My books are about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations.
I start writing with only the vaguest idea about who my characters are and what is going to happen, and the characters and plot come into existence as I go. I've tried doing it the other way, but for me, outlining is a waste of time because I never follow the outline.
To move up to hardcover is a way of getting more attention for my books. It means a lot to me: It means my books are legitimate.
When I was in law school, there was a used book store nearby. I picked up a Harlequin romance and read it. It was stress relieving.