These last few weeks I’ve been spending a lot of time getting the word out about Secrets & Lies in the run-up to Pub Day (next Wednesday!!). But on this Friday afternoon I’m finally back to writing the as-yet-unnamed Book #2 in the Riley Russell Mystery Series–and this time I’ve got a road map.

I wrote Secrets & Lies as a pantser; in writing circles that’s how they refer to writing “by the seat of your pants,” or without an outline. I don’t know if it was the pantsing or the fact that it was my ...