I would not want to forget the first time I read The Lord of the Rings. I would never want to forget that! That was so magical to me, and that was a real eye-opening experience. I was probably 11 when I read that and already a reader, but I think that book really showed me how you can be transported and how your imagination can take you to a whole other place.

I'll tell you what I was most surprised to discover about my writing process, and that is that I never know what I'm doing.

I love getting into the basement of a courthouse, and all the dusty records - all that stuff makes me really happy.

History is absolutely my thing.

I personally love books that make me think, so I naturally gravitate toward writing a book like that, one that's going to make someone think and make me think.

I am very into genealogy and heritage, and that's how I started writing.

I tend to be a very logical, practical person.