When did you know you wanted to be an author?  I knew since I was fifteen.  Wow, when I say it like that it was forever ago.  I'm almost *gulp* 33.  It took me a bit to get here, but I finally made it, and I am quite proud of myself.  i may not have been diligent about going after it, but I knew it was something I wanted one day.

How long did it take you to complete the first novel you attempted?  It took about a year, maybe a little more, but only because it was never supposed to be a full novel.  It was just chapter one for the longest time because it was an entry for a contest by Harlequin Intrigue.  My friends and family liked it so much that they pushed me to keep going with it, and thus Waves of Deceit was born.

Are you a procrastinator, or do you set time aside everyday to write?  I’m a bit of a procrastinator.  I don’t set too much time aside to do my writing.  I write when the mood strikes, which isn’t often enough, and when it does strike it’s kinda late at night.

Do you have any helpful methods or rituals you would like to share?  Just be sure you at least attempt to do some writing everyday.  Even if you only get a few words down, or get a new idea.  That’s all part of the process.  Strange as it may seem, I actually get a lot of writing done when I have distractions too.  It's the weirdest thing, but then again I am a little out of the norm anyway.

How many publishers did you query before one of them snatched you up?  That’s the funny part.  I sent out to two publishers, and the second one snatched me up.  I don’t even think the first place even read my query and sample chapters.  The email they sent me to turn me down had the title of my novel misspelled in the subject line.

What was the hardest part about getting published? What was the easiest?  The hardest part was the waiting.  Even though you know it’s gonna happen, you can’t help but feel anxious about the release date.  The easiest, hmm, there is no easiest… LOL.

How has your life been affected as a result, if at all? Has your confidence in your writing changed? I don’t think my life has changed, but there’s still time.  Maybe once I get my first royalty check (if there are any sales at all of course).  Maybe when my new series comes out.  Who really knows.  Confidence booster… definitely.  I feel so much better about myself and my writing now.

What advice would you give a writer just starting out?  Never give up on your dream and passion to write.  Some people may think it’s a hobby, but you know it’s a need.  It’s what drives you.  Take the chance and follow your heart.

What got you interested/started in writing?  It was probably my ninth grade teacher, Ellen Goldstein.  No one likes to write a paper for class, but the way she taught me to get it done changed the way I looked at it.  She said, ‘in order to write something well, just write the way you would speak’.  It was all so clear to me after that, and from then on I loved to write, no matter what it was.

How long have you been writing?  Since I was fifteen, but I took it more seriously about two years ago.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?  All the time!!  There are lots of anecdotes, but they are not for everyone.  Personally, I just step away from the project for a day or two.  Usually it’s your brain saying it’s had enough and needs a break.

Who is your favorite author and why?  I didn’t have one before, but now I can say it’s Janet Evanovich because she has the talent to make the reader believe they are the characters.  Her characters are so vivid and real, and her storylines are exciting and original.  As a matter of fact, it was her “Stephanie Plum” novels that inspired me to try a series of my own.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?  WOW, tough one.  Most important elements, hmm… interesting and real characters, a strong and believable plot, and making sure you satisfy the reader’s five senses.  I know I have trouble following that formula at times, but that's what re-reads and edits are for.

How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?  They’re almost like voices and movies in my head.  They sort of come to me and play themselves out.  I’m not saying the whole thing plays out, but scenes and conversations.  It’s fun to see, and then try to get it to sound right on paper.  Capturing the essence of the vision is the tricky part.  *shushes the voices so she can hear the questions*

What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?  I couldn’t stop crying when I got the email.  I called everyone I could get a hold of.  Receiving the email with the cover art was the same thing.  It was hard to believe that it was a REAL book cover with MY name on it.  I’m still in shock, and I already have the book in hand.  Everytime I look at it, it's like, "Wow, that's MY name on the cover."  It's an amazing feeling of accomplishment.

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?  Notebook and pen.  You can take those anywhere with you because you never know when an idea is going to pop into your head.  I try to take my notebook with me wherever I go.  i would love to carry the laptop around, but that thing is heavy... LOL.

What do you do to unwind and relax?  Unwind and relax?  What does that mean…? LOL.

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We’d love to hear all about them!)  Actually I am.  I have started a detective series that I hope will be well received.  The first chapters are already receiving positive feedback from my online critique group.  I am almost finished with that.  I am also working on a sequel to Waves of Deceit called Waves of Revenge.  It picks up five years later from where Waves of Deceit ended.  I will finish that one as soon as I get Accidents Happen out the door.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing? Any special memories that you would like to share...please, oh, please?  I always dreamed I would get published one day.  I honestly never thought it would happen, but I knew I wanted it.  "Gee, Fairy Godmother, dreams really do come true."  Who woulda thunk it?!

