting of Thomasyna, or Thomi, or, A Favor For A Favor as it was titled back in 1972. Joleigh-Anna came to life about ten years later as first a short story. Later, a writing instructor told me that she wanted to be a novel.

I had, by that time, met and married my hubby who had a small son from his first marriage. We enlarged our family with three more sons, and a few dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, parakeets, and a three legged goat. Oh, and two horses. Although, in that department, I’ve had close to twenty over the years. No more now, more’s the pity. I truly miss those years!

Life experiences have a way of shaping or reshaping stories, I discovered. But the experience that likely changed it the most was losing the manuscript for Thomi in one of our moves. I was sure I’d never be able to recreate that world! After the depression wore off a bit–which wasn’t anytime soon, I can tell you–I talked myself into starting the story over. Finding a partial outline and the first three chapters in a forgotten folder helped get the writing flowing. Thomi’s story turned out way differently than I had first intended. All in a good way!

Many of my characters are left-handed since I’m a proud lefty myself. IMHO, It’s not a curse or a disability to be left-handed. It’s just a different way of being; another spice in the spice rack of life!

Because Thomi kept getting rejected for the length of the story, even after I cut it significantly, I decided to self publish her. That way, I could do whatever I wanted to do in my stories.

I have spoken in classrooms and at workshops about writing in general, ePublishing and writing as a career. Discussing writing as a career was as much fun as going in to simply read to a class. The kids, in any situation I met them in, were always respectful, attentive and responsive. Sometimes more so than the teacher.

Currently, I’m working on the third in my DreamWynd Whispers Romance Series which is tentatively entitled A Storm In My Heart. I have at least four more titles to include in the series. Thomi’s sisters and brothers all want their love stories told as well! Jah willing, I’ll get to them all.

When I have spare time, I enjoy family time, hiking, biking, and bowling. I no longer have horses, but when I can, I still love to ride!