Values

The guiding values of The Candy Store are Surprise & Delight, Honesty & Compassion. I strive to use these values as a guide in every decision I make, for everything from what I think a character would really say or do, to how many hours I think I should write each day, and what kinds of marketing strategies to employ. 

Surprise & Delight are important to me because the stories I enjoy most are the ones that keep me guessing and take me to a place more wild and wonderful than I could have imagined. They are important to me because I believe that every single person on earth deserves happiness. There are a lot of horrible, terrible, unjust things in this world and I believe they must be addressed, but I also believe that in order to take care of others we must also take care of ourselves. Reading romance brings me joy, helps me to relax, to believe in the good and beauty of the world and people, and helps me regain energy when I feel depleted; writing romance helps me process my feelings and experiences and provides a deep sense of satisfaction and creative fulfillment. By sharing my stories I hope to bring something of the same well-being and positive outlook to others (as well as, of course, that I will be able to help provide for my family). 

Honesty & Compassion are important to me because I believe that they are necessary for true happiness, and that if I truly follow these values I will always make the best decision. They are some of the most difficult values for me because they often mean taking off the "armor" and being deliberately vulnerable, as well as gathering the courage to speak up, both of which are scary as hell to me. The reason I stick with them is every time I do I feel good about it, even when the result is not the one I'd hoped for.