It’s hard to wrap my head around how I got from an idea for a story back in the Fall of 2022, to a website that celebrates and promotes my novels! Yep – my novels. Four of them! But here we are, and I couldn’t be more excited about sharing my thoughts about writing, and living, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina with all of you in the weeks and months ahead.
Maybe the best place to start is with the answer to a question I am often asked. “How did you start to write?”
There’s a short, easy answer, “I have always been a writer,” and then there’s one that’s a bit more nuanced.
I have written things my entire life. As a little girl just learning to read and write, I made up stories of my own and shared them with my family and teachers. I am of the belief that reading and writing go hand in hand. The more I read, the more I wanted to continue to write – stories, poetry, items for the school newspaper, the high school yearbook, test essays, or my diary – it didn’t matter. When I had a school assignment, or later, a college paper, to write, I was in my element.
When I was raising my family, my chances for writing for pleasure were more limited. But as a television journalist, I wrote for a living. When that career came to a close, I found myself writing technical papers, reports, and even speeches in my work for the YMCA of the USA International Division. When I moved to the Outer Banks in 2015, I began writing advertising copy and social media posts for the Cape Hatteras Motel. But in all that time, I never thought of writing a novel, and certainly not a romance novel.
In October 2022, I was preparing myself mentally for knee replacement surgery in early November. I was having trouble sleeping through the night. It occurred to me that if I made up a story, it might keep my mind occupied, and perhaps I’d fall asleep. Soon the ideas which eventually became “Storm Season” were not only in my mind at 3 am, but also during the day. As my husband Dave and I would walk along the beach, or, ultimately, as I was recovering from the surgery I’d tell him my ideas. As I shared the story with Dave each morning when I had “added” a new chapter in my mind, he became engrossed in the plot. It was his encouragement, his saying over and over, “You need to write this down,” that pushed me to the computer. “Storm Season” was born.
I was, truly, just going to run off a few copies at Staples and share it with those closest to me. But through a wonderful coincidence, my massage therapist Robin Kukiel connected me with author and knowledgeable self-publishing expert Kim Perry. Kim formatted my work, found me an editor, and designed all my covers. She held my hand every step of the way. I can honestly say that, without her, you would never have read any of my books.
But writing that first one, and having it so well-received, I developed the confidence to write the other two books in the trilogy – “Hooked on You,” and “Tangled Lines.” And now I am about to release a new romance, “Building a Little Love,” with new characters and a new underlying theme.
I want to explore all my underlying themes, and much more, in future blogs.
Right now, I am just marveling at the fact that my original bedtime story has taken me this far. It’s been a whirlwind of meeting bookstore owners, conducting book signings, speaking at book clubs, being interviewed by radio, TV and print journalists, and sharing with wonderful readers like you.
Another question I am often asked is, “Have your expectations been met?”
Given that I absolutely had none to start with, the answer is surely a resounding “Yes!”
I can’t wait to see what happens next!
