This week I am in Ireland confirming research for a book tentatively tilted A Danger in Dublin. I am just about to embark on a walk on the Cooley Peninsula, where one of the final scenes of Draft 1 takes place. Then on to Dublin. I love trips that involve research for my books because…

Now that A Murder in Malta has been available for several months, I would love to know what you think of it. Please post a review on Amazon.com and let me know. I’m delighted by the very positive reviews it has received so far.

Gozo is one of the three major islands in the Republic of Malta. Gozo is not a little Malta but an island that is quite different in looks and feeling and has a long history of its own. Gozo will feature prominently in many of the Elspeth Duff mysteries. Magdelena Cassar, Elspeth’s Aunt Mag, is…

Which English language? There are many. Anyone one who has read my book(s) will have begun to realise that I love languages. But it may be perplexing when I shift between American English and British English. (I am conversant in both.) I am an American but Elspeth Duff is Scottish. Hmm. When I wrote A…

I frequently use photographs I have taken as an aide-memoir when writing. Attached are three I used when writing A Murder in Malta: one, Grand Harbour, which might have been the view from the dining room of the Kennington Valletta, two, a Valletta street where Loren and Evan might have jogged, and three, the hole…

As an author, I should be cool and collected, but after twelve years of writing Elspeth Duff mysteries, I am really excited to see my first book, A Murder in Malta, in print. You can purchase it from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.  The Kindle version will be available in a few days. I’m busily getting the…

It is very driech (as the Scots say) where I am tonight. Pronounce the word with a guttural accent and pronounce the second vowel and you will get the gist. Certainly there’s no bright and shining star to lead the way to anywhere. But at least I’m not in the blizzard in Northern New England…

I read the final proof from the publishers today. I found two small errors but it’s too late to change them. Can any of my readers find them? But at least I am done with all but one thing, that is  getting the title page and copyright page updated. The publishers promise the revisions by…

Elspeth’s assignments for the Kennington hotel chain have taken me around the world. My own love for travel has contributed in great part to this. I normally block out a book and then go to its location on a mission of discovery that follows the plot of the book. (By the way, it’s a great…

Welcome to my blog. I hope to offer some bits and snippets of information about my writing, but sometimes my thoughts will be random. So let’s begin. Why a Scottish investigator when I did not grow up in Scotland? My family roots are in Perthshire and I have visited there many times, including several extended…