Hi Lisa,

I’m a Lisa Scottoline fan. My discovery of you was pure serendipity. I was at the small local library in Norfolk, Virginia on a Saturday afternoon, two years ago. As my eyes hovered the bookshelves, they fell upon the purple-blue cover and yellow words of Someone Knows. I have to admit, I sort of judged it by the cover. Confession: I do this more than I’d like to admit – with books and sadly, even sometimes people. It’s a character flaw I’m working on with Jesus’ help. Anyway, my judgmental eye served me well on this occasion. Someone Knows was the first of your novels that I read. And I loved it. It really kept me reading. Once I finished it, I read a bunch of your other stuff. Don’t Tell was one of my favorites. So was Look Again and Come Home and Every 15 Minutes and Think Twice and Save Me and Daddy’s Girl.

I really like that you keep the reader reading. And you have a way of telling the story so that I see myself in it. I wonder what I’d do if I were in the plot. I love the mystery element (or “legal thriller”) side of your novels too. I have to keep reading so I can figure out who the bad guy is. And I’m often surprised. There’s a lot of really neat twists in your plots and I like that! Your development of characters is great too.

I think it’s awesome that you do so much research for your books. I was especially happy to learn you talked to a foot doctor when writing Don’t Go. And you’ve interviewed school principals, high school baseball players, police, and lawyers. The legal issues in Someone Knows were so complex and intriguing. You’re really smart, Lisa Scottoline!

Even before I read more about you as a person, I knew from your fiction that you must have a really beautiful home. And you know something of fashion. But more importantly, you know about dogs – precisely, Golden retrievers. There’s a genuine voice in your stories – of real, strong, courageous woman who fight and overcome adversity.

I want to thank you for inspiring me to write. I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a kid. I’m trying to scratch the itch, so to speak. Hence, this exercise of writing you a letter.

I’ve enjoyed learning more about you via your website and some of your talks and interviews online. I’ve also really gotten to know you (not to sound like a creeper) via your essays about life’s adventures. I’m wrapping up now Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog. I really enjoyed learning about how you came to be a vegetarian. I often ask people this. My husband and I thought getting chickens would be fun too, so we got some. Ruth, Naomi, Shannon, Phoebe, and Rhonda. I have to say I loved you all the more when I learned you & Francesca named your chicks too. But sadly Lisa, unlike you, my husband and I were not overcome by the cuteness of the chickies. No. Our ravenous appetites prevailed. We celebrated the new additions to our family by eating some Chick-fil-A sandwiches for dinner that night. And my husband later grilled chicken just outside their little chicken run area. This was our version of Don’t Tell, as we whispered the two words to one another within earshot of the little chicks.

I have a Golden too – Billy. He’s almost 2 and a half and is a big boy, weighing in at 94 pounds. He’s the sweetest baby in the world – an angel, hence the middle name “Gabriel.” Love is his other middle name. I was thrilled to learn that your little Tony likes to sleep at your head. Billy is the same. If I’m lucky, I get his head instead of his rear end plopped next to me. I guess he chooses who he likes better  – me or his daddy. He often chooses his daddy, even though I’m the one who does everything for him. Billy is a notorious pillow thief too. He’ll sometimes sleep at our feet and at other times he’ll stretch out on his back, lengthwise between me and my husband. He’s the one who made us break down and upgrade to a king-size bed.

We have a lot in common, Lisa. But one thing we’re dissimilar in is exercise. It is humorous to me that you loathe it so much. But think of it this way (I’m sure you have at times) : the more calories you burn, the more calories you can eat. Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking – I must not be a menopausal woman yet. True. But exercise helps with hot flashes. Oh wait, you enjoy them. Doh! Anyway, uh, exercise helps keep weight off. Ehh??

I work as a family nurse practitioner (sort of a doctor minus all the formal education and student loan debt). What I tell my patients (about 80% of whom are overweight/obese) is that exercise can mean going for a walk – even just a 5 or 10 minute walk. Of course, more is better here. But start slow! Ultimately, 30 minutes to an hour a day is good to shoot for, and it can even be done in increments – three 10 minute walks per day. Or do some body weight squats, lunges, push-ups, or exercises with dumbbells. Movement is good! It’s a natural anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication. It helps ward off diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and just about every other negative thing. It brings self-confidence. Yay! So, I encourage you to do even just a little bit of physical activity – walking the dogs and riding the pony is good. Something that gets your heart rate up and where you have to pant a little. No, experiencing a hot flash doesn’t count as exercise. 😉

Enough yacking from me. I hope you read this, Lisa. I do thank you for writing and sharing your talent with the world. I’d love to hear any tips or advice you can share with me on writing. I’ve heard many authors say that aspiring writers should write about what they know. I tried this and quickly realized how little I know! Also, what made you want to write? I’m curious too about your career as a lawyer – I’d love to hear more about that….Thanks for inspiring me. I think you’re a brilliant author. You’re a beautiful lady too, inside and out. I’m looking forward to reading Eternal.

Warm regards.