My writing began with an obsession with pencils, pens, markers, crayons, and of course paper. Innocent enough. But my wads of creations were a nuisance for my mother. I never left home without a shiny purse to transport my "goodies" to and from church. What is a precocious girl to do during a three-hour-long invitation to Christ? Yes, my reading and creative writing was born out of boredom.

Chasing my dreams have been fruitful, from writing for my high school newspaper, The Bulldog Barks, to spending days interviewing Margaret Avery "Shug" of The Color Purple at Texas A&M University at Commerce, and lastly a 18-year tenure with McClatchy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram in roles as an assistant editor, design editor, and literary critic. A gig as a book club facilitator/book seller for Barnes & Noble gave me access to more books that I could have ever imagined. My dream job has evolved, but books are always the common thread.