A typical day for me starts at 4:00 a.m. I work outside my home so I must write in the early morning. I consume a pot of coffee before seven, and hopefully write 10 pages before I switch hats and prepare to open the family bookstore.

With teenagers in the house, breakfast is a buffet affair. The store opens by 10, so I pack my laptop, toss a little makeup on my face, and head to work. By late afternoon I switch hats again, stopping off to do a few household errands, then it's another buffet for dinner. The dishwasher on, a few loads of laundry in and out, and I'm ready for a glass of wine and a soak in a hot tub to brainstorm tomorrow's 10 pages.

Ideally, if I can get to bed by nine, my 4:00 a.m. writing schedule will be met the next day.

Ah, the life of a writer who wears too many hats.