InkSpot

Novelwurst

2009-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

If you're a writer, you probably have a work-in-progress (WIP). Heck, if you're a writer, you probably have a dozen WIPs.

After you've completed a first draft, and after putting it aside for a suitable "percolation period," it's time to get busy with the initial round of revisions. (I know many writers edit as they go. If I tried that, I'd never get past the first chapter!)

In other words, it's time to make sausage.

Here's a tiny glimpse into the beginning stage of my sausage-making operation. Sometimes I change the order of the steps or omit a few, but eventually I grind and slice and dice and squish everything together into one tasty hunk of novelwurst.

I begin at the computer, where I...

Spell check. I do this multiple times throughout the process. I don't know about you, but a gremlin lives in my laptop and likes nothing more than to jack with me by adding typos and misspellings when I'm not looking.

Examine/eradicate/change my crutch words. Using WORD's Find and Replace feature, I search for all the words I typically overuse: that, just, maybe, sometimes, pretty, little, smile, nod, exopthalmos (just seeing if you were still with me), etc. I don't get rid of every instance, but I delete a lot of excess verbiage (especially those pesky "that"s that keep cropping up). Sometimes I also search on -ly words (bad adverbs! bad!).

Insert/adjust chapter breaks. Some are "cliff-hangers," some are logical scene endings, and others are based entirely on writer's whim. I re-jigger them so I don't end up with any 2-page chapters or 42-page chapters.

Tidy up transitions. My goal is to get the reader from one scene to the next smoooooothly and (relatively) unconfused.

Pretty-up ugly prose. Tighten, tighten, tighten.

Fill in those ominous XXXs. While writing the draft, I insert an XXX "placeholder" whenever I need a particular name (person, place, thing) but don't know it. Now is when I actually do the research to fill in the blanks.

Work out/refine timeline (see earlier post on A Million Blogging Monkeys). I get a calendar from whatever year/month the story takes place and map out the timeline. This way I can avoid having my characters undertake 36 hours of stuff in a single afternoon--and other embarrassing goofs.

What's next? After I complete all of the above (on the computer), I print out the manuscript and do a hardcopy edit. My eye seems to catch different things when I read on paper. (Plus I like scratching stuff out with a big 'ol red pen.)

Then it's on to read for story flow and character development (I'll leave those details for a future post).

How about you? For those who don't edit as you go, is your process anything like mine, or is it something totally different?

How do you make your sausage?

Alan

Freedom

2009-11-12T04:09:00.003-05:00

G.M. Malliet

There are occasions we can never forget. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and MLK are among the occasions that come to mind.

Occasions where you not only remember where you were, you can never forget where you were, what you were doing, when you heard the news.

But there is a happy occasion that comes to mind, also: the day the Berlin Wall fell, twenty years ago on November 9. The day we woke up, most of us with nothing more pressing on our minds than what to have for breakfast, and saw the amazing images of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Of people cavorting on top of the much-hated, nearly 100-mile-long concrete edifice.

The day communism collapsed in Europe, seemingly overnight.

One day you’d be shot for trying to cross the border (and many did die trying), the next day a giant Oktoberfest was in progress.

No one could believe it. Freedom was as “easy”—and as difficult—as that.

The escape attempts, whether successful and unsuccessful, were heartbreaking. How desperate do you have to be to make a break for freedom with your family in a homemade hot air balloon? To spend months digging a secret tunnel, with the hundreds of occasions for betrayal and discovery? To make a mad and almost certainly suicidal dash across the “death strip”?

By coincidence (having forgotten the 20^th anniversary of this event was upon us) my husband and I visited the Newseum for the first time last week, where as it turns out, part of the Berlin Wall is on exhibit. This, combined with a display of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos, many of atrocities too painful to witness, and the 9-11 exhibit (ditto), provides a powerful one-two-three punch. I would urge everyone visiting Washington, D.C., to take in the Newseum, but bring a handkerchief. The exhibits are among the most potent reminders of the freedoms it is so easy to take for granted—beginning with that writers’ favorite, the freedom of the press.

