It started with a fragment, a “what if” in the back of my mind. I wanted to tell the story, but wasn’t a writer.
Yet.
The fragment turned into a plot idea that wouldn’t go away. I needed a protagonist. She jumped into my thoughts begging to tell her story. She needed a man to love and he appeared, perfect for her in every way. Their romance needed conflict— I gave them one…two…and a few more. I tossed in some humor, mystery, a dash of danger, a fair amount of suspense, and plenty of doubt their love could survive the challenges I threw in their path. I wrote a first draft, a second, and more. I read a shelf full of writing books to learn craft, attended online classes, networked with writers, and wrote another draft and another. My protagonist’s friends soon bugged me to tell their stories. I resisted until their voices grew too loud to ignore. Book one, a romantic suspense, was complete. Book two followed. Three and four are in the works.
During this time, my family dealt with the horrific reality of Alzheimer’s disease. As my mother-in-law’s mind and quality of life deteriorated, another story kernel took hold and I felt compelled to share it. The resulting novel is not HER story but a fictional representation of the adversity Alzheimer’s victims and their families face. Along with the emotional realism, I added a mystery, a bit of suspense, and a few tears. I think I am a writer now.
A fourth generation Washington State native, I live in the upper Yakima Valley with my husband, two kids, an Aussie-boxer named Peanut, two cats—named Snarky and LuLu—and a couple of goldfish. I am a Romance Writers of America PRO member affiliated with the Inland Empire Romance Writers of America chapter in Spokane and the RWA Romantic Suspense chapter, Kiss of Death. As yet unpublished, I hope to remedy the situation soon.
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