We can't open the windows unless we break them.

I definitely can't take all the credit for it. Other counselors, especially Fred Williams, helped put Kim on the right track and gave her encouragement and support. She's an example of why we do what we do. She is a success story in all aspects of vocational rehabilitation services.

I have lived with you and loved you, and now you are gone. Gone where I cannot follow, until I have finished all of my days.

'Seize the Story' takes readers all the way through the process of writing fiction, from beginning to end. Every element, from dialogue to setting, plotting to character creation, is laid out and illustrated with examples. But the tone of the book is not that of a dry writing manual - it's definitely written for teenagers.

As a child, I amused myself by making up stories. I'd lie in bed when I was supposed to be sleeping and imagine other lands where people were doing fascinating things. By fifth grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer, but it took several more decades to really find my way as an author.

The main characters for 'The Seer and the Sword' made an appearance one night and then haunted me for over five years before I began to write them down. Does that count as inspiration? For me, characters tend to show up, stay on to help with the work of writing their stories, and then occasionally deign to visit after a book is finished.