After an earlier-than-expected retirement, I dove into writing fiction. My debut novel, "Forks & Knives," was published in August 2024 by Black Rose Writing. The novel offers readers a "what if" view of a marriage marred by alcoholism and codependency. If you've ever wondered what those forks in the road of your life might have looked like if you'd made other choices along the way, I hope you'll find the novel interesting and even empowering. I published my second novel, "DARE," with my husband Stephen, under a new imprint we launched this year, Little Key Publishing. "DARE" is an emotional fiction that follows Jewel Diamond as she heals from physical wounds and the psychological impact of being the victim of an assault. However, her path is not straight or simple. When the legal system fails her, Jewel confronts the nature of justice, actions, and consequences, daring to wonder if sometimes what’s wrong is also right. Currently, I'm working on my third book, "Whatever Comes Next." This speculative fiction explores the nature of love and loss between a mother and daughter in the aftermath of the child's death. Told in alternating points of view, from separate spheres of existence, Miriam remains bound to her mother until Rachel can embrace living again. Only then can they each move into whatever comes next. We'll see if I can finish this book by the end of this year or early 2026. I credit my love of writing to my parents, two of the smartest self-educated people I ever knew, both avid readers. Then, I credit Stephen with the completion of any of my books. His support is gentle and loving, yet he pushes me to *finish!* Together, we have successfully raised four wonderful children, and we enjoy spending time with them and our grandson. When we're not making stuff up (!), we love to travel, manage our fantasy football teams, see live theater, and read. I'm also a dedicated scrapbooker, and I enjoy listening to music and podcasts while taking long walks.