Q. What are you reading?

A. I'm getting ready to teach a memoir class next year so I'm reading through my favorite books on writing. "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott is at the top of the pile, as is Brenda Ueland's "If You Want to Write." I also like "Writing the Memoir" by Judith Barrington, whom I studied with 15 years ago, years before I was ever published. Since I write contemporary women's fiction, I tend to read a lot of that as well, so I have the newest titles from Elizabeth Berg and Susan Wiggs and Kristin Hannah. I also read a lot of business books, so I just started Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers."

Q. What do you look for in books about writing?

A. I like books on writing that don't just talk about writing, but give you lots of first lines and prompt to get you going. It's one thing to read about writing, and it's another thing to just sit down and actually write. Books that help you refine your craft and can do so with humor and compassion are big hits with me.

Q. How do other authors' writing principles influence your writing, such as your recent novel "Sweet Life"?

A. I have three kids and a family business, so finding time to write is a challenge. In "Bird by Bird," Lamott talks about writing short assignments, which is essentially how my books get written. She also talks about first drafts and perfectionism, which can be the bane of any writer. Ueland's book starts with a chapter titled "Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say," which I think is one of the most encouraging essays on writing, and got me writing again after years of working in corporate America.