Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Leslie A. Rasmussen.

Leslie was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated with a bachelor's in communications from UCLA and went on to write television comedies for Gerald McRaney, Burt Reynolds, Roseanne Barr, Norm McDonald, Drew Carey, and Ralph Macchio, as well as The Wild Thornberrys and Sweet Valley High. She later earned a master's degree in nutrition and ran her own business for ten years.

Most recently, Leslie has written personal essays for online magazines such as Huffington Post, Maria Shriver, and SheKnows. She loves dogs and in addition to having two adorable Labradors, she volunteers at the Burbank Animal Shelter in Burbank, California. Leslie lives in Los Angeles and has two sons, and a husband she's been with since college. After Happily Ever After is her debut novel and it is out now.

In this episode Leslie and I discuss:

• How she captured family dynamics by writing about three different generations.
• The ways her past as a sitcom writer helped her create a strong supporting cast.
• Why she chose to write about after the typical "happily ever after" ending.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: www.diymfa.com/362