I wrote for fun as a kid, making up stories about Tabe the Kitten, Rusty Sutton Girl Detective, and Kerry Blue and her mystery solving terrier. I wrote my first 200 page mystery when I was 11 and another when I was 14. I loved reading mystery series and wanted to author my own, like my favorite JUDY BOLTON mysteries by Margaret Sutton. That was my dream...and in my 30's it came true, when Avon Books published MY SISTER THE GHOST series.
The idea for a ghostly twin came when I heard of a childhood friend who had tragically lost a twin in a drowning accident. What if the twin came back as a ghost? I wondered. And Miranda and her spooky twin Melody were born. My next series, CHEER SQUAD, came about through entirely different circumstances. I had finished writing the four GHOST books, and was submitting different projects to Avon. After turning one of these projects down, my editor invited me to submit a series of competitive cheerleading. I agreed, then hung up the phone and panicked. I knew NOTHING about cheerleading. I'd never even been to a basketball or football game. But I started talking to cheerleaders, reading magazines, and attending cheerleading competitions. I even spent four days at a cheer camp in the guise of a cheer advisor. Research turned out to be an exciting adventure. You never know where this writing biz will lead you!
I'm very lucky to have a supportive husband, David, and two great kids, Melissa and Andy. David is a crane operator. Melissa is a sweet, hard-working, animal lover who gives teenagers a GOOD name. Andy has a great sense of humor, a high sense of drama, and a loving personality. My family is the best!
We love to go camping, watch movies, or take trips to Reno together. We live on three peaceful country acres with a barnyard of animals; cats, dogs, goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, and two horses.
Yes, I have an agent. In fact, I've had two. But I didn't get an agent until after I had sold nine books on my own and had more complicated contracts to negotiate. To get my first agent, I wrote her a query letter telling about several of my books. She liked MY SISTER THE GHOST and agreed to represent me. Six months later she'd sold the series to Avon Books (now a division of Harper Books).
To date, I've sold 26 books, but two that were sold through a packager to HarperPaperbacks were cancelled, so I actually have 24 published books. I've also sold two e-books, MAIL-ORDER MONSTER and MELISSA'S MISSION IMPOSSBILE, which will bring my total to 26 books in 2001. Some, like my first book ALMOST TWINS by Willowwisp Press, are already out of print.
I've written three series: MY SISTER THE GHOST, CHEER SQUAD, and REGENERATION. I collect series books, too, like Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton. When I was a kid, I wanted to have my own series -- and with lots of hard work and some luck, it's happened. Mysteries are my favorite type of plot, so I've included many mysteries in my books.
Yes, I write outlines when I start a book, but usually just a page or two. I always know the beginning and ending of a book, but let the middle evolve as the characters come into life.
More information on my books!
ALMOST TWINS:
Willowisp Press, 1991Look-alike girls pretend to be twins at a twin convention.
OPPOSITES ATTRACT:
Bantam Sweet Dreams, # 180, 1991A missing dog sparks a new romance
BARNYARD BATTLE:
Bantam Sweet Balley Twin #59, 1992ALMOST PERFECT:
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #190, 1992Dolphins, swimming, and spring love.
LOVE TO SPARE:
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #200, 1993Jillian helps disabled kids bowl--and scores a strike with a super-star bowler.
SATURDAY NIGHT BASH:
Lowell House, Dream Date #1, 1994Emilee is giving a big party! You make choices from sixteen defferent endings.
SPRING BREAK!:
Lowell House, Dream Date #2, 1994You and your friends head for sun and fun for Spring Break. Seventeen different endings.
DEEP IN MY HEART:
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #215, 1994Lissa and Jake get lost in a cave and find true love.
DREAMBOAT:
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #227, June, 1995Cassidy cruises to the Caribbean to get away from small town boys.
MY SISTER THE GHOST:
Avon Camelot series#1. TWIN AGAIN: Miranda comes face to face with her spookey twin.
#2. ESCAPE FROM GHOSTLAND: Hiding a runaway ghost drives Miranda crazy!
#3. TEACHER TROUBLE: Miranda's blended family moves into a new house--complete with a shadow ghost!
#4. BABYSITTER BEWARE: Trouble when twins babysit.
#1. CRAZY FOR CARTWHEELS:
#2. SPIRIT SONG
#3. STAND UP AND CHEER
#4. BOYS ARE BAD NEWS
#5. SPRING TO STARDOM
#6. CAMP CONFESSIONS
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REGENERATION series by Berkley Books -- Teenagers Have Been Cloned!
#1. REGENERATION
#2. THE SEARCH
#3. THE TRUTH
#4. THE IMPOSTER
#5. THE KILLER
Coming in 2001--
From New Concepts/E-Publishers
MAIL-ORDER MONSTER (realistic fantasy)
MELISSA'S MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (a mystery)