As they say, I’d tell you, but…

Now, random Internet stuff I have found while browsing from this fine city. The headline of the day:

FBI: Man tried to hire assassin, pin murder on cat.

(AP)  EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Federal investigators helped by a conscientious paroled killer say they foiled a plot to abduct, extort and electrocute a wealthy man in a scheme they say borrowed elements from a television show and sought to blame the killing on the planned victim’s cat.

Now to board my next flight. It’s been fun, Windy City — thanks! Next time I’ll try to stay longer than two hours.

Note: Requests to capture Robert Redford/Peter Sarsgaard/Rashida Jones will be rejected. Friends and family already have dibs.

On film, people. Capture them on film. Sheesh. What did you think I meant? Just because I have a T-shirt that says, “Everything I need to know, I learned from the people trapped in my basement,” is no reason to take everything I say literally.

(PS – Mom, I’ve poked air holes in the crate, so your gift will arrive in good shape.)

Author Interview: Meg Gardiner

GJR: It always takes us by surprise that you can (and do) kill off your characters so easily. We have to ask, does it hurt you as much as it hurts us?

MG: It’s not easy at all. It’s terrible. But I write thrillers. This means the characters will find themselves in danger, facing life and death situations. And if they always survive, where’s the suspense? When I first started writing, I protected my characters, because I liked them. Though I put them in danger, I knew in the back of my mind that they’d be okay. I never truly put them at risk, and that meant that I never truly took a story as far as it could go. I stunted its possibilities from the beginning.

Read the rest.

Where am I? Please be as specific as possible.

UPDATE: Answer after the jump.

It’s Parliament Square, London.

Or not.

In any case, I’ve toyed with the header and sidebar, to mess with your heads and because I like to keep up to date with kids these days. Those wacky kids, always Facemiming and Tweetsquawking and such. I’ve added a Twitter feed, so you can glimpse what I’m up to in 140 characters. Yes, social media is coalescing into a huge hive mind. Its various forms are banding together into a seamless and unstoppable whole. Resistance is futile.

Wow, I need to put down the William Gibson and turn off Star Trek. And probably drink less coffee.

How’s your Monday?

And yes, I was in search of coffee. Desperately.

UPDATE: Okay, this one was easy. It’s Chinatown, San Francisco.