“I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then ...” — Tess Gerritsen Quote

I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying romance novels at the time, the first two unpublished manuscripts I wrote were both romances. I sold my third novel, 'Call After Midnight,' to Harlequin Intrigue after submitting it unagented.

I spent my childhood watching every scary movie that Hollywood ever made. And I think that gave me the best education for storytelling. It also made me want to reproduce the scary moments that I felt, sitting in a theater at the age of 5.

With every year that I grow older, I also draw closer to (my loved ones) to the day when we will once again be together. So I march through the deepening shadows, serene and unafraid, because I know that at the end of my journey they will be waiting for me.

I organise jam sessions every month. We have an open session, so everyone knows about it, and we can get as many as 30 people showing up at the house. Somebody will play a tune, and everyone will pick up on it. My best friends are all musicians.

I'm really, really enjoying myself, I seem to have a lot of purpose in my life. I'm enjoying what I'm doing, you know, and people are liking it. So, it's great, you know.

This conversation with the audience has been going on since, what, '72, '73... Sometimes it's like a conversation after dinner with friends. You're in a restaurant, and you got there at 8 o'clock. Suddenly, you realize it's midnight. Where did the time go? You're enjoying the conversation. It's sort of a natural, organic conversation.

When I was 19 and 20, and 20 or 25 in the world , I was enjoying it. But now it's a rollercoaster and I just can't seem to find the commitment to work hard, to enjoy and to lift trophies. Maybe I have to look at a few things and maybe play less tournaments.

Like, I'm not enjoying LeBron's greatness right now. I mean, I have no fun playing against him. So you don't get to enjoy it until you look back.