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Once upon a time there lived a young princess . . .
Hmm. Sounds too unbelievable, doesn't it, at least when it's not in the pages of a book.
I'm never quite sure what to say when asked to write a bio. My life has been boringly free of excitement, glamor, and drama. I'm not a doctor, physicist, or jet pilot. I never worked covertly for the government (unless volunteer work as a Navy wife counts). I don't travel to exotic places or rub elbows with the rich and famous, though I was a guest of honor at a Hollywood movie premiere last year. My husband's done neat things in his career, and our son's doing neat things in his, but my life is, and always has been, ordinary.
Except in my head.
I grew up in Oklahoma and love the state dearly. After sixteen years of moving with my husband from Navy to Army to Marine Corps base, we've returned to my hometown and we're planning on never moving again. Our house sits up high, overlooking hills, valleys, and pastures, our little town, and Tulsa, sprawled out on the horizon. We have a fruit orchard out front, the best seat for fireworks displays in two counties out back, and a beautiful pond in the valley below.
We also have copperheads, scorpions by the dozen, and more fiddleback spiders than you can shake an exterminator at, and along with coyotes and deer, we occasionally find a neighbor's cows in the yard. Guess we should mow more often, huh?
Bob and I have been married over twenty years, and we have one son and four dogs who think they're sons. Bob is retired from careers spanning the military, medicine, and law enforcement. He's my researcher, secretary, computer whiz, and cheerleader. Brandon is excelling in his own military career. Call me prejudiced, but in his dress uniform, he's the best-looking soldier I've ever seen. His father and I are awfully proud of him.
Unlike so many authors, I didn't come to writing from another career. Moving every few years isn't conducive to most careers. I was a stay-at-home wife and mother until I sold my first book in 1986. I was so thrilled at the idea of getting paid real cash money for something I loved doing that it didn't occur to me until months later that one book does not a writing career make. So I got busy on the next one.
All these years later, I'm still busy, and still thrilled. I've written nearly fifty books. I've won awards and made bestseller lists. I've gotten heart-touching letters from readers the world over, and met every one of my best friends through this business. I've had the pleasure of selling the film rights to my first Bethlehem book, SEASON FOR MIRACLES, to Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of a trip to Hollywood for the premiere (including hugs from stars Patty Duke and Carla Gugino-Merry Christmas to me!).
Movie premieres aside, writing isn't usually a glamorous life (though I no longer scrub toilets), but for me it's neither lonely nor isolated, either. I live with countless characters and tales in my head, I love what I do, and I wouldn't have things any other way.
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