That's the past for you. Not only does it come back at the most unexpected, and inconvenient, times but it's set in stone.

In the shaded portions where the two spheres of different lives meet, certain fundamentals- moods, loves, fears, angers- can't be hidden. That's the contract.

Too much screaming in Congress. Too much screaming everywhere.

So I work hard to present the human side of my characters while not neglecting the plot.

I've often said that there's no such thing as writer's block, the problem is idea block

People with children and people with their own business always pick up a ringing phone.

It means working harder to do the research but I don't really mind - I don't think I have what it takes to chase criminals through back alleys and wade through blood at crime scenes.