The idea of a mistress, one day, popped into my head. I kept thinking about it, and what the concept of a mistress was to most people. I began reading books about them, why they do it etc. And decided that I wanted to put a new twist on an old concept.

I thought of both of my female protagonists as very everyday, regular women; not women on the prowl, fast women or women whose goal in life is to disrupt relationships. I wanted them to be women that readers could easily identify with … someone familiar.

When I began to create each of them I built a background for them, complete with family history and personal demons. These individual demons follow them through life and help to shape the adults that they become. As a result their strengths and weakness both drawn the trio together and ultimately destroy who they once were.

I wanted to heighten the whole element of betrayal, other than a family member who could hurt you most with a betrayal of this magnitude but a best friend. In other words, I wanted the stakes to be very high.

It took about 4 months to write once I did all the preliminary work.

I don’t think so, at least not specifically. I do believe that my vision of the world and circumstances comes across in my work.

Currently there are no plans for a sequel, but you never know!

18 novels and my short stories are included in 10 collections. I have another novel coming out later this year, entitled “Every Shut Eye Sure Ain’t Sleep.” My short story is included in Living Large, entitled “Surprise,” which was released in January 2003. I’ve edited two collections as well, “After the Vows,” and “Midnight Clear.” My third editorial collection is entitled “Where There’s a Will,” which is a mystery collection.

Yes, I am currently working on a non-fiction book for St. Martins Press with my dear friend Gwynne Forster.

I recently finished, “Every Shut Eye Sure Ain’t Sleep,” and “Diva’s Inc.” which will be published under my pen name Olivia Roberts. I’m also finishing up my short story contribution to the sequel to Welcome To Leos,” and Living Large II. In the next few weeks I will begin the background for my next novel which will deal with mothers and daughters.

My hope is that readers will come about with an understanding about choices and how one person’s actions can affect everyone in their lives. We do not live in isolation and everything that we do in some way affects others.