If you look at my new "Billionaire World" reading map, you’ll see a sprawling empire of families, scandals, and happily-ever-afters. But to truly understand how this world came to be, we have to go back—all the way back to 2010.

The Hero They Said Was "Too Much"

Once upon a time, before the billionaire romance explosion and before Fifty Shades of Grey changed the landscape, I wrote a hero named Dominic Corisi. At the time, publishers told me he was too alpha, too angry, and too intense.

I didn't listen.

My daughter’s favorite quote from that era perfectly sums up the Corisi energy: "Can you really kidnap someone who wanted to go with you?" In 2011, I self-published Maid for the Billionaire. I put it up for free, and by the time I was ready to release book two, over one million people had downloaded it. Dominic hadn't just jumpstarted my career; he had claimed a permanent residence in the hearts of readers.

Seeing the World Through Many Eyes

What fascinated me most about the original Legacy Collection wasn't just Dominic’s own story, but how he looked through the eyes of everyone else.

• In book one, you see his power.

• In book two, you see him through the eyes of his adversary.

• By books three and four, you’re seeing him through a sister-in-law's romance and another woman enjoying her own "kidnapping" fantasy.

One of my favorite perspectives was Alethea’s. She was a woman obsessed with the truth who trusted no one —except Dominic. Their bond showed that even a morally gray billionaire values loyalty and friendship above all else.

A World That Refused to Stay Small

Most authors might have closed the book there. But my characters had other plans. The Corisis spilled into the world of the Barringtons. Then the Westerlys. I was eventually given the chance to expand Dominic’s family even further, discovering "lost" relatives and giving a broken hero the foundation he always craved.

I’ve watched Dominic grow, stumble, and nearly make irreversible mistakes, only to pull back at the last second from becoming someone unforgivable. He is so dynamic that he even demanded a cameo in my World War II "super soldier" series (yes, the one with the silverware!). It was perfect.

The Next Chapter: Firebrook Valley

This year, as I sat down to start a brand-new series, I knew exactly where it belonged: right back in the Billionaire World.

As you dive into Firebrook Valley and meet the new families I’m introducing, keep your eyes peeled. There will be cameos. There will be crossovers. And if the stars align exactly the way I want them to, this journey will culminate in the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Judy Corisi finally revealing to her father exactly who she’s been dating.

Welcome back to the world that Dominic built. It's good to be home.

I am, and have always been, a character-driven romance author. People often ask me how I keep a world of over 50 books interconnected and alive, and the answer is simple: it always starts with the people.

Before I can write a new series like Firebrook Valley, I have to imagine who lives there. I might have a vague idea of a location or a plot, but before a single word of the story hits the page, I fill notebooks with what motivates a character.

I knew the entire backstory of Gabe Holliston—his relationship with his ex-wife, his parents, and exactly how he interacts with his children—long before I wrote the first scene. I know what is strong in him and what is broken. As I imagine him raising his children, I look at them through both his eyes and theirs. What were their challenges? Who would they have been to each other?

Then, I ask the most important question: What do these characters yearn for?

When I imagined the Burkes, I spent just as much time getting to know their history and their failures. I need to know what they are proud of and what they are ashamed of. Who are they in their best moments, and who are they in their worst?

Once I know them, I look for the match. Why do these two people, out of everyone I could imagine, belong together? Do they bring out the best in each other? Only when I have that answer do I set the notes aside and create the "plot" for them to work through.

By the time the "magic" starts, they are real to me. When they struggle, I’m rooting for them. When they cry during a scene, I’m crying right along with them. And when I finally write the words "The End" on a happily-ever-after, I’m smiling in exactly the way I hope you are.

That reminds me, I should post about the time I was asked to leave a library . . .

Welcome to Firebrook Valley! I am so excited to finally introduce you to the rivals, the tension, and the billionaires of my brand-new series. (Includes: cameos from some of my OG billionaires.)

When I first started dreaming up Firebrook Valley, I had a very specific vision for the covers but I couldn't quite find the right fit while shopping for designers. 

 This was the original concept cover. Every masterpiece starts somewhere! 

My concept cover:

Serenity Cardello, my 15-year-old daughter, offered to draw the characters and create the covers for me. I love how they came out, and I hope you do as well.  I've hired her for the entire series. I couldn't be prouder. 

 As you can see, she gets her artistic talent from me . . . (wink). 

My original title for the first book in the series was Not Me, but I decided on Not You. I hope you enjoyed this look behind the scenes. I’m so grateful for my family who puts up with me and for you for coming along with me on this crazy, but often amazing, writing journey.

Use Goodreads? Don't forget to add NOT YOU to your WANT TO READ LIST. Simply hover over the button below and click WANT TO READ!