1. What inspired you to write your first book?
I was all of thirteen, and had just finished reading David Eddings’ Belgariad series. I’d been up late every night for weeks putting myself into the story in my pre-sleep fantasies. I decided to write. I didn’t realize at the time that what I was doing was fanfiction. My father called it plagiarism and encouraged me to invent my own worlds. My mother bought me an electric typewriter when they got tired of hearing me plunk away on my grandfather’s Underwood. Joke was on them: the electric typewriter was ten times louder.
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2. Writing can be a difficult job, what inspires you to keep going?
At first, it was pure pleasure. I was fiddling around with words, aimless in my path. I self-published and my first book, Touched, was noticed by a publisher out of Seattle and picked up for publication. Death Rejoices came next, the second book in the Marnie Baranuik Files, and two short stories: Cold Company, and Dirt Nap. Now that I’ve had a taste of success, I’m finding that addictive. The voices in my head drive me to tinker with ideas and storylines, but my determination to top myself repeatedly is what drives me out of bed at four in the morning.
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3. What are you working on now? What’s next?
The third book in the Marnie Baranuik Files, Last Impressions, is wrapping up now, and soon my editor will sink his fangs into it. I hope that won’t be too terribly painful.
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4. What’s your writing process, schedule, or routine? 
I’m up at four in the morning as often as I can be, and I write until the children need me. I start by re-reading the last bit I wrote the day before. I make tea, find the right music, slip my headphones on and write, write, write.
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5. Who is your favorite book character of all time? Why?
There is a little spy in the David Eddings books named Silk who is a magnificently rotten little creep with a heart of gold. He was the first character I ever read who was a villain acting on the hero’s side. When I experienced him, I hadn’t thought that it was possible for a hero to rely on the help of a shifty character like Silk. He opened my eyes to subtle characters written to be as deep and multi-faceted as real people. It was such a happy discovery for me.
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6. What advice would give to aspiring writers?
There are so many people who want to be a writer because “being a writer” sounds fun/glamorous/special, but they don’t want to commit to doing the actual work. There are sacrifices to be made if you want to succeed in this field. Writers write. Write every day. Write until a day without writing feels wrong. Turn off the TV, say no to the dinner invitation, or the movie date. You cannot find time, you must carve it out of the day. As the writers in my circle say, “put your ass in the seat and make with the words.”
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7. What is your favorite quote? 
“Inspiration exists but it has to find you working.” ~ Picasso. And I agree. If you wait around for the inspiration/muse, you’re wasting time. The magic will happen while you’re plunking the keys.
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8. Who would you most like to have a cup of coffee with? (Dead or alive)
Explain… I suppose I should like to pick Stephen King’s brain. Not literally.
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9. What is your biggest pet peeve?
I have some internal rigidity issues about time that drive me bonkers. I am always hyper-aware of the time. I feel “late” if I’m not fifteen minutes early for everything. I don’t mind at all if the other people are late, but I cannot be late.
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10. Tell us something quirky about you.
I’ve been trying to convince my husband to allow me to buy my casket early. There’s no sense in paying so much money for an item that I’ll never see or use. I think I should pick it out myself, now, and get accustomed to the look and feel of it. Maybe that’s morbid, and nobody in my circle agrees with me, but it’s something I’d enjoy.
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11. Favorite comfort food?
Is tea a food? A hot cup of tea in my hand is more comforting to me than anything I could eat, although I am a huge fan of mashed potatoes with gravy.
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12. Star Wars or Star Trek?
I was always very fond of Star Trek: the Next Generation, and am a huge Patrick Stewart fan.
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13. Sunrises or Sunsets?
Sunsets. I work so much better in the dark.
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