I get asked a lot about the pros and cons of joining International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. Here’s my two cents about the benefits of each organization, so you can decide which is right for you. ITW * Founded by published authors for published authors. They attempted to be another fan organization, but it didn’t work (IMO.) They are now expanding more into the unpublished author realm, and I think that will be far more successful. They promote the thriller genre, and specifically thriller AUTHORS. * Approximately 1,000 members. 80+% are published authors (print published only.) Only… Read More

On Tuesday I’m leaving for New York and Thrillerfest. I’m bringing my oldest two kids (13 and 15) and my mom. They’re returning to California the following Sunday, and I’m heading first to Boston to sign and have fun with my friend Hank Phillipi Ryan (details below) and then going to RWA in Washington DC. It seemed asinine to fly 3,000 back home then turn around and fly back to the east coast. Though, financially, it’s about the same for two extra nights in a hotel and cross-country air fare. But it would probably kill me. I’m turning forty this… Read More

My good friend Alexandra Sokoloff, who blogged here the other week, commented once over at Murderati that everyone plotted to a certain degree, and that my first drafts were actually a detailed outline. Right. All 80,000 words of my first draft in a book that usually ends up around 105,000 words. At first, I was willing to concede the point, but recently I was struck by the fact that I really don’t plot my books. It’s not a method of writing I recommend or don’t recommend. It’s simply the way it is. I give a workshop called NO PLOTTERS ALLOWED… Read More

My good friend Alexandra Sokoloff, who blogged here the other week, commented once over at Murderati that everyone plotted to a certain degree, and that my first drafts were actually a detailed outline. Right. All 80,000 words of my first draft in a book that usually ends up around 105,000 words. At first, I was willing to concede the point, but recently I was struck by the fact that I really don’t plot my books. It’s not a method of writing I recommend or don’t recommend. It’s simply the way it is. I give a workshop called NO PLOTTERS ALLOWED… Read More

It’s that time of the year. Publishers start thinking about cover concepts 8-10 months out from publication. Though my second book of my FBI Trilogy was just released on Tuesday (FATAL SECRETS–an RT Book Review Top Pick!), and the next is still two months out, we’re talking about how to package my Seven Deadly Sins series. Packaging is not easy. While there are lots of reasons why books sell (or not), packaging is certainly one of the most important. What’s in a book “package?” The obvious include the cover itself–arguably the most important part of the overall package–and the back… Read More

It’s that time of the year. Publishers start thinking about cover concepts 8-10 months out from publication. Though my second book of my FBI Trilogy was just released on Tuesday (FATAL SECRETS–an RT Book Review Top Pick!), and the next is still two months out, we’re talking about how to package my Seven Deadly Sins series. Packaging is not easy. While there are lots of reasons why books sell (or not), packaging is certainly one of the most important. What’s in a book “package?” The obvious include the cover itself–arguably the most important part of the overall package–and the back… Read More

Our MSW sister Toni told me I HAD to watch CASTLE, so I bought it on iTunes and watched the first five episodes in two nights. As far as I know, there’s only 10 . . . I don’t know when, or if, there will be more. Matt from TV Guide says it will be back . . . but ABC has yet to announce it officially. No major spoilers, but some general commentary. CASTLE has a great premise and strong acting. I adore Nathan Fillion (Malcolm in FIREFLY, a brilliant show that was killed by the station that moved… Read More

I love my agent and think she’s the greatest thing since the discovery that grapes can ferment into wine, but she doesn’t have a blog and I love agent blogs. I regularly visit Kristin Nelson at Pub Rants and Nathan Bransford and on occasion BookEnds and a few others. A few weeks ago, Curtis Brown agent Nathan Bransford solicited queries from both published and unpublished authors. On a whim (or a completely idiotic moment) I sent him the query I’d sent my agent Kim Whalen in December of 2003, for THE COPYCAT KILLER. For those who knew me then (Karin)… Read More

Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a news addict. When I worked in the legislature, one of the things I did every morning was read the headlines. My excuse: it was part of my job to keep informed on the important news and events of the day. I used facts in my writing about crime, education, taxes . . . and I liked to use anecdotal stories to illustrate or prove my facts. When I sold, I switched my news obsession to the publishing industry. It may surprise you to know that I now have to rely on my husband for important… Read More

I used to be addicted to television. From the time I was little, I knew the television line-up seven days a week. As I grew up, I planned my life around my favorite TV shows. Whether it was Little House on the Prairie early Sunday night or, Hills Street Blues Wednesdays at 10 (past my bedtime, but I convinced my mother I HAD to watch it,) or CSI on Thursdays, I had to be there. In fact, I didn’t have a VCR until I was married. So when I gave up television for three years, it was a huge sacrifice…. Read More