When I am chatting with my readers, they often begin asking questions about how I got started writing and other inquiries about my hobbies and interests. Here are a few of the most common questions:
- About my writing:
I am often asked by my readers about how I got started writing at my tender age as I became a Senior Citizen! I never intended to write a book. But I have always loved expressing myself with the written word, and one day the story for Coastal Secrets just took wings. I had to scramble to keep up with what was going to happen next.
My interest in writing grew, and storylines were to the point of bursting. Late one night my thoughts were so full I needed to get them down on paper – and Coastal Secrets was born.
Of course, in the midst of writing, the characters seemed to have a mind of their own and they took me down a path that I was not planning. A sweet, typical romance took a dark turn and Shelly and Donovan found themselves in some danger, suspense, and intrigue, all the time trying to figure out their feelings for one another.
Shelly had a bit of a problem with trust issues, and although she trusted everyone to a fault, it took her a while before she could learn to trust the rugged Irishman whose life was not contained in a neat, tidy box. Her entire existence was rocked to the core when she fell in love with this handsome adventurist. But did she trust God enough to allow her feelings to materialize? It wasn’t until Donovan taught Shelly that trust was an active, purposeful belief and not a passive resignation that she was able to put her trust in God’s hands and allow herself to admit her love for this man who became her hero.
Some authors plot out their story and plan their characters. They know exactly what is going to happen and how the story will end. But for me, part of the joy of writing is to wonder what is going to happen to each character and watch as the dynamic personalities develop. Characters should be believable and readers should become engrossed early in the story.
The characters that emerge on the pages of Coastal Secrets are not spiritual super-heroes. They have doubts. They are still learning to trust. They might be unsure of themselves. They are not perfect. Isn’t that just like you and me?
My 30+ years as a high school English teacher, mostly teaching 9th grade, gave me my biggest joy and my most embarrassing moments. It was the most arduous time of my life, but was also the most rewarding. Writing, while hard work, is invigorating and if I’m not careful, it’s dinnertime and I haven’t left the computer!
- About my childhood in Southern California:
I love the beach. And growing up in Southern California was nothing out of the ordinary – – until I moved away and realized I was indeed fortunate because the most beautiful place on earth was where I called home.
Our family beach parties, complete with aunts, uncles, a sweet grandmother, and my dear cousins, were a highlight of every summer. Potato salad, fruit salad, baked beans and hot dogs, preceded building a huge fire and roasting marshmallows that were destined for s’mores. Of course it is a requirement that a tiny bit of sand be on the hot dogs! My husband never has gotten used to that concept!
Wrapped in damp beach towels, warming ourselves by the fire, and enjoying those special moments of quality time are memories of a storybook childhood in Southern California. A love of the beach blossomed and it seems that peaceful sound of crashing surf and the dancing foam on the waves dissolving into nothingness on the wet sand still brings back floods of delightful memories.
- About making life’s greatest decisions:
Apparently my love for walking on the beach is a good place for me to finalize some of life’s greatest decisions. The serene, calming, rhythmic crashing of the waves on the white sands is the perfect backdrop for allowing God to nudge my soul to trust His plan for what’s coming next in our lives. It was while walking hand in hand with my dear husband, my rock, my best friend, and my only love, that we have made many of life’s huge decisions.
- About deciding to homeschool our two sons:
On the sandy shores of Coronado’s north shore watching ships sailing in the distance against a setting sun, we discussed the possibility of homeschooling our two sons, then in the 4th and 6th grade, we finalized the idea on the beach and made plans to “try it out” on the 6th grader first to see how it went. Wow! I still can’t believe we did that!
We embarked on this adventure prepared. My husband had two Master’s Degrees, one of which was in Curriculum Development. And although my Master’s Degree was in Counseling, I had experience writing curriculum and teaching for many years. So we filled out the proper affidavits for our new little school and began ordering textbooks and classroom materials.
Our son was such a joy, and I’m not sure he ever knew we experimented on him to see what worked and what didn’t in his homeschool lessons. His only reservation to homeschool was missing out on 6th grade camp. So Mom and Dad took him to Yosemite National Park and Death Valley National Monument for his 6th grade camp at the end of the year! After a wonderful year, full of learning, discovering, and growing closer together, our younger son also wanted to join in the fun of home-schooling.
