There are people who start counting down the days until Christmas, and then there are people like me who get excited when the Halloween decorations start showing up in stores. And yes, I'm one of those people who will happily wander through the Halloween section even when I have absolutely no intention of buying anything.

When Bethany and Tom move into their new neighborhood, they couldn't ask for friendlier neighbors. Everyone looks out for one another, and Bethany finally feels like they might have a chance at a fresh start. But on Halloween night, an elderly woman arrives carrying an old brown handbag and an offer that should be impossible. By the time Bethany discovers what her husband has agreed to, it's already too late.

A woman stood just beyond the doorway. She wore a faded blue dress, and her dark hair hung over her face. One of her feet was bare, the other wrapped in a dirty bandage. Kyle smiled. He'd already seen a woman crawl out from under a bed. They were going to have to try harder than this.

I want to write every day, but between a full-time job and everything else life requires, there never seems to be enough time. Writing The House That Silence Built taught me just how much goes into writing a book—and how different it feels to write your own life instead of somebody else’s.

Rachel is driving alone on Highway 81 late at night when a pickup appears behind her. He won’t pass. He won’t back off. And every time she changes her speed, he changes his. Then he starts flashing his lights and pointing toward the back of her SUV.

A first look at my author blog, where I’ll share new books, works in progress, publication news, and the sometimes messy reality of writing along the way.