I have always been an avid reader. My favorite author was James Michener. I love the way he wove personal stories and historical facts into his novels. Ideas for stories come to me in many ways. It may be the way I would like to explain something to another person that leads to a story line. Or I may hear a news item on the radio that sparks an idea. I am also a bit of a conspiracy theorist. I imagine the possible motivations behind major current events and in my mind weave a story line of how and why the event was created. I like to create alternate paths to what seem like ordinary daily events. My first book was called “Freddie’s Birthday.” It was based on my brother who was born mentally and physically challenged when I was 8 years old. But even at that young age I started formulating ideas on why Freddie had been born that way. I came up with a story line complete with international intrigue, Nazi mad scientists and drug company conspiracies. I sold the manuscript when I was 38.