I grew up an Air Force brat, moved around a lot, and other than my siblings, I didn’t develop any close friends. Sure, I found people to hang with, but if I moved, I forgot them.

Funny thing happened when I became a writer. Suddenly, I was among people just like me. People struggling to conquer the craft, conquer the publishing industry, and desperately searching for someone to share the exciting things going on inside their own heads.

I banded first with my sister, Myla Jackson, whom I didn’t really have that much in common with until we both started writing. We banded with Layla Chase who was seeking critique partners, and we all improved as writers together, which forged an even stronger bond between us. We banded with a group of ladies inside the San Antonio Romance Authors and formed Roses Colored Glasses, because we hoped to build an even bigger community of friends.

Along the way, I’ve added Kimberly Kaye Terry and the Allure Authors group as friends, and we’ve helped each other, produced anthologies together, and become sounding boards for story ideas, whine sessions, career strategy advice.

You can’t have too many friends. So, this weekend I’m hanging with two women from the Diamond State Romance Authors group. We’re having a writing weekend, and hopefully, I’ll pick up two more friends to add to my ever-expanding circle (if the pictures I share here don’t get me killed!).