Could You Make the Cut at Olivero Academy?
In my Riley Forte Suspense Thriller series, Riley doesn’t just survive disaster—she evolves. A concert pianist turned undercover operative, she finds herself at the gates of Olivero Academy, a secret training facility hidden deep in the Bavarian countryside. Olivero is a place of shadows and secrets, where the gifted are forged into something more. But […]
My thriller story is a finalist for the Derringer Awards!
I am enormously excited to announce that my thriller story, “A Band of Scheming Women,” is among the five finalists for the Derringer Award in the Novelette category! For those who don’t know, the Derringer Awards are annual awards given by the Short Mystery Fiction Society (SMFS) to recognize outstanding published short mystery stories in […]
Mt. Rainier is primed for disaster…true story
My first two thrillers—Nocturne In Ashes and Steadman’s Blind—were inspired by a real life concern. Especially for those of us who live in the great Pacific Northwest. Mt. Rainier is primed for disaster. The volcano will blow. No one knows when, but all indications point to the western flank as the weak point and it’s […]
It was the best of endings, it was the worst of endings
Hail to my mystery-loving readers and friends! I come today with a fun challenge I hope you’ll enjoy. It’s all about the best and worst endings in the mystery books you’ve read. I am currently taking a class on how writers can ensure the endings they create for their mysteries fire on all cylinders and […]
Cryptic crosswords are the cream of the puzzle crop
Anyone well-acquainted with me knows that I am never far from a puzzle book or app. I love solving puzzles and I truly believe it helps keep my brain young and agile. I adore all sorts of puzzles–Double Trouble, Rows Garden, Marching Bands, Cryptograms, Laddergrams, Flower Power, Logic Problems, and the list goes on. But […]
Finally…my jaunt to a German castle
I’m so happy to report that I finally got out into the countryside and hiked to a German castle! Many of you know something about my challenges over the last several months. It’s been a grueling year for just about everyone, and I was by no means spared—stranded for over a week in the desert […]
Turning the page does not equal end of conflict
As much as we all might have wished it, turning the calendar page from 2020 to 2021 did not lead to the end of conflict and difficulty. Not for me, anyway. There’s good news and bad news about that. The bad news is that hard times are continuing. The good news is that the story’s […]
More traveling in the time of Covid
We are in the grip of a worldwide pandemic, many locations are in lockdown, and we’re all suffering from restrictions on personal freedom and movement. Yet I’ve crossed the Atlantic three times in as many months and I find it ironic that I’ve done more traveling in the time of Covid than I normally did […]
I got a Christmas surprise!
As we approach the end of 2020, I send out my best wishes to you all. I hope you’re doing well and enjoying the season. If you’re in my readers’ group, you’ll be getting my Christmas present right about now, and I’m happy to say I got a very welcome Christmas surprise myself! Many of […]
I like conflict so much better when it sticks to story
When I complain about the bumps and bruises of life, my children like to remind me that I wouldn’t write it any other way. In life, we try to avoid conflict; in fiction, we demand it. But I like conflict so much better when it sticks to story! Many of you know that my husband […]
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