I’m eclectic because life can’t be lived in one genre.

    Debra Easterling is the author of MOSHE’S WAR, BOUNDARY WATERS, THOSE WITH SECRETS, MAGGIE’S EMPTY NEST, and more. She also has had 7 short stories published, one of which was a finalist in the Writers Digest Annual Writing Competition (Inspirational Division.)

     Ms. Easterling is a mother of 8, grandmother of 17 (and counting), and wife of one fabulous husband. Debra was in nursing for 14 years, had a midlife crisis and became an accountant, at which she truly stunk. She returned to college for Business Communications, and now she lives in Orlando with her husband, working as a paralegal as she writes great works of literature at the crack of dawn. Debra is counting the days until retirement when she can devote herself to her craft.

    The very first book I read from cover-to-cover was the biography of Davy Crockett for my fourth grade reading assignment. The book centered on Crockett’s life as a young man in Greene County, Tennessee. (Back then, Indian fighters were considered heroes. Today, his behavior would be considered hate crimes.) Still, the author painted colorful pictures of Crockett’s antics and bravery, transporting me back a hundred years to witness this hero in action in such a way that I felt compelled to devour every elementary biography I could get my hands on. I grew up learning about queens and kings, sailors and pirates, presidents and cowboys, all through my love of reading. I knew little about the current events of the day, but I was a walking encyclopedia of those who passed before me.

     As I entered adolescence, I read what every red-blooded American girl read. “Nancy Drew.” Who doesn’t love a teenage mystery? I still have my copy of “The Hidden Staircase.”

     In young adulthood, my mother gave me two books. “Second Son,” by Charles Sailor, and “Other Side of Midnight” by Sidney Sheldon. These two books thrilled me with unexpected ending twists. These two stories are of the most intriguing and passionate books ever written.  These stories inspired me to write stories with twists.  Predictability is for whimps.

     I now read everything I can find on the shelves. Intrigue, romance, supernatural (although I avoid vampire books at all cost), mysteries, historical, religious, biographies, and history changing events.

     As a writer, we are encouraged to write what we read. For that reason, I have named myself the “Eclectic Author.” I write what I love, without regard to classification. Most of my books and stories are a blend of two or more genres.  I hope you will enjoy whatever comes off of my pointy-little-head. You’ll never know what the next story will bring.