One of the surprising things I hadn't expected when I decided to write crime fiction is how much you are expected to be out in front of the public. Some writers aren't comfortable with that. I don't have a problem with that.

I've been accused of being a minimalist writer. I don't like a lot of verbiage in there.

People love to hate the gravedigger.

Bones tell me the story of a person's life - how old they were, what their gender was, their ancestral background.

For me, the Lord has opened the windows of heaven and showered blessings upon my family beyond my ability to express.

I'm thinking of sending out censorship packets: information to share with those who want to defend my books when they come under fire. I'll tell why I wrote them and include reviews and letters of support from children and their parents.

I live for my work, apart from my family who come first. And I live to tell stories and pretend to be other people, it's something I've been doing since I was 3 years old. Maybe it's because I'm intrinsically bored with myself, and I find other people more interesting. The more different they are, the bigger the challenge.

I started playing when I was 5. I'm from a family of musicians.