Category: Archives

I’ve discovered this new late night past time. I google myself. But googling oneself isn’t healthy. I mean, I used to be a Catholic school teacher–I’m sure googling onself has got to be a sin. But if googling oneself is bad (checking for media mentions, booksigning listings, and the odd missed review) googling one’s self […]

I love my philosophical posts, the ones where I’m all thoughtful and analytical. The truth is, most of the time I’m trying to talk myself into being calm and philosophical. I’m trying to make myself believe or accept reality. Like deadlines. Those are a reality and what those mean are–I have to write. You see, […]

Being on a booktour has taught me that I’m a writer, not an author. I’ve learned these past few weeks that I don’t actually like talking about my book, but rather the writing process or books in general. I’m crazy about books, fascinated by creativity, curious about motivation and conflict and the drive to put […]

Someone asked me recently if I enjoy book tours. I was between trips and feeling rather rested and said, ‘Sure.’ Okay, it’s a few days later and I’m facing another night in another hotel and I’d like to find that person and give her a different answer. Booktours aren’t fun. At least, they’re not fun […]

It’s all about buzz. A book’s success depends on buzz…and momentum. I think we readers know this, and writers have to know it, but how do you get ‘buzz’ for a book? Where does the buzz come from? Sure, you can place ads, post on a multitude of loops and groups, get yourself a fancy […]

Aloha! Hawaii is hot, hot, hot and beautiful. I’ve been coming to Hawaii for a year now and yep, if you haven’t guessed it by now, my next book for Warner, titled FLIRTING WITH FORTY is set in Hawaii and Seattle. I love Hawaii for all the obvious reasons—the intense tropical colors, the sound of […]

The California booktour is behind me and I’m back in Bellevue for one night, just long enough to do some laundry, answer email, pay a few bills, and repack before kids and I head to Hawaii in the morning. I’ll be signing books at two different Borders this weekend as well as writing and getting […]

I’d forgotten the California landscape. I tell people I love the rolling hills but I’d forgotten how, I’d forgotten exactly why but driving from the Bay Area to the Central Valley, cutting through Pacheco Pass and taking the 152 past Los Banos, I remembered it all–the shades of gold, the bright blue sky overhead, the […]

Wow. Wow. That’s really all I can say about last night’s launch party. I don’t know what I was expecting (the worst, maybe?) and I don’t quite know what I thought it would be (poorly attended and boring?) but last night’s launch was absolutely wonderful. It seemed like everyone was there–over a hundred people between […]