Author_Profile

Your writing encompasses various categories in the mystery genre; some have more of a noir or thriller feel while others are lighter in tone. Do you think the traditional mystery fails to receive the respect its due, sometimes even from fellow mystery authors?
Yes. A traditional mystery is hard to do well and satisfying to read when it’s done well, but often wrongly dismissed as lightweight.

When did you first know you wanted to write mysteries?
I used to read almost one mystery per day. I still read when I should be writing. After a while, I just wanted to try one.

Do you prefer to write during a specific time of day (e.g. early morning, night, etc.)?
No. I try to write in the morning, but sometimes it takes a while to work up to it.

Do you have any superstitious steps you follow when preparing to write?
I wish there were some that worked. If anybody knows of any, please tell me.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started?
It’s more a matter of what I’m glad I didn’t know. Like it never gets easier.

What is your pet peeve?
I get upset when editors don’t know the meaning of words.

What can’t you live without?
Reading.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing writers now?
Pretty much what it always was, to produce the best work you can. In the long run, I think print on demand machines in bookstores will make a larger range of work available to everybody and keep more titles in print. There are a lot of details to be worked out before this happens, though.

What makes a successful writer?
Persistence.

Are there ever circumstances under which you think a writer should censor her writing?
Generally, no. There might be circumstances where some content might hurt innocent people. This is especially a problem in writing true crime.

If you could take the place of another writer for the day, who would it be and why?
Bill Gates. I’d write myself some checks. Oh, you mean fiction? There are a lot of writers whose work I admire and whose talent I envy, but I can’t imagine myself being in their heads.

Do you think the Internet age will be a boom or bust for the future of books?
Eventually, a boom. It's already wonderful for research.

Do you believe authors should take on more of a role in marketing themselves to the public so as to generate book sales?
Unfortunately, you just have to. At the same time, a lot of it is fun. I like meeting readers and other writers.

If someone was making a movie about your life, what would be the title of the movie?
Question Everything. It’s a pretty poor title, though.

What would you want your epitaph to be?
Died in 2090.