Colette Garmer has been writing since she can remember. First in her head for many years and after listening to many people tell her "you should write a book" she thought maybe she could do it, but didn't have the resources to try.

The first time she put pen to paper was during a difficult time in her life back in 1975 when she was suffering, but not yet diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. She wanted the doctors to really get it; how she felt. They, too, said she ought to write a book. Almost dying took precedence and having a difficult time with her health for many years.

Later on in 1992, she and a few friends started a local paper called The Entertainment Guide. It was in this small drop paper where she grew the confidence to write. But still not having any resources like writing groups and the Internet (as we know it) a few years off, there was more effort put into designing the advertisements than the actual writing. First drafts were often published. But she knew she was reaching an audience and loved it, even if they were writing in just to correct her grammar.

Then she found The Squirrel Hill Writers Group in 1996 and stayed put with them for three years. A job took her away from the group, limiting her time. Writing again took a back burner. But this time, she had written a book. Granted it wasn't a book she'd want anyone to ever see. But she did it.

On to Pennwriters in 1997 where she honed her skills and finally believed she could indeed write a book. It only took 22 years to gather up the courage. After a year in the Romance genre and attending the Nationals in NYC, she was ready to make a career out of writing.

She had articles published in Good Housekeeping and True Story Magazine. In 2005 she entered a Silhouette Desire contest where she was to describe her manuscript in two sentences. She was one of the five finalists. However, the Editor had just purchased a novel in the same reality show genre. The Editor did like the writing she submitted which was a positive step to having a manuscript published. But she always felt Suspense was the way for her to go.

Work took her away from writing yet again. But a turn in her health left her back at the keyboard wanting to get back at her writing. She attended Pennwriters 2008 conference where Martha Reed then president of Sisters-in-Crime in Pittsburgh encouraged her to enter her first draft in the First Page Contest. She ended up taking Third Place which finalized her belief in her writing that it was time to get serious.

Currently she is a member in Pennwriters and Sisters-in-Crime where she meets with many published and non-published authors that gladly assist her in her lifelong dream of getting a novel published. She was recently elected Vice President for the 2011 term for the Pittsburgh Chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Her writing is now on the front burner instead of languishing on the back burner of life.