I have been asked by interviewers why I write novels featuring crime in a corporate setting. My response is that just as Agatha Christie set her mysteries in a country estate, ship or train, a business is also a closed universe inhabited by a cast of characters given to all manner of foibles and undertaking actions both good and evil. As for featuring strong women as protagonists, I believe we see the world differently. Even our speech is more specific.

It is a world I lived in during my career in public relations in both corporate and agency settings. It was a life during which I met and worked with women who were ahead of their time. They founded businesses, headed up corporate boards and were driven by a strong belief in their capabilities, making their own opportunities, and working toward realizing their goals. Not feminists, but strong intelligent people who polished their skills and through dedication and hard work succeeded. Their fields included finance, pharmaceutical sciences, law, and fashion.

On a personal note, I had an unusual upbringing. I was taught that I wasn’t limited if I didn’t limit my horizons. As such my parents raised me as a person who happened to be female, therefore my viewpoint is more that of the glass half full. They also opened my eyes to see the truth that the world is not fair, and not everyone will like you. However, if you find a career you love, keep your skills sharp and work hard, you will succeed. Just keep on keeping on.

My debut novel, CEO follows a woman tasked with transitioning an aging business to developing new revenue streams thereby strengthening it for future growth. The idea came about while I was manager of corporate communications, going to Fordham for my MBA at night, all while traveling for my job. There were no women CEOs and I wondered what it would take for one to succeed in the all men’s club. Where would she have learned her skills? Would she lead differently? Would she succeed? What would she have to give up? And, in the end, was it worth it? http://goo.gl/7AYPh5

My second novel, ASAP –as soon as possible- came about by witnessing upper management women balancing demanding careers with personal roles of wife and mother. ASAP takes an already tightly scheduled woman’s 24/7 life, and ups the pressure with a threatened theft of her company’s priority technology. Already overly scheduled, this co-founder of a technology company is married to a Wall Street attorney and mother of a preteen son and daughter. Now as she pursues the thieves, tries to deal with her family’s problems, and run her business, she becomes stressed to the edge of her capabilities, forcing her to place herself on top of her list of priorities. Without an internal balance, she learns she won’t be able to meet the needs of either her business or her family. . . http://goo.gl/TM4S9q

My latest novel, TBD –to be determined- follows a younger woman reporting to a paranoid older female boss (I’ve worked for 4) and upon deciding to quit is asked to help the CEO of her company resolve a corporate crisis. With her boss away on vacation she jumps at the opportunity thereby becoming involved with a small group of insiders bent on finding a blackmailer, restoring embezzled funds and protecting the reputation of a threatened executive. Would this assignment get her fired or restore her career? http://goo.gl./eMeXSN