I was born in Glendale, California on Halloween. Trust me, it spooked my mother out too. Growing up in the Los Angeles area has its perks. One of them is the fact I was exposed to a lot of culture and a lot of books. Unfortunately, I didn’t avail myself of the literature world until I was much older. Let’s just say you couldn’t even get me to read the instructions on a manual. I was a very proud T.V. junkie, until one fateful night when I came across the largest book I ever laid my eyes on. It was Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I tell you that thing was staring at me, taunting me with those big Hobbit eyes and I was a goner. Being the rebellious little stinker I was, I said, “Book, you won’t break me. Nosiree!” So, I read it. The entire trilogy. And I absolutely hated the ending. I hated it so much I wrote my own, knowing I would never share it with anyone. And no, I still won’t share it. Anyhow, something very peculiar happened. One sentence led to a theory, which led to a chapter that then led to a book. Two in fact. It hit me like a pile of bricks on an ant hill. Great Scott, I love to write!
Truth is, I have been writing stories in my little head since I was a child. I remember clearly starting with Crayon hieroglyphics, much to my mother’s horror. It then progressed into reenactments with dolls, including burning at the stake, and drawing. In my teen years I immersed myself in an imaginary world where I was a swashbuckler through life brandishing a sword while spouting pithy platitudes. Hey, it worked in my head.
Those stories seemed like fun sidebars in the playground of my imagination. In fact, they were my saving grace through the toughest times. Little did I know back then what I was missing by not reading more books. I realized my mistake after reading Tolkien’s trilogy. From that point on, I became a convert to literature. So much so that I don’t watch T.V. Okay, True Blood is the exception. Hey, who could not love a Southern blood sucker?
After I discovered my passion for writing I was able to complete a number of books and keep writing for over ten years. My books range from high-adventure in a fantasy setting to contemporary romantic tales. I write what’s in my heart. I’m not afraid to face difficult situations in my stories, like losing a child or serious illness. I make my characters struggle through painful decisions, because to me the beauty of life is in the tender moments between people who face challenges together with courage and love.
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