Whether it was my first Carolyn Keene, Nancy Drew novel, or one of the Sue Barton, Student Nurse stories from the series created by Helen Dore Boylston, I was never happier as a child than when I had a book in my hand. I loved the smell of them, the soft touch of yellowed pages in a well-worn volume, and most of all, the promise they held. A world away from a sweltering summer street in Brooklyn, through the magic and mystery of the printed word, I could solve crimes, fall in love, travel to another part of the country or world, or forward or back in time. It took me from the end of June until Labor Day weekend, but the summer I was ten years old I read Gone with the Wind. Margaret Mitchell’s superb ability to create believable characters and a dynamic plot kept my mind and young heart spinning till I started school again, this time with a touch of Scarlet in me. After all, wasn’t I Irish, too? (And years later I married Rhett, but you’ll have to wait to hear about that later.)

That kind of passion for reading is a natural gateway to writing. I’ve produced poems and short stories (and lots of letters to editors), but I knew one day there would have to be more, a full-length book. (Hey, I didn’t say “The Great American Novel,” you did, but since it’s out there, why not aim high?) I took to heart the classic and wise suggestion to “write from personal experience,” and the concept for Rabbit Trail: How a Playboy Bunny Found Her Way was conceived. Oh, and then there was the “keep your sense of humor” advice. I don’t know where I’d be without that one.

So that’s the ultimate goal for me in writing: to tell a story where the people are real, the situations happened, and ultimately, lessons learned, while keeping tongue firmly planted in side of cheek. (Much better than foot in mouth.) Come join me on the Trail---there’s always room at the Hutch.

FWA 2009 RPLA winners
photo courtesy of Karen Lieb