Tell us about your book.

She’s Not There begins with psychologist Lisa Rayburn discovering that the number of abused women gone missing has increased dramatically over the last several years. When she goes to the police with her discovery she’s told they are aware of the numbers, but cannot investigate except on a case-by-case basis.

At about the same time, a client of Lisa’s goes missing. Lisa is approached by TJ Peacock, a former cop turned PI, who’s also concerned about the missing women. Lisa and TJ enlist the help of two husbands of the missing women to find enough evidence of foul play to force the MPD to investigate.

What genre is it?

Suspense, or mystery, I suppose. Within that genre, it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint an exact theme. That is the wonderful thing about self-publishing: you’re not restricted by rigid genre standards.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?

Readers who love suspense and follow authors like James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Tami Hoag, Lisa Gardner, to name a few. (All favorites of mine—I aspire to be as good an author someday!)

You seem to be writing in a male-dominated genre. Does being female give you any advantages here?

There are a lot of women who love to read suspense and have grown weary of the tough detective who lays every woman he meets. My lead protagonists are women, and I like to make them real people, not superwomen. I believe readers like a protagonist they can identify with. That said, my largest audience is women, although many have told me their husbands also enjoyed the book.

What is the best thing about being a writer?

The best thing is when a reader tells you they loved your book!

What is the worst thing about being a writer?

The worst is marketing your book. It is very time consuming, and takes away from writing time. Although, I have to say I’ve met many very nice people, especially other authors, while marketing online.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a retired Federal Mediator and still work occasionally as an Arbitrator for the State of Iowa and the Federal Mediation Service. My home is on a lovely chain of lakes in northwestern Wisconsin where I live with my significant other and two pets, a dog and a cat. When I’m not writing or working, I try to find time for reading, golf, and bridge.

My writing career began when I joined a local writer’s critique group about four years ago. The group is still active, although our membership has changed over the years. I always encourage new writers to join a group. I know I’d never have gotten started without it.

Have you got a site where readers can keep up with your work?

I have a weekly post at my blog. Most of my posts are on different aspects of writing or reading, but occasionally I post on the difficulties of weight control, a problem I’ve had since childhood. With the holidays drawing near, I’ll probably have a few of those again. It’s hard as a writer to stay mindful of things like exercise and weight when you’re sitting on your butt so much! I may have to get one of those treadmills that have a shelf for a laptop.

Where can people buy your book?

She’s Not There is available on Amazon.

What’s next?

My next book, Relative Malice, will be available in about a month. Right now it’s with my editor.

In it, a detective searches for a missing baby believed dead after a home invasion leaves the rest of the child’s family is murdered. When her roommate throws her out, Detective Kendall Halsrud heads the investigation into the murders after her partner has a heart attack. With help from a would-be fortune-teller and a former cop, Kendall puts her own life and career at risk, in her efforts to find the missing baby.