Tell us a little about yourself.  What do you like to write?  What's your latest release about?  What have you read recently that knocked your socks off?

I tend to write a wide variety of things, from cowboys to college kids to dimension hoping scientists who are fated to be with accountants. Historicals, mysteries, straight up (heh) romance, The latest few stories have been a pair of shorts (one due out next month!) about The People Of My Heart — geeks. Convention going, cosplaying geeks. The first of the two is called Night and Day: Jasmine, and is available from Torquere Press. The second will be published by them next month and is called Day and Night: Turquoise.

The latest novel is a co-write with Tory Temple, also from Torquere, titled By the Numbers. That one features a fireman named Trey who saves Deuce's dog from a blaze. Q then has a litter of puppies, and as a reward Trey gets the pick of the litter for his daughter. Of course he gets more than just a puppy…

My reading passion is mysteries, from cozies to hard boiled, from procedurals to pulps. My absolute favourites are by Rex Stout, but you're just as likely to find me reading Ellis Peters, Ian Rankin, or Conan Doyle. I love the American private eye style, and I tend to prefer long series over one offs.

What's your favorite beer?

Mill Street Organic, from Toronto. It's not only a light beer with almost no booze (I think it's 4.2%) but it tastes great. Definitely my go to summer beer — which I drink all year long when I have beer. My husband loves really dark beers, from stouts to porters, but I'm a 'clear beer' girl all the way.

Do you build your characters layer upon layer or do they spring to life fully functional in your mind? 

That implies I think about it.   Usually what I do is pick a typically 'male' profession (hello, cowboys), figure out the name, and start writing. On occasion I've done things right from the beginning because I wanted an exercise — when Jodi Payne and I started Deviations I told her I wanted to make Tobias wealthy because I'd never written a story where just about anything can be purchased. Also, I wanted him to have his grand stables to play in, and that set up can only happen with wealth. It was really interesting what a change that made to Tobias' personality.

What is your ideal writing environment?

Anywhere not a desk. I write in bed, in my comfy chair, on my back deck, at the library, waiting for my children to finish a fencing lesson, while watching a movie in the living room, at the kitchen counter while making soup. I write all over the place. The only thing that I need to get a serious word count in is quiet. I can drop a couple hundred words while watching TV, but when the deadline looms I need hours of silence and a broken internet connection.

Do YOU hear the people sing?

Only at the theater.

What is the most esoteric piece of personal knowledge that you've ever worked into a story? (i.e. If your day job is as a paralegal for a civil firm, you work something about probate into a story.)

I once referenced Etruscan art; I think it was in Acquired Tastes. I've also worked in bits and pieces of my own life here and there — Scott's book collection in 911 is mine, and all things related to knitting are me. I had to delete a scene in Acquired Tastes because I'd started one college student talking about literary deconstruction and he didn't shut up for a couple pages.

Fight or flight? You can interpret that any way you want.

I'm a big fan of running away to run away another day. Cowboys will always stand and fight, though.