Christine's Favorites

Favorite colors: I like soft blues, purples and pastels, sky and sea colors are always my favorites (there’s a shocker there!) Favorite food: My husband makes this yummy pasta with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes ect. and it is so good! Favorite clothes: I’m a stay at home, hang out around the house person, so my clothes have to be comfortable. I have a favorite cotton outfit I kick back in. Favorite animal: Wolves and large cats would be my personal passion. I have an entire library of books on them. What was your favorite book growing up? I had so many but my all time faves were The Harvester and Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter, Little Women, and All the Sherlock Holmes, I had the entire Trixie Belden series (still do have all these books actually)

JUST THE FACTS Birthday: May 15 (and yes, I’m a true Taurus) Where did you grow up? I grew up in Ukiah, California Where do you live today? I live in the mountains of Lake County California Education: I spent years in college taking the most obscure classes known to man. I love information, can’t help myself. I even took automotive classes (I think they speak a foreign language) I spent years learning martial arts and hold rank in several disciplines. I instructed for many years. I also parented (and still am) for more years than I care to think about, all of which is education! Hobbies: In my youth I loved river rafting and hiking wild areas, I’m much tamer now and spend time with my youngest doing Creative Memories scrap-booking. I’m a voracious reader. Love the ocean and spend a tremendous amount of time there. I love to walk in the hills and swim. Most of the time I spend with my family.

Did you always want to be a writer? I was born a writer, I wrote from the moment I could string sentences together. I never considered publishing or desired it for years. I loved being martial arts instructor and teaching women self defense. I felt I was doing something important. My writing was just a part of me, like my arm or breathing, I didn’t think much about it, I simply wrote. How did The Carpathian World/ Dark Books begin? I lost my oldest son in an accident and my world stopped. I couldn’t breathe let alone function properly. I had other children so I went through the motions, but I don’t honestly remember entire segments of time. I felt like I was in a dark hole. I wrote Dark Prince to escape into another world and I realized afterward it was symbolic of how I felt. Dark and bleak and without hope. But I wanted there to be and eventually there was a light. Where do you get your inspiration? I don’t think any one thing inspires me. I see something or someone, how they move or turn their head and instantly in my mind is a scene. The characters begin whispering and get stronger and stronger and there is the book. I often receive letters telling me I should have put something else in the story or should have written it differently but it is impossible. If the characters don’t dictate to me, it isn’t worth reading. Which book that you have written is nearest to your heart? Without a doubt, I have two I really, really wanted to write. Dark Destiny is one and the untitled Ghostwalker is the other. The Scarletti Curse will remain a favorite simply because I believe all of us can make a difference through example and positive action. In those days women had few choices and had to make the most of their world. I really admire the women who succeeded. How can you write so fast? I actually don’t write that fast. I talk to other writers and ninety percent write far faster than I do. I write every single day and I don’t take time off. I think that’s the difference. I put large amounts of time in on writing and editing.