Happy Birthday, Nannie.

Today, my grandmother would have celebrated her 61st birthday. We celebrated for her. =)
I have to take a few minutes to explain a little something about my Nannie.
She was the rock of our family. There are over thirty of us who get together every Sunday for lunch. (Always have, always will.) Not only Sunday's, mind you. We go on vacations (YES, all 30 of us!) and do so much together. And today, we got together and had Nannie's birthday party.
It sucks so bad that she couldn't physically be here. But she was there, just the same.
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the most wonderful grandmother ever! And here is why...

My Nannie was sweet and kind, but you didn't want to get on her bad side.
My Nannie was quiet and thoughtful, but you wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley.
My Nannie was smart and fun, but you didn't want to mess with her family.
My Nannie was silly and outgoing, BUT... you didn't want to mess with her family.

That being said, I owe so much to that woman. She is the reason I am a writer. I've always had stories in me. When I was six years old, I hung out with my Poppy at the dealership he worked at before school every morning and typed all my stories on a computer he set up for me in the corner of his office. He would print them out for me, and I would staple the pages together. For years, those "books" were my pride and joy. When I was thirteen, the stories became a 122 page book for pre-teens. My Nannie read it, liked it, and paid for it to be self published. I will never forget the feeling when my mother and Nannie took such pride in my work. From that day on, I felt like an author. I even made money off that book! Since then, I have three complete novels and several work in progresses. I owe everything to her and wish with all my heart she was still her with me to share this adventure.

I just wanted everyone to know how truly AMAZING this woman was and how special she will always be to me.

I LOVE YOU NANNIE!
10-22-50 ~ 07-18-10

Why Romance?

I write what I know. LOVE

I was born into a family who loved me and learned from a very early age that love is the most important part of your life. It came in the form of my mother, my Nannie, my Poppy, and my entire family. It wasn't something I just noticed one day, my subconcious has always known love. I give it freely. It is easy for me to love someone; my family, my friends. I have room in my heart for just about anybody.

That being said, love and romance -all though are two seperate things entirely- are important parts of life and relationships.

For example, a person can love someone with all their heart without being in love with them. Women -in my experience- understand this concept more than men. There are many levels to love. It's a three dementional emotion, after all.

I write romance because romance stems from my favorite emotion. (LOVE) Romance is pretty much over-looked in the world today. We focus on the big picture and forget the little things that mean everything. When was the last time you brought your significant other a flower home after your day apart from eachother? When was the last time you said, "I love you," out of the blue? It really is the little things that make a relationship last and last. With the little things supporting you, the big things can be overcome.

When I am writing a romance story, whether that be romantic suspense or just something fun and flirty, the possibilities are endless. That's what I love about writing in this genre. I can create any type of relationship with any kind of characters and situations. I will honestly say, however, that I don't always control the story. The story takes me away a lot of the time to the point where the entire plot changes because my characters demand it.

*Did you know:

"Somewhere I Belong" was originally drafted to be a romantic suspense? That's right! But my characters wouldn't let me create a problem that huge. So it became a womens fiction novel with major romantic qualities. (And I like it better that way!)

ROMANCE is important. Our hearts need it, our hearts believe in it. I write what I know, and that is why I have chosen to write romance. Or did it choose me? =)

The Dance (romantic suspense)

When Rebecca Channing promises to hide a mysterious painting known as The Dance for her estranged father, she wanted only to gain an ounce of affection from him. Instead, she finds herself running for her life trying to elude two brutal men who are stopping at nothing to take her. Rebecca has to find out what these goons want before they can catch her.

Cornered on a pier over the sea, Rebecca impulsively jumps into a moving boat. Her plan was to jump ship somewhere out in Lake Erie but the captain of this ship has other plans. Gideon Avery was as hard and ruthless as any sailor, but he saves her life time and time again by helping her escape her pursuers. Rebecca can’t help falling in love with this modern day pirate who protects her. He whisks her away to his island and his family takes her in, giving her the love and affection she’d been denied all her life. The criminals, however, are relentless. Soon, it becomes evident that the painting was only a cover and what they really want is Rebecca.

With time running out and the goons hot on their trail, Rebecca must fight to protect those she has come to love and her heart.

*THE DANCE is book ONE of three in the AVERY FAMILY TRILOGY! Stay tuned to hear about Jess and Colin's stories!*