My first romance novel, The Bluffs Between Us, is out in the world after five long years, oceans of tears, and countless sleepless nights that have probably stolen plenty of time from my longevity.

And with the book's launch comes a bevy of unexpected feelings:

• humility (yes, I've found several mistakes even though a dozen sets of eyes read the manuscript, and I scrutinized it at least four times myself)
• relief (after all that time, I can let it go)
• fear (what if nobody buys it?)

I've...

Welcome! With the release of The Bluffs Between Us just forty-five days away, Barb and Mike have agreed to sit down for an interview.

Interviewer:

Thanks for joining us today, you two. We're excited to hear your thoughts.

First for Barb: People who read The Bluffs Between Us will see you as a very determined crusader. What keeps you up at night?

Barb:

Everything! The children I work with at the center for unsheltered families, how dark the circles under my eyes will be in the morning. You know,...

My extended family and I recently spent a magical week in Jamaica, a surprising place to be thinking about second chances. I have to admit, everything about the trip exceeded my expectations: the ocean (the water really is turquoise), the weather (in the 70s and 80s every day with an occasional afternoon rain shower), the food, and especially the friendly, optimistic people.

We spent hours on the beach, mostly sitting in the shade. One of the activities that fascinated me was the kids'...