Around the time I turned 30, I wanted to publish a novel.

I always wrote; my first story was published in the magazine The American Girl when I was 11.

Capo, my first golden retriever, so loved to swim she once jumped off a cliff to get into Lake Superior.

Write what you care about.

Reviewers said Ghost Country was rich, astonishing and affecting in the way it blended comedy, magic, and a gritty urban realism in a breathtaking ride along Chicago's mean streets.

I'm lucky in having found the perfect partner to spend my life with.

I'm very honoured that there is a loyal following and I hope it continues.

In 1986 we were trying to help women get in print, stay in print, and come to the attention of booksellers and libraries. At that time, books by men mystery writers were reviewed seven times as often as books by women.

It took me nine months to write 60 pages. It was very frustrating.

Most people don't have the money to spend on advertising to create awareness among readers, nor do they have the contacts at newspapers or magazines to get their books reviewed.

My parents were liberal intellectuals but even they expected me to stay at home and look after my younger siblings and do the housework.

People have less privacy and are crammed together in cities, but in the wide open spaces they secretly keep tabs on each other a lot more.

Sisters in Crime now has more than 4,000 members worldwide.

The best source for finding an agent is called Literary Agents of North America. It's a complete list of agents, not only by name and address, but by type of book they represent and by what their submission criteria are.

The crime novel has always been my favourite genre.