You're welcome!

Hey, I'm happy you both wrote. There's room for everyone. I kind of suspected you really like each other's stories. You sound like a talented family.
Thanks for writing and I look forward to seeing you both in print someday.

Wow -- if you can turn a lake into a circus tent, then I have confidence you can think of an unexpected ending. Again, it's too hard for me to give specific advice without knowing your storyline, but here's one tip: think of the way the story SHOULD end first. Then imagine another way the story COULD end -- a way that seems satisfying but can easily be blown apart. Write to the second one, then build your way back to the first.
(That's all....)
Ah, well, no one said the ride would be easy. But it's fun when you get there.
As for my other books, please feel free to browse the "About the Books" section above. And thanks for asking!

Yup, I've been a full-time writer for more than twenty years. And Peter Lerangis is indeed my name, although there's a story behind that, and you can find it here!

Thank you, Monica. If a publisher is interested in continuing the SPY X series, you bet I will write a sequel! My hunch is that they are more likely to want a new series, and you can be sure I will write one with just as much excitement and intrigue! Hope you're enjoying the 4th of July weekend!

No, Kostas wasn't based on Balki, but your observations are very astute! I grew up in a Greek-American family (as a matter of fact, Kontonikolaos was my mother's maiden name), and the character of Kostas came from my own observations of hundreds of Greek relatives and friends. I imagine whoever wrote Balki's character on Perfect Strangers also drew on his or her own personal experiences. So because they are basically drawn from the same ethnic group, there are bound to be coincidental similarities. (And the ones you mention bring a big smile to my face and make me want to go and rent some of those old shows!) Thanks for writing. Very glad you enjoyed ANTARCTICA!

That's a good question to ask, and very smart of you to raise a red flag when you're getting bored. If there are problems with the story, go back to your outline. (You do have an outline, don't you?) If you don't, outline the whole story -- very basic, this happens and then that happens, etc. Make character sketches, too -- as much info as you can for each character, both physical and inner life. Read the outline and see which parts bore you, and ask why. Can you create interesting dilemmas for the characters along the way? Are there some plot elements you can shorten, or others you can intensify? The most important elements in any story are what do the characters WANT from each other, and how do they go about getting it? The more intensely they want something, and the stronger the obstacles, the more interesting the story. Can you give one of the characters a secret? Can you change the setting so that it contributes to the story in an interesting way -- set it in a dangerous or exotic locale, or during a weather event that has impact? Can you introduce a new character that will create an emotional triangle with any of your characters? Try to divide your outline into chapters, or sections. How does each section end? If you make each section into a kind of mini-story, with its own emotional climax, that will keep your (and your readers') interest alive. That ought to give you something to work on. Hope this helps!

Hello! Funny you should ask that, because Simon & Schuster just posted a video in which they asked me to answer the same question! You can see how I replied by pasting this text directly into your browser address bar: http://bit.ly/PL_advice . I would add a few other things for you: Make sure to write about something that really excites you, because if it does, that excitement will run off on your readers. Some people are perfectionists -- if you are, that's fine. It's okay to worry about "getting it perfect," as long as you understand that you have to do the best you can and move on. You can always go back later and fix things (and you will). Try to finish what you start. Slumps happen. I get them all the time. It often helps to escape into someone else's creative work (a movie, another book), which will sometimes help to loosen up the logjam in your brain and inspire you. The more you bust through your slumps, the more you will be able to say to yourself "I've been through this before, and even though it's hard, I know I'll get through it." Also, don't get too concerned about throwing everything into your first effort. Tell a good story in a clear way and know that you have more stories inside you, and you can write them another time! Hope this helps.

Well, I've visited Chicago twice in the last year -- once to visit schools and bookstores, another time to give a presentation at a conference -- plus, I once lived there for 6 months, and it's one of my favorite cities ... plus, my cousin runs a children's theater company there, and I'm on her advisory board, so all things considered, the chances are pretty good I'll be back! Keep an eye on the "Author Visits/Where I'm Going" section of the site. It's quiet now, but things will pick up toward the end of the summer!