Writing a mystery or suspense series is an interesting thing. On the one hand, it’s nice to know your character(s) so well. On the other, you are forced to sweep aside the other stories and characters swirling around in your head, saving them for another day. Still, not a bad problem to have.

STAY OF EXECUTION, due out VERY soon, is the second in my Detective Cancini series. To be honest, I didn’t create Cancini to be part of a series. It just happened that way. His role in the first book grew bigger with each draft until he became a full-fledged protagonist. I decided to build the second story around him. That decision was validated by readers’ response to Cancini in A GUILTY MIND. At book clubs and in reviews, I heard, “More Cancini!” I’ve already begun the third (but final) in the series, THE LAST SIN.

As a reader…