Where are you from?  I was born in Manhattan, NY, but I was raised in Miami.  I consider myself to be from Miami because that’s where I spent most of my life.  My novels reflect that, especially since one important rule of writing, to me anyway, is to “write what you know”.  Of course you can research other places, but they don’t seem as real as when you have been there.

When and why did you begin writing?  I started back when I was in ninth grade, and I did it only as a means of escape and to unwind.  Instead of always reading a book, I would try to create my own.  None of them sounded too good though… LOL.  I found the old binder I had saved them in.  Boy are they horrible and unoriginal.  Had to start somewhere though, I guess.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?  The moment I finished my novel, before I even sent it out to a publisher, I felt like I was a writer.  Not because I had thrown some words on a piece of paper, but because I had poured out my heart and soul and finished an entire novel.  That in itself was a major stepping stone for me.  I’m known for not finishing what I start, so this was a huge hurdle.

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing? That’s a good question.  Being from Miami, one of the major areas you see on the screen for crime and drugs and all that jazz, I suppose that gave me the inkling to give it a try (in my writing ONLY).  And the fact that I love the Godfather and police and crime dramas.  It was all like an accident waiting to happen.  I think my vivid imagination may have made my mom a little nervous on some parts of it.  It's all fiction, I swear.

Do you have a specific writing style?  People tell me I do, but I don’t know.  I guess you could say my style has a bit of sarcasm and humor, and I try to make the dialogue as real and close to life as possible.  People who know me and read my work can see my personality in some of the characters (poor things).

What genre are you most comfortable writing?  The funny thing about this is that I thought for sure I would be a romance writer.  I always loved to read the stuff so I figured it would be easy to write it.  I mean, how hard could it be if I grew up reading the stuff.  Well, to my surprise, I hate writing it.  How odd is that?  I like to read all the lovey dovey stuff, but when it came time to write it, I thought it was too mushy.  Personally, I like to write about murders, and hits… the crime and action of the novel.  I don’t mind adding a little sex here and there, but romance, no way.

How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?  It wasn’t easy, but I wanted it to go along with the plot.  Waves of Deceit was pretty simple deductions.  It’s based out of Miami Beach, hence Waves.  There was going to be a lot of deception going on, and there I got Deceit.  So Waves of Deceit flowed pretty easily.

How much of the novel is realistic?  I don’t think any of it is, but then again, you never know.  There may be someone out there that reads it and says, “Hey, I know someone just like that.”  Believe me; it would not have been intentional.  I do not know, nor have I ever known, any crime families in my lifetime.  Don't look at me like that, it's true. *big grin*

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your life?  Not at all.  It was all my very vivid imagination.  It scares even me sometimes, but only sometimes.  I just take what I’ve seen on TV and movies and add my own twists and turns to it.  I write it out the way I would have liked to see it, or how I think it would appeal to the reader.  Actually, it is a bit scary when you think about how my mind works in that aspect.

What are you reading now?  I was reading Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, but I just finished book ten.  Now I have to wait until next summer for her next one to come out.  I may start reading Sue Grafton’s ‘Alphabet Series’ soon though.  I hear it’s pretty good, so I figure I should find out for myself.  It’s good to keep up with the competition anyway.

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?  They’re all very excited for me, and are the ones who pushed me to get this far in the first place.  I would never have considered the journey if it had not been for them.  Not that thy're pushy or anything *wink:wink*.

Do you see writing as a long- or short-term career?  I would love for it to be long term.  I’ll keep my fingers crossed.  I’ve made it this far so I don’t wanna give up on it just yet.  I don’t want to be remembered (if at all) by just one (semi)good book.  I want to have a list of them, memorable or not.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?  Just one thing, I would have listened to my heart and started my writing career earlier.  Maybe not at fifteen, but at least by the time I was twenty.

Is there anything additional you would like to share with your readers?  Just one thing... always follow your hearts and your dreams.  Believe me, they can take you farther than you can imagine.  Having a little faith in yourself, and having loving friends and family at your side, can take you a long way in life.  I never saw my goals being reached, but they did, and thank goodness they pushed me to see what they saw in me.  I could never have reached this point in my life without moral support.  Especially from my husband.  He helped me and supported me through the whole thing.  Of course, now he’s pushing for more books.  SHEESH!  What a demanding man, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.