Whats the mystery writing community like?
It’s one of the warmest, most welcoming groups I’ve ever encountered. I’ve been amazed again and again by how kind and supportive other writers both published and unpublished are. I joke that I work my dark side out through fiction instead of getting therapy, but sometimes I wonder if crime writers are a happy bunch because they have an outlet for their dark thoughts. The support I’ve received has been professional and personal. One bestselling author took time during her own recent book tour to tell her audience about The Damage Done. Another contacted me via Facebook because he likes my short stories and put me in touch with an editor he thought would appreciate my work. On the personal side, the best example I can think of happened this past spring. My doctor discovered melanoma cells in a mole on my left arm, and I had to have some minor surgery to remove the surrounding tissue and make sure the cells hadn’t spread. I’m fine, but I was left with a prominent scar. Some of my crime-w
