Looking for an escape? Need help figuring out Scrivener? I can help with both.
Writing romantic suspense keeps me fully engaged with research, solving plot puzzles, and figuring out my characters. My books and classes on Scrivener and other tech tools for writers feed my inner geek and my desire to teach and help others. I love to engage with readers and students by answering questions, interacting on social media, and meeting in person at workshops and conferences.
When my work involves learning new things, solving problems, helping others, and digging into new technology, I’m in my element. I crave a constant mental challenge, which is probably why I was a systems analyst, business instructor, and manufacturing engineer before I started writing seriously.
I have wandering feet, and travel is in my soul. Luckily I married an Air Force engineer (recently retired) who feels the same way. We have two of the world’s best college kids and the world’s laziest golden retriever.
When not writing, teaching, or traveling, I’m usually jogging, practicing yoga or kung fu, reading, or hanging out with my family. We moved to Sacramento in June 2016, and we’re having fun exploring northern California.
Tower Bridge in Sacramento, CA
Public Domain (link)
Public Domain (link)
I asked Gwen a few questions ... because I am so nosy:
Kim: What was your favorite assignment and why?
Gwen: This is a tough one, because I love exploring, and there’s something to enjoy about every place. But, overall, northern Virginia/DC area was probably my favorite. There’s so much to do in the area, it’s very international and diverse, our kids had great schools, and the four seasons are all pretty bearable. And it’s so pretty! You can go from the museums and monuments on the National Mall to Great Falls Park on the Potomac in under 30 minutes. Plus, as a girl who grew up out west and overseas, being close to so many of our nation’s formative historical sites was surreal and amazing. (Boston was great for that too.)
Kim: What was the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of being a military spouse?
Gwen: The greatest reward by far is getting to see so much of the country. Not just visiting, but living in places I otherwise never would have, and then being able to take my time exploring those areas. You learn what’s the same about people everywhere, and what makes regions unique. I love getting that inside view. I’m an explorer and nomad at heart, so the military lifestyle suits me well. Having a husband who also loves traveling—and is awesome in so many other ways—makes the challenges worth it.
The biggest challenge for me was career instability. Until I started writing and training, I couldn’t take my work with me, so it was tough to get into a job as a programmer or manufacturing engineer knowing I’d never move up at the company because we’d be leaving in a few years. We were lucky enough to only have one six-month deployment, a few extended separations for training, and some jobs with frequent travel in my husband’s twenty-year career. Long and frequent deployments are a hardship for a lot of military families, and my hat is off to those spouses who can put up with the ops tempo many of our troops have had since 2003.
Kim: What have your learned (or seen) since moving to California?
The biggest challenge for me was career instability. Until I started writing and training, I couldn’t take my work with me, so it was tough to get into a job as a programmer or manufacturing engineer knowing I’d never move up at the company because we’d be leaving in a few years. We were lucky enough to only have one six-month deployment, a few extended separations for training, and some jobs with frequent travel in my husband’s twenty-year career. Long and frequent deployments are a hardship for a lot of military families, and my hat is off to those spouses who can put up with the ops tempo many of our troops have had since 2003.
Kim: What have your learned (or seen) since moving to California?
Gwen: Hmm. I’ve lived in California several times before, but Sacramento is new to me. And this little big city is far more interesting than most people give it credit for. Living here has confirmed for me that I’m much happier with a cool-but-mild winter. Coming off two years in Boston, I had little doubt, but I definitely didn’t miss walking my dog in single-digit temps, or digging out from under two feet of snow!
Since June, we’ve explored Redding and nearby Whiskeytown Lake, Mount Shasta, Lake Tahoe, San Diego, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz (one of my favorite CA cities, maybe tied with Pismo Beach). My list of future daylong and weekend trips is very, very long. ;-)
Mahalo for hosting me today, Kim!!
