#1. 

I was born and raised within 10 miles of the small South Carolina town where I still live. 

Here’s the family farm where I grew up and a few of the horses we raised. So peaceful! 

But if I’ve always lived in South Carolina, how did I fall in love with the Rocky Mountains, you ask? Good question, that leads me to…

#2. 

Growing up, we drove across the country about every other year to visit family in California. 

Often, we would drive a different route than we’d taken in recent trips. I fell in love with so many parts of the country, but the Rocky Mountains—and Montana, in particular—stole my heart forever! 

#3. 

I was a music major my first year in college. Specifically, piano.

I soon realized the thought of earning my living through music took away the fun in playing, so I switched to Business Administration. Now, I play piano in our church worship band, and I’m loving the fact that my kids enjoy music too!

#4. 

I never, ever, EVER thought I would be a full-time writer. 

When my two oldest girls were little, I was working full-time but feeling a bit stuck in a rut. I decided to make a bucket list—a list of things I wanted to do at some point in my life. “Write a novel that’s published” was near the top, and happened to be one of the things that didn’t cost money to start!

I decided to dive in, and though the process was so much harder than I ever imagined, I realized how much I love writing fiction. Looking back, I can see the journey God led me on to reach this point and I’m amazed at His creativity!

In fact, here’s a peek at a book project I worked on in school that my mom recently stumbled across. Even in 5th grade God was preparing me! 

#5. 

Like many people, I’ve had a variety of jobs, but one of my favorites was training horses (and horse riders) professionally. I worked with many different breeds, but specialized in Arabians. One of the most unusual I trained was a big black Shire named Ben. He was so much fun to ride, and we even competed in a few shows!