I loved reading as a kid. My addiction began in the fourth grade when I read the first Black Stallion book by Walter Farley. After that, I devoured the entire series and went on to his Island Stallion series. By the end of that year I had read every horse story on the library shelves. I brought my book to school every day and slipped it out at every opportunity.

I did not want to be a writer. No, I was going to be a movie star. Not just an actor, mind you, but a star. This also originated in elementary school when I was in the play Snow White and had the part of the wicked witch: "Mirror, mirror on the wall . . ." Talk about magic moments! From there, I took to "acting" for my family, donning costumes I'd created from odds and ends around the house, parading around, spouting lines I'd invented in an attempt to make them laugh. Well, since my name never appeared on the big screen you know how my acting career panned out. Instead of fame, I went into teaching and loved it. No costumes required.

I did not get into writing until I started reading romances. Thinking I could write a romance like one of the ones I'd read, I set off in that direction. I must say that I have two romance novels packed away someplace--wild horses could not drag the location from me. Sad to say, I was a flop at romance novel writing. It seems I went off track too often, on a mystery tangent. Anyway, after being rejected twice, I gave up writing novels. I did write short stories for Woman's World magazine, short romances. Couldn't seem to get away from romances entirely. I do love them.

But then one day . . . (drum roll) I decided to write the way I think, that is, write mysteries with a comic element. My first mystery, Murder by the Old Maine Stream, was the result of a visit to family in Maine. As I walked through the woods with my fearless cousin, worried about meeting any of the local inhabitants like moose or porcupines or possibly worse, snakes, I could see a mystery and a character unfolding. Nora Lassiter took shape. I had to write again.

The best part of writing is working on humorous scenes. I can see them so clearly that I laugh as I write. I hope you enjoy them, too.