Like so many others, I grew up with books as my best friends. Now, as a mother, wife, and professional, books continue to be my favorite form of escapism, source of comfort, place to find joy, or even place to go if I'm in need of a good cry. And let's face it—sometimes we are all in need of a good cry. Writing grew out of my love for reading. I have personally found that the only story I can get more deeply lost in than one I am reading is one that I am writing myself. When I am not reading, jotting down book ideas, writing outlines, or fully immersed in a manuscript, I love to garden, travel, and be together with the people I love.