Hadley Hoover

As a former teacher, librarian, & editor, I'm pretty sure words are part of my DNA. I haven't been without a library card (currently that's cards for 3 different libraries; yes, I use them all) since the day I stepped into a bookmobile as a 1st grader. I've read my way through libraries & haunted bookstores (new & used) no matter where I've lived: ND, SD, MN, IA, CA, OK, or UT. On any trips we take, 3 things are important: Where do the locals go for a good cup of coffee? Is there a bookstore nearby? Where's the library?

With reading at the core of my life & books occupying so much space in my home, one could assume I believe there are plenty of books in existence, right? Nope. In 2000 I decided to test the waters & see if anyone else thought the stories roaming my head & heart were worth reading. Thankfully they did. Library copies of Hadley Hoover titles get worn ragged; my e-mail list (based on responses to my website's feedback page) grows by leaps & bounds. It all shows that readers are telling their friends about "good reads," and also means that stepping into the unknown back in 2000 was a good decision on my part.

Along the way, I've tacked on a few degrees (undergraduate English major/library science minor; MA in Library Science; MA in Education) to my credentials, all of which opened career options for me--none as enticing or rewarding as writing full-time. But back in 1979 I did the smartest of all smart things: I married a guy (with his own library cards--plus, he has managed 1 bookstore in MN, & clerked in another in CA) who keeps me laughing, and loves me on bad-hair days. He even tolerates me being physically present, but "gone missing" to my fictional world for extended periods. I know any given story works when I hear him laughing, or catch him wiping away a tear (I kid you not). His blunt-&-bold input on one story's ending made it much better than originally plotted. At the time, I bristled; now, I'm glad I listened.

If you haven't already done so, may I invite you to delve into Hadley Hoover novels? My website (www.hadleyhoover.com) offers a synopsis for each book, background information, lots of photos, & preview chapters. So, when will you get started on your adventure of discovery & entertainment? How 'bout today?