My turn at this blog is a day late for Veterans Day, but let this serve as a very small tribute to those whose sacrifices let us live without walls, real or imagined.

Berlin wall photo from BBC.co.uk

Diary of an Envious Author

2009-11-10T20:34:00.001-05:00

by Felicia Donovan

My nine-year old friend, Alex, recently loaned me his copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I've watched this series climb up the bookselling charts to hit the number one spot both in adult and children's categories and was ever so curious about it.

An hour and exactly 224 pages later (a quick read, I assure you), I understood why. Author Jeff Kinney has managed to capture the developmentally immature, mischievous antics of socially-challenged Greg Heffley, an angst-driven adolescent who makes life anything but mundane. The stick-like figure cartoons lend hilarity in their sardonic simplicity. It's not often that I find myself chuckling out loud while reading, but when skinny Greg tries to dupe teens out of money, he preemptively asks his out-of-shape friend, Rowley, to teach him some karate moves, "But Rowley said he's a gold belt in karate and he wasn't going to teach his moves to a 'no belt."

Once again, I'm kicking myself in the tooshie for not having thought of writing it first. Angst? You want angst? How about my nightmare of being the fourth child in a line of straight "A" smarties - all of whom had the same teachers. "You are related, aren't you?" Mrs. Allgrove asked as she studied me over her bifocals, mystified that unlike my siblings before me, I couldn't tell a polygon from a polliwog.

Sarcastic whit? Did you not hear that I was President of the Club? Read the t-shirt and buy a clue.

Adolescent hi-jinx? I'll journal my little heart out about skipping classes to go to the beach and thinking we would get caught and be thrown in jail or worse - sent home to face our mothers.

Another great series I coulda, shoulda, woulda written -- if only I'd thought of it first. Hats off to you Jeff Kinney. That's okay, I have an idea for another book about what to and not to eat. My working title is Eat This, Get Fat. It's got bestseller written all over it, don't you think?

New Technology, Not Better Technology

2009-11-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

by Julia Buckley
We have gone through a lot of telephones in my family. Home phones tend to be expensive these days, but they are cheaply made (cell phones are a different category, and they're for another blog post). I'm talking about the landline--the good old house phone which, in our case, has always been mounted on the wall.

But the last few phones we had were so light and insubstantial that if we tried to travel while talking--travel,say, across the room--the phone got yanked out of its moorings and clattered onto the floor. Our most recent phone fell and clattered so often that I indulged in some insane moments, yelling at it while it lay in all its cheapness on our hard wood floor.

These events gave rise to a wave of nostalgia, and I indulged in memories of my 1960s and 70s era rotary-dial phones: big, heavy, substantial and ever reliable, these phones were soon phased out for the newer models, because lighter is better, right?

I was not convinced. I've blogged before about planned obsolescence, and my phone experience put me on that soapbox once again.

This time, though, I followed my nostalgia to Ebay, where I found the lovely rotary model in the photo. I purchased it for ten dollars, and it now sits regally on my desk. It works, by the way, and every time I dial it I thrill to the sound of the dialing disk as it slides back into place.

What if I'm on the phone, but I want to wheel my chair over to the other desk--the one where I pay the bills? No problem. This jumbo telephone isn't going anywhere--and it has nice little rubber feet that help to hold it in place.

So I say hurrah for Ebay and for the chance to reclaim some of the value that has been lost in the age of expediency. I highly recommend my rotary dial, and if you call me, you can bet I'll answer you on that one, and not the little cheapie on the wall.

Support Your Local Library!

2009-11-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

In these tough economic times, more and more stresses are being placed on local libraries, while at the same time many of them are facing budget cuts. People who can't afford to buy as many books are checking more of them out of the library. People who have lost their jobs are using library computers and reference materials to search for new jobs. Also, libraries are serving as community centers, providing meeting rooms to organizations and low-cost or free reading or educational programs for children and adults.

