As a reader, I’m always looking for a new author and love to find a series where I can really follow characters. When I finish a series, it’s like leaving a friend behind and I miss them.

As a writer, I’m challenged to create characters that will do the same for my readers. I try to analyze characters from my favorite books and become aware of plotting as I read, but the best books just pull me in and I forget to analyze as I go. If anyone else has that challenge, then I think a good solution is for us to be a reader first and then go back through the book and figure out what it is that captivates us, keeps us turning pages, and fall in love with a character. I challenge other writers to do that with their next book and come back and let me know what you think.