Why I Started Writing:

I began writing in journals when my children were small. At some point during that time—as I read many children’s stories and searched for books for my reluctant readers and books for the voracious readers, I began to think of writing.

Around that time, I jumped into genealogy research. In those days, a person searching for records wrote letters. I corresponded with relatives and historical societies, and I inquired at state archives for birth and death certificates. I looked at countless census records and began to reconstruct the lives of my ancestors. They are heroic stories, and I longed for those courageous people to be remembered.

Ultimately, I began writing when prompted by the Holy Spirit. Historical is my interest and history of America is my passion—fostered by my parents and grandfather’s stories.

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

I became an avid reader in third grade. Our teacher read Little House Books to us, and I was hooked. I read what we had in my home. Besides Laura Ingalls Wilder, Gene Stratton Porter, Harold Bell Wright, and Zane Grey, I read anything left around by other readers. Later my favorites were Leon Uris, Louis L'Amour, Jeanette Oke, and Bodie & Brock Thoene. Now, authors like Lauraine Snelling, Tracy Peterson, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Tamera Alexander are some of my choices to relax. From the time I was young, I have read a wide variety of genres and still do. Biographies and history are favorites.

Books I Have Written:

Portrait of Change is my first published book. It is the first of a series, The Heaton Chronicles.

What I'm Working On Now:

I am editing book two of my series—and getting ideas down on paper for book three. I also have a standalone that wants to be a series. I work on it when I need to step away from my current project.