Soldiers to Flowers

We've all heard of method actors. They immerse themselves in their roles. Daniel Day Lewis is one. Dustin Hoffman played another. for laughs when the part of "Tootsie" takes over his life. Well, I've come to realize I'm a method writer.

My last book, I began in a small cabin. Toy soldiers stood watch on the log walls. "This is what every child dreams of" a friend said as I let her enter. "Let" is the key word. This was my space alone. I felt safe here. And at a child's desk (raised higher so my legs would fit) I wrote my childhood memoir.

This new book is different. It's a love story. My desk had to grow up. Watching me now is a vase with white flowers. They're a beautiful bunch.