I think we all make our own families, whether they're comprised of blood relations or friends. Some people are lucky and love their families. Others aren't. But whom we spend time with is always a choice. Including our pets.
While the cast of characters stays the same, I always try to add in new information so readers get to know the people they care about better with each story.
I encourage people to read by encouraging them to read whatever they want.
The trick is to get people to read anything, to engender the love of reading. Once you can read, you can teach yourself anything. Librarians are key, I think. They hold the power to empower.
Actually, the first thing I do is choose the antique that will be featured in each book. I try to find unusual objects with great stories. I am fascinated by the stories.
While I hear from readers all the time that they love learning new things, I never want to do an "info-dump." Boring! I try to include enticing details and skip all the rest.
I love Christmas! I'm not religious, but I love the trappings of the season. I love the decorations, and the music, and Santa, and the festive food, and the cinnamon- and vanilla-infused aromas.
