One question I’m often asked regarding my Blossom Street series has to do with the characters: Am I partial to any one particular character I’ve introduced over the years? Of the several ongoing characters, the one who has touched my heart the most is Lydia. I’ve seen several of my friends valiantly battle cancer and wanted to create a character that showed the same determination as I saw in them. They refused to let a disease define their lives. Lydia has dealt with cancer twice in her life and there is no guarantee she won’t need to face the beast again. That doesn’t deter her from taking her inheritance and opening a yarn store. That took indomitable spirit and true grit. It was what I saw in my high school friend Judy, in my cousin Karen and in my Florida friend, Melinda.