We mastered English and History. My husband helped with the Art and Science classes. But sometimes during math classes we found ourselves on the sandy beach of the north shore on Coronado Island which took some of the misery away from that math textbook. Somehow doing math problems while sitting on the beach was a great incentive to finish before they could go in the water and surf!
For the next three years we participated in homeschool events, joined soccer clubs for Physical Education credit, and got yearly passes at Sea World and the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. A trip to Europe rounded out the broad education, and what fun we had as a family!
The boys enjoyed learning, but they loved the afternoons best when Granddaddy came out to the ranch and “played.” They didn’t realize that while helping their grandfather build the goose run, goat barn and chicken coops they were actually getting lessons on math, geometry, woodshop, animal husbandry, and so much more. He taught them the value of living a Godly life, tithing their allowance, and doing business ethically. In addition to swimming laps in the pool, killing rattlesnakes in our yard, and playing soccer on tournament teams, their favorite thing to do was go with Granddaddy to the lumber store to get more supplies.
- About moving from Southern California to the “real” South:
Another “walk on the sands of the beach” found us with a new plan of moving across the country to South Carolina. It took some time getting used to “Southerners” since the only thing Southern about me was that I was from Southern California. I was always “that California girl” and was proud of that designation.
My husband’s family – – “relations” as they called themselves – – asked me, “And just who are your people?” When I looked a bit confused, one of his aunts asked, “Who is your mother and who is your father?” Not knowing what to say, I replied, “Ruth and Ralph.” The gasps could be heard in the next room. My sweet husband explained his aunt was inquiring about relations that had fame, notoriety, or “blue-blood.”
Embarrassed at obviously committing a social blunder in front of his family that I was so desperately trying to impress, I thought I would lighten the moment. I said, “My grandfather rode on horseback in Mexico mining silver and even ran across Poncho Villa and his gang.” Suffice it to say, that was a wrong answer! Heads shook in disbelief at that girl from California that poor, dear Steve married.
- About settling on Central Virginia to call home:
Years later, our walks on the beach required visiting either Charleston or vacationing back home in beautiful San Diego. On one of these brief trips, we made another life-changing decision. We made plans to move to Virginia where we now reside.
My husband has been a college professor for over 35 years and loves the classroom, research, and even teaching on-line for his graduate students. But like any successful teacher, he loves the summers and school breaks so we can travel and enjoy a much needed rest and diversion from the teaching routine.
He now teaches at Liberty University in beautiful Central Virginia. Second only to Southern California – – although Steve gets the order of first and second place a bit confused sometimes!
- About our favorite places to travel:
Travel has been one adventure after another for our family and since we are both teachers we can use our summers for exploration. Because Steve’s doctorate is in International Business, it has been a great excuse to travel internationally. And although Europe is our very favorite place to travel, we have seen much of Mexico and even spent several weeks in China where he was a guest of the Chinese government. He was asked to present a series of lectures at the Fujian Normal University in Fuzhou, China. We were able to visit the countryside, “escorted” of course, and even got to Xiamen which is a beautiful city on the coast of the China Sea just across from Taiwan. The weather and semi-tropical vegetation reminded us of San Diego and the people we met were gracious and lovely. Our two translators, who accompanied us everywhere, were sweet, young, card-carrying Communist ladies. They were wonderful and we became friends.
One year we hiked over the Tarka Trail on the rugged coast of Devon clocking in 65 miles of breathtaking beauty. This past summer we managed 76 miles in the Cotswolds enjoying England’s picturesque villages and quaint B & B’s in the small towns with cute names. Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh were two favorite places.
Yosemite, of course, has been an all-time favorite since my early childhood. My father visited Yosemite 4 months “before” he was born and vacationed there every single year until he passed away at age 79. He hiked the Panorama trail just 4 months before he went to his final home in the arms of Jesus. Even after an exotic trip to Australia, Hawaii, China, Europe or Alaska and Canada, it just didn’t seem like he had satisfied his wanderlust until he made it to Yosemite Valley at least once during the year.
I have hiked to the top of Half Dome, the trail from the top of Yosemite Falls down to the Valley Floor, the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point down to Happy Isles on the Valley Floor, and all around Yosemite Valley. I have camped in the campgrounds, stayed in the Housekeeping Tents, and at the Yosemite Lodge. But my favorite is Camp Curry at the foot of the huge cliffs that soar up to Glacier Point.