FAQs

	Did you always want to be a writer?
	No. I wanted to be so many things, it would be quite a long list. I wrote stories when I was younger, but then when an instructor in my college English class critiqued one on my stories, I was so discouraged, I stopped writing for years. Now, when I look back on it, this was one of the worst choices I’ve ever made in my life. His comments weren’t even harsh; he was just doing his job. I fell into the classic trap of many writers assuming just because I wrote something down, it was perfect.  Editing, revising and listening to readers’ comments are an essential part of getting a piece of work into shape.
	Where do you get your ideas?
	Reading anything and everything.  I grew up in a small town with a small library. Once I ran out of books  targeted for my age, I moved on to all sorts of other books, both fiction and non-fiction.  I also spent way too much time in college browsing in the stacks of the library, not studying, but just picking up anything that looked interesting. I used to think all the weird bits of knowledge I absorbed were just cluttering up my brain, taking up valuable room needed for practical things (I occasionally forget my address), but  now I’m glad I know so many obscure facts.
	I also rely on my family. My two children each came up with an idea for the opening scene in Escape from Camp David, and I combined the two. My husband came up with a perfect line I needed in the final chapter, and it's probably my favorite in the whole book. Both my brother and my sister contributed some great ideas and helped me keep the story consistent.
	Where do you write?
	I have a computer in our basement, which is part way above ground so I have a window looking out on the backyard. I don’t like to be cooped up, and being able to see outside helps me stay working. My cats keep me company, lounging either on the printer, my lap, or the desk so they can look out the window as well. My desk is very cluttered, because I don’t like to file papers, and my children use the computer too. I never know what I will find sitting in front of the monitor. Right now there is a small plastic sheep, a compass, a rock, and a bag of chocolate chip cookies. The cookies may mysteriously disappear before my kids get home from school.
	What was your first published book?
	My first published book is WILDFIRE RUN. I got the idea for the book in the spring of 2008 during the presidential primaries. I knew that if either Barack Obama or John McCain became president, young children or grandchildren of the candidates would be back in the White House and put into the spotlight. I thought it would be Interesting to develop a character who would face the unique challenges of having a parent as president. Since I was writing a middle grade book, I didn't want to write some sort of adventure that involved terrorists, so I came up with the idea of setting it at Camp David and making it an outdoor adventure. I signed with a literary agent in September of 2008. The book was purchased by HarperCollins Children's Books in the spring of 2009. It was originally titled Escape from Camp David. During the publication process, the title was changed to Wildfire at Camp David and then to the final title of Wildfire Run. It was released in hardcover and in audio on August 31st, 2010, and in paperback in 2011.

Writers' Resources

	If you are just starting out as a writer, this is a great book to learn the basics:
	Click on the book to go to Amazon.com

	For more experienced writers, this is my favorite book. Read it even before you begin a new story and it will keep you on track.
	Writing the Fiction Synopsis by Pam McCutcheon is available from: Gryphon Books for Writers