Needing an eccentric billionaire/humanitarian for my novel, I Googled "Gates" spelled backwards - a result was Setagaya, a ward of Tokyo. I had a wonderful time writing this character, from his appearance as a hitchhiker on Highway 50 in Nevada to his building of the world's first working Holodek and his creation of a utopian city.
Her writing muse lurks in the volcanic hills amidst mustangs, marmots and jackalopes. While hiking with her dogs, Ann stumbles upon stories of dark humor.
