That's literally been the story of my career. I'm always the second choice. And you know what? I'm more than happy to be that person.

In 2003, he was hit by a subway in Prague and lost both of his legs. It made me realize that we take for granted every step we take, and my brother now has to physically challenge himself to take each step in his prosthetic.

It's easy when you've had difficulty or strife in your life to look at other people who seem like they've had it easier. But the thing we forget is that it is all relative, and each person's experience is uniquely their own, so that the worst thing they may be going through is truly the worst thing for them... it's just about having compassion.

I don't want to get married, and I don't want to work after I'm 30, so I must manage my fortune somehow in the next seven years.

Music was your real passion, this thing you held dear even above family. It was this relationship that never betrayed you. Once it became your job - this thing that was highly visible, this thing that became about commerce - that's when you were holding onto music like it was a palm tree in a hurricane.

Since my romance novels had all been thrillers as well, it wasn't such a leap for me to move into the straight thriller genre. The most difficult part, I think, was being accepted as a thriller writer. Once you've written romance, unfortunately, critics will never stop calling you a 'former romance author.'

I have always been very interested in the idea of loneliness and the presumption that romantic relationships are supposed to rid you of that.