I’m writing my sixth historical book now—the third in The Legend of the Four Soldiers series—and already I’ve gone off my writing map. Writers generally fall into two groups: ones who plot out their story before they begin writing and those who wing it. I’m in the former camp, but here’s the thing: no matter […]

I have a shocking confession to make. When I think about the books I love, the books I just could not put down, the books I stayed awake into the wee hours reading, I don’t remember the titles. Sorry. I’m a little better at remembering author’s names—not much—and somewhat better at plots. You may be […]

So recently my critique partner, Jade Lee, and I decided to sign stock at twenty-five bookstores on the way to a conference we were attending. Now, aside from the sheer foolishness of thinking we could breeze in and out of twenty-five bookstores and merely add an hour or two to our driving time (insert hysterical […]

So, I learned a shocking truth the other day: Fresca is a diet soda. Okay, this might not be news to you (or anyone who actually, y’know read the label) but it was a revelation to me. I’ve been drinking Fresca for years and feeling guilty because of all that sugar only, as it turns […]

The setting for my new book, HOT (writing as Julia Harper) is northern Wisconsin, despite the fact that I neither grew up in nor live in Wisconsin. I did, however, once have The Summer Job from Hell in Wisconsin.
It was the summer after I graduated from college with a degree in archaeology—an undergraduate degree which […]

I read a magazine piece the other day about last meals. Someone had done a study on what condemned prisoners requested for their last meal. Mostly steak, mashed potatoes, fries, and hamburgers, it turned out. No surprises there–they wanted simple comfort food. But then the article went on to discuss a new cookbook that listed […]

I have a deep, dark secret.
I have an alias.
Not only that, but my alias writes contemporary romances. Yes, I’m afraid it’s true. In January my first contemporary, HOT, will be out under the pen name, Julia Harper. I’ve only recently come out with my new name and one of the interesting things that I’ve found […]