"Tribe of the Breakaway Beads" (2011) is an illustrated novella, developed from journals and family history. It's about women with moxie, who know how to turn discontent into action. It's about grand exits and fresh starts.

"Passion and Peril on the Silk Road" (2008) was my first published novel. It's about intrigue in the international antiquities trade, murder, betrayal, and revenge. Main characters Jackson and Nellie were once husband and wife. Now they clash over the best road back from heartbreak and injustice. That road takes them from Manhattan to the far reaches of western China and tribal Pakistan. The writing is based on my being a close observer of the art and antiquities world, as well as travels through this part of Central Asia. I was also thinking a lot about vengeance, honor killings, rage and forgiveness.

I have been blogging, memoir-writing, traveloguing, etc. at Mad In Pursuit for 10 years now. You can also find me at Twitter and Google+.

I'm an advocate of Creative Commons licensing and for the emergence of new paradigms in publishing, both for career writers and for those who write for purposes other than making a living.