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CHRISTINA: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL TALK WITH THE NEW PRESIDING JUDGE OF MARICOPA COUNTY.

ALSO, HOW A PREHISTORIC OTTER IS HELPING SCIENTISTS BETTERUND OUR ECOSYSTEM, AND "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLING AUTHOR LISA GARDNER SHARES HER LATEST NOVEL SET IN TUCSON.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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CHRISTINA: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M CHRISTINA ESTES FILLING IN FOR TED SIMONS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL MEET WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AS PART OF SUMMIT IN ANCHORAGE ALASKA, FOCUSED ON ENDING THE WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE.

>> THERE WILL BE SOME LAND SWAPPING GOING ON.

I KNOW THAT THROUGH RUSSIA AND THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERYBODY, FOR THE GOOD OF UKRAINE.

GOOD STUFF, NOT BAD STUFF.

ALSO SOME BAD STUFF FOR BOTH.

THERE'S GOOD AND THERE'S BAD, BUT IT'S VERY COMPLEX BECAUSE HAVE YOU LINES THAT ARE VERY UNEVEN AND THERE WILL BE SWAPPING, THERE WILL BE CHANGES IN LAND, AND THE WORD THEY USE IS THEY MAKE CHANGES, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE LINES, THE BATTLE LINES.

RUSSIA IS OCCUPIED A BIG PORTION OF UKRAINE, THEY'VE OCCUPIED VERY PRIME TERRITORY.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE TERRITORY BACK FOR UKRAINE.

CHRISTINA: UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKY SAYS PUTIN WANTS UKRAINE TO WITHDRAW FROM PART OF A REGION THAT UKRAINE CONTROLS UNDER THE CEASE-FIRE DEAL.

ZELENSKY REITERATED THAT UKRAINE WOULD NOT WITHDRAW FROM TERRITORIES BECAUSE IT WOULD SERVE AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR A FUTURE RUSSIAN INVASION.

>>> THE PERSON NOMINATED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BECOME THE NEXT COMMISSIONER FOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS SUGGESTED SUSPENDING THE MONTHLY JOBS REPORT PUT OUT BY THE AGENCY.

E.J.

ANTONI SAID ON FOX BUSINESS NEWS IT SHOULD REESTABLISH QUARTERLY REPORTS SO THE DEPARTMENT CAN ENSURE ACCURATE JOBS DATA.

>>> A BROAD ARRAY OF PRODUCTS DID GET MORE EXPENSIVE, CONSUMER PRICES WENT UP BY TWO TENTHS OF A PERCENT LAST MONTH FOR ANNUAL INFLATION RATE OF 2.7%.

IN NUMBERS RELEASED BY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE CORE INFLATION INDEX WHICH LEAVES OUT VOLATILE ENERGY AND FOOD PRICES WENT UP THREE TENTHS PERCENT, THE FASTEST INCREASE SINCE JANUARY FOR OVERALL RATE OF 3.1% FOR CORE INFLATION.

THAT FIGURE IS SEEN AS A MORE RELIABLE INDICATOR OF INFLATION.

>>> PAMELA GATES WAS RECENTLY NAMED NEW PRESIDING JUDGE OF MARICOPA COUNTY, SERVED AS SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE AND APPOINTED TO MULTIPLE STATEWIDE COMMITTEES.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANS DURING HER TENURE, WE WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW JUDGE PAMELA GATES.

THANKS FOR COMING IN.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

CHRISTINA: YOU COME FROM A SMALL TOWN IN IOWA WITH A BIG PRISON, AND I SAID THAT MUST BE WHAT INTERESTED YOU IN LAW, YOU SAID NO.

WHAT DID IT?

>> I GREW UP IN A SMALL COMMUNITY, AS I SAID, FROM A FAMILY FARM AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANY LAWYERS, DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE LAW, BUT WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, I WAS SITTING AROUND OUR DINNER TABLE AND TOLD MY FAMILY I WANTED TO GROW UP TO BE A LAWYER, AND MY FAMILY ERUPTED WITH LAUGHTER AND MY GRANDMOTHER SAID THAT'S NOT WHAT WE FRAZIER'S DO AND DEFINITELY NOT WHAT GIRLS DO.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A PERSON MORE PROUD OF ME WHEN I GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL.

YOU WOULD THINK THAT'S WHY I GOT INTERESTED IN LAW.

I THINK IT WAS KIND OF DESTINY.

CHRISTINA: ONCE SOMEBODY SAID THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO, YOU WERE LIKE I'LL PROVE YOU WRONG.

