I am not alone in bearing grudges against reviewers who have doomed a book's chances because they've missed the point, the tone, everything.

Clichés so often befall vain people.

Nobody can assume that, to a writer, everything is off-limits.

I think almost always that what gets me going with a story is the atmosphere, the visual imagery, and then I people it with characters, not the other way around.

It's gratifying that it does; I love to give readings.

I must say also that it's never worked to my disadvantage that I have long, blond hair.

Women are obviously much more discriminated against than men in many ways.