If you do not write in my family, we begin to doubt your parentage. My brother and I both had finished novels by the time we graduated from high school. Even those of us, like my father, who do not write fiction are published authors in their own disciplines (two Science articles and numerous patents). And the people who marry in are also expected to live up to the family standards. My sister-in-law is a published poet and playwright. My husband has numerous scientific papers to his name.
It goes without saying that when I started the Nerdy Girls series, my family had a lot of constructive criticism. My brother and sister-in-law read Murderers and provided me line by line guidance. My dad gave me valuable insight into firearms usage and a lot of general encouragement.
My mother, an accomplished writer herself (under the name Brecht Hibbard), asked to see the first chapter of Murderers. I gave it to her thinking she would love it. She’s my mother, right? The original version was eight pages. Her suggestions reduced it to four. Although I had a momentary sense of panic at how my baby had been slashed and burned, I soon realized that she was absolutely positively right. Her revisions made it so much better. I took them (and all of the other great suggestions she made) to heart and revised the entire novel many times over. I would not be where I am without her generous help and support.
My family continues to be the best resource a novelist could ask for with each and every novel I write, and revise and revise again. Thanks for everything Hibbard-Brecht-Trouvere-Kenny-Boero Clan! You do the Brontes one better.
