I often say my first novel was composed, not written. Composed in my head as I played with my kids. Once the quality time was over, I'd grab a moment when they were watching Sesame Street or Scooby Doo and set down on paper what I'd been thinking about.

That first novel, Everybody's Daughter, was sold in 1990 and was published later the next year. It has been my great good fortune to work with one editor, Lauri Hornik. She found me in the slush pile (yes, writers, it can happen) and has brought all my books to life.

Except for Come in from the Cold, I have not directly drawn from my life when writing. Still, things have a way of working their way into my books. My hometown is the model for Red Cedar, Minnesota, the locale for two of my books. The woods and lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin I love are a frequent backdrop. My heroines ski and canoe (though I seldom do anymore) and most of them love to read.