I guess I'm a bit of a voyeur. Actually, I'm plain-out nosey. I love to stick my nose into total strangers' business and observe how they deal with life's hurdles and whatever obstacles fate throws at them. I can't think of anything more challenging or interesting than delving into a character's psyche to discover what makes her/him tick. The surprises and insights are amazing.

The people who interest me most are the ones I know will fall in love despite their problems and seemingly insurmountable differences. For me, writing stories about these people is both a learning experience and a whole lot of fun.

Whenever I'm deep into a story, I walk around and mutter to myself. I drift off in the middle of a conversation or grab a pen and paper to jot down an amazing sentence or phrase that popped into my head. When you behave that way, people think you're crazy. From time to time my husband and three daughters do wonder ... But they love me and are my biggest fans, and if I'm slightly wacko they accept me anyway.

Publication didn't come easy for me--just ask my family! After seven-plus years, while I worked full-time as a banker (I have my MBA in finance and human resources management), writing nights and weekends, and countless hours spent hunched in front of my trusty computer while I painstakingly honed my craft, my efforts at last paid off. In 1999 I won the Golden Heart for best long contemporary. Six months later, just four days before Christmas, I sold my first book to Silhouette Special Edition. That book, STRANGER IN A SMALL TOWN, was a 2000 Romantic Times nominee for best first long series novel. Since then I have sold multiple novels to Silhouette Special Edition, Harlequin American and Kensington, as well as an online serialized novelette to eHarlequin, and a novella for a Harlequin anthology.

But things change, so check back often for updates.

Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon!

Read an Interview with Ann in the Romance Reader