Do no harm & leave the world a better place than you found it.

I like crazy shoes or unusual cowboy boots and I collect big belt buckles.

America is the most violent democracy in the world. It's something that's met with great shock, horror, and mystery when I travel to other countries. They ask, Why are there so many shootings in America? Why does everyone own a gun?

I find it difficult to attend autopsies. Especially the smells.

I hate the term "mystery". That's not what I write. I think the Scarpetta novels are much more character-driven than an average puzzle solver. Writing should be like a pane of glass - there's another world on the other side and your vision carries you there, but you're not aware of having passed through a barrier to get there.

In the first person, the readers feel smart, like it's them solving the case.

Being gay is just one aspect of my very complicated life. I do not wear it on my sleeve.