When I think of crazy train experiences, this is the one that pops into my mind immediately. It was my first really wild experience, and probably the most scary.

​I rode the commuter train for years. Never once did I ever feel like my life was truly in danger. There were moments when I was uncomfortable, I was offended, I was entertained. I never worried for my life. I share that because as crazy as this story is, I was grateful for the quick and professional response of the police and the manner in which they handled the situation. It was reassuring to see if something truly bad happened that help would be close by.

​It all started early one morning. The train was nearly empty, and I liked sitting in the first few passenger seats at the front of the train. The driver sat in a metal and glass compartment completely separated from the passengers. We could see him; he could see us. But a complete wall prevented us from any physical contact.

​I got on the train this morning, and the only person close to me was a tiny, frail-looking elderly lady. She was short and thin and reminded me a lot of my grandmother. I smiled at her and sat across the aisle. The train began moving, and the lady moved to the very front seat. She was intensely staring at the driver and got up a couple of times to peer through the window at him. We made it through a couple of station stops. A few people trickled onto the train, and the lady kept pacing between her seat and the driver's compartment.

​"I know you," she said several times and pointed her finger at the driver. At this time, I thought she'd either recognized him or had a case of mistaken identity. "I know who you are," she said, and her voice got a little louder. "Come out here," she demanded and knocked on the glass. "I know you. Get out here now."

​She wasn't yelling, but her voice raised in volume. We went past a couple more stations. She continued to pace back and forth and call out to the driver. He continued to ignore her.

​By this time, I was making eye contact with other passengers. They were as confused as I was. None of us interacted with the lady, who got more animated by the minute. She began yelling at the driver. "I know who you are. You're the devil. I'm not afraid of you, Devil!"

​She pounded on the door to his compartment and began yelling at the top of her lungs. People around me were now getting scared. As far as I could tell, she didn't have a weapon, and she was so frail that I felt good about my chances if she attacked me. However, I wasn't going to antagonize her. I pretended to read my book while I secretly watched her.

​Then she said, "I'll kill you, Devil. Get out here. I'm going to kill you."

​I wanted to call security, but I was way to close to her to do it. I was sure she'd hear me and decide I was a devil, too. So, I watched her become more vocal, more threatening, and I prayed that the driver stayed inside his compartment where he was safe.

​The next stop after she'd begun the death threats, I glanced up and saw a reflection in the driver's window of someone walking down the aisle toward us. The elderly lady was too busy yelling at the driver to notice that a policeman had entered the train and was slowly walking our way. When she finally turned and saw him, she calmly walked to her seat and sat down where she stayed until the next stop.

​At that point, the policeman calmly asked the lady to step off the train with him. She very sweetly asked, "Why officer? Is there something wrong?"

He simply said, "Please step off the train with me."

She politely got up and walked to the steps and exited the train, where I could see six other officers waiting for her. As the doors slid closed, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Then one passenger said to us.

"I think she's off her meds. She did the exact same thing on the 6 pm train last night."

​I never heard what happened to her, and I hope she got the help she needed. It taught me a valuable lesson. Never assume anything based on a person's looks! That sweet little grandma may just be ready to kill the devil!

I received disappointing news this week. Amazon's program Kindle Scout is shutting down. This was a cool program where writers could submit work for consideration by Amazon Publishing, and readers could read the works for free and vote on their favorites. Even if the manuscripts weren't selected for a publishing contract, the program gave writers exposure to new readers. It was a win-win for everyone.

And, it was program where I'd planned to test some new stories in a genre I don't normally write.

Back in December, I was given a cute, little notebook that had the word Dream on it. The first thing I'd written in my Dream book was to submit to Kindle Scout. It was incredibly sad to scratch through that item because it was no longer possible.

But something else occurred this week -- the day before I learned about Kindle Scout's demise. An author, whose works I have enjoyed, stated on a blog post that she places her rough drafts on Wattpad to get readers' reactions to her work. I'm a fan of Wattpad -- it's where Just Another Stupid Boy was born. In addition to that, she said that a producer discovered her work on Wattpad and offered a movie deal for one of her stories.

The cliche "when one door closes, another one opens" seems to be true in this case. While Wattpad doesn't offer publishing contracts, it is a great place to connect with readers and get feedback. So, this is probably the route I'll take with my fantasy/romance novel. I'll let you know when it happens. Right now, I'm keeping a promise I made to you (Granted is on its way.)

​How do you handle when a dream is no longer possible? Feel free to share your story in the comments below!

Happy Friday the 13th to all of my friends!

​This day is extra special to me because it's my anniversary with my wonderful, supportive husband. If this wasn't good enough, I'm also spending this day with my beautiful daughter on her college campus. Life is pretty good right now.

​It's so important to celebrate those special days in your life. It might be an anniversary, birthday or another great event. You should remember those times and acknowledge them in a way that makes you happy. Maybe it's a big party, a nice night out, or a quiet day in. Celebrate the big stuff and the little stuff. Because they all play a part in what makes your life so special.

​I remember the first time someone from outside the US bought one of my books. Amazon had a massive spreadsheet/report that let you see what countries your sales came from. This kind soul was from Germany! This was someone I'd never met and had no connection to whatsoever. I was overwhelmed and surprised and incredibly thrilled. It was the first time that I thought I could be a success at this writing thing. You, wonderful readers, have made me more confident that the tales I write are stories you want to hear.

​So, today, I'm celebrating everything! My anniversary, quality time with my daughter, my family and friends, and my readers. What a great day this is! Friday the 13th rocks!

Have you ever gone onto a website or app and seen that it was a "beta" version? What is that all about???

In the technology world, a beta is a version that you're testing to make sure it works as expected, and one great way to do that is to allow users access to the version before it's final. This gives the developers a chance to see how the site or app handles day-to-day use and gives users a chance to provide feedback.

So, why am I talking about beta testing in my Write Advice column? Because, your manuscript should go through its own beta testing before you release it to the world.

Beta readers are invaluable to your success. They give you the truth others might not want to share. They tell you want works and what doesn't.  They make you a better writer.

If it weren't for my beta readers, I'd have an ending for Wished that didn't work. I might never have finished Just Another Stupid Boy. I might not even be writing young adult/teen stories. One of my very first Beta readers (my beautiful sister) read a story I'd planned to pitch to Harlequin. Her feedback was, "I like the story, but your adults sound like teenagers."

I took a step back and looked at my story again. As usual, my sister was right. I started over, this time writing about a teen protagonist. My story What I Hear was born. The teen angle worked (even though the story didn't), and I was hooked on writing teen fiction.

I've learned so much about myself and my writing through my Beta readers' feedback. Even though it hasn't always been easy to hear, I've appreciated every comment.

So, I highly recommend you find some great Beta readers. People who will tell you the truth, who are willing to take the time to read your work in a timely manner, who will give you details on what worked, what didn't and why.

It may not be the most pleasant experience, but it will push you to be the very best version of yourself possible. And that makes the growing pains worth it.