The Fun of It All | author’s note

As I’m rereading my series for the first time in more than a year, I’m reminded of how amazingly FUN it was to write these books. The researching online – on Wikipedia and Google Earth, and, of course, Interpol’s website; the pulling together of plots; the characters who would randomly pop up out of nowhere, fully-formed (Sheila in book 4 was totally unplanned when she opened the door); the lightning strike when an idea came together and the time spent struggling with a stubborn plot twist.

I pretty much love the whole process.

I haven’t completed any novels in the past year, busy with a lot of other things and distracted by some major life transitions. I always write, sometimes it just doesn’t go anywhere. I think those exercises are important, they’re just not as satisfying as getting to the last page and experiencing that wonderful end-of-book high. Right now, I’m currently about halfway through what I plan will be the eighth book in the series. Reading and editing the other books (I’m in the middle of book 5, Death on the Menu) is inspiring me to really get back on the writing train and push on through, because even though the middle of a story is an easy place to get lost in, it’s SO worth it to find your way to the end and create a completed novel.

Are there things I wish I could have done a little better in these books? Yes, of course, in every one. But I’m still really proud of them, and all the work that went into them. No matter how tough or unfocused the process of writing can be, it’s also incredibly rewarding, fascinating and entertaining. A really great reason to keep at it.

– Emily