How can you support your local library and assure the services they provide your community continue? I'll list a few ideas, and I'd like to encourage InkSpot readers to submit more ideas in comments. Libraries everywhere need our help and encouragement.

1. Donate used books that you no longer want to your local Friends of the Library organization or to whatever entity at your library runs a used bookstore, with profits going to buy new materials for the library shelves.

2. If a library tax measure is up for a vote in your community, support it any way you can, with a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, a sign in your yard, a contribution to the campaign, personal e-mails to your friends encouraging them to support the measure, etc.

3. Include your library or the Friends of the Library organization in your year-end giving plan. Most libraries have an associated nonprofit organization, or are one themselves, to which you can make a tax-deductible donation. Alternatively, if your library has a donation "wish list" of physical items, maybe you have a file cabinet, printer, bean bag chair or some other item that you no longer need and the library could use.

4. Volunteer a few hours a week in your library to shelve books, read to children, decorate a bulletin board, make database entries, or do whatever needs to be done. As library funding shrinks, so does the staffing, and volunteers can help fill some of the gaps.

5. Serve on a library committee to plan special events such as local author signing days or an all-city-reads program. And, you can even bake cookies or provide other refreshments for such an event. I serve on the committee for the Pikes Peak Library District's annual Mountain of Authors program, which aims to connect local authors with potential readers in the community. My connections with fellow local authors are useful in planning programs and inviting speakers. If you're an author, this is an area where you can really contribute.

6. Another area where a writer can contribute is in encouraging teen writers. If your local library doesn't have a teen writing critique group, start one. If they do, offer to talk to the group about writing or writing business how-tos. I've given presentations to the teen writing group at my library branch about tools for character development, how to write a query letter, markets for teen-written short stories and poetry, and other topics. I find working with enthusiastic teen writers to be a lot of fun!

7. Avid readers can volunteer to run a book club at your local libraries, possibly focusing on a particular genre or a theme, such as "world travelers" . I've discussed my mystery books with general and mystery-oriented book clubs at various Pikes Peak Library branches, and while some are managed by librarians, others are run by volunteer organizers.

8. Join your local Friends of the Library organization and volunteer for their projects, many of which might be included in the above list. Or, serve on the Library Board as a community liaison.

9. If you're an author, donate a copy of one of your books to the library and volunteer to put on a reading or discussion program by yourself or with other local authors.

10. USE your library! Get a library card and check out books, movies, and other materials and talk to your friends and neighbors about how useful the library is to you.

I'm sure InkSpot readers can come up with lots of other ways to support your local libraries, so chime in, folks!

What Do You …Or Will You…Do?

2009-11-05T06:44:00.002-05:00

How many social or business events have you attended where someone asked, “So what do you do?” Most people respond by talking about their job and maybe segue into their hobbies. Years ago, my answer would have been, “I’m the Human Resources Director at… or I work in Marketing at …” For seven years, I said, “I’m a stay-at-home mom.” During those years, depending on how exciting my day was, I might also have answered, “I’m the laundry frau.” I doubt many children aspire to be that. I know I didn’t.

But now I’ve published my first novel, and I can say, “I’m a writer.” I never said that until I signed my publishing contract. I feared if I did people would ask if my book was finished yet or when it was going to be published and I would feel pressure. Since I wrote for my own entertainment, I didn’t want any pressure. I didn’t want to feel like I was failing in some way when I was so excited about all the words I put on paper. I didn’t want to feel like the woman who says, “We’re trying to have a baby” because, let’s face it, it’s the kind of goal either ultimately achieved—or not.

Last month, I left my family (something I hate to do) to attend Bouchercon for four days and promote For Better, For Murder. Socializing was different there. Most people could tell from the bookmarks sticking out of my name badge that I was a writer—okay, author. No one started a conversation by asking what I do or about my interests. Readers, librarians, writers, and authors abounded. Popular authors drew crowds.

