On writing:

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?  

I was divinely inspired to write Sunny’s Secrets. There are many circumstances, but it’s always a tragedy when someone throws away their life. I kept thinking about the contrast between their situation and someone who would give anything to live another day, as in the case of a terminally ill child. I thought it would make a compelling story to see the difference between someone who has given up and someone who gets a second shot at life. I thought about the “Life Force Energy” that people take with them when they end their lives and wondered what would happen if you could capture that and instill it into someone else whose energy was fading.

Where is your book set and have you ever been there?  

It’s set in Columbus, Ohio and later in Dayton. I’m originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and I’ve been to Columbus and Dayton, but I haven’t been back in decades. I know about the seasons, the general terrain, and the fact that Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is near Dayton, which would work perfectly for my story, so it seemed like the perfect Midwest location for Sunny to come from Dublin, just outside of Columbus. Still, I did a lot of research to make sure I got the details correct. And, when Sunny and Dr. Rohan Ray flew to India, I was grateful for the Internet! I can’t imagine trying to map out their travel using reference books in a library. I’ve never been to India. I created the fictional Shuddh Aatma Monastery after doing a lot of research about monasteries and eastern India, including the weather there. The rest was just my creative imagination. It became so real to me, that I feel as if I’ve actually been there.

What is your next project? 

I’d like to write a sequel to “Sunny’s Secrets,” but first I’d like to create an empowering anthology based on Napoleon Hill’s classic “Think and Grow Rich,” that will feature wisdom from some of the top thought leaders of the past century. I think that many people are struggling today and I’d like to empower them by sharing the keys to success that have been proven through the ages. But that sequel is calling my name!

What genre do you write and why?  

I resigned from my advertising sales career in 2003 with the intention of writing fiction. I got sidetracked by the old saying, “Write what you know about.” I was called “The Queen of the Business Lunch” because my business involved socializing with clients, and I was very good at it. I even trademarked that title for a few years. My first book was “The Art of the Business Lunch, Building Relationships Between 12 and 2” (Career Press.) It was non-fiction/business/sales. It’s in twelve languages and has been successful. I launched my speaking career to promote that book and help business professionals discover how to succeed by socializing with their clients.

Then, because I live in Las Vegas, I founded the Las Vegas Convention Speakers Bureau. My father used to make my sister and I listen to self-help gurus like Earl Nightingale. It was nice to find myself working with the people whose books I’d read and icons whom I’d seen on television.

But my passion has always been to write fiction! It took a pandemic and lockdown, which destroyed the speaking business, to pivot so that I could finally take the time to write my first novel, “Sunny’s Secrets.” It is Women’s Fiction and it’s a Medical/Psychological/Suspense Thriller. I love defining characters and building suspense. And when it comes to “Write what you know about,” I finally understand the true meaning of that. That’s why Sunny is a blonde gal from the Midwest; I know her!

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?   

My favorite compliment is from readers who said they couldn’t put it down. I also love to hear it’s a real “page turner.” My very favorite compliment is when a reader asked if it’s possible to transfer “Life Force Energy” between people, like Sunny does in the story. I made up that entire process, but it comes across as something that can actually be done, so that makes me smile.

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?  

Great question! As I mentioned regarding the saying, “Write what you know about,” I identified with Sunny. Her GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) is that she simply wants to help people, which—for her—means being the best nurse and a loving wife. When her Air Force pilot husband is killed by a suicide bomber, she’s lost. When she’s soon given a highly unorthodox opportunity to save her patients, at the expense of others, she’s thrown into a moral dilemma.
I think we all face crises like Sunny does in “Sunny’s Secrets.” And we have to ask ourselves, “What would I do in her situation?” I would absolutely do what she does, so in that regard, we’re very similar. She wants to save everyone, and that’s a trait we share. We differ in that I’m a lot more cynical than Sunny could ever be!

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?  

The road to publishing is like riding a roller coaster, with more ups and downs than anyone can imagine!

What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?  

My best advice is to write! It takes dedication and discipline. Set hours aside each day to write, give yourself a daily word count, and don’t quit until you’ve reached it.

On rituals:

Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?  

I don’t snack. I’d rather take an actual break and have a meal if I’m hungry.

Where do you write? 

At my writing desk. I also have a height-adjustable desk, but there’s something about standing that impedes my focus and creativity. I need to sit to concentrate.

Do you write every day? 

I have to say I write almost every day. When I was finishing “Sunny’s Secrets,” I was obsessed with finishing it. I had it up to 120,000+ words! The final, edited version is 94,300.

What is your writing schedule like? 

I find I’m at my creative best any time after 2 P.M. No matter when I get to my desk, I can’t write creatively until after two or three. Or four. I have looked at the clock when it’s 9 P.M., and told myself, “Just finish this next passage.” Then, I become so engrossed in my work that by the time I look at the clock again, it’s midnight. Or one.

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?  

I’ve made notes on paper so I won’t forget an idea or detail. But I do all my writing on my computer.  I have a laptop and a 27” monitor, and that’s where all the “magic” happens.

Fun stuff:

Favorite travel spot?  

Maui, HI, is unique, spiritual, and calming.

Favorite dessert?   

My favorite dessert is anything with chocolate—gooey, cake, mousse, custard, cream pie. I don’t believe fruit makes a decent dessert (except for banana cream pie.)

Any hobbies?  

I love to play golf. It’s the antidote for sitting at my desk for hours at a time. It’s physical, it gives me a dramatic mind shift, and it’s challenging.

What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?  

I love to play golf in the fall. I live outside of Las Vegas and we have brutal summers with temperatures in the hundreds. Fall is a welcome relief from that, and getting out to play golf is the most incredible experience, especially in cooler weather.

What is your go-to breakfast item?  

I am on Intermittent Fasting, so I don’t eat until after noon. That’s when I put pork belly in the air fryer. It’s hard to beat!

What is the oldest item of clothing you own?  

I won a Georgio Armani dress when I was in my twenties. I was selling cosmetics and sold the most Armani perfume. It was black and blousy with a white snap-on collar, so I look like a nun in it, which is never a look I’m going for! But I will never get rid of it. I worked too hard to earn it!