The first part of my Shiloh trilogy is true—the way Marty found Shiloh along the river. That's how I came across the shy, trembling female dog who became Shiloh in my story. She followed my husband and me back to the home of friends in the little community of Shiloh, West Virginia, just up the hill from Friendly.

After we left for home that day, I worried about what would happen to that dog. We had two cats waiting for us back in Maryland, so we really didn't consider taking her with us.

But I couldn't get her out of my mind. We don't own a dog now, but I grew up with a springer spaniel, and know what it's like to love a dog. So I began writing Shiloh, working happened if I had known to whom she belonged, and what I might have done if she had come to me because she was being mistreated.

Three weeks later we received a letter from our friends who said the dog was still there, so they adopted her and named her Clover. She is now the happiest dog in West Virginia, they claim, and we've been back many times to visit.

If you enjoy books about animals, you might also like my novels The Grand Escape and The Healing of Texas Jake, about our two cats. Also Josie's Troubles (cats and dogs), Night Cry (a horse), and The Fear Place (a cougar), which is set in the Rocky Mountains. And of course, if you've read only the first book in the Shiloh trilogy, you'll enjoy Shiloh Season and Saving Shiloh too, as well as the video, Shiloh.

As far back as I can remember, I loved to write little books, and made up stories long before I could put the words down on paper. My parents read aloud to us every night.

They sang to us, too, and many of their songs were really stories. I can hardly believe I'm so lucky to be able to make writing my life's work, and have now written one hundred books.

I'm not happy unless I spend some time every day writing. It's as though pressure builds up inside me, and writing even a little helps to release it. Usually I write about six hours each day. Tending to other writing business, answering mail, and just thinking about a book takes another four hours. I spend from three months to a year on a children's book, depending on how much research I need to do. A novel for adults, because it is longer, takes a year or two. When my work is going well, I wake early in the mornings, hoping it's time to get up. When the writing is difficult and the words seem flat, I'm grouchy and not very pleasant to be around.

Getting an idea for a book is not hard for me; keeping other ideas away while I'm working on one story is what's difficult. My books are based on things that have happened to me, things I have heard or read about, all mixed up with imaginings.

The best part about writing is the moment a character comes alive on paper, or when a place that existed only in my head becomes real. There are no bands playing at this moment, no audience applauding—a very solitary time, actually—but it's what I like best.

My husband Rex and I live in Bethesda, Maryland, and he's the first person to read my manuscripts when they're finished. Our sons, Jeff and Michael, are grown now and married, and we have two granddaughters, Sophia and Tressa. When I'm not writing, I hike, swim, sing, play the piano, and attend the theater.

I like to write all kinds of books-humorous books, mysteries, fantasy, real-life stories, suspense.

As soon as I do one kind of book, I do something completely different. After a picture book like I Can't Take You Anywhere or King of the Playground for small children, I may write a book like Sang Spell or Send No Blessings for teens. After a novel for adults, I may write one of my Bessledorf mysteries, such as The Treasure of Bessledorf Hill or another Danny book-Danny's Dessert Rats-or still another book in my Alice series — Reluctantly Alice or Alice in Lace.

If you like to write, you may want to read my autobiography, How I Came To Be A Writer. To learn more about me or my books, try my Alice web site: http://www.simonsays.com/alice