I have to admit something. I tell people all the time that I’ve always been a reader and a writer. That is mostly true. From the time I learned to read, I devoured books. From Little Women, to The Babysitter’s Club, to Sweet Valley High, and Anne of Green Gables, I read them all. I was known to bring fourteen paperbacks with me every summer on our fourteen day trip to the beach. I always had a book in hand.

Until I didn’t.

When I started college, I stopped reading for pleasure. I was reading so much for my classes, that I looked for other ways to relax. After college, I transitioned right into teaching and working on my master’s degree. Again I focused on reading for my profession. Then came babies and at first I was…

Just.

So.

Tired.

But I was also missing something in my life. I loved being a stay at home mom. That decision is one I will never regret, but I also found that time of my life to be lonely. I was looking for an escape from reality, from the endless laundry, and diapers, and tantrums (though, sometimes those tantrums were mine!)

In today’s digital world of e-books and self-publishing, standing out in the crowd is difficult. I often hear that romance novels all sound the same or that they can be full of clichés. Readers have told me that they want a love story, but they want one that is unique.

I believe that uniqueness comes from the writer’s place of inspiration.

Growing up with a sibling with special needs caused me to be more aware of my surroundings, as well as more sensitive to others. My brother taught me that strength is not only physical. He taught me that simple words and messages carry the greatest weight, and that truly loving someone means opening your whole heart to them. I often feared we would lose my brother at an early age so I tried to enjoy and remember every minute I spent with him. 

​One thing I noticed when I started telling folks that I wrote my first book was how many people have that same goal or dream. I heard quite a few responses of, “I started to write a book…” or “I have the best idea for a book, I just need to get started.” And more often than not I was asked where I found the time to complete the project.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to write a novel. I was “that” kid in math class, daydreaming as I “wrote out” my story in my mind. The amount of math instruction I missed explains why decimals stump me to this day! In high school, I joined the newspaper and while I was not writing fiction, I was still immersed in the craft that I loved.
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In college, practicality took over. I didn’t think I would ever be able to make a career out of writing, so I went into the field of education. I loved teaching and between work, getting my masters, and starting a family, writing fell to the wayside. 

This was a very special book to write for a few reasons. One being, I had my first experience co-writing. Writing with Christine Manzari was a fantastic experience. I learned so much from her during the process. Plus, every time I checked my email and found a new chapter from her felt like Christmas morning! The second reason this book is so important to me is that both Christine and I wrote about our college experiences. Reliving my sorority days at the University of Maryland was so much fun. Learning about Christine's Gymkana days was fascinating. We went to the same college, at the same time, and lived polar opposite lives. Finding a way to bring our two characters, with such different lives, together, was a challenge we loved taking on. Finally, I think the message in this book is unique and one I am so proud to say I wrote. I hope readers enjoy this story about the power of second chances, and that they will see that stereotypes are lies, trust is a risk worth taking, and love is the most important pledge we can make. 


The Pledge can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.