Author of the New Wanderlust Mystery Series
Email Author:
A mystery writer, I decided, can be
better defined as a paid and legal hit man. They drum up a killer, set
their prey, and kill off the innocent and (more often than not) the
not so innocent. It’s also a very creative and healthy way of
“letting off steam.” At least for me it is.
I have been writing ever since I discovered the magic of the pencil and alphabet. I have traveled through every genre before finding my Utopia with romantic suspense and cozy mysteries. My first poem was published when I was twelve-years-old—on the front page of the school newspaper. I can still recall the thrill and feelings of artistic achievement in seeing my name in print. It
hooked me.
My first novel was a paranormal romance which still beckons for me to rewrite. I submitted it to so many contests, editors, agents—but apparently no one is very interested in a young woman who dies and comes back to the love of her life in the form of an emerald-eyed seagull. My next four novels were in the mystery genre. I had discovered my niche. TROPICAL WARNINGS, my soon to be published first in the Wanderlust Mystery Series, is set in a number of camping resorts throughout the United States and Canada. I’ve been asked a number of times what qualifies me to write mysteries using this never before setting. My answer:
It was in the fall of 1978 when my husband, Jerry and I became one of the above statistics. We traveled the roads of America for 16 years. His work in the construction trade brought us to every “whereinthehellis” place on the map. I filled my days with journals of people, places, and oh…the countless “things” that happen on the road. Many asked me over and over why I didn’t write a book. I did. A non-fiction account of all the journals titled, LIFE THROUGH A REAR VIEW MIRROR. In 1992, shortly after hurricane Andrew devastated the Homestead, Florida area, Jerry and I rolled our 32 ft. Silver Streak into a camping resort (which, at the time, appeared to be more of a MASH unit). In an attempt to keep my sanity, I took a job in the office where I discovered INSANITY bred! I soon became assistant manager and marketing director and in 1996 my husband joined me in the office as we agreed upon the offer of campground managers. There we stayed and there is where the REAL stories and characters emerged for what is now a reality—the Wanderlust Mystery Series. Taken from both views of the full-time rv’er—the traveler across America and Canada as well as the villains—otherwise known as “THE Managers.” Currently we live in Sebring, Florida and I am again working and managing a residential mobile home park with an RV section. You can take the girl out of the campground but you can’t take the camping and adventure out of the girl. Not this one anyway. I hope you enjoy the adventures of David and Laura Jennings as much as I enjoy creating their life, murder and mayhem adventures.
No matter where your RV journeys may take you, chances are someone else has gone before and helped pave the way.
I am a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature and the Writer’s Digest Novel Writing course. Periodically I take advantage of the online classes in synopsis writing, forensics, death investigation, as well as a number of courses on criminal profiling. I’m an active member of The Authors Guild of America, Romance Writer’s of America, Mystery Writer’s of America, and Sisters In Crime. I have attended countless writing conferences through the years and have sweated with the best in those nerve-wracking agent/editor appointments. I am also a participant and member of Lethal Ladies, an online critique group with the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA. I set aside two days per week for nothing but research. I take out my notebook from my work-in-progress and anything highlighted in red I know needs researching. I find this fascinating and sometimes get caught up so much in my discoveries on facts that I have to remind myself to move on to the next item. One thing about the Internet and search engines is the true definition of World Wide Web. I can’t help but wonder what painstaking measures the earlier great authors had to go through in digging up their research.
In short, I am a passionate, dedicated, devoted and obsessed writer. I write every day—just as I would brush my hair or teeth every day—always the writing first.
I have been writing ever since I discovered the magic of the pencil and alphabet. I have traveled through every genre before finding my Utopia with romantic suspense and cozy mysteries. My first poem was published when I was twelve-years-old—on the front page of the school newspaper. I can still recall the thrill and feelings of artistic achievement in seeing my name in print. It
hooked me.
My first novel was a paranormal romance which still beckons for me to rewrite. I submitted it to so many contests, editors, agents—but apparently no one is very interested in a young woman who dies and comes back to the love of her life in the form of an emerald-eyed seagull. My next four novels were in the mystery genre. I had discovered my niche. TROPICAL WARNINGS, my soon to be published first in the Wanderlust Mystery Series, is set in a number of camping resorts throughout the United States and Canada. I’ve been asked a number of times what qualifies me to write mysteries using this never before setting. My answer:
It was in the fall of 1978 when my husband, Jerry and I became one of the above statistics. We traveled the roads of America for 16 years. His work in the construction trade brought us to every “whereinthehellis” place on the map. I filled my days with journals of people, places, and oh…the countless “things” that happen on the road. Many asked me over and over why I didn’t write a book. I did. A non-fiction account of all the journals titled, LIFE THROUGH A REAR VIEW MIRROR. In 1992, shortly after hurricane Andrew devastated the Homestead, Florida area, Jerry and I rolled our 32 ft. Silver Streak into a camping resort (which, at the time, appeared to be more of a MASH unit). In an attempt to keep my sanity, I took a job in the office where I discovered INSANITY bred! I soon became assistant manager and marketing director and in 1996 my husband joined me in the office as we agreed upon the offer of campground managers. There we stayed and there is where the REAL stories and characters emerged for what is now a reality—the Wanderlust Mystery Series. Taken from both views of the full-time rv’er—the traveler across America and Canada as well as the villains—otherwise known as “THE Managers.” Currently we live in Sebring, Florida and I am again working and managing a residential mobile home park with an RV section. You can take the girl out of the campground but you can’t take the camping and adventure out of the girl. Not this one anyway. I hope you enjoy the adventures of David and Laura Jennings as much as I enjoy creating their life, murder and mayhem adventures.
No matter where your RV journeys may take you, chances are someone else has gone before and helped pave the way.
I am a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature and the Writer’s Digest Novel Writing course. Periodically I take advantage of the online classes in synopsis writing, forensics, death investigation, as well as a number of courses on criminal profiling. I’m an active member of The Authors Guild of America, Romance Writer’s of America, Mystery Writer’s of America, and Sisters In Crime. I have attended countless writing conferences through the years and have sweated with the best in those nerve-wracking agent/editor appointments. I am also a participant and member of Lethal Ladies, an online critique group with the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA. I set aside two days per week for nothing but research. I take out my notebook from my work-in-progress and anything highlighted in red I know needs researching. I find this fascinating and sometimes get caught up so much in my discoveries on facts that I have to remind myself to move on to the next item. One thing about the Internet and search engines is the true definition of World Wide Web. I can’t help but wonder what painstaking measures the earlier great authors had to go through in digging up their research.
In short, I am a passionate, dedicated, devoted and obsessed writer. I write every day—just as I would brush my hair or teeth every day—always the writing first.
Mysteries by Author:
- Tropical Warnings
- Resort To Die For
- It's Check Out Time
- The Dolphin Triangle
- Murder By The Book
Other Books by Author:
- Wings Of Love