Today is Father’s Day in the United States. A day when many families will gather together to celebrate the man who gave them life and for many of us, a man who is no longer here. My Dad passed away a number of years ago but he is still with me in everything I do. The memories we made together and the lessons he taught me stay with me and have molded me into the person I am today. It was Dad who gave me a skill that is most valuable in my work as a writer. He taught me to sit back and watch those around us.

Although neither of us knew it at the time, that ability is part of what allows me to write characters that come alive in my words. Mannerisms, facial expressions, and body language give us clues to why people do and say the things they do. It helps me understand them and in turn, to develop characters that you, the reader, find more relatable. My Dad taught me that

Today I celebrate and remember my Dad. A man of few words, but great wisdom who is missed every day.