It was my desire to meet Prince and give him a gift that got me started writing. I’d been hooked on his music for a couple years and spent several months working on a novel based on one of his songs. Shortly after finishing high school, I left my home in Indiana to take the book to Prince’s studio in Minnesota. I didn’t tell my parents, only my brother knew. I can’t help but wonder what he was thinking as he watched me drive away that night. I made it to the studio, but Prince wasn’t there. The sexy blond manager I spoke with said he was on tour in Europe. I told her about my book, and she said that she was sorry but she couldn’t accept unsolicited material. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Everything I’ve done since then with regard to writing has been an extension of that idea: give something I care about – a book – to someone I care about – an audience. For me, getting published is not about money or fame. It’s about validation that what I have to say matters.