When Jennifer first approached me about doing her audio book cover, we were both excited to create something new. Jennifer wanted specifically to try and use one of her favorite vintage portraits, which has a mysterious Mona Lisa quality. We were not sure that it would translate, but were looking forward to giving it a shot. Now, the use of a portrait breaks one of the cardinal rules (suggestions) of book cover design, which warns against showing your reader just how your mai

When researching THE SECRET LIFE OF ANNA BLANC, I read dozens of books written in the early 1900s to learn everything I could about the life of a debutante, a police matron, and the Los Angeles Police Department. I read everything from the coroner's manual they would have used, to books on manners and hygiene, to court transcripts, to cookbooks, to detective fiction that Anna herself would have read. It's how I got into my characters' heads. ​ I'm going to share a few favorit