It is so exciting to hold Deadly Exposure and see the fruit of all the writing, learning, rewriting, and editing. But now — gulp — it’s on its way out there. People can read it and love it or hate it.

I’ve got one friend who won’t read what she calls hystericals — known to the rest of us as historicals. So Deadly Exposure is the first book of mine she’ll read. I’m glad. But I’m also a wee bit paranoid. See, she’ll tell me exactly what she thinks. And that’s a good thing. I need honest feedback on what works and doesn’t work.

But as each book releases, I get this jolt of nerves. I feel like Sally Field at the Oscars…”They like me, they really like me.” Or — gulp — they hate me, they really hate me.

Writing a book is very vulnerable. I know that with each book I pour a piece of me, my experience, my life, into its pages. No, none of my books are autobiographical. Thank goodness, my life is way too boring for that. But there are still bits of me there.

What God is teaching me.

How I see the world.

How my mind works.

So as you read a book, be gentle. You can hate it — be my guest. I know that my books will not appeal to every reader. That’s why it’s great to have such variety available. But my hope is you’ll love my baby!