When I began working on my first novel, I dug up an old copy of Roget’s Thesaurus and spent a lot of time looking for exactly the right words to capture what I meant. For me, getting the words right is the same as creating meaning. Writing is the tool that I use to find out exactly what I mean. 

The idea of story of also important to me. I want a book, story, or poem to let me climb into a character’s experience and imagine being that person. I also want to be surprised by events that I don’t expect. Meaning resides there too. I want the story to pull me along, and make me ask, “What choice will she make now? How can he possibly go forward?” 

I believe we read to find out how other people meet the struggle of living, whether that’s a moment of teetering between life and death or merely facing another day. I invite you to explore the act of creating characters who confront all the uncertainties, choices, humor, and mysteries that surround us. Faced with such great material, I hope you will dive in and get to know the writer inside you.