In each case, in my books, the main character has a problem that has to be solved. You want it to be believable. Naturally you want the story to be believable. I want my readers to identify with my characters, to walk in their footsteps and say, "I want it to work out for her." That is part of storytelling, that you give the characters a difficult time. If I write about a young widow, I know what I'm talking about. In this book, I have a young widow whose husband died in Iraq. Everything is grist for the mill.

Any last words of wisdom?

Optimism and a sense of humor will get your through an awful lot. And realizing that this too shall pass, no matter how dark the day. If you look to what's good in the world around you and you're aware of the needs of others, I think you sleep well at night.

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Tags: blessed ones, brother, creative writing, failure, good mother, grief, heart, heaven, interview, lottery, mary higgins clark, novelists, pleasure, profound grief, resilience, six years, sleep, successes, suspense, tough times