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

I wish I could remember where I put things. I spend half my life looking for my keys. With the other half I look for my glasses.

White-collar crime gets more outrageous by the second in America.

All food starting with p is comfort food: pasta, potato chips, pretzels, peanut butter, pastrami, Pizza, pastry.

I went to college at the University of Kansas, where I got a degree in political science.

I spent 10 years as a marketing manager. I've found my experience in the financial world invaluable background for writing about white-collar crimes.

The possibility of bringing white-collar criminals to justice is ever receding over the horizon.

When you feel lousy, puppy therapy is indicated.

I live and die with the Chicago Cubs

I have a friend who lives in the South Side of Chicago. I helped out at a church charity there where they try to give a bit of cohesion to a desperate area. Everyone was very welcoming

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

The past/future can't be changed! The things which are written to happen, they can't be skipped.

While I live my life expecting to live, others expect that they might die. The rules of the world are not the same for all of us.

You must lose a fly to catch a trout.

The Bible, in which these things are taught, favors drunkenness, murder, slavery, lying, stealing and lechery.

Children are extremely important. They are the future of the world.

I came to the Braves on business, and I intended to see that business was good as long as I could.

The Synod of Bishops has existed for forty years. In that long span of time it has been for all of us a good school for introducing us to the universal dimension of the Church.

Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but you couldn't easily do them legally.

Sometimes I just want to write a really intense love scene. But I can't do that in my books for teens, or parents will complain - believe me, I've tried.

Everyone wants me to be perfect, but I am so far from perfect!