I'm currently working on Rules of Engagement, the 11th Lexi Graves Mystery.

I love reading especially magical realism, mysteries, thrillers, and urban fantasy. When I'm not doing that, I love horse riding, watching movies, and visiting historic houses and castles, and plotting my next adventure.

Connecting with my readers on my Facebook page has been a great way to get recommendations for new books and authors. If I'm hooked on the first book, I'll happily scoop up the rest of the series too. A great cover helps to catch my eye as well as a pacy synopsis.

I write from approximately 10am to 3pm every day, taking regular breaks for procrastination. I used to write a lot in the evenings and still will when I need to but I've recgonized the benefit of downtime now.
I like to start by reading the last few paragraphs from the previous day, then checking my timeline if I've written one to ensure I'm heading in the right direction. Then it's head down and writing. How much I write depends on how much time I've allotted to write the book; typically, it's 2-4,000 words a day.

Cover design is hugely important as it's one of the first things that catches the reader's eye and should immediately set the tone for the book. For example, the Lexi Graves Mysteries are all highly colored with a pretty girl wielding a gun. Immediately, it's possible to note these are lighthearted, cozy, mysteries. The Deadlines Mysteries feature a blonde, female reporter hence the model. The background type signifies her journalist background while other images in the cover indicate her life in LA, or the crimes she investigates. Finally, the colors are bold and striking.
I work with several cover designers. I hire a designer based on recommendations, or from spotting their covers on novels I've enjoyed, and check through their past gallery to see the quality of their work. Usually I fill out a short brief detailing who are the main characters, the physical setting, and themes of the book. Often I'll supply several links to other books from the genre that have elements that would work for my book. The designer will come up with a draft concept then we'll fine tune in it for the final design.

1. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - utterly magic, with beautiful characters
2. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley - the perfect adventure book
3. The Horse and his Boy - C.S. Lewis - another fantastic adventure and often ignored in favor of his other novels
4. Unsticky by Sara Manning - money, privilege, and heart
5. Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson - okay, not fiction, but the recipes are great.

I love my desk. It's the Fonteyn by Steuart Padwick from Made. Solid oak, curved edges, and two drawers I swore I'd never stuff with stuff (oops). It's nicknamed ET because of its broad worktop and tapered legs.
It's positioned overlooking my garden so I can see cherry trees and wild birds as I work.

I've been writing ever since I could hold a pen. I started off making tiny books with ten word stories usually about ponies. No, they're much longer, but not about ponies which is a shame.

My latest book (at time of writing) is Dead to the World, the second of the Deadlines Mysteries. The heroine, Shayne Winter, is a minor character who appeared in a couple of Lexi Graves Mysteries. I hadn't intended to give her a spin-off series but there she was, with a story of her own that I had to write.
I was really eager to write a story about a reporter, someone who already used her smarts to get to the truth for her headlines, and wanted to use that in a real world setting. What better place than LA, home to the rich, famous, and infamous. The headlines Shayne could pursue could be limitless. I also wanted to write about someone who changed her entire life, hoping to live her dreams, and how exactly she would do that.

I'd already had more than a decade experience in publishing, as a writer, a journalist, a copywriter, a non-fiction writer, and as a publisher, but I always wanted to write fiction, something I'd pushed aside. I'd already written several novels to see if I could, just before indie publishing started to become more prevalent. With my background, I was sure I could succeed and I had nothing to lose, so I threw myself at it, writing long hours and researching every aspect. I wanted to write the kind of stories that I wanted to read - smart heroines who can and do rescue themselves, but accept help in their journeys too - and I wanted to do it on my terms.

I love connecting with my fans. It's so rewarding to release a book and the next day readers are already asking for the next one! I couldn't do what I do without them and that means everything. I try to give back with freebies and merchandise, and always try to reply to comments and questions. It's important that my readers know that I'm approachable.