My latest obsession is a 1970s British crime series called THE PROFESSIONALS. Fifty-seven digitally re-mastered episodes–that I haven’t stopped watching since I bought them from Amazon.uk a month ago. First I watched them on my laptop. Then I bought a cheap region-free DVD player and now I’m watching them in my office. When I should […]

Family emergency here, and I’m on the road. The Good Girls’ own Sara Rosett is the guest at this week’s Virtual Cocktail Party…..tune in later today for more…..

I’m at the Edgar Awards in New York City today. Dear Edgar, the recognized father of the detective story, is close to my heart as he was a native of Baltimore and returned there to die.
Die there he did, but that was not his intention in embarking on the trip.
Leaving Richmond, then […]

One county in Oregon has closed its library system. I love, love, love libraries and don’t want to see any town without one, but there’s a few interesting twists to this library tale that involves the unlikely combination of spotted owls and government actions related to Roosevelt’s seizure of land after the Oregon-California Railroad was […]

I’m on my way to Kansas today to give a talk at the Hutchinson Public Library. Two years ago, the prospect of standing in front of a group of people made me downright Q-U-E-A-S-Y.
Why? Because I’m innately shy.
Fortunately, as is the case with my writing, I’ve gotten better with practice. And now, […]

That was my favorite Yahoo headline this morning.
According to The Royal Astronomical Society, the looping magnetic fields along the Sun’s outer regions, called the corona, carry magnetic sound waves in a similar manner to musical instruments such as guitars or pipe organs. The frequency of the sound waves is below human hearing, but it’s […]

I’ve got a dirty little secret.
I love Instant Messenger.
It’s quicker than email and less of a commitment. An easy way to ask your friends a quick question, solicit feedback or advice. The writerly equivalent of poking your head into a colleague’s office and saying, “Hey–got a minute?”
And it’s a great way to fritter away […]

What is it that makes a person want to be a fiction writer?
Visions of a life spent traveling? Daydreams of achieving that #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List? Accolades from diehard fans at every convention and signing? Perks that come from being a “famous” author?
Maybe…
Or, perhaps, it’s something a little less lofty. […]

I had a lovely signing last weekend with Taffy Cannon at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. It was one of the most relaxed and fun signings I’ve ever had. It was quite a treat for me to sign with Taffy because I’ve read her books and loved them. We each told a bit […]

I love brushing my teeth in the shower.
I was doing just that yesterday and thinking how absolutely decadent it was - I mean, the heavy spray of hot water for just that extra two minutes (I brush really well, you see.)
It got me thinking about all the little things I love, that cost nearly nothing […]