Q. Are your characters taken from real people?

A. I get a lot of my ideas for my characters from everyday life and people I know. Sometimes I will base a character on an ancestor or family member or an interesting person I've met. Many times, when something humorous happens in my own family, I'll put it into my story just for fun. A lot of my interactions with my husband are included in my stories. In fact, a lot of his personality is in my heroes.

Q. Do you have to do very much research?

A. Yes. When I write historical short stories or novels, I need to research that period. What kind of clothes did they wear, etc? If I insert a real experience with a real character such as Butch Cassidy, I need to know what kind of person he was. For an example, when he robbed the bank in Montpelier, Idaho in 1896, every detail of that robbery was recorded. I wanted to insert this robbery into my novel, so I had to find out if he was a mean and ornery cuss or if he was a quiet and gentle type of person. This is important to know if you use historical facts. Another example was when I decided to have a grizzly bear enter the scene. I had to do a lot of research. I read several accounts of people who had been confronted by a grizzly and found out what went through their minds at the time. I found that most of the time, when a grizzly got within six feet of the person, he would rise up on his hind legs and walk toward him. I found out what a frightening experience it was for these people. After reading their accounts, I was able to picture it in my mind and recreate it on paper. I sort of "borrowed" their emotions since I had never been in that situation before. And hopefully never will.

Q. Do you insert true experiences in your books?

A. Yes, many times. In my novel, Melinda and the Wild West, I used several true experiences. One experience was between Melinda and her student on the first day of school. The young student, Jenny, was a very loving child but had been terribly misunderstood by her former teacher. Because he had labeled her as a troublemaker, the students shunned her and treated her rudely.

Q. What is your favorite part about writing a novel?

A. I love creating my characters and making them come alive before my very eyes. They become a part of me and I know what they think, how they feel, and what they would do in a situation. I, also, love the editing process because I learn so much. During this time, I get to fine tune my story and get to know my characters even better. Besides that, I have a great editor who makes it fun for me.