A psychic told me to write a book...

Yes. You read that correctly. Here's the thing--one of my best friends (let's call him Giuseppe) bought me a psychic reading for my birthday. He's the kind of guy who is open to possibilities. I'm the kind of girl who needs to see it to believe it. But I thought what the heck, it'll be fun right?

I called and set up an appointment. Needing a partner in crime, I convinced another friend (we'll call her Holly) to accompany me. I promised her coffee in return. Because who can pass up coffee? Right?

During the reading, the psychic told me I was destined to write a book. Though I read a lot, writing wasn't on my radar. Only smart people write books. When the psychic finished, I just assumed she wasn't very good at her job.

It wasn't until my husband came home from work one day and asked me if I'd ever heard about the Fata Morgana.

Nope. Never heard of it.

He got all excited and explained the phenomenon. It's a mirage that appears directly above the horizon. Layers of cold and warm air bend the light to create an illusion. It's named after Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. It's also the reason The Flying Dutchman flies. If you know any pilots, ask them about it.

In Anchorage, Alaska, where we lived at the time, it can often be seen over the Cook Inlet. Some days the mountains are huge, other days they're only tiny peaks in the distance.

But as he told me all about it, a story began to form in my mind. With an obsession I've never felt before, I sat down and started writing. Before I knew it, I'd completed my first very poorly written novel. (But it's still my favorite. You know what they say about your first:)

And thirteen years later, here I am still questioning--was it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Or was she a good psychic after all?

Truthfully, it doesn't matter. What matters is, the strangest birthday gift I've ever received turned out to be the best. It altered my life in ways I never thought possible. Because only smart people write books. Giuseppe--thank you until the end of time.