For some people, it's the sight of a mountain they haven't climbed. For others, it's all about seeing a stretch of road they haven't run. For me, there's nothing more wonderful or terrifying in this world than a blank page, whether it's an actual sheet of paper or a new file in my editor. "I dare you!" it says. "Go on, then, say something! Assert a truth, give life to someone extraordinary! Create a world!" Terrifying, as I say. So I spent many years NOT being a writer, NOT rising to that challenge. I suppose I can call those my Hemingway years, spent doing everything BUT writing. I was a symphony cellist and a software engineer, I was an actor and director for the stage, a filmmaker and even a press director for a third party Presidential campaign. But my greatest joy still came from writing. There is no greater thrill for a playwright than to see actors bring her characters to life and for an audience to fall in love with them just as she fell in love with them in the writing. That thrill got me to return to writing full time. I currently live in North Carolina with my partner, Mike, and my cats. My son is stationed in Germany. When I'm not working (and my editor isn't looking), I run, practice Aikido, play computer games and remodel my hundred year old house.