FAQs
Q — Did you really work for the IRS? Say it isn’t so.
A — It’s absolutely true! I spent over 20 years in offices all over the USA. (Houston (Twice), Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Manhattan, Maine, Michigan and Washington D.C.) Fascinating work, dedicated employees, and situations that make mystery writing a piece of cake. After that, nothing surprises me and very little frightens me.
Q — Do you base your characters on real people?
A — My characters are composites based on friends, enemies, names in the news and a very healthy imagination.
Q -- Are any based on you? Be honest!
A — Parts of me are in every one of my heroines. Grace Quinn, for instance, was my grandmother’s name. My personal reactions to people and attitudes toward events are sprinkled into every book.
Q — Are some things taboo in your novels?
A — You bet! I will neither write about nor read anything where an animal or child is hurt. I also eschew gratuitous violence in my writing. Sure someone gets killed, but the real focus is on the characters and solving the crime!
Q — What about sex?
A — You’re kidding, right?
Q — Seriously. Your books have been described as sexy and steamy.
A — Actually they’re pretty tame. True, my characters make physical contact but the scenes tend to be sensuous, not smutty. After all, these books are ROMANTIC suspense. Besides, any sentient female would launch herself at the kind of alpha hunks that I dream up.
Q — Are guys like Patrick Fong, Kai Buckley, and Lucian Sand based on men you have known? If so, point me toward them!
A — Sadly no. They’re the kind of sexy, gorgeous, brilliant rich guys we all encounter every day at work or at the local Whole Foods. As if! No, they’re fantasy men who appreciate smart, sassy women and want to cosset them and shower them with love.
Q — Which of your novels is your favorite?
A — Whichever one I last sold. In this case, INTRUSION
Q — What’s the most important aspect of a mystery?
A — As a writer and a voracious consumer of mystery fiction, I expect to solve the crime. If the author doesn’t play fair that’s a gross violation of the reader’s trust.
Q — Which writers influenced you most?
A —Jane Austen, Conan Doyle, Edgar Allen Poe and Agatha Christie. In contemporary fiction, I love Nelson Demille (incredible dialogue), Barry Eisler (poignant protagonist) Lee Child, and most women writers of mystery/romantic suspense.
Q —There’s a lot of humor in your books. Are you naturally witty?
A — Hilarious. Actually, I believe humor has to be part of the writer’s nature or else it looks forced and artificial. I do have a highly developed sense of humor which has landed me in deep trouble on occasion. It also enabled me to survive with some semblance of dignity.
Q — Do you envision any of your books as movies?
A — I wish! Actually, I think any of my books would be perfect for either Lifetime, Hallmark, or USA. Spread the word!