During my last hour of the conference, I realized one of my preferred authors, Harlan Coben, was standing behind me, talking with some readers. When I got home, I checked out his web site and his list of appearances. He spent March in Begium, France, and New York. April in California, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, D.C., West Virginia, Florida, and Scotland. May in England. My first thought was the man’s an international sensation and a real star. Then I wondered, did he have to be away from his wife and kids for all that time? Then I read the statement at the top of his appearance list: “Any requests should be directed to Harlan's publicity people—Harlan does not choose where he goes.” And I thought, are you saying Harlan’s given up control of his life?

Days later I read an online story about Kenny Rogers. A man paid him $4 million dollars to sing “The Gambler” at his birthday party. Who wouldn’t accept that gig? According to the story, Kenny sang it twelve times. When the man asked a thirteenth time, Kenny drew the line. Me, I would have folded after three to four requests.

So what would you give up to be an international sensation and a real star? And where would you draw the line?

Is H1N1 Worthy of the Hype?

2009-11-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

I feel qualified to answer this question because as this is being posted, I am on Day 4 of this flu. In many ways, it’s like any other flu. There’s a fever, sore throat (that soon develops into a nasty, wet cough) and muscle aches.

After the first two days, it doesn’t feel as severe as it did during those initial 24 hours, but it also doesn’t seem to let up. I had Mono once in high school and this flu reminds me of Mono because I’m tired all the time. If I fold a load of laundry I have to rest afterward. If I write a paragraph I have to rest afterward. This blog post will set me back days!

My son also has H1N1. (That's him dressed as Swine Flu Indiana Jones) He was diagnosed on Halloween and the doc said, “No trick-or-treating for him.” Yeah right. I could not do that to the kid. He’s a six-year-old boy. Running around taking handouts of free candy is his idea of heaven. How could I deny him? I didn’t. I made him wear a mask, had my husband ring the doorbell and collect the candy, and refused to let him near another human being. Did he still have fun? Heck, yes! He got 80 pieces of candy and told me it was the best Halloween ever!

I think the media has spun this illness beyond the bounds of reality. I know adults and children alike have lost their lives from this flu and that others have had some major scares (the children of two friends had fevers reaching 104 degrees. That’s scary!), but is this flu really worse than other strains? Does the fear do us any good?

Perhaps I’ll answer my own question by saying that our public school phoned last week with a recorded message detailing exactly how our children should be washing their hands (warm water and soap – can you imagine?). I had my son listen. Afterwards, he went into the bathroom and followed the recording’s steps. When he emerged, he proclaimed, “Now when I pick my nose my boogies taste like lemon.”

And that’s how he got H1N1! Anyone out there had it? Do you think it’s worth the hype?

Halloween Sluts

2009-11-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Let me take this blog down a notch, away from writing and toward the gutter. Halloween was this past Saturday. Love Halloween, always have. Is there a connection between enjoying a holiday based around subterfuge and disguise and being a mystery writer? I dunno. Let’s say there is, and that I was the first one to point it out.

But that’s not why I’m writing. I’m writing because I’m the mother of a bright, beautiful, funny, clever 11-year-old girl, and when we went costume shopping, all the costumes were some version of “Halloween Slut”: naughty nurse, candy corn concubine, wanton witch. Want to portray a strong, interesting character? Too bad. You’re a girl. Strap on the fishnets and get to work.

My daughter bucked it all and made her own Penelope costume, based on the pig-nosed girl character in the movie. She was warm, and she got to smile a lot because she didn’t have to worry about her belly hanging out or her skirt being too short. But can’t we as a culture do better? Can we boycott the short, tight, mono-boob-creating female costumes and embrace creativity on this of all holidays?

By the way, I was an elven warrior, and I meant it. Tell me what your favorite costume was this year so we can carry those warm thoughts with us right up until next Halloween.

The Where of a Story

2009-11-02T08:06:00.006-05:00

Cricket McRae

One of the definitions of cozy mysteries is that they are set in small towns, or at the very least communities small enough to limit the number of characters. Think retirement homes or resorts.

