Author's first novel interweaves lesbian themes, historical fiction, and a tale of suspense

Terri Richards always knew that one day she’d write a book.

But Richards, a New York transplant who lives in Lutz, spends most of her time on the road as a regional marketing director for the fast food chain Sonic, visiting franchisees from Florida to Kentucky. This leaves her little time to write.

Eventually, though, she learned to balance her work and writing, and last year she released her first novel, Mission of Desire, through Bold Stroke Books, a specialty publisher of lesbian-themed fiction.