Life and Love on Mouse Island follows a 61-year-old New Yorker who inherits a dilapidated house on a remote island, leading her to sell her NYC home and move where she goes on a journey of rediscovery, connection, and an adventure starting life over. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Over the years, I have visited a number of islands both here and abroad. All seem to share certain qualities in common: a powerful sense of community, self-sufficiency, and strength that I find very appealing. That kind of interaction and interdependency enables people to reach out and count on each other to a degree that living in a large metropolitan area often doesn’t provide.

I knew I wanted to write a book for older women. Too often I have found romance novels focus on younger women in their 20s or 30s at the beginning of their lives. I wanted to focus on mature, grown-up women who had been through a variety of life experiences but were still looking forward to what may lie ahead.

My story ideas come from a number of different places. I have a varied work history (TV/radio producer, talk show host, writer/photographer, stand-up comedian) that comes in handy for background information.

My experiences help to add depth to my characters. In addition, I am an avid dog-lover and have worked with rescue and service dogs. So, dogs always play a role in my books.

I find that, while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true? What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?

I really enjoy writing dialogue for my characters. It helps to define who they are and I relish the free-flowing interactions. Writing dialog can be both challenging and exciting as the characters’ voices can lead you in different directions you never expected.

Occasionally, a character will wander off track and I have to round them up and bring them back into the story. When that happens, the result can be fresh and fun. I generally keep to an outline I have in my head about what the theme of the book is going to be and who’s going to do what. When I am trying to plot a scene, especially a pivotal one, I sometimes daydream about it like a short film. I take a walk, a nap, or listen to music and let my mind wander. If I have trouble with an opening sentence and it is not perfect I insert a basic line, what I consider a spacer sentence. And come back to it when I have a better feel for it.

Probably the biggest source of questions that I ask myself when I’m writing is, “Is this authentic? Is this true?” The authenticity of the characters and of their voices and how they interact with each other is vitally important to me. I will often read sequences aloud to make sure that they sound the right note.

Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?

My next book which I’m getting ready to start will be a sequel to this one and will focus on many of the characters that are featured in Life and Love on Mouse Island.

One of the main characters in the upcoming book will have Parkinson’s. I myself have Parkinson’s. It was diagnosed over 17 years ago. I want to focus on people living fulfilling lives regardless of the challenges they face.

Taking emotional risks when you are older feels scarier and more vulnerable than when you are in your twenties. Yet the rewards can be so much stronger and richer. It is well worth the risk especially when love enters the picture.

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