My books, whether I like it or not, are classified as cozies. I insist on calling them contemporary cozies so I don't feel guilty about the occasional bad language or sexual reference. I also address issues like suicide, depression and alcoholism, which once caused a potential blurber to offer me his (polite) refusal rather than the hoped for pithy cover endorsement.

Now, I'm not interested in addressing the whole question of whether "cozy" is a negative appellation or how to define the subgenre. That's been covered ad infinitum on other blogs, DorothyL, etc., and I don't need to add to that particular fray. In fact, this is the last time you will read the word cozy in this post.

Thank God.

Because today I'm thinking about how setting affects story. And here's why: My books are set in the small town of Cadyville, Washington, which is based on the real town of Snohomish, Washington. But my protagonist is originally from the town I now live in which is located in northern Colorado. Well, a fictionalized version of that town. And in the fourth in the series, Something Borrowed, Something Bleu, I bring Sophie Mae back home for a visit.

I thought it would be easy. After all, I live here. How hard could it be?

Pretty darned hard, it turned out.

In the triumvirate of character, plot and setting, setting generally comes in last despite its importance. You can't have a story without a plot, or without characters to enact that plot. Can you have a [good] story without setting? I won't say absolutely no, but it would be quite rare.

Think about the movie Deliverance. Not for too long because I don't want you to get creeped out and move on to the next blog on your list. Could that movie be as effective if it were set in an English village? Or Miami? What about Lord of the Flies set in a sleepy mid western town?

Maybe. Dropping character and plot into an unlikely setting is a way to shake things up or make a point. Romeo and Juliet has been told in countless ways in different settings. And with different characters, for that matter. Hamlet as well. But The Tempest requires the original setting. Midsummer's Night Dream does, too.

I've always enjoyed weaving setting into a story. Description adds depth and atmosphere and evokes the senses, and I love finding just the right telling details. Perhaps writing a series allowed me to get lazy, though. Not in terms of describing setting, but in terms of having to define that setting over and over. The house, the weather, the town of Cadyville -- all are so thoroughly ingrained in my psyche by now that I no longer create details, I merely share them. Of course there are new and different settings in each book, but the basics have remained the same for the first three.

As a reader, consistency of setting is comforting. I'm instantly grounded. Plop me down in Nero Wolfe's brownstone, and I can find my way around. Take Jessica Fletcher out of Cabot Cove and start jetting her around the world, and the show jumps the shark. (Yes. I watched Murder She Wrote. It was about a mystery writer, and I'm not apologizing.)

So it was tricky, getting that sense of the familiar in an unfamiliar place to work in Something Borrowed, Something Bleu. I think I pulled it off, but time will tell. Or rather, my readers will, when it comes out next spring.

What role does setting play in your writing -- and reading?

Inkspot News - October 31, 2009

2009-10-31T10:27:00.004-04:00

Beth Groundwater will appear at the Lake George, Colorado library on Saturday, October 31st from 2:00 – 3:00 pm. The address is 37900 Hwy 24, Lake George, CO 80827.

Martha Cheves reviewed Beth Groundwater's book, To Hell in a Handbasket, at her "A Book and A Dish" blog (http://marthaskitchenkorner.blogspot.com/) and posted Beth's recipe for yummy Fruitcake Cookies in time for holiday baking.

No, Really. Authors Aren't . . .

2009-10-30T03:31:00.001-04:00

By Deborah Sharp

This month marks a year I've been able to officially call myself a published author. Since my mystery series debuted with Mama Does Time (Midnight Ink, Oct. 2008), I've done more than 50 appearances, attended several conferences, and engaged in numerous conversations about writing with the average Joe (and Jane).

As a former reporter, I'd never want to make sweeping pronouncements about how things are always one way or another. But I can safely say most people have no clue what life as an author is really like. So, in the interest of accuracy, here are a few things authors are not (at least not many of the authors I know):

They're not getting rich.