>> THAT'S WHAT MY GRANDMA SAID, SHE SAID THE MOMENT SHE THOUGHT I COULDN'T SOLIDIFIED THE PROBABILITY THAT I WOULD.

CHRISTINA: THAT LEADS TO A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE THAT JUDGES MUST BALANCE HIGH EMOTIONAL STAKES OF CASES, HOW DO YOU INSTILL THAT WHEN YOU'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF STAFF AND JUDGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

>> IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER HOW PEOPLE GET TO THE COURT.

THEY ARE OFTENTIMES IN ACUTE TRAUMA.

FOR THEM, THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT.

THEY PROBABLY TOLD THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY THEY WERE COMING TO COURT OR MAYBE THEY WERE TOO EMBARRASSED TO TELL ANYONE THEY WERE COMING TO COURT.

THAT DAY IS SO MEANINGFUL TO THEM, AND TO US IT'S TUESDAY, AND WE CAN NEVER FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF EACH DECISION WE MAKE, AND WE HAVE TO SHOW UNYIELDING FIDELITY TO THE RULE OF LAW, BUT HAVE TO REMEMBER TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S COMPASSIONATE AND FAIR.

CHRISTINA: YOU'VE CHAIRED AND BEEN INVOLVED WITH SEVERAL COMMITTEES FOCUSED ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

BEFORE WE DIVE INTO WHAT CAN AND CAN'T OR WILL OR WON'T BE INVOLVED IN THE COURT SYSTEM HERE, CAN YOU DEFINE AS SIMPLY AS POSSIBLE, SORT OF THE DIFFERENCE, WHEN PEOPLE HEAR A.I.

VERSUS GENERATIVE A.I.

>> IT'S EVERYWHERE IN OUR WORLD, OUR GOOGLE SEARCHES AND SPELL CHECK, IT'S ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE, IN OUR CAR AND PHONE.

GENERATIVE A.I.

IS CREATING SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE.

IT IS USING A LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL TO PREDICT AND PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE, AND GENERATIVE A.I.

IS WHAT WE'RE ANALYZING AND DETERMINING APPROPRIATE AND SAFE USE WITHIN THE COURT.

CHRISTINA: YOU'RE WORKING ON IDENTIFYING THAT, ARE THERE OBVIOUS ONES OR ANYTHING YOU THINK DOWN THE ROAD THAT YOU WILL USE?

>> SURE, ONE OBVIOUS USE IS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS OUR COURT SERVICES.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY IS COMING IN, AND THEY WANT A DIVORCE, THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING THROUGH ALL OF THE COURT FORMS THAT SAY PETITION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE WHERE, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE A GENERATIVE A.I.

TOOL TO SAY THEY WANT A DIVORCE, EXPLAIN HOW MANY CHILDREN THEY HAVE, WHAT ASSETS ARE, WHAT DEBTS ARE, AND PROVIDE NARRATIVE INFORMATION, AND THAT GENERATIVE A.I.

GUIDED BY A SYSTEM THAT WE CREATE CAN HELP THEM PREPARE THEIR DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED, AND THEN CAN HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE NEXT STEP IN THE COURT PROCEEDING.

SO WE ARE CONSIDERING AND EVALUATING USE AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE.

CHRISTINA: A FEW MONTHS AGO THERE WAS A LOCAL CASE THAT MADE NATIONAL, PERHAPS EVEN INTERNATIONAL NEWS, WHEN A LOCAL WOMAN USED AN A.I.-GENERATED IMAGE OF HER BROTHER KILLED IN A ROAD RAGE INCIDENT, AND USED THAT DURING THE VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU FELT OKAY WITH AND DO YOU THINK WE'LL SEE MORE OF THAT?

>> I THINK WE WILL SEE USES OF THAT IN COURT.

WHEN SOMEBODY IS PRESENTING TO THE COURT DURING SENTENCING, OFTENTIMES VICTIMS OR INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY CRIMES SHARE WITH US WHAT THEY FEEL THEIR LOVED ONES WOULD HAVE SAID, SO IT'S VERY COMMON FOR SOMEBODY TO GET UP AND SAY MY BROTHER WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU.

MY BROTHER WOULD FORGIVE THE DEFENDANT.

IT FELT DIFFERENT WHEN WE HAD AN AVATAR OF THE VICTIM SPEAKING, BUT I HOPE WE ARE PUTTING SOME PARAMETERS IN PLACE SO THAT EVERYONE PROVIDES THE COURT NOTICE IN ADVANCE SO THAT WE HAVE PROPER PROCEDURES TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THOSE TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS IN A MORE THOUGHTFUL AND MEANINGFUL WAY.

