Willow and the rest of the Gambit cast didn't get where they are today without significant changes in human evolution. For those of you who are curious, here's a big-picture, journalistic view of what the Mayan prediction was really all about.

It’s funny how real-life things work their way into a story. No matter how wild or bizarre a path my imagination leads me down, something personal always pops up along the way. It could be a thought that inspires me or makes me smile. Or, it could be something that ends up as part of the journey.

If you’ve read Gambit, then you’ve unknowingly been exposed to quite a few of my personal thoughts and experiences. Here are a few favorites:

Naming a book character is sort of like naming your unborn child. Oh, the possibilities. You could pick a derivative of your own name, or go with one of your relatives. Maybe there's a religious meaning behind the name you like. Or a city you love (Dallas, Austin, Brooklyn).

It usually takes me a while to come up with a character name. Occasionally, I'll change it. Some are names I simply like, while others have deep personal meaning. Many are nods to fictional characters. Here's how I came up with a few of the names in Gambit:

There are so many cool things about being an author. You get to enjoy the beauty of seeing a passion and a career come together. You get the privilege of working with incredibly talented people in the publishing industry. And when people ask what you do, you get to say “I’m an author” and experience the brief endorphin rush that follows. :)