Most writers I know are pretty tight-lipped in public about what they're working on. Maybe they're afraid it'll ruin their mojo. Maybe it's fear of intellectual property theft. I dunno. But I do know readers love knowing what is or might be coming next.

Author Laurie King, who is the tallest woman I've ever met in my life, told me at a cocktail party she was starting a new Mary Russell book. I love her Mary Russell books. I've loved them for years. And yes, I went up to her and tugged on her shirttail just to tell her because I am a great big, dorky fan like that.

I walked away feeling like I'd just been given a present, a secret and a really good reason not to get hit by a bus in the next year all at the same time.

And while there's no good reason for anyone to care that much about what I'm working on, I did find this. And this so represents the personality - if not the exact physical characteristics - of one of the main characters in my book, I had to share.

Meet Twinkle. Over-bred celebrity pet by day, fierce defender of the American way by night.

Fear the Twinkle. Fear it.