Since June, we’ve explored Redding and nearby Whiskeytown Lake, Mount Shasta, Lake Tahoe, San Diego, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz (one of my favorite CA cities, maybe tied with Pismo Beach). My list of future daylong and weekend trips is very, very long. ;-)
Mahalo for hosting me today, Kim!!
Pismo Beach
Public Domain (link)
Gwen is celebrating the release of BLINDSIDE, Book 3 in her Men of Steel series:
SHE’S RUNNING FOR HER LIFE
Framed for espionage, reformed hacker Valerie Sanchez has no choice but to run. Worse, when the proof of her innocence is destroyed, things turn deadly. Can she trust the sexy terrorist hunter who mysteriously turns up to protect her, or is he the real threat?
HE’S HOT ON HER TRAIL
Former Marine sniper Scott Kramer’s job was supposed to be easy. Follow the hot computer geek who stole plans for classified weapons until she meets her buyer, then let law enforcement take over. But when Valerie becomes an assassin's target, Scott's gut says she’s innocent. Now, he must risk his life—and his heart—to keep her safe.
Seagull at La Jolla Beach
I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,
1. Leave a comment about California! I loved visiting San Diego last summer for the RWA Annual Conference. You can check out pictures on my travel blog, Aloha On My Mind - search for San Diego at this link.
2. Comments are open through Sunday, February 26, 10 pm in Baltimore.
3. I'll post the winner on Monday, February 27.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
Books 1 and 2 in the series
I have never been to California, but now I have The Beach Boys in my head.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you have good vibrations, Mary. There are so many amazing things to see in California (plenty of them not in super-busy Los Angeles). It's worth a visit if you get a chance. ;-)
DeleteMary is right, you think of California and almost immediately the Beach Boys pop up. :) I've never been to but my. granddaughter moved there for a job and hopefully I'll be visiting.
ReplyDeleteCarol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
I hope you get a chance to visit your granddaughter here, Carol!
DeleteI have no interest in visiting California!
ReplyDeleteWell, that's fair, but you're missing out on the massive redwood trees. They're amazing. ;-)
DeleteWe visit Sandiego every year. I think we will be going again in June. My father's widow could use a pick me up.
ReplyDeleteSan Diego is one of my other favorite cities, Debby. I was lucky enough to live there for a couple years in college. It was fun to see it again last summer for RWA, though I was shocked at how dry it was. Maybe after all the rain we've had this winter, it'll be greener for your visit this year.
DeleteI'd love to visit California one day, especially San Francisco. Ever since the television show, Full House, came on the air and highlighted the city in the opening credits I've been hooked :)
ReplyDeleteWe live on the west coast of Canada and avoid most of the cold, but warmer is always better, lol
jbiggar: I love your part of the world! San Francisco is definitely worth a visit. We're about a 90-minute drive away if we plan it right. :-) Stay warm!
DeleteWell....as I tap my fingers on the keyboard I am watching a big flurry of fat snowflakes descend into view through my office window in Alberta. It's like being in a snow globe. California sounds might inviting about now....I had an interesting trip back in the the mid 70's hitchhiking from Mexico through California all the way up to Canada. There were hundreds of other hitchhikers at every stop. My favourite part was that we were picked up by a lovely woman travelling and site seeing. She got us off the highway to take us to see those beautiful redwoods you mention. Nice memory.
ReplyDeleteWow, Jan, what an adventure! I'll bet you have some amazing memories from that time.
DeleteI really do love the snow. It's beautiful, and the silence after a snow fall is so cool. But I much prefer to visit and be able to leave it behind. ;-) I hope you can stay warm inside and enjoy the pretty scene!
San Diego is on my bucket list. I want to visit their zoo. I at least got to see pictures when my daughter went a few years ago.
ReplyDeletecatslady: The San Diego Zoo is awesome. The whole Balboa Park where it's located is pretty cool. There are several museums, and I love the botanical gardens. In fact, I used the botanical building as a meeting place in Blindsided, just for fun. ;-) I hope you get to see the zoo soon!
