How much research did "Prints Charming" take?
Not too much since I’ve been a scrapper for nearly a decade. I already knew the ins and outs of the scrapping world. I did, however, have to do some research about juvenile delinquents and young adult offenders so that I could accurately write Tabitha’s character. And I had to bug Mari for hours on end to brush up on my Spanish skills again.

Do you prefer to write contemporary fiction? Why?
Definitely! The stories that play in my head begin in the world in which I live. Last week, I was at the beach in Naples, Florida visiting my in-laws (lovely people!). I was all relaxed on a warm beach towel, hearing the sound of seagulls in the air, enjoying the beautiful picture of my toddler and husband playing in the breaking waves in front of me, when I caught an incredible sight out of the corner of my eye.

About 15 yards down the beach, an elderly woman in a black bathing suit was standing at the water’s edge. She was leaning forward, hands on hips, and her posture clearly indicated she wanted to go into the water. I watched her for a few seconds, wondering if she would get up the nerve to go in. (The water is pretty cold this time of year.) Then I watched an elderly man stand up in the water, step over a breaking wave, and reach out for her hand. He was wearing black and white trunks and had that paunch that nearly all old men have. But the way he took her hand … It took my breath. When she put her hand in his, every ounce of hesitation left her posture. She stepped right on into that water as if she’d never thought of staying on dry ground. I watched her make her way across the breaking waves and out into the calmer waters, never letting go of his hand.

Those are the scenes that my mind captures and spins stories with. I put my book down (it was a Dean Koontz book – man, can he write!) and let my imagination run with all the possibilities of story captured in the scene I had just witnessed. Were they a couple who had been married for decades, weathering the death of their children, retiring here in sunny Naples? Did she have a long-held fear of water that today, for the first time in her long life, she had decided to overcome? Or were they newlyweds? Did they meet two months ago and get married in Vegas? Was he the flamboyant one who fell in love with a shy girl from Florida? So many possibilities!

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
My main challenge is balance. I own Glass Road PR, the only publicity firm in the country dedicated solely to representing novelists writing from a Christian worldview. Our staff is currently handling about 50 books, which makes for a ton of plates to keep spinning in the air! I’m also a wife and mom who takes her responsibilities and familial blessings seriously. I travel around the country speaking at writers conferences about publicity and meeting with media representatives. Every two months, I go to Atlanta to film the fiction episodes for Deeper Shopping TV, which airs to 55 million homes in Europe and the UK and here in America via Faith TV on the Sky Angel Satellite system. This year, I also start school again to obtain my Masters in Mass Communications. Oh, and we’re busily renovating a 107-year-old house we purchased in 2005.