The world is a better place when you smile.

But I was also told to hold doors for women and children, to shake hands with a firm grip, to remember people's names, and to always give the customer a little more than expected.

She liked to sit on the front porch in the afternoons and read books she'd checked out from the library. Aside from coffee, reading was her only indulgence.

There's always pressure, a great deal of pressure, when writing, since my first books were so successful.

A book is maybe about 350 pages, and the prose allows for readers to get a glimpse into the internal lives of the characters. A screenplay is 120 pages, and it's all dialogue and action. The pacing of films is different, the structure is often different, and the internal lives of the characters must come across through the acting. Movies are just a different experience than reading - so it just depends on what an individual prefers.

Setting is a major aspect in writing all of my books, both in terms of natural and cultural environments.

Books and movies inspire me, but I do my best to keep my stories as original as possible.

Promoting a book is always the same-busy but fun. I like to meet people who enjoy my work.