I read a wide variety of books but my favorite authors tend to be mystery writers like P.D. James, Elizabeth George, William Martin and Tana French. To combine my love of Italy with mystery, I turn to Donna Leon and Lorenzo Carcaterra .

I enjoy reading, traveling, walking, kayaking, hiking, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, gardening, redecorating, art, and, most of all, my family and friends.

When I get an idea, I write it on my computer in a free-flowing form and then I walk away until the next day. Then I usually make changes and write some more and this continues for months or even years. During this process I also do a lot of background research about the settings, the timeframe, the characters, etc. I also bounce ideas off of family and friends and seek feedback through writing groups, writing workshops and editors at writing conferences.

I was born into a large family on an island in the middle of New York Harbor. My childhood days were spent with five siblings, lots of cousins and dozens of neighborhood kids. Summer activities weren't organized but we were always keeping ourselves busy, our imaginations in full gear. I always had lots of library books and I loved writing and drawing.

My next book in the E.T. Madigan series is set in Munich, Germany and the mystery that draws Ellen is related to that city's World War II past.

The story that I remember most wasn't the first one but I was pretty young when I read it. It was the classic "Heidi" by Johanna Spyri. I was impressed that Heidi had respect for her elderly grandfather and the disabled Clara and valued good people over riches.. It also highlighted a love of the outdoors and made me want to see the Alps — perhaps my first bite by the travel bug!

My husband is an accomplished photographer and I start with one of his pictures. His photo of the sibyl's cave is on my Cuma book.

"A Moveable Feast" by Ernest Hemingway -I've read it several times because I like the way it captures the Paris of artists and writers in the 1920s.
"What Came Before He Shot Her" by Elizabeth George - I think that this book should be read by anyone who works with kids growing up in rough circumstances.
"The Pillars of Hercules" by Paul Theroux - I love all of Theroux's travel writing and this one is an insightful tour of Mediterranean countries.
"A Rumor of War" by Philip Caputo - This was the first book about the Vietnam War that showed me what the ground combat troops were going through.
"Watership Down" by Richard Adams - It's so creative and well-written that you forget that the animals aren't human!

As a teacher, I've written curriculums, educational grants and children's books for my own use in the classroom. As a teenager, I won some essay contests, including a national one. Now I always make notes about the places I travel and I love writing poetry.

I love Macs so I use iBooks.

My desk is a big table in Maine and it has a Macbook Pro and an awe-inspiring view of a lake.