If You're Unhappy, Change Something.

People In California Seem To Age At A Different Rate Than The Rest Of The Country. Maybe It's The Passion For Diet And Exercise, Maybe The Popularity Of Cosmetic Surgery. Or Maybe We're Afflicted With Such A Horror Of Aging That We've Halted The Process Psychically.

Grieving Is Like Being Ill. You Think The Entire World Revolves Around You And It Doesn't.

Age Plays Cruel Tricks On The Human Face; All Our Repressed Feelings Become Visible On The Surface, Where They Harden Like A Mask.

I Read The Paper Every Day. There Are Certain Subjects That Will Catch My Attention. I Have An Entire File Of Articles. Of Course I Make Up The Story, Especially Since Most Criminals Are Not Very Smart And Fictional Crime Must Be Clever. I Have To Make Sure The Story I Am Telling Is Interesting And Realistic. In This Book I Went On Line And Found Out The Manners Of Codes. I Thought It Interesting To Use Them As A Jumping Off Point.

My Father Taught Me To Love Detective Fiction Writers Such As Raymond Chandler. When I Decided To Have A Hard-boiled Detective Series I Did A Lot Of Studying Before I Wrote The First Book. I Learned Police Procedure, The California Criminal Law, And Many Areas Outside My Expertise.