They're not jetting all over the country on book tours paid for by their publishers.

They're not magically channeling a muse, with words flowing from their fingertips without sweat.

They're not eager to read the 600-page manuscript your mom just loves.

They're not eager to edit that same 600-page manuscript.

They're not interested in turning your story into a book. If it's a good one, you should write it.

They're not always able to explain where they get their ideas.

They're not withholding the secret to getting published. It's a combination of skill, perseverance, and dumb luck.

They're not coasting after they finish a book. They're probably promoting the previous one or starting the next.

And the No. 1 thing that authors are not: Ever, EVER tired of hearing nice things about their books.

So, how about you authors? What's your favorite misconception? Readers, what discovery about an author or writing has surprised you?

Notarize My Book?

2009-10-29T00:27:00.002-04:00

By Sue Ann Jaffarian

By day I work as a paralegal in a law firm in Los Angeles. Mornings, evenings, and weekends I don my author cape and crank out mysteries. But lately, my two careers have started overlapping. Perhaps this post should really be called “When Worlds Collide.”

It’s wonderful in a weird sort of way. Like the time I called the California Secretary of State’s corporate division and identified myself as Sue Ann Jaffarian, paralegal with XYZ. The woman on the other end paused, then said: “Did you know there’s a writer by that name? Are you related?” When I told her I was both the paralegal and the writer, she told me how a friend had turned her on to my books.

Then there was the time our attorney service, the company that files our corporate documents all over the nation, called me and said when one of them ordered a book from Amazon, one of my books popped up as a recommended purchase. “Is that you?” they asked.

Or the day I called another paralegal at another firm to discuss some documents. I identified myself as I usually do and was met with the usual pause, followed by a skeptical, “You are not.” Yeah, I am. My identity confirmed, the next question was, “Why are you still working?” Um, because I’m addicted to food and shelter?

Please know that situations like these don’t happen every day, but they do happen often enough to warm the cockles of my heart and inform me that people are, indeed, reading my books. At least people involved with the California paralegal community.

I am also a California commissioned Notary, and I must have mentioned that fact somewhere in my travels because recently I received an e-mail asking me to perform a notarization. Since I don’t offer notary services to the general public, the request stymied me. The woman turned out to be an avid reader of my books and really did need a notary. Remembering I was one, she thought it would be cool to have me perform the service and have my signature* on her document, complete with my official seal. I politely declined, informing her that I only provided notary services in the course of my job with the law firm. She was disappointed, but understood.

To me, it was way cooler to be asked, than for her to have me perform the service. Trust me – WAY COOLER. It's something I'll never forget.

When have your worlds collided? Is it a good or a not so good thing?

*By the way, my signature is not the same as my autograph. Just thought I'd clear that up.

www.sueannjaffarian.com
www.sueannjaffarian.blogspot.com
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A Snapshot of Photo, Snap, Shot

2009-10-28T08:27:00.003-04:00

In Photo, Snap, Shot (the third book in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series), Kiki's daughter Anya stumbles over the body of a dead teacher at school. While Kiki worries for her child's emotional health, Detective Chad Detweiler has a more pressing concern. He fears that Anya might have actually seen the killer, even if she doesn't realize it. Despite all Kiki's carefully constructed plans to avoid Detweiler, the two must work together to solve the crime--and the cost to the detective is higher than Kiki could have ever imagined.

At the root of their investigation is a century old St. Louis tradition, the Veiled Prophet.

There are two theories about the Veiled Prophet and its origins, which date back to 1877. One suggests that the celebration was an attempt at civic boosterism with the good intentions of reviving the St. Louis economy after the damages wrought by the Union army during its occupation of the city. The brothers Slayback looked to their former home of New Orleans for inspiration and for floats and decorations to bring to Missouri. The veneration of young white maidens from prominent families was a central portion of the celebration, but it was also a way for a secret society including the hooded members of the “Order of the Veiled Prophet” to pledge their familial support as the Veiled Prophet, dressed much as one might imagine a Roman god, descended from his lofty throne to choose the Belle of the Ball and present her with a pearl necklace.

