Why I write

 My personal journey as a birth-mother, a young woman who relinquished her baby girl to adoption in 1979, and reunited with in 1999,  inspired me to start writing in 2008.  But I began, not with my true story, but with deep, emotional fiction in historical settings. It surprised me how much truth I could inject into the art of telling elaborate lies. Which is what fiction is all about.

After 5 successful books I 'm not writing much these days, although a new novel set on the enchanting Antrim Coast of Ireland is always brewing in the back of my mind. This new time-slip tale weaves a mystery in a family's  past with tragic present day consequences. I always add a dash of romance, healing that can come through the exposure of truth, and of course, a gorgeous setting.  

I adore a setting that you can taste and smell, reminiscent of the best-selling books by my favourite authors like Kate Morton and Suzanna Kearsley.

But, alas, I don't have time to do everything I want to these days. Currently I volunteer my time two mornings a week at my local animal shelter, and during the winter try to find time to paint pet portraits.