A lot of people ask me where I get my inspiration. I sometimes laughingly say that two house payments are all the inspiration I need. But seriously, inspiration is all around me. For example, my holiday book, STARRY NIGHT, is partially set in Alaska. I’ve visited there several times and Wayne worked on the Alaska pipeline when our family was young and I was a struggling writer. I so admire the people and the gorgeous, rugged scenery. I’m a passionate knitter and love to visit yarn shops and meet knitters wherever I am. My Blossom Street series, which features a shop called A Good Yarn, has eight books and counting (STARTING NOW being the most recent). My cousin, Shirley, a former nun, was the inspiration for my book Changing Habits. After spending an afternoon with her and her friends, I was inspired by their faith, giving spirits and tenacity. After a lot of research I wove a fictional story of three young women who enter, and subsequently leave, the convent. I had the pleasure of spending time with Shirley and her friends this past week and as always, left feeling inspired. As you can see, it doesn’t take much for the spark of an idea to take root in my imagination.