The only truth was whatever you could make someone believe.

I love the idea of ordinary women making extraordinary sacrifices.

It felt like an oversight to me, something that needed to be corrected. They [women who hid Jewish children] deserved to be understood and remembered.

I love women being the heroes of the piece. There is just something so dramatic and important about this story [The Nightingale ].

I absolute adore epic journeys that require a protagonist to fight for every victory in the hopes of finding triumph.

Sometimes a story grabs hold of you and won't let go.

Of course, there are hundreds of novels and authors that have influenced me. But to choose three, they are: Stephen King/The Stand (and really most of his books); Anne Rice/The Witching Hour; and Pat Conroy/The Prince of Tides. These authors write my favorite kind of book - epic feel, gorgeous prose, unique characters, and a pace that keeps you turning the pages. From them, I learned a lot about characterization, pacing, prose, voice, and originality.