Baxter bounced around like a crazed cotton puff, pouncing and running in circles. I grabbed a treat from the bowl next to the door, and he danced on his hind legs. He seemed to know that cuteness was a sure-fire antidote for a stressful day, and I couldn’t help chuckling at his antics. It’s hard to resist anyone who is that happy to see you.

Creativity works on a winding, circuitous route.

Foolishness pours out of an open mouth.... but wisdom sneaks in through the ears....

Humor, danger and a twisted tangle of unlikely prophecies make for a page-turning adventure.

Getting to share the stories in my head with other people and have them enjoy those stories, and having them come to see my characters as real. That's so cool.

The 370-year-old antique shop Trifles and Folly is the heart of 'Deadly Curiosities,' my new urban fantasy novel from Solaris Books.

One of the best parts of being a writer means that researching all kinds of cool stuff actually counts as work!

My father loved antique shops and shows, and quite a bit of my childhood involved outings to dim, dusty places packed with cast-off treasures.

I grew up around old stuff that was not necessarily valuable, but certainly unusual.

I always send new writers to 'Writer's Digest Books' line-up of how-to books. I read them all when I was starting out, and they were very helpful.