As a writer, how often do you step out of your comfort zone? I know all about branding and whatnot, so up 'til now, I've kept my books in the same vein of genre--however I will say be it straight up romance or suspense (Okay, I do have a ghost story, that is a little diff—but to me that's just a story where a major secondary character "happens" to be dead...but I digress ), I'd like to think my voice is consistent from book to book so they are still branded in a way.

How often do you try to write something so far out of your norm? For fun or just a change?

I am trying something new. I won't say what in case it falls flat and I can't quite get the handle on it. But I have to tell you, writing "different" has been as much fun as a challenge and it has sparked something I think. Don't get me started on the umpteen books I've bought and got from the library to do research--me who hates to research. My comfort zone is cold with my absence I am so far out of it. But to me, that's what gives it an extra little spark of keeping my butt in the chair. (That and, like I said, if it doesn't go over, no one will be any the wiser as to what I did--so yeah, I am a wee bit of a chicken there).

I always want to write--no matter what. It just gets to feeling like a chore at times... so with this comfort-zone leap, and no risk, it's kinda the best of both worlds. And as I told a friend, if nothing else it's an exercise. Couple that with—whether it's good or bad—I tend to get an idea that sticks in my head and I can't get rid of it. And after about a week, if I am still mentally gnawing on it, it's not going to stop—but get worse—until I attempt to do something with it. That's what happened here.

I have started off the new year working on it--written every day since Christmas in fact. Bottom line, it's got me writing. And if I can stay out of my comfort zone long enough, maybe it will permanently expand and I will have a new and even bigger zone from which to jump :-)