I am a country girl at heart, born and raised in the South. Most of my books take place in that locale because I simply can't comprehend big-city life. I can't connect to a powerful heroine running a multimillion-dollar company; neither can I relate to glitz and glamour. None of that has anything to do with the real me. Give me a small-town girl struggling to make a living or trying to come to terms with her own insecurities, and I'll give you an idea for a story! I like including children and pets in my stories because, for me, they are an important part of life. As for my heroes, it's true that I like them strong and powerful, but even they have one or two insecurities to deal with. Thankfully, the heroines can help them cope.
My personal life is a lot like my books. I live in a small South Carolina town with my husband and two boys. My husband is still my best friend. He is not only a wonderful father to our children but my own personal hero. I could not have come this far in my career without his constant support. My boys keep me busy from morning till night. Just like other moms, I am always nagging my boys to clean their room, and if one thing drives me crazy, it's all those baseball cards strewn throughout the house! We have pets, of course: two dogs, Boomer and Grunt, and a cat named Snookie.
In what spare time I can find, I enjoy gardening and reading. I have a vegetable garden out back, and I'm always planting flowers. I call this my therapy because it helps me unwind when things get too hectic. But I may as well confess, I use this time to think up new and wonderful stories just for you!
--Charlotte Hughes
