I've always loved books. My mother told me that before I could talk, I'd babble in my crib as I turned the pages of my little cloth books, apparently telling stories to go along with the pictures.

I was fortunate to sell at a time of great sea change in the romance genre suddenly heroines were allowed to be portrayed as having rich, fulfilling lives. They didn't need a man for security or self-esteem, but having that one very special man in their lives proved the icing on the cake.

I've always read suspense, so raising the stakes to life and death situations in my romance plots seemed natural.

Bruises fade. Death is permanent.

Reporters ... most were carrion who fed on human tragedy.

If you don't have a burning passion for writing, how can you expect anyone else to be moved by what you write?

I've always found ideas everywhere, but my favorite place is Nordstrom, because of their liberal return policies for those ideas that don't work out.

Never get in the middle of someone else's quicksand.