From the time I was a kid, I have always loved reading. I loved the adventures that books would take me on, and often didn’t want them to end. So, I would find myself writing my own versions of what happened next. At a young age, I fell in love with writing, but I always looked at becoming an author like other kids looked at joining the NHL. It was a great dream, but it would never be more than that.
That changed when I was nearing 40 and chatting with another mom on the sidelines of my daughter's soccer game. I discovered that she was a published author and of course I had a million questions. She was amazing, answering everything, and it was through her encouragement that I attended my first writers' conference that fall. It was incredible. The information I learned, connections I made, well, there’s nothing quite like your first writing conference.
Through that conference, I discovered online resources, and at the time, Twitter was very popular for making connections in the publishing world. I began following an editor at Love Inspired Suspense and she announced that they were having an Author Search event. You had to submit your first chapter and a synopsis of your novel. I was hesitant, but my husband nudged me to go for it. So I buckled down and I wrote really hard and submitted.
The editor gave me encouraging feedback, and while it wasn’t accepted, she said that if I was willing to make some changes, she would be interested in seeing my manuscript again. That book eventually became my debut novel, Targeted Witness. In all, it went through about nine rewrites. Each rejection stung, but the editor notes, helped strengthen the story. I began to see those rejections less as failures and more as creative challenges and in the end, I think the manuscript became stronger because of it.
I actually found my publisher first, which is a bit unusual. Love Inspired Suspense has an open submission policy, so you don’t need to be agented to submit to them. This is great for first-time authors trying to break into the field. If you go to, https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit you’ll find their guidelines and submission policy.
While I was in the process of having my manuscript accepted by LIS, I was signed by the wonderful Tamala Hancock-Murray of the Steve Laube agency, who has been such a blessing in navigating the writing world.
Outside of family, because my family has been absolutely outstanding, I’d say the best encouragement has come from other authors and the readers. I’ve had authors reach out during those moments when I want to throw in the towel and cheer me on. I’ve had readers email me to tell me how much they enjoyed my story. Those moments mean everything, especially when you are new.
If you are a new writer, I highly recommend you plug into a community, whether that be attending a conference (some are even free), finding a local writers group, or meeting other authors online. Writing can be solitary, but it doesn’t have to be lonely.
The hardest part for me is the infamous saggy middle. I often know how I want things to start and where I want them to end, but that middle can feel like a maze. That natural journey of getting the characters from point A to point B while keeping the tension high, that’s where the real work begins.
Grammar. I finally caved and purchased Grammarly. I am the queen of dangling modifiers, starting sentences with gerunds, and all sorts of other grammatical infractions. My editor is a saint.
I learned a lot. One of the best tips is if a scene is falling flat, look at the POV. Ask yourself, who is the person with the most to lose or gain in this scene? Is that person whose POV you are in? If not, try switching it and see what happens.
Do not compare anyone’s published and edited work with your first draft.
Stein On Writing, by Sol Stein.
There are no absolute rules. Yes, it is important to understand the craft, but you don’t need a MFA to write a book that connects with readers. Learn the rules, but then don’t be afraid to break them if it serves your story.
My next book is Kidnapped For Ransom, coming out October 28, 2025.
After her husband’s murder, Dr. Chelsea Eidman discovers he wasn’t the man she thought he was. Behind the white-picket-fence life? A heist that leaves half a million dollars’ worth of diamonds unrecovered.
Now, the mobster he stole from—and an old accomplice—think Chelsea knows where the diamonds are hidden. (Spoiler: she doesn’t.)
But that’s not stopping them from hunting her and her four-year-old daughter, Lynelle, down.
With danger closing in and her daughter’s life at risk, Chelsea turns to the only person she can… the childhood friend she once almost loved.
Kidnapped for Ransom—where secrets are deadly, love is complicated, and every choice could cost everything.
That's all for today's interview. To learn more about her books, check out these links.
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