Sandstorm (Sigma Force, #1)

by James Rollins

Clay finally spoke up. “Whiskey is for drinkin’, water is for fightin’.” She frowned. “Mark Twain,” he said.

I was born in Chicago but mostly grew up in St. Louis. I also attended veterinary school at Mizzou (University of Missouri-Columbia). So my midwestern roots run deep, and as a Missouri kid, how could I not become a huge fan of Mark Twain? You'll see such references or nods throughout my series. In fact, I even wrote one book (The Seventh Plague) that features Twain as a pivotal character. But what you might not know is that the vet school at Mizzou is located on "Rollins Avenue." So when a certain author with a troublesome Polish last name needed a pen name....well, there you have it.