CHRISTINA: WE HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT, THIS MIGHT BE TIGHT FOR YOU, BUT IF COURTS BECOME MORE DIGITAL, HOW DO YOU ENSURE THERE'S NOT THAT BARRIER FOR PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE ARE ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.

CHRISTINA: SO THERE'S ALWAYS A PERSON THAT CAN BE TALKED TO.

THANK YOU!

I'M OFTEN TECHNICALLY CHALLENGED.

SO THANK YOU.

PAMELA GATES, PRESIDING JUDGE IN MARICOPA COUNTY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

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CHRISTINA: A NEW STUDY REVEALED DETAILS ABOUT A GIANT PREHISTORIC OTTER THAT ROAMED THE EARTH NEARLY SIX MILLION YEARS AGO.

WHAT CAN IT TELL US ABOUT OUR ECOSYSTEM TODAY?

HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND MORE IS DENISE SU A RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE OF HUMAN ORIGINS.

SUCH A BIG TITLE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

CHRISTINA: YOU ARE AMONG A FEW SCIENTISTS THAT DISCOVERED THIS SPECIES A DECADE AGO, GIVE ME THE NAME, PLEASE AND DESCRIBE IT.

>> SIMULGAIL LIMAMUTERA.

IT WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A WOLF.

SO IMAGINE ENCOUNTERING AN OTTER THE SIZE OF A WOLF.

CHRISTINA: OTTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SO CUTE.

OUR PRODUCER SHANA FISCHER LOVES OTTERS, THIS MIGHT BE DEVASTATING TO HER.

>> MIGHT BE A LITTLE SCARY, I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT WANT TO ENCOUNTER THE OTTER THE SIZE OF A WOLF PERSONALLY.

CHRISTINA: HERE IT IS.

>> THIS IS A RECONSTRUCTION WHAT WE THINK IT LOOKED LIKE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ENVIRONMENT HE LIVED IN AT THE SITE WE WERE EXCAVATING IS A VERY CLOSED AREA, IT'S MARSHY, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ANIMALS THERE, WE HAVE A PANDA, VERY DIVERSE AND LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER BIRDS, AND IT WAS PROBABLY EATING THE MOLLUSKS AROUND, AND OUR MOST RECENT STUDY SHOWED THAT IT WAS SWIMMING, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS.

THIS IS NOT THE BIGGEST OTTER IN THE FOSSIL RECORD.

THERE ARE WAY BIGGER ONES LIKE 300 POUNDS.

CHRISTINA: WOW.

>> IN AFRICA AND ETHIOPIA, ABOUT THREE MILLION YEARS AGO.

THIS IS NOT THE BIGGEST ONE.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS WAS IT SWIMMING LIKE MODERN OTTERS?

AND SO THIS ACTUALLY WAS PROBABLY -- IT WAS SWIMMING BUT WASN'T A VERY GOOD SWIMMER AND IT WAS DIGGING AND PROBABLY DIGGING FOR THE MOLLUSKS THAT IT WAS EATING AS WELL.

CHRISTINA: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHY IT EVOLVED IN SUCH A LARGE SIZE?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

CHRISTINA: WELL, THANK YOU.

>> AND THE ANSWER FOR THAT IS WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE.

FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT TOO MUCH COMPETITION, THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST CARNIVORE IN THE AREA.

OBVIOUSLY THE FOOD IT WAS EATING WAS ABLE TO SUSTAIN ITS LARGE SIZE AND THE LARGE SIZE DIDN'T REALLY GET IN THE WAY OF IT BEING SUCCESSFUL, AND SO YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE REALLY, REALLY LARGE ANIMALS EARLIER IN TIME, AND THEN, YOU LOOK AROUND NOW, THERE AREN'T VERY LARGE MAMMALS TODAY, LIKE GIRAFFES AND HIPPOS AND RHINOS IN AFRICA MOSTLY, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE TERMS OF THE CHANGE IN ENVIRONMENT THAT DICTATED WHAT HAPPENS TO BODY SIZE OVER TIME.

CHRISTINA: WHAT DOES THIS DISCOVERY MEAN FOR FUTURE RESEARCH?

>> WELL, I THINK THIS TIME PERIOD IS REALLY INTERESTING.

BECAUSE SIX MILLION WE WENT FROM A VERY STABLE TIME PERIOD TO ONE THAT IS -- THAT FLUCTUATED A LOT MORE.

