Membrocyndysalzmann

I like to read all kinds of things - fiction, nonfiction, magazines, newspapers, blogs, cereal boxes... you name it. On my nightstand right now in Demon by Tosca Lee, Having a Mary Spirit by JoAnna Weaver and Laughing in the Dark by Chonda Pierce.

I'm a wife and mom who also happens to write books. My latest series is a lighthearted mystery published by Howard Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

I've also written three nonfiction books on the topic of homekeeping for the "domestically challenged." : )

Okay... so that's my "official" profile. Here's the REAL scoop...

I've been married to my patient husband since 1981 and he still believes I don't know how to start the lawn mower.

We are busy raising three children - Freddy (20), Liz (19) and Anna (14). A note to mothers of young children. Catch up on your sleep now. You'll need it for the teen years.

I started writing books in 1997 as an excuse to avoid laundry. The subsequent publication of these musings led to a speaking career - surprising me even more than my children. (You mean people actually ASK you to talk, Mom?) Now my kids all know how to sort colors - and what to do when the washing machine starts jumping around.

I do most of my writing on the back of fast-food wrappers usually while waiting for carpool. It still amazes me I finished five books. That's a lot of chicken quesadillas.

In my "spare" time, I love to cook, read, and work on family scrapbooks. This last pursuit allows me to permanently destroy any photos of myself I don't consider flattering.