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Like most of the world, I’ve been glued to the World Cup this summer. I’ve mentioned before that soccer — or, as Alejandro would patiently point out to me, fútbol — was one of the core sports I messed around with as a kid; that experience learning how to play gave me an appreciation for the game, and an desire to watch the best players in the world any time they are showcased. Admittedly, I don’t…

One of my favorite poems is the classic The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. I’ve read it so many times over the years, the words have come to feel like good friends who visit often, friends of the sort you share a hot cup of coffee with while curled up on a couch, chatting endlessly about everything and nothing. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found the poem increasingly poignant, especially when I…

I’ve recently discovered a cache of personal journal entries I made between 2004 and 2010; my original plan was to join one of the online blog platforms that were popular at that time, and then present to the universe my pithy commentary on whatever caught my attention. That plan mutated into working on a weekly column for the website I ran at Career Services, so running a personal blog at that…

I’ve got a bit of a marketing blitz going for my most recent book, Silenced. As part of that, I was interviewed for an article on a website that features new releases; I really enjoyed the process and thought I would share that interview with you here. What’s the story behind the story?  What inspired you to write this book? The genesis for this story was a chance conversation with a colleague;…

I often say that writing is my escape from the demands of my day job; writing my first novel, Blindsided, came about primarily because my family doctor hinted strongly that I needed something besides swimming and running to try and knock the edge off the accumulating stress that comes with working in IT. There’s no question that it has helped, for though it seems counterintuitive that the amount…

I absolutely adore release dates. While I’ve slowed down the cadence somewhat from my early cycles, I still manage to do two of three of them each year. Next up is Silenced, the latest in my Vasily Korsokovach Series. Inspired by a chance hallway conversation with a colleague some years ago now, I get to dig into a bit of backstory between Vas and the reporter who covered his assault; I have a…

As is customary for me in April, I’ve begun crafting the next novel in the Vasily Korsokovach series. Tentatively titled Bliss, it picks up literally a day after the final events in Aftermath, and as you might infer from the title, it just happens to be the story where — at long last — Vas and Alex finally get their wedding moment. I can’t honestly believe how many books I’ve teased this…

As experiences go, there are few that I’ve done that measure up the uniqueness that is the Tucson Festival of Books. I’ve been an avid fan since it started, and have spent many happy hours over the years listening to authors talk about their craft. I can’t tell you how many amazing discoveries I’ve made that way, stories — and, in some cases, genres — that had never been on my shelves at home…

I had other plans for my blog post this week — plans that were scrapped when the news crossed my desk that the Olympic runner Jeff Galloway had unexpectedly passed away. You probably have never heard of him, but for those of us who have participated in a runDisney event, he is legendary as their official coach and full time cheerleader. I didn’t have the privilege of meeting him personally, but I…

It’s probably a bit too early to be excited, but I just can’t help it! I’m less than a month out now from my appearance at the Tucson Festival of Books, so naturally I am deep in to my preparations. This year, I’ll have hardcover and paperback editions of Reflection in the Shadows, something I’ve not done in the past. Hardcover and paperback editions will be available this year – while supplies…