Of course, I’m like most authors in that I want to offer a form of escapism when they delve into my stories. But, also like most authors, I want to offer something else that can enrich a person’s life. I can’t say that I have some kind of lesson on morality that I offer, though my characters sometimes end up learning such lessons of their own accord. However, I feel like common threads throughout my books are that happiness is as varied as the people chasing it.

It’s no secret that I write Young Adult fiction, and within that age bracket comes common worries: what do I want to be when I grow up, what will make me happy, how can I ensure success?

My goal is to paint success in its many and varied forms.

Obviously, there is the tried and true success story of college entry, graduation, job. But what about the boy who thinks he doesn’t want college? The girl who already knows she wants to continue with the welding artistry that she’s already begun. The boy who wraps cars in experimental designs. The one who wants to change a major two years into the program.

This age is an intense one because of the life-long decisions being made. I think it’s important to give readers from this age-group the “permission” to choose their own direction by way of characters who do the same. To let societal norms take a back seat and put their own passions in the driver’s seat.

I have two daughters, one with a college degree that was required to do the work that she’d always dreamed of doing, the other has a license to do the work she had a passion for. I’m fiercely proud of both of them. I consider them equally successful because they are equally happy individuals.