She wanted something else, something different, something more. Passion and romance, perhaps, or maybe quiet conversations in candlelit rooms, or perhaps something as simple as not being second.

When you chase a dream, you learn about yourself. You learn your capabilities and limitations, and the value of hard work and persistence.

is love at first sight truly possible?

I'm writing a new love story, set in eastern North Carolina. Surprise, surprise, huh?

Too many writers think that all you need to do is write well-but that's only part of what a good book is. Above all, a good book tells a good story. Focus on the story first. Ask yourself, 'Will other people find this story so interesting that they will tell others about it?' Remember: A bestselling book usually follows a simple rule, 'It's a wonderful story, wonderfully told'; not, 'It's a wonderfully told story.'

Poets knew that isolation in nature, far from people and things man-made, was good for the soul, and he'd always identified with poets.

The inspiration for my novels comes from the depths of a creative well, based on asking myself questions over and over. I try to write something different each time I sit down to write; I try to surprise the readers.