As the author, how would you describe your books?
My books are journeys. One is linear, with a beginning, middle and end. The other is circular.

In "Chocolate Days & Shadows", the reader "listens in" to a series of stories that I told my children and granddaughter, beginning with my youth, as the abused child of an alcoholic, later, an abused wife and ending with the well-woman that I am now. The stories aren't sweet like apple pie, but abuse is never sweet. However, they stand up, like meringue, in the same manner that truth stands proud under scrutiny. The experiences are personal and universal; that is, they happened to me, but abuse is all around us, could happen to any of us. The perpetrator does not discriminate…

If one reader sobs, is furious or quietly affirms, "This is happening or has happened to me," I hope my memoirs will incite their positive action, that they reach down deep and summon up the courage to step out from behind their perpetrator's shadow, too. And, when they are ready, let them help another, and let another abused child help another. All is circles.

That all is circles is the underlying theme of "The Book, a Primer for Seekers of Higher Consciousness." Consider the foundation that we prepare in the beginning as the pie's crust, which can be tough, if one is not properly prepared for the journey, yet it gradually becomes tender for the person of patience, perseverance and potential. Through exploration of opposites, a place of no opposites is revealed. Here, with the addition of wisdom, the pie tastes sweeter, and as if by magic, the meringue stands taller as we discover that nothing is higher than Truth

What was your goal in writing this book?
We are born to serve. I wrote CDAS to achieve a personal catharsis and to show the children that victory from abuse is possible and desirable. Somewhere during this necessary clearing process, that well-known vacuum opened to validate that spiritual writing is my vehicle of service for humanity.

The goal of "The Book" is to shine further light for spiritual seekers existing in the darkest confusion. It is targeted toward beginners, but begins: "We are always beginning…" In simple words, anyone at any point on any path can discern as much from "The Book" as their potential allows.

Can you tell us something about you as a writer, i.e. when you started writing, what's your creative process is like, what inspires you, etc.?
During the chaotic years, writing became my safe survival mechanism. At age 50, when I committed the first sentence of CDAS to paper—"I don't stand in Mommy's shadow anymore," —(incidentally this is the ending sentence in CDAS), my writer-self simultaneously stepped out of the shadows!

Like Frankie sang, "I did it my way." Without outline, word mapping or grandiose plans, the entire process unconventional, including use of strong dialect writers are cautioned about. Then "something greater than we are" manifested at the perfect time, allowing a fortuitous connection with DLSIJ!

As for "The Book", the mentor assigned it, named chapter titles and passed the creative reins to me. Throughout my tutelage, I amassed enough material to fill the governor's mansion and performed enough Right Work to float ten thousand boats. The actual writing was a matter of breathing life into ancient fragmented material, presenting the scientific concepts in modern-day language, and injecting safe and tested methods of travel to higher dimensions. Of course, I'm indebted to the mentor, who kept me grounded when I tended to waddle off the correct path.

How do you keep a balance between family, work, and your writing?
This one's easy as pie. My significant other is a musician who frequently travels. When he's gone, I write like a house afire and when he's not, we bond. Since I "computer" all day at a "real job," I don't write as much during the week, but am always hand-scribbling notes, thoughts, and possibilities..

Can you tell us something about you as a person?
I survived the horrible trauma of abuse, put out it's powerful fire, and blessed the experiences that made me who I am today—a simple woman seeking higher consciousness. It is true there is strength in adversity. While I do not do not tolerate abuse now, I believe that we are a product of our conditioning. As we grow in consciousness, we can quit dredging up the past, stop worrying what the future holds in store, and understand that how we spend the present moment determines our worth.

When I'm not busy writing, I adore antique shopping. Those of you who read CDAS know that my daughter and I previously owned an antique shop.

If you had a chance to be mentored by one author (living or dead), who would you choose and why?
Stuart Wilde lassos my interest with wit and captures my attention with wisdom. Many times during the process of writing "The Book," I drew inspiration from his well of simplicity and sincerity. He's eons down the road from me, but I aim to catch up and say, "Please mentor me."

Avatar is a wonderful, wise mentor, but he is ve-r-r-ry wordy, which is one reason that I wrote "The Book." Mr. Wilde writes succinctly. With passion.

Despite the wisdom that says you can't take it with you, if you could take four things with you when you leave this world, what would they be?
My burgundy-colored recliner, a fine tipped purple pen, a fat spiral, and my well-worn copy of the Tao. I'd contemplate on the ten thousand things and record my observations, ad infinitum.

What is your view of epublishing? What opportunities does it provide for you and for other authors? What do you think is the future of epublishing?
I honor and am grateful for e-publishing. It fills a needed gap for the author and is writer-friendly, unlike traditional publishing.

The future is what it is. We can hope that e-publishing serves the writer's and the publisher's highest good, other than that, we cannot predict.