Recently in Authors and Friends Category

I was recently interviewed for a major magazine and one of the questions concerned my favorite authors. Space being what it is in these things, this part of my answer didn't make the final cut:

Some of my favorite contemporary writers in the genre are Tess Gerritsen, Harlan Coben, John Connolly, Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Margaret Coel, Jeff Abbott, and Joseph Finder – I could go on ... Okay, I will! I have read just about everything Stephen King has ever written. Patricia Highsmith and Ruth Rendell have achieved a sort of goddess status in my mind.

I mentioned these authors because these are people with amazing talent who have provided me with sleepless nights, inspiration, and just pure awe at their raw ability to weave a terrific tale. Naturally, when it came time to seek out some blurbs, these were the people to whom I turned. Some of them I'd had occasion to meet at conferences, some of them were strangers to me. All of them were amazingly gracious, reached out a hand to me, and offered their support. I couldn't be more grateful for that. I am humbled by their kindness.

Recently, Tess Gerritsen, one of my all-time favorite writers, went above and beyond. In a new partnership between International Thriller Writers and Audible.com some major, bestselling thriller writers were asked to pick an author to whom they think readers should be paying attention.. Tess wrote about me and about BEAUTIFUL LIES (See article). I am a sap, as we all know, so I'm not embarrassed (okay, I'm a little embarrassed, but what the heck) to say that I got a little teary when I read what she wrote.

Tess Gerritsen is a person one cannot help but admire. Not only is she a fantastic writer and a huge international success -- she's also a mother, a doctor, and a brilliant, funny, warm person. In her Breakout Thrillers piece, she writes about how we met first in Florida and then again at another conference in Virginia. But of course she can't know that I was totally star struck on meeting her until she put me completely at ease by just being the lovely, genuine, wide- open person she is. I was thrilled to meet her, even more delighted to get to know her. And I am beyond grateful for all of her friendship and support.

Tess also writes a fantastic blog about the industry. It is in turns wise, funny, and completely honest about all the highs and lows of working in this business as an author. If you want an inside look at the business, check it out. If you want to pick up a book that will keep you up all night, riveted by suspense and great characters, pick up literally any Tess Gerritsen novel. But cancel whatever plans you thought you had and order a pizza for dinner. They don't call her a master of suspense for nothing.

Thanks, Tess.

Favorite Book for Ocean: Who Wants a Dragon?
What I'm Reading: No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
What I'm listening to: The rustling of palm fronds on a windy Florida morning. Really. Not like a nature soundtrack or anything.
Favorite DVD: Sunrise Earth

I’ve been getting emails about Patry Francis, author of The Liar’s Diary, regarding the release of her extraordinary novel and how illness will keep her from promoting it. I don’t know Patry and I haven’t yet had the opportunity to read her book, but I felt compelled, after reading her blog, to say a few words. (Okay, more than a few. You know me, I do go on.)

The publishing business, though steeped in romance, is as competitive and harsh as any other. It’s very difficult to get a novel published, and once you have, it’s even more difficult to succeed. What differentiates the publishing business from say, the toothpaste business, is love. It’s not just about selling more toothpaste. (Not that there aren’t people out there who feel very passionately about toothpaste.) Most of us -- writers and editors, publishers, and agents -- are doing what we love, making our living with a passion, zeal, and drive. Most of us would be doing it for nothing.

That’s why when some of my fellow writers learned about Patry’s situation, they decided to blog about it, to help her support the book, the dream, that she wouldn’t be well enough to promote. Because it’s not just about writing and loving our own novels, it’s about loving the great work of our contemporaries and supporting each other in what otherwise is a very solitary profession. It’s about being readers and fans of each other.

I haven’t met Patry but I know what it takes to write a novel, to get it out there in the world. I know what a thrill it was to be signed on by an agent, accepted by a top publisher and to know that a dream was about to come true. I don’t, however, know what it is like then to be diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, or to be subjected to a treatment that, for a time, is debilitating. But I can imagine that she must have felt like she visited both ends of the spectrum of what this crazy life has to offer – the big thrills, the terrible blows – was a bit dizzy from the ride. She has been generous enough to blog about it. It’s a gift to travel with her, to hear her thoughts and insights, to share and understand her journey even in a small way. I hope you’ll visit her at www.patryfrancis.com and (here’s me NOT being subtle) buy a copy of her book for yourself, for someone you know who loves thrillers, or just because you want to remind a talented writer that it’s not just authors who want to support each other and make the business feel a little bit more like a family and a community; as the biggest, and arguably the most important element of the business, readers want that, too.

Cheers, Patsy! Wishing you health, bliss and every success ahead!