1) What did you love the most about where you grew up?

I loved having lots of kids to play with.  I loved the huge huge field I could go roaming in by myself, a block away from the house down a dead-end road.  I loved to ride my bike (and occasionally sit on my brother's home-made skateboard) down the long long hill that my street came down on (?).  I loved that we lived only about 15 minutes drive from a beach warm enough to swim on most of the year.  I loved climbing in the rubber trees. I loved that on random nights my dad could take us out to see some weird streak of light in the sky and say that was a rocket taking off from Vandenburg Air Force Base.  And somehow, I really liked sitting on the curb after a rain storm and making dams in the gutter out of leaves and sticks and rocks, watching the rain water get pushed further and further out into the street.

2) Who was your first TV/movie/music crush?

Mr Spock.  Yes, that is how geeky I am.  I had friends and my sister teasing me about other actors, but it was just Mr Spock for me.  Lately it's Hugh Jackman.

3) What inspires you?

Glorious music, the moon, sunsets, sunrises, great books, unusual recipes, beautiful landscapes, taking pictures, snuggly children and a loving husband fill me with joy.  Meeting with writer-group friends inspires me to write.  Idiot politicians, stupid elections, ridiculous laws, weird news, strange people inspire me to rant in my blog or to write letters to the Times.

4) What is the most unusual/interesting/weird job you've ever had?

I haven't gotten too weird in my job selections.  The most interesting one was selling books as a publisher's rep in the Midwest.  I had multi-state territories that changed every year, I was on the road 75% of the time.  I had a lovely condo in a building that was built in 1926, with a sun room, bay windows, wood floors and high ceilings.  I could see who I wanted when I wanted, I worked out of my office in my second bedroom.  I flew to various places across the country for sales conferences:  Miami, Phoenix, New York City, someplace in New Jersey.  I got to visit book stores all over the Midwest!!  And talk to people about books!!  That was the best part.  The only weird part of this job was the travel.  At the beginning of the season I loved to head out of town.  By the middle of the season it wasn't so much fun any more.  By the end of the season I felt like a little hermit crab--I dove inside my condo and hissed at anyone who wanted to drag me out of there.

5) (Stealing this from the questions I got!) Tell me something that your internet friends probably don't know about you but you've always wanted to share.

I haven't a clue.  Anything my internet friends don't know about me is probably something I'd want to keep private anyway.  Hey, Internet friends, do you want to know something about me?  Just ask!  I'll tell you pretty much anything.  And I'll tell you when I want to keep something private.