Writing mystery fiction is an escape for me. But it is more.

I find I need to be creative to combat the spreading, toxic oil spill of falsehood spread on the waters of our national life day after horrible day.

I want to clean it up, clean it all up and fix it. And I can’t. The best I can do is work with others to push back on the worst of it and still keep our bodies, minds and spirits intact.

But I find I need more.

In writing fiction I don’t just escape, I get to create a world where truth is everything.

There is accountability in fiction writing. I can’t just do whatever I want. Fiction must stick closely to the truths of the human condition like pain, fear, love and change, or it will not help me, help us, resist the spreading, toxic oil spill of lies.

So I ask you, if something in this first mystery novel doesn’t ring true to you, I’d appreciate hearing about it. I want to get better at this.

Because the lies will keep spreading.