What an amazing month it’s been! I can’t believe The Stranger Inside was published a full month ago. It’s been a whirlwind, so I’m collecting all my favorite links about it here. Lots of folks worked hard to bring this novel to as many readers as possible, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive! …Read More
I spent all last week on the couch, desperately trying to be well for my Saturday signing at the Carbondale Barnes & Noble. (Turned out I have a sinus infection that’s now, finally, almost mended.) The wonderful Heidi Houghton, from the store, had been working hard to set up a horror event for …Read More
On Thursday I’m off to Chicago, again–this time to the Love Is Murder Conference. Mystery conferences are usually pretty laid back and a lot of fun for everyone who attends. Plus, it’s always fun to freak out the business folk who wonder why the hotel bar is packed with drunk people talking about books. Of …Read More
A brief break in the tour re-cap…. Today I’m at my friend Answer Girl’s place. Her subject this year is “Things I Don’t Know.” My piece is called, “I Don’t Know Why I Hate Rats More Than I Hate Mice.” I hope you’ll drop by to hear about my disturbing rodent issues. There’s another AG …Read More
I know lots of writers–very prolific writers–who get a considerable amount of work done on the road. I only travel about four or five weeks out of the year, so maybe I’m just not in the habit–but I can’t write on the road to save my life. It takes all my concentration just to get …Read More
Last night’s reading at the Brentwood Borders in St. Louis was so much fun. It was lovely to be with old friends, new friends, and family. Mandy Besemer made me feel right at home at the store, too, and even provided me with some much-needed chocolate before the event! I need to be getting on …Read More
I pulled out of my driveway last Wednesday with very mixed feelings–I was experiencing a huge sense of relief, but also a bit of trepidation. My January 3rd signing at the Carbondale Barnes and Noble went very, very well. It was covered by the Southern Illinoisan by Becky Malkovich. She did a fun piece on …Read More
Some novelists envision their novels in fragments, writing a climactic scene or even the ending first. But I started at the beginning with Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts, describing the strange little ritual three teenage girls had come up with to conjure up a boyfriend (never would they have used the word “lover”) for themselves. The …Read More
So, what’s up with the spider? I was looking for images from Bowling Green, Kentucky as I spent some time there this weekend for the Southern Kentucky Bookfest. Horses in pictures of Kentucky are so overdone–and Bowling Green is stunning and rural, but not particularly horsey. While searching the Internet for something appropriate, I came …Read More
The delightful Answer Girl invited me over to her place today to talk about writing and one of my favorite books, Margaret Atwood’s, The Robber Bride. I can’t even imagine how many times I’ve read it through–often picking random chapters, a few pages at a time. She’ll have other folks there throughout the week. This …Read More