Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.

I was extremely lucky making an audiobook of “Vacation Bride” because I knew Emily Beresford from working on two previous audio projects. All I had to do for this one was email Emily to get on her production schedule and deliver the book file. She took care of the rest.

Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?

Humor is a challenge because you’ve got to find a narrator who can read your mind and telepathically figure out the right comic timing for the narration. I was lucky enough to find Emily before I realized how tough this is, or my fingernails might have been a lot more chewed.

Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?

Since this is my third audiobook, I actually did think about how well it would translate into audio while I was editing and polishing the manuscript. Specifically, I tried to keep the sentence construction a little simpler so the poor narrator could catch her breath.

Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?

Turquoise water :) I took a lot of inspiration from research into the Caribbean and the US Virgin Islands -- gazing longingly through webcams, watching Caribbean shows on cable TV. My secret hope is to inspire a lot of future tropical vacations.

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?

I think the secret is to always pick the project you love. Sometimes this means I jump around between genres, which is not the best way to reach readers. But it’s the most fun!

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?

I love audiobooks! I started checking them out from the library (remember CDs?) years ago to listen to while commuting, and they quickly expanded to brighten chores, exercise, and rocking babies at two in the morning. Along the way, I saw the added dimension a great narrator brings to a story and discovered many new authors while sampling books by beloved narrators. In my opinion, it’s perfect,

Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?

Emily really provides the sense of wonder that my heroine Anna feels exploring the Virgin Islands and encountering unexpected luxuries, like her visit to a megayacht.

What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?

I bet I enjoy folding laundry a lot more than they do :)

How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?

Well, let’s see, there was the megayacht cruise to the US Virgin Islands...oh wait...that was a dream. In real life, we threw a terrific Facebook launch party with games, gift cards, and tropical-themed prizes. It was a hoot!