And our Sue's Clues Mystery Author is:

Kristin Hannah is our Mystery Author this round. She is the author of the new women's fiction book, FIREFLY LANE. After you are done reading her interview below, visit her at her website. I think you'll especially enjoy the section with letters from her characters of FIREFLY LANE. I know I did.

http://kristinhannah.com/content/index.asp

Thank you, Kristin!

1. Tell us about your family. I know you are married and have a son.

I am married to a wonderful man. He and I are facing the "empty nest" time, as our son is now in his second year of law school. We are actually loving being home alone. We can always find the remote! Also, we are able to spend a lot of each year in our beloved Kauai. There's something about palm trees and white sand to keep you balanced.

2. How many years did you practice law? What kind of law did you practice?

I practiced law for several years before I had my son. I did primary appellate and entertainment law.

Do you draw on that experience for your writing?

I draw on the research skills and the discipline. I've always treated writing very much as a job. I spend the same long hours I would have spent as a lawyer. And I spend a lot of time in the library and on the internet, trying to make sure my facts are correct. The law was great in teaching me how to do this.

3. Tell us about your book tour. I'm sure it's not your first. What do you enjoy most and least about touring?

It's not my first tour, and I hope it won't be my last. This is an easy question. I love most...meeting readers and talking to them. Writing is such a lonely profession, and it's easy to forget how much our work matters to people. That's definitely the best thing about touring. The worst part, undeniably, is reading my work out loud. I am mortified by the very idea.

4. What do you like to do in your spare time?

Like your readers, I read! I have a huge TBR pile that I move through as quickly as I can. My favorite place to read is on the beach. I also like to run, to ski, and to travel.

5. How has your writing changed/evolved over the years? I know that you previously wrote romance and now lean more towards women's fiction. Do you miss writing romance?

Yes, I did begin my career writing historical romances. After about ten years, I moved toward what is now called women's fiction. I don't miss writing romance because almost all of my books still contain a solid, important romance. My next novel (untitled for 2009) has perhaps the strongest love story I've ever written. What I do miss is the historical side of the story. Perhaps one day I'll go back to that.

6. Tell us about your new release, FIREFLY LANE.

FIREFLY LANE is a deeply personal book for me. It's really the book I've been wanting to read for a long time--a big, juicy, emotional novel about two women and their lasting friendship. As I grow older, I realize keenly how important we women are in each others' lives, and I wanted to read about that. And to write about it. These two characters--Kate and Tully--become best friends as teenagers and promise to stay BFF forever. It's a vow that lasts through three decades, until a terrible betrayal threatens to ruin the foundation of their friendship. Ultimately, FIREFLY LANE is about forgiveness. How to really forgive, and how to forget the betrayals once you've forgiven.

7. How about some info about the 'Best Friends' contest you have going on at your site.

Because this book is so personal, and so centered on friendships through the years, I want to hear my readers' similar stories. I hope people share their tales.

8. What can we look forward to in the future?

As I mentioned, the next book is in, but isn't finished or titled. Here's what I can say: it's a powerful love story set amidst a family in crisis. And for the first time, I'm using my legal knowledge in the plotting.

Kristin Hannah image from http://kristinhannah.com/