Darlene Graham, who won the Oklahoma Writers' Federation prestigious Teepee Award for Best Fiction Book of 1999, says that having witnessed birth, death and "everything in between" helps her put realistic emotions into her novels. Graham practiced as a registered nurse in Labor and Delivery and then Oncology for 20 years before she decided to translate all that real-life drama into romantic suspense fiction."Even though I write uplifting, even humorous romance," the mother of three says, "I'm also not afraid to deal with real issues, with real pain. I've been known to sit at my computer and shed a few tears while I write." Graham's first book, It Happened in Texas, was released as a Guaranteed Page Turner by Harlequin Superromance, and she says that since that book sold, her writing life has felt "like popcorn popping." "Something new and exciting happens almost every day." Graham says that she never runs out of material, and often gets her plot ideas by pure serendipity. "I feel like I'm just getting started and I don't think I'll ever get tired of writing. Writing is my dream. How many people get to actually live their dreams every single day? For me, there's no turning back."