Q:  Have you always been a writer? 

A:  Not really.  My father was a compulsive writer of letters to the editor, and I believe I subconsciously admired his skill at putting words together, and tried to imitate him as a child.  Even today, I am forever addressing the issues of the day, utilizing that very same forum.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a voracious reader.  As a child, I entered contests at our local library, winning ice cream cones for reading ten books in a proscribed period of time.  However, it was luck that probably played the biggest part in my  introduction to “serious” writing.  I was newly married to my first wife, and badly in need of a job, when an enterprising employment agency employee noticed that my major in college was physical education (yes, I was a “jock”) and then later English.  He suggested that I apply for an opening for a position as a sportswriter with a large, urban newspaper.  To my surprise, I got the job!  It was there that I began my love affair with the written word, and I have written in some form or other ever since.   

Q:  Besides writing, what other things have you done?

A:  The answer to this question would require an entire website, but I’ll touch on a few of the “work experiences” that I have had:  surveyor, substitute teacher, handyman, advertising copy writer, truck driver, cab driver, limousine driver (it was while at an airport, waiting for a client, that I began my first novel, in 1987), professional fly-fishing guide, house painter, life insurance salesman, real estate salesman, retail store owner...

My late mother used to say that I was a “Jack of All Trades, Master of None.”  However, God must have had a purpose in mind for me, because throughout my writing career, I have been able to draw upon all of those experiences to populate my books with many diverse situations and characters that I hope set me apart from other writers.  Whew...I’m exhausted.

Q:  What is the most challenging aspect of writing a mystery?

A: Without a doubt it’s the plot.  Sometimes I get lucky, and an idea just pops into my head.  Then, with a little prodding, the story line just finds its way along, like a drop of water wandering haphazardly down a pain of glass.  Other times, it’s like pulling teeth, and I really have to sweat to find the correct path

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Q: “...one question which has often bothered me when I read crime novels...detectives often carry a S&W .38 snub nosed revolver...in many crime novels the detective always undoes the safety on the revolver when they pull it, as did Rita in your novel, As The Twig Is Bent (sic) when she encountered her friend Jan in the shadows at the bottom of her apartment building's stairs.  Unfortunately, there is no safety on an S&W revolver. I suppose that the cylinder latch on the side of the revolver could be confused with a safety but pushing on it will merely cause the cylinder to open.  While this is a minor problem and really doesn't distract from the plot of your novel or other authors' crime stories, it does irritate firearm knowledgeable people. 

My question is that since this error frequently occurs, is it a mistake by a proof reader or is it simply a mistake by writers who are unfamiliar with revolvers?  I know that several books have been written for authors to help them discuss firearms such as "Armed and Dangerous: A Writers Guide to Weapons" by Michael Newton. Is it possible that the misconception about a safety on a revolver originates in one of those books?” 

A: I wish I could confess to my proofreader having missed the reference to the safety on the .38, but alas, your assumption that this writer is less than familiar with the weapon is correct. However, I have made a note of your recommended reading and will be sure to do my "due diligence" when it comes to firearms in my future writing.  I actually did check to see that I had the correct weapon, but failed to note the information concerning the safety.  I do do a lot of research when I write, and take pride in being as close to factual as I can be.  During the writing of As The Twig Is Bent I interviewed a New York homicide detective for an entire day, during which time I took copious notes.  He also gave me a homicide "kit," which I still refer to from time to time.  In addition, I have two good friends who are former police officers, and I consult them as well.