IT GOT COOLER, GOT DRIER, THERE'S A LOT MORE FLUCTUATIONS AND SO THIS TIME PERIOD HELPS US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT ANIMALS DO, WHAT ECOSYSTEMS DO WHEN THERE'S THIS LARGE SCALE CHANGE AROUND THEM, HOW DO THEY ADAPT TO IT?

DO THEY ADAPT TO IT?

IF THEY DON'T, THEY'LL GO EXTINCT, AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT HAPPEN IN A LOT OF THESE TRANSITION TIME PERIODS.

A LOT OF LINEAGES DON'T MAKE IT THROUGH.

FOR US TODAY, IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE WE ARE DEFINITELY IN A TIME PERIOD OF A LOT OF CHANGE AND FLUCTUATION, AND SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE ECOSYSTEM THAT WE LIVE IN, AND REALLY THE WAY WE LIVE TODAY?

CHRISTINA: WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS RESEARCH SO MUCH?

>> IT'S SO MUCH FUN.

IT IS A WINDOW TO THE PAST, RIGHT?

IT'S A WINDOW TO WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE, THE POSSIBILITIES THAT WERE, AND ALSO IT TELLS US SOMETHING ABOUT OURSELVES, WHERE WE COME FROM, WHY ARE WE THE WAY WE ARE TODAY.

EVERYTHING BUILDS ON WHAT'S IN THE PAST, AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHY I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.

CHRISTINA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING US BACK IN TIME, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY, I THINK THE OTTER IS STILL CUTE, EVEN THE BIG ONE.

IF YOU LOOK AT FACE, THE FACE IS CUTE.

>> I AGREE.

I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY CUTE.

I JUST PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO MEET ONE.

CHRISTINA: NOT A HUNGRY ONE.

>> NO.

CHRISTINA: DENISE SU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

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CHRISTINA: THE LATEST NOVEL FROM NUMBER ONE "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLING AUTHOR LISA GARDNER HAS AN ARIZONA CONNECTION.

"KISS HER GOODBYE" IS THE LATEST INSTALLMENT IN THE FRANKIE ELKIN SERIES.

THE TITLE CHARACTER IS CALLED TO SOUTHERN ARIZONA TO FIND A MISSING AFGHAN REFUGEE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

LISA WILL BE AT POISONED PEN BOOKSTORE IN SCOTTSDALE TONIGHT.

THRILLED TO HAVE HER JOIN US ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRISTINA.

CHRISTINA: "KISS HER GOODBYE" OPENS WITH AFGHAN REFUGEE IN TUCSON.

WHY TUCSON?

>> I MADE THIS GREAT CONNECTION RANDOMLY.

I HAPPENED TO BE ON A WHALE WATCHING TRIP AND MET A COUPLE FROM TUCSON, AND VOLUNTEER WORK IS HELPING RESETTLE REFUGEES AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AN AFGHAN FAMILY AND LISTENING TO THEM TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES AND WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME UP AND SELF-SUFFICIENT IN 90 DAYS BLEW MY MIND, AND THINGS THAT MAKE ME INTERESTED AND CURIOUS, OTHER READERS WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT.

CHRISTINA: SINCE THE FALL OF KABUL, ARIZONA WELCOMED AROUND 7,000 REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN, AND THEY GO THROUGH INTENSE BACKGROUND CHECKS.

YOU KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND THEY'RE INVITED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COME AND RESETTLE HERE, AND YOU MENTIONED THE 90-DAY, WHICH IS SOMETIMES A NUMBER THAT IS TOSSED AROUND AS THEY HAVE 90 DAYS AND THEY'RE GOOD TO GO, AND IT'S NOT REALLY THAT EASY, IS IT?

>> NO, IT'S NOT.

SOMETHING INTERESTING TO ME, I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT A REFUGEE WAS, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS WRITING A THRILLER IS THE RESEARCH.

AND ONE OF THE FIRST DISTINCTIONS IS YES, A REFUGEE IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEGAL DESIGNATION, SO YES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS WE'LL TAKE SO MANY REFUGEES THAN THE STATES SAY WE'LL TAKE SO MANY, SO THEY ARE INVITED HERE.

CHRISTINA: WHAT DID YOU LEARN IN TERMS OF THE SUPPORT THAT'S PROVIDED AND THE CHALLENGES?

>> SO THERE'S BEEN MANY RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES THAT TRY TO HELP THE REFUGEES AND UNFORTUNATELY, SO MANY OF THE RESOURCES ARE BEING PULLED RIGHT NOW, WHICH WILL JUST MAKE IT MORE COMPLICATED.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME FROM BASICALLY NOW IN THE CASE OF AFGHANISTAN, YOU KNOW, THEIR CULTURE DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE.

