The journey from idea to publication is long. It can be exhilarating, but it’s also a slog. Kind of reminds me of the trip to Santa Fe and back my hubbie—designated RV driver—and I just took. There were SO MANY ups and downs. The twists and turns tended to be terrifying and take place on 8% downhill grades. In a 35-foot RV it takes someone with masterful driving skills and enough patience to ignore the writer wailing about drop-offs in the passenger seat. Saffi Graywood, the main character in MURDER AT LAST CHANCE COVE, drives a 28-footer. Wise!

The southwestern United States can go from gorgeous to grueling in the blink of a sun-braised eyeball (Oh, yes! So much SUN!) The road Saffi drives most—Oregon’s coastal Highway 101—is always challenging, but there are plenty of equally nail-biting highways and byways in the southwest. Here’s to the road, to those skillful enough to drive it, to Storm Publishing, and to the readers who will soon join Saffi on her journeys. Thank you for reading, and I truly look forward to your feedback.