Although writing has always been a constant desire, the commitment came to me four years ago. We tend to fill our lives with so much “to do” that we forget “to be.” And part of writing involves allowing the “being.” I had to reassess my commitments and obligations, then let go of certain activities to allow room to write. But I felt I had no choice—the writing was too important.

Most days I rise before the sun to write. I also carve out specific times during the day. I believe this is very hard for all writers—especially when they are unpublished. Making and committing time is difficult in the blazing glare of the critical world with its demand to know exactly what you are doing with your time.

I’ve made a commitment that I believe in and I do it even when I don’t feel like it. That said . . . achieving balance is a battle I win some days and lose many days. But writing is a joy and a journey. When I get it all just right, I’ll let you know.

Q. What did you hope to achieve in writing this novel? What did you want to convey most strongly to readers? Do you feel you succeeded?

A. I hoped to write a story that would accomplish several things: touch the heart, maybe inspire a few people to consider what they most long for, and finally, to entertain and spark some interesting discussion.

I attempted to show that we all have places or people in our lives that—if only for a moment—make us feel like the people we were always meant to be. Often people abandon their dreams until someone or something comes along and awakens them. Then the question becomes—can the person, place or thing that awakened our desire satisfy it, or are they only a reminder of what we really want, who we really are? Each person will have his own answer to this question. I only give you, the reader, Nick’s and Amy’s answers.

Only you, the reader, can tell me if I’ve succeeded in all I set out to do when I wrote Losing the Moon.

Q. What writers are particular favorites of yours and how have they inspired you? What are you working on now?

A. As I mentioned before, my avid reading began in childhood with C. S. Lewis and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. As a teenager, I read Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. Madeline L’Engle, Anne Lamott, and Julia Cameron have deeply influenced my view of the art of writing. These days, I adore the wit and wisdom of Deborah Smith and Dorothea Ben-ton Frank. I admire the imagery of Elizabeth Berg and Anita Shreve.