Writing a novel was a life long dream of mine. At 33, I had reached a point in my life when it hit me that dream wasn't going to come true on it's own. I had to sit down and do the work. I had no clue what I was doing. I had been an avid reader since I could read, but I learned quickly there was more to it. I watched people, listened to them, carried a pen and paper everywhere, and let my mind wander where it would.