What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
I have always loved creating stories for my grandchildren. When they were little, I would make them the heroes of my adventures, using their names as the main characters. The wonder on their faces when they heard themselves featured in the story was priceless. Looking back, that may have been the moment I realized how much I enjoyed storytelling and that writing a novel could be in my future.
Murder mysteries have always been my favorite genre. More often than not, I could figure out the culprit before reaching the final chapter, which inspired me to try writing one of my own.
In 1999, I was working in the mortgage banking industry as the company’s first female vice president. When the company merged, I was unexpectedly downsized. After many years in the profession, I found myself questioning whether I wanted to continue on the same path. I began consulting, sharing my extensive mortgage banking expertise with others in the industry. During the quieter periods between projects, I started writing a murder mystery, drawing inspiration from the personalities of several lifelong friends. With little guidance and plenty of trial and error, I completed the manuscript. Over the years, it followed me from one computer to the next before finally finding a home on a thumb drive.
Life soon took me in a different direction. Rather than returning to corporate America, I launched my own company, providing operational support services to the mortgage industry. Years later, I partnered with an IT company to develop a search engine, and they ultimately purchased my business. Several mergers followed, and I remained with the organization until retiring in 2019.
When COVID arrived, I decided it was finally time to revisit my novel. The process of refining the manuscript was long and challenging. Through writing classes, online education, and the guidance of writing coaches and editors, I transformed my early draft into a finished book. In 2021, I achieved a lifelong goal when I self-published my first novel, Flawed Judgment, on Amazon. It was followed by Flawed Image and Flawed Innocence, completing the first three books in the series.