Another version reveals a more oppression and unsettling picture of the city, a strike of fifteen hundred workers--mainly African American--paralyzed the city.

In response to this show of strength, business owners of St. Louis countered with their own citizens’ militia parade which was essentially a show of armed power. From this public display came the impetus to create an annual extravaganza designed to make perfectly clear that the elite of the city had the upper hand. Thus the Veiled Prophet was born.

To grasp the import of this happening, you have to imagine the times. There were no television sets, no radios, no color photos, no video cameras, no computers, no cell phones to capture and share images. Indeed, most of life was a hardscrabble, dreary attempt at making ends meet. But at twilight on October 8, 1878, a crowd of thousands gathered by torchlight to watch the waters of the mighty Mississippi River. A cry went up. Rockets exploded. A band began to play. Eyes strained in the fading light to watch a barge make its way slowly to the shore. From that vessel arose a lavishly costumed figure. The Veiled Prophet had arrived to favor St. Louis with his blessing. Once seated on a colorful float, the Prophet and his court were pulled by a phalanx of prancing horses past a cheering throng lining the streets of St. Louis

As part of my research into the event, I purchased a 1946 copy of Life Magazine. Inside is the article "Life Goes to the Veiled Prophet's Ball: St. Louis Society turns out for its biggest event." According to Life, three hundred thousand people lined the streets of St. Louis to witness the parade "but only 12,000, almost all dressed in expensive gowns and formal dress, saw the climax of the affair in the Kiel auditorium, where homage was paid to the Prophet and the year's Queen of Love and Beauty was crowned."

An early image of the Prophet sends chills up the spine. The "regal" figure is robed in flowing white robes and a pointed white cap with slits cut for peep holes. Until the 1980s, this was subsidized with public funds.

Read more about it at http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2000-06-28/culture/behind-the-veil/

The Prophet still reigns over St. Louis. The year I finished Photo, Snap, Shot, I learned that the sister of one of my son's friends had been crowned Queen of Love and Beautry.

Photo, Snap, Shot will be released in May 2010, in time for National Scrapbooking Day. I'm busy planning my Kiki Lowenstein World Tour which will take me from the DC area to as far west as Iowa, maybe even Colorado. As a result, I'm taking a hiatus from blogging for InkSpot. I invite people who wish to follow my progress to visit me at two other blogs http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com/ and http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/

Pinning Down Your Best Ideas

2009-10-27T00:10:00.000-04:00

I’ve started work on my next mystery. Beginnings are the favorite part of the process for me. Brainstorming is exciting and at the beginning of the manuscript, the possibilities seem endless.

For this WIP, I’ve gotten quite a few ideas and can see several possible storylines. I’ve got victims, killers, and suspects---far too many of each, actually.

I’m not complaining. I can definitely use more than one victim and probably even more than one murderer. But I need to commit and then use the extras for a future book.

So I’m looking at my scrawled notes. These are some of the things I’m thinking about:

Which potential characters are most charismatic? Which would I have the most fun creating storylines around?

What locations would the bodies naturally be found in, depending on the plot? Which ones tie in my sleuth in the most natural way?

If my sleuth isn’t tied in by her proximity to the crime, is there a character and plotline that would get her connected to the murder?

Which victim makes the most sense—how many people want to get rid of him or her?

Do any clues and red herrings come quickly to mind with the different plot scenarios?

Is there one plot scenario that seems stronger than the others?

If would be nice, actually, if there were a reality show where characters and plots vie for spots in the novel—who gets voted off the show each week? The winners get parts in the book.

How do you nail down which storyline to pursue in your WIP?

Elizabeth Spann Craig
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com

Road to Publication City

2009-10-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

There are many routes to Publication City. Here's one:*

At the beginning of your journey, the road appears daunting, almost impassable. So many other travelers, so many obