The book I'm working on is a traditional mystery (no surprise there), and I like the premise: A woman wakes from a coma and learns that her cop husband was killed while she was unconscious. Through a series of scares, she learns that his death was not what it seemed at the time, and she becomes determined to find out the truth. As in every mystery you've ever read, that desire for truth leads to trouble.

I like writing mysteries with unusual protagonists, as you might know if you've read my...

My husband has a gift. I'm not sure what to call it; it's part curiosity, part smarts, and part self-confidence. If that sounds confusing, here's an example.

Our daughter bought a row house in Richmond, Virginia, and of course we motored down to see it. As she showed us the unique setup, rooms set one after another in a space 90' x 20', she mentioned that most of the houses on the block had pocket doors between the front parlor and the second. She was slightly disappointed that hers had a...

A year ago we bought a second home in Florida. The refrigerator works fine, but it was dated and pitted, and we discussed what to do to make it look better. Online I read that people paint their old fridges. That sounded intriguing, but I wanted to talk with someone who might know the pros and cons, so I went to the paint desk to ask.

Me: I'd like your expertise on a matter. Have you heard of painting a refrigerator?

Man: What? Paint what?"

Me: I've read in several places that you can paint a...