COMING HERE, THEY HAVE TO GET A JOB, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

MOST OF US CAN UNDERSTAND THAT CHALLENGE RIGHT THERE.

THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT MALLS AND MASS TRANSITS.

IT IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING.

CHRISTINA: IN YOUR BOOK, IT OPENS WITH LOCAL POLICE NOT EVEN OPEN A MISSING PERSON'S CASE FOR A CHARACTER.

DO YOU THINK THAT HAS TO DO -- YOU TELL ME WHY YOU CHOSE TO DO IT THAT WAY?

>> THIS FEATURES FRANKIE ELKIN, PRIDES HERSELF ON THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS FORGOTTEN.

CERTAINLY IN THIS CASE, THE YOUNG MISSING MOM HAS BEEN IN THE COUNTRY TEN WEEKS, THERE'S NO SUPPORT STRUCTURE, SHE DOES NOT KNOW ANYONE.

SHE'S BEEN RIPPED FROM THE ONLY COUNTRY AND BACKGROUND SHE KNEW.

SHE IS THE EXACT PERSON WHO FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.

WE KNOW HER HUSBAND SOMEWHAT DOMINEERING DOESN'T SEEM INTERESTED IN FINDING HER EITHER.

IS THAT A RED FLAG?

IS HE PART OF THE PROBLEM, BUT ALSO THEY HAVE A FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, WHO HAS ALREADY HAD A LIFE OF TRAUMA, AND AS FRANKIE KNOWS, THIS LITTLE GIRL NEEDS HER MOTHER BACK.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT, IS IT SAVARA?

>> SAVARA.

CHRISTINA: YOU HAVE HER DAUGHTER IN HERE, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOW CHILDREN DEALING WITH VULNERABILITIES AND TRAUMA IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

HOW SIGNIFICANT OF A CHARACTER IS THE DAUGHTER?

>> THE LITTLE GIRL REALLY GREW ON ME.

IN THE BEGINNING I WASN'T SURE.

EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY HAS A GIFT.

THE FATHER IS A BRILLIANT MATHEMATICIAN, THE MOTHER IS GREAT WITH LANGUAGES, AND EVEN THE CHILD IS GREAT WITH RIDDLES, SHE GREETS FRANKIE WITH THE WHOLE YOU MUST FIND THE LOCK THAT HAS NO KEY, FOR THE KEY THAT HAS NO LOCK, AND THAT STARTS TO DRIVE THE REST OF THE BOOK.

CHRISTINA: IS THERE A SEASON OR A MOMENT THAT YOU'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF IN THIS BOOK, OR SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW?

>> I'M ALWAYS TRYING LEARN SOMETHING DIFFERENT WRITING NOVELS.

AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A VERY INTENSE PLOT, THIS IS VERY MUCH A DOMESTIC THRILLER, WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS FAMILY, AND IT'S THE KIND OF ELEMENT THEY THINK SPEAK ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES.

WE ALL WANT A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND WE ALL KNOW THERE'S THINGS WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS THAT GO ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

BUT SOMEWHAT TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD AT THE MOMENT, I HAVE A VERY SPECIAL CHARACTER IN THE BOOK, PETUNIA, THE GREEN IGUANA, THAT FRANKIE IS TRYING TO HOUSE SIT AND I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IGUANAS AND I WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY I'M KIND OF AFRAID OF IGUANAS.

IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS.

CHRISTINA: IGUANAS CAN BE BIG.

>> YES.

CHRISTINA: YOU'VE WRITTEN MANY, MANY BOOKS.

HOW DID THIS, AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO 30 SECONDS OR SO, HOW DID THIS CHALLENGE YOU OR DID IT?

>> GENERALLY I'M WRITING POLICE THRILLERS, I'M INTERVIEWING LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT A PARTICULAR PROCEDURE.

THIS IS INTERVIEWING REFUGEES, SO MANY, TELLING ME THEIR STORIES, AND THERE'S NO ONE EXPERIENCE, NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER, BUT SO MANY HEART BREAKING BUT ALSO HOPEFUL STORIES OUT THERE.

CHRISTINA: AND ON A VERY LIGHT NOTE, YOU ENJOYED A LOT OF FOOD, I KNOW, THERE'S A RECIPE?

>> YES.

I LEARNED TO LOVE AFGHAN FOOD AND PARTICULARLY FERNI PUDDING.

KABUL CORNER.

CHRISTINA: LISA GARDNER AT THE POISONED PEN TONIGHT, I'M CHRISTINA ESTES FOR TED SIMONS.

GOOD NIGHT.

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