What's it like to visit an active volcano doing research for your next novel?

[Karen Dionne]

Here's my report!

What cool things have YOU done in the name of research?

[I. J. Parker]

Once tried to hang myself in my garage to see how it would be done. Actually, it wasn't really all the cool.

[Karen Dionne]

I'm trying to picture how far you went!

[Jack Getze]

Congrats on the new deal, Karen! What natural disaster are you cooking up for #3?

[Karen Dionne]

Thanks, Jack! With the Freezing Point/Boiling Point theme, I've had no lack of suggestions! So far Breaking Point (earthquakes) is in the lead, followed by Turning Point, Tipping Point, and my favorites: What's the Point, and Pointless. ;)

[Jon Loomis]

A new deal? That's great, Karen. Good on you!

[Jon Loomis]

I've been to drag shows, leather bars, gay dance bars, lesbian bars, tea dances and oyster bars. I've been to the after-hours meat-market outside Spiritus Pizza, been to Herring Cove beach during peak season, day and night, hundreds of times. I've been on whale watches, sunset sails, biplane tours, and to the Provincetown Heritage Museum. I've eavesdropped on thousands of conversations in bars and restaurants. God, I love doing research! I thought about taking ketamine, but decided against it for heart-related health reasons. I'm hoping to do a couple of police ride-alongs here in Wisconsin soon--one of the local police detectives lives around the corner from us. Also I'd like to do one of those gun classes for writers--I know next to nothing about guns, other than over-under shotguns, anyway.

[Karen Dionne]

Now here's a man who loves his research!

[Jon Loomis]

I'm always disappointed when I have to research online or old-school, by reading actual books. The only exception to that is autopsy stuff--no interest in sitting in on one of those.

[Albert Tucher]

For my unpublished Diana Andrews novels I met several times with an escort-level prostitute, who gave me priceless material. She also told me that Diana is a very plausible hooker except for one thing: "She really should have cats, because we all do."

In one of the novels I send Diana to the Big Island of Hawaii. While exploring the remote Waipi'o Valley I eluded some Deliverance-style weirdos who don't like visitors.

[Jon Loomis]

I met several times with an escort-level prostitute, who gave me priceless material.

That's what they all say.

But seriously, put cats in them and let the cats help solve the mystery and they won't stay unpublished long. Using a hooker as a sleuth is a funny and interesting wrinkle, seems to me. The cats could have cute names, even, like Ortho and KY.

[Albert Tucher]

Ortho and KY. Diabolical!

Giving her cats would also create a cozy-hardboiled crossover subgenre. Interesting.

[Jon Loomis]

You could call it a ho'zy.