Which is your most cherished childhood memory while raised in Westchester, NY?
Childhood–not teenage - playing with my younger brothers and friends. In our backyard. Our property backed up to thousands of acres of the Pound Ridge Reservation. We would be out there for hours finding frogs, salamanders, climbing up on huge rocks, or trees and of course playing in the stream and small pond. Teenage years are another story entirely– those years were filled with tons of fun mischief.
Which of your childhood dreams was the first to die?
Probably when my mother told me she wasn’t in love with my father. I was 8. She said she loved him very much but that the in-love feelings in a marriage don’t last. I remember feeling so sad about that, for my Dad and for myself. However, I chose not to believe her in the end and firmly believe that one can be in-love with their spouse/person for life. The infatuation ends, but the deeper genuine love takes hold.
Who are the people that have influenced you as an author? Are you inspired by any other author specifically?
At an early age, I loved to read mysteries but also philosophy. Patricia Cornwell to Dostoyevsky and Sócrates. Also Ariane Rich and Sylvia Plath. Now I read memoirs such as Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Kamala Harris. But also books by Rwandan survivors, Omar Ndizeye and Clemantine Wamariya. And I always have a psychological thriller going. My favorite authors are Colleen Hoover, Liv Constantine, and Sarah Gailey.
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
Yes. There are many styles of writing and reasons for putting pen to paper. One just needs to tap into their unfiltered imagination.
What sparked the idea for your book, Sands of Centuries Swirl by my Side?
For most of my adult life, a poetry book notion has been floating around. I wrote the vast majority of poems in As Sands of Centuries Swirl by my Side while in New York City in the 1990s with a handful of pieces from my college years and just after. And then a few from present day. My poetry is a tremendous love of mine and the poems I wrote, especially the older ones, are pieces of work I cherish. It had been a long-held dream of mine to put a poetry collection together. In fact, friends of mine started the process for me in New York, but I never moved forward with it. But after having an accident in 2018 that lay me up, I took out my old poems and relived my words, feeling those deep emotions. It amazed me how the words flowed so effortlessly. I don’t mean to be egotistical, but I feel many of my poetry verses are so romantic. My writing process is all about letting words flow to me and just writing them down. I was fortunate enough to find a great publisher happy to publish my work. A dream come true.
What do you love the most about writing romantic suspense?
Feeling where the heart goes and what people will do for love. Most of the books I read have female protagonists, therefore I too wanted to write from the woman’s point of view, to really delve into the deepest emotions of passion.
How did you begin writing the 'Til an End Defined by Time series?
After my accident and reading through my poetry, I realized I had lost my poetic voice but wanted to find it again. The Til and End Defined by Time is a journey to true love, not only with another person but more importantly yourself. But one dream can turn into an overall nightmare if you go blindly into a situation without truly thinking how your actions will affect others directly or indirectly involved.
How did you come up with the title of your book, "Reservoir of Secrecy"?
It’s a line from a stanza from one of my favorite poems:
Unto to thee, I divulge a reservoir of secrecy
A Thousand years of endearment
From lovers long gone
And sonnets yet sung
Who inspired the character of Kat in "Bramble Brush"?
Kat is very loosely based on me, my journey.
What exactly is your work environment like?
Because of nerve damage in my arm, I write for only about an hour or two a day. A few days a week. I write in my living room with my laptop while sitting in a very comfortable recliner.
When you're not reading or writing a book, what are some other things that you love to do?
I love to see family and friends, talking, laughing, visiting. I also love dining out, delicious food and yummy wine.
What have you learned about the publishing industry so far?
I have a wonderful publisher. Very accessible. I would say for an unknown writer, getting my work out to people beyond my family and friends is the biggest challenge. Advertising and Promotion are pretty tough and costly. My publisher does ads and giveaways but they only go so far. There are so many authors publishing their work, developing an audience is a challenge and really requires patience and dedication.
What is the most hilarious thing you did out of boredom, apart from writing?
I would say having many silly conversations with my kids and some of my friends. We all love self deprecating humor and can laugh to the point of gasping for air.
Are you working on a new book? Is it going to be a series or a standalone?
Yes. I just submitted another collection of poetry for publication. I am also working on a fictional story about a young woman, Samantha, who returns home from her Peace Corps tour, broken-hearted. She fell in love with the son of an African President, but they never professed their feelings for one another, thinking it would be futile. However, they meet up in New York City during the U. N General Assembly. But of course, the young man now has a fiancée. Samantha has a talking cat named Sasha who wears a pink beret, pink scarf and pink cat sunglasses. Sasha, able to understand English, quickly discovers the fiancée has ulterior motives. The magical cat tells her owner what’s really behind the impending marriage. Sasha is a match maker by nature, champion for true love. Her mission is to expose the fiancée’s plan and ultimately have Samantha marry the young man from Africa.
How has your experience of being associated with AllAuthor been?
AllAuthor is fantastic. From my Author’s page to all the marketing tools, to the weekly twitter posts, my books featured to gaining new followers and seeing what other writer’s books. I highly recommend.
