Biography
I was born and bred in the Lone Star State, and other than a seventeen-year
sabbatical split between Kentucky and Oklahoma, I’ve always
called Texas home. My husband and I currently live on a ranch on
the cuff of the Texas Hill Country and thoroughly enjoy country life.
In our pastures you’ll find Boer goats, Texas Longhorn cattle,
and a couple of spoiled horses. Three Pyrenees dogs guard the goat
herds, two Labrador Retrievers guard the house, and three cats rule
over them all.
I received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Stephen
F. Austin State University, with a minor in English, and put it to
use in a variety of ways. My list of careers includes stints as a
high school business teacher, an accountant, an executive secretary,
a real estate broker, and owner of an antique shop. My career as
a writer began with the publication of a story about the Edmond Post
Office Massacre to Norman Vincent Peale's Guidepost magazine. Although
I found the project exciting, it proved to me that my heart belonged
in romantic fiction where there is always a happy ending, and I’ve
been writing romances ever since.
Texas is often the setting in my books, and
I especially enjoy incorporating ranches and small town life into
my stories. The characters I create are always fictional, but I often
use real locations, such as restaurants and popular landmarks in
scenes, as I think readers enjoy a small peek at places they may
not have had the opportunity to visit.
My three children are grown
now and living on their own, which gives me the time to pursue other
interests. I love gardening, reading, decorating and bargain-shopping.
My home is my playground and I’ve
always got a decorating or gardening project underway, which drives
my husband crazy at times. And I love flea markets, estate sales,
junk shops ... there are always hidden treasures just waiting to
be found.
I’ve won numerous awards for my writing and made the
top spot on several bestseller lists, but the rewards I treasure
most are the letters and emails I receive from readers, telling me
how much they enjoyed a particular book. They are what keep me in
my office and at computer, typing away on the next story.
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