Yes, I have more than one chip.  In fact I probably have more chips than I have shoulders.  My shoulders are broad from all of those competitive butterfly races when I was younger, I carry them well.  The chips are firmly implanted so don’t even think of knocking them off.  You wouldn’t want to because they aren’t a bad thing.

I’ve never been a women’s libber, Gloria Steinem frightens me, and I am a proud heterosexual.  I am a female but don’t ever think I’m the weaker sex.  See the chip?  That one is pretty much a mountain and if I could be a movie character I’d be the Marty Feldman character of I-gor in Young Frankenstein (what hump?).  I could do schtick ’til the cows come home with that one but I’ll spare you all.

So how can a gal who was raised during a traditional time period, in reference to gender roles, have turned out to be a woman who believes wholeheartedly in the power of her gender?  Simple.  I had a great role model.  My mom.  Charlotte is one tough cookie, in the body of a refined, beautiful and well educated woman.  Nothing has been handed to my mom and we have endured more than our share but we did it because we had each other, belief in faith, and the will to survive.  It is because of her that I keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when I don’t want to.  Even when I don’t think I’m able.

It’s no wonder my novel contains strong female characters.  They aren’t afraid to have relationships, they aren’t afraid to show emotion but most of all they aren’t afraid to be who they really are.  Being different in our society is akin to being an outcast sometimes.  Just because an individual doesn’t choose a traditional path doesn’t mean that person should be feared because he or she is not like everyone else.

On the inside, I’ve always known I’m not like everyone else.  It’s only been in the past few years that I’ve found the strength to let some of my true self shine through.  My love/hate relationship with my creative persona is achieving balance within.  One doesn’t have to be musically or artistically inclined to be considered creative.  (Did I mention how much I hated arts and crafts…and babysitting.  Oh yeah, all of my clay art projects blew up?)

When you meet some of my characters (I will post part of the first chapter soon), I hope you appreciate them for what they are…strong, capable women, just like their creator.