I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew; my first grown-up books were Conan Doyle and Christie. The mystery is mother’s milk to me–the foundation for everything I am as a writer. But did you know the mystery has rules? Oh, yes, indeed. In 1928, S. S. Van Dine wrote an article called “Twenty Rules for…

Oh, chickens, this has been in the works for months now, but I can FINALLY share–I have accepted a three book hardcover deal with NAL/Penguin for a brand new Victorian mystery series! In April, my previous publisher and I decided to part ways. I was adamant about wanting to return to writing Victorian mysteries, and…

Yesterday was release day for the audio version of CITY OF JASMINE, narrated by the fabulous Anne Flosnik! I got a peek at the recording process when Anne emailed me her pronunciation sheets and we chatted about the preferred way to say certain words. She’s a consummate professional, and I’m so happy she was able…

If I give time to words I like the sound of–regardless of meaning–then I should probably do the same for words I DON’T like, right? Coddle, spittle, velour, viscous, fossil, squid, cruller, subtle, splinter, plane, pendulum, forklift, reap, rattle, grout, bagel, comma, rocket, custard, prelate, kitten, cupboard, polyp, alibi, cement, cranium, grotto, cousin, bottle, supercilious,…

Been pondering a post on comfort reading and dug through the archives only to find I’ve already written one! Comfort reading comes in many forms. There are almost as many varieties of comfort books as there are readers, and no one has the claim on perfect comfort reading. Except me. No, REALLY! I think books…

Every once in awhile I like to repost this just to muse on words: Years ago I read a study which published the most popular words, chosen by sound only, not meaning. I’ve tried to compile a similar list for myself, although I’m sure a word or two has crept in there by virtue of…

Okay, that’s not really a thing, but if it were, I’d be dead of it. For many moons I’ve been a fan of the Fug Girls. Their fashion blog, GO FUG YOURSELF, is utterly hilarious–so snappy and fresh they’ve taken to writing novels! Much to my delight, it turns out the Fug Girls enjoy my…

So the other day a reader asked in passing whether I preferred to read print books or digital, and it got me thinking that the way I read is odd. I have a system that’s quirky but works for me and makes sense–at least in my own head. My first choice is a print book…

Our October 1 release is ready to go–so get ready for NIGHT OF A THOUSAND STARS! If you enjoyed Gabriel Starke in CITY OF JASMINE, I can promise you a cameo appearance… Just follow the links to pre-order! Here’s a sneak peek: On the verge of a stilted life as an aristocrat’s wife, Poppy Hammond…

I don’t know about y’all, but I think we have too much of a good thing right now. I mentioned on Twitter the other day that between the World Cup and Wimbledon, I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage the start of the Tour de France. (And anyone who knows me knows that…