On July 8, I’ll take off for Thrillerfest, the annual gathering of thriller writers and fans held at the Grand Hyatt in NYC. It’s always a blast to catch up with writer friends and fans (many come back from year to year). There are many events over the three-day conference and to keep it running …Read More

Sometimes a girl needs a little Chopin for inspiration. This is my favorite nocturne, played by a girl named Hannah.

I am dreaming my next novel. It’s a strange and careful time because what I read and think and see is sure to affect me in some abstract or even direct way as I find this novel’s path. Today I’m reading GRIMALKIN, a collection of poetry from the now-rather-famous Thomas Lynch. Lynch, a Michigan undertaker, …Read More

Image by Kara/Infogirl I’ve always been an evening gardener. It’s as though I live in some tortuously hot place like New Orleans or South Florida where one has to rise at dawn or race the fireflies into the yard in order to plant and tend. My energy is best in the late hours of the …Read More

Soon Lindsay Lohan, Vincente Fox, Imelda Marcos and I will be celebrating our common birthday, though probably not together. Together, Imelda and I could chat about shoes, Lindsay could bring the champagne, and, well, I don’t know about Vincente. He would probably enjoy checking out Lindsay. But I think I’ll stick close to home with …Read More

I am possibly the only person on the planet who traveled to Anchorage, Alaska and didn’t see a live moose. I may have seen Denali in the distance from my hotel window, but I really can’t be sure. My week in Anchorage, back in September, was spent hurrying between the Sheraton(?) and the Convention Center …Read More

I feel a little sad when someone purchases my work and is unhappy with it. Fortunately, I usually only hear from folks who have nice things to say. But I’m open to criticism, as long as it’s, well, reasonable. Recently, I received this (unedited) email from R.S.: __I WILL NEVER EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE OF …Read More