I'm kind of obsessed with true crime and murder. I find it fascinating that people can actually kill each other. No matter how many times I write it or how many shows I watch about it, what humans are capable of is just nuts. I love the psychological aspect of a story. I've always been drawn to the darker side of human nature and love exploring the 'what ifs' of it. I can't imagine writing something other than mysteries and thrillers.

My days are actually pretty boring. I get to my home office around 8:00 with a coffee in hand. I always listen to music on my headphones and turn it up really loud. I have certain playlists that help me get in the mood of the scene I need to write. I get a lot of inspiration from music. Once I'm pumped up, I sit down and face the blank screen and blinking cursor. Sometimes the words come easily. Sometimes, I just start with one sentence, and then another and then it takes off from there. I usually write for about 2 hours, sometimes longer. I'm normally very tired by then, so I take a lunch break. Occasionally, I will write again in the afternoon, but normally I do chores or laundry or other things until my family comes home. I am blessed with pretty easy days. A lot of my work is just staring out the window, thinking. Or mowing the lawn or washing dishes, thinking. I think A LOT about stories. That allows me to be ready to write the next day.

My favorite part is definitely the high when my characters "talk" to me and the ideas flow easily. There is nothing like creating an entire world of people and places and events in my head. I have tons of ideas that never make it to paper because I just love creating.

My least favorite is the self-doubt. I've written 14 published novels, but each time, I wonder did I do the story justice? Did I tell it in a way that will intrigue readers? Can I really do this writing thing or am I kidding myself? I think all writers or creatives, in general, suffer from this.

Having to do all my own marketing. Of course, even traditionally published authors basically run their own marketing campaigns. It is a skill that is very unlike writing but just as important. No one can read what you wrote if they don't know it exists.

I have always had a love/hate relationship with dolls. On the one hand, they can be beautiful or cute, but those eyes! The stare just always freaks me out. In the book Inheriting Elyse, I took that to a whole new level. I have a doll that used to be my daughter's that is the size of a small child. That thing is creepy and was part of the inspiration for Elyse. The doll in the book scared so many readers, she became a recurring character throughout the series.

Music is really my muse. A random line in a song can easily give me a scene idea. Certain characters even have their own theme songs. As for a human muse, my husband is a huge help with ideas and plot problems. It is fairly common to find us discussing the best way to commit a murder or some wild scene. I get a lot of ideas from brainstorming with him.

My favorite book I've written is by far Marked by Darkness. I've written about 10 books since that one, but it's still my favorite. It is such a unique blend of thriller and emotion. I cried so many times when I wrote it and scared the pants off me as well. It is the first in my Maddison, Indiana series and I love the creepy factor in all the books in that series. My Messages of Murder series is my best-selling, but for me the scary books are more fun to write.

Trust the story. As I write, I sometimes don't know what comes next or how it ends, or how it will all work out. It is easy to get caught up in that and get blocked. Just trust the story. If the story is talking to you, it will all come out okay. One sentence at a time.