Romance has always been my genre of choice, although I've been known to get immersed in political intrigue or spy thrillers. If a book can make me laugh and cry, it is a memorable one. The absolute best books create a feeling of loss when I finish them, as if I've lost a dear friend.
Paris is my favorite place in the whole world, and I have many sweet memories of the Jewel Beside the Seine. In fact, I've set several of my romances there. We last visited in September, 2013 for a couple weeks, renting an apartment on the Left Bank.
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| The Seine on a rainy day. |
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| Our living room in our apartment on rue Bertholette. |
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| Notre Dame and the Seine are to our back and the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company are to our right. |
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| Having a café au latte at a café near where Calvin lived in 1968. |
I'm retired, as is my husband. We both share the passion of writing. Now that I'm constantly writing, bedtime is the only time I get to read anymore. I love reading new authors--such energy and crisp writing. Wow!
Some would say my days are relaxed now that I don't need to rush off to work any more. In their opinions, all I do all day is write. If the truth were known, you would realize I'm writing like a madwoman these days, trying to make up for lost time. Although I started writing short stories in grade school and dreamed of writing all my life, I never felt I was talented enough. Self-doubt is a terrible thing, isn't it? Thank goodness Calvin encouraged me to follow my dream.
As a result, my first book came out a month after turning 63. Yes, folks, I am a tad slow at reaching for my dreams. After all, I never started college until I was 44 and didn't meet the beat of my heart until I was 55. I'd been alone for 12 years by then; talk about being gun-shy! But Calvin, with his wry humor, gentle nature, high intellect and southern charm, sashayed into my life on a jazzbeat and a smile. I was a goner. And after 12 years of marriage, I still am.
