Thank you so much, Yetunde, that means the world to me! Not everyone gets Munroe, so it's really wonderful connecting with those who do :) ... the next book, THE INNOCENT, is very different from the first. It's far more personal, and more cerebral than "edge of the knife," although there's action there, too. But if what you enjoyed about INFORMATIONIST was Michael Munroe, then I think you'll enjoy the second one just as much, if not more, than the first one. And now the third one is just around the corner, too. Whew! :)

Yetunde wrote: "Hi Taylor:

I just wanted to tell you how much I adore Vanessa/Michael. I've only read The Informationist, but for me she is right up there with my top favorite thriller stars; Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia..."

Hi Taylor:

I just wanted to tell you how much I adore Vanessa/Michael. I've only read The Informationist, but for me she is right up there with my top favorite thriller stars; Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia Sachs and Lucas Davenport.

Taylor wrote: Well, for what it's worth, even authors who are bestsellers (read: me!) still feel those same things :) One book I found...

Thanks for pointing me to your blog and The Artist's Way, and also for being so nice and accessible :] I recently began wandering Goodreads and author blogs for writing tips and book recommendations, but so many authors just use Facebook (can't stand that thing) and they rarely respond. So I think your blog and email newsletter are a great idea, the most personal way of online communication. I'm definitely going to read the articles under the "Writing" tab of your site too!

Gally wrote: "Taylor wrote: Thank you SO MUCH for the compliments! Giving writing advice is so difficult for me because I feel like most of the time I'm just winging it. Without having taken writing classes or c..."

Well, for what it's worth, even authors who are bestsellers (read: me!) still feel those same things :) One book I found very helpful for creativity was "The Artists Way." Also, I do write about the business of writing and about my journey and I get a lot of feedback from aspiring authors that it is helpful to them. You can get to it at: www.taylorstevensbooks.com/connect.php

Taylor wrote: Thank you SO MUCH for the compliments! Giving writing advice is so difficult for me because I feel like most of the time I'm just winging it. Without having taken writing classes or courses, I do it on gut instinct and mostly it's by "feel".

Actually, that sounds like great advice, thank you! My "creative well" has been dry for a long time and I didn't realize why until recently: I'm so worried about getting published one day that it's keeping me from enjoying writing. I worry that my writing is unrefined, that no one will be interested in my story or characters, that I'm just lacking something inside professional writers have. But that's no way to live. I gotta follow my gut instinct and just WRITE. Okay, I'm going to type "GUT INSTINCT" in big bad bold letters on top of my manuscript so it's the first thing I see when I open the file ;]

Gally wrote: "This news just made my day! Thanks for giving us a heads up, I can't wait to read The Doll. Michael is one of the most complex, intriguing, badass characters I've read. I'm also impressed by how..."

Thank you SO MUCH for the compliments! Giving writing advice is so difficult for me because I feel like most of the time I'm just winging it. Without having taken writing classes or courses, I do it on gut instinct and mostly it's by "feel".

Zoë wrote: "Hi Taylor

Thanks for Friending me here. I'm so looking forward to our panel at Bouchercon next month. It seems to be creeping up rapidly!"

I know, right!? Just flying upon us! See you soon :)

Hi Taylor

Thanks for Friending me here. I'm so looking forward to our panel at Bouchercon next month. It seems to be creeping up rapidly!

This news just made my day! Thanks for giving us a heads up, I can't wait to read The Doll. Michael is one of the most complex, intriguing, badass characters I've read. I'm also impressed by how quickly your books come out; I know a lot of authors publish something about once a year, but their work seems rushed sometimes and I don't feel that way about your work. Your writing is as sharp and polished as a blade. Any tips on how to write more efficiently?

I've never done an update on Goodreads before. Super excited because I just saw that The Doll (Vanessa Michael Munroe #3) with a June 4 release date has finally showed up in the listings. Still no cover artwork posted, but the cover I have is far more than I could have hoped for! :)