DeleteOnly been to San Francisco and it's definitely one of my favorite cities. Would love to visit LA and San Diego someday.
ReplyDeleteJane: San Francisco is great! I struggle to enjoy Los Angeles. It's better if you can stay by the water and visit the fun, touristy areas, but getting around is such a mess. I hate having to pass through it to get anywhere. Except San Diego is worth the drive. ;-) I hope you get to visit them all someday!
DeleteWe visited my sister a few years ago in Calif. And got to see my beloved Dodgers play a game in L.A.
ReplyDeleteladbookfan
How cool, ladbookfan! I'm glad you got to see them play on their home field. :-)
DeleteI miss Cali! I'm a Michigan girl who spent five years in the Riverside/San Bernardino area, and twenty years in Pasadena, where we were married and our three children were born.
ReplyDeleteThere's always something to do in Cali - formal or casual- just choose a destination. Pasadena was the best because you could be at the beach or in the valley or mountains in less than an hour!
Currently in Tucson...Meh - love the history, hate the temps...but trying to convince the mister of how moving back to California would be beneficial (for me!). LOL!
Pasadena is pretty! There really is always something to do in CA, from mountains to ocean to city.
DeleteMy parents were born and raised in Tucson, and I lived there off and on as a child. It's also where I met and married my husband after I left San Diego to attend the U of A. The desert is fascinating, but there's a reason we didn't choose to live there or in Phoenix (where hubby's from) when we finally had a choice again. Those dry, oven-like summers last way too long for me.
Good luck convincing your husband you need to move back to CA. Tell him the lack of humidity in Tucson is bad for your skin or something. ;-)
I visited California twice many years ago - from San Diego up to LA then on up to San Francisco and over to Yosemite. I'd love to go back again & revisit the places I enjoyed and see the places I missed.
ReplyDeleteHi, Di! I hope you get a chance to come back. We visited Yosemite for Christmas about 12 years ago, and now it's on my list to re-visit when it's warmer and all of the trails are open. Such stunning scenery.
DeleteIf you took Highway 101 on your trip, then you passed right through Pismo Beach (just south of San Luis Obispo) on your way up to San Francisco. We were stationed at Vandenberg AFB, and lived in Santa Maria, about 30 minutes south of Pismo. I loved it there. Probably my 2nd favorite assignment. The drive up the coast is beautiful. Thanks for stopping by!
My husband was stationed at McClellan Air Force Base for 2 years. We enjoyed it and spent the time seeing as much as we could. The World's Fair was in Vancouver , BC while we were in CA, so we traveled up the coast to attend it. Hit as many National Parks as we could and had a great trip. We enjoyed San Diego, which we visited while we were stationed in Colorado Springs before being in California. Had the best Nachos Supreme and Strawberry Margaritas at a cantina in Old Town. I think we went there three days in a row. Our favorite place to visit with the children while we were stationed there was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The first time we went they had just finished filming Star Trek 5: The Voyage Home. They had items from the film, videos on the filming, and the "whale" they used in some shots. We would like to go back and visit - just us two adults.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing back good memories.
What great memories, librarypat! Thank you for sharing. I haven't been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium since we were stationed at Vandenberg more than a decade ago. What I remember most is that my son lost a tooth while we were eating lunch. ;-) I hope you make it back!
DeleteMy aunt lives there and hope to get to visit someday. It is beautiful there, my parents have visited.
ReplyDeletelovesthemets@yahoo.com
I hope you get a chance to visit too!
DeleteI would love to visit San Francisco, Califronia :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting there someday, Bube!
DeleteIt is beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteladbookfan
I was born in California! Upland, CA to be specific - inland from LA in the foothills. We did many family drives all over the state in the 10 years I lived there. Sadly, I haven't been back since we moved years ago.
ReplyDeleteThat's a neat part of CA, Glenda. It's crazy to drive into LA on I-10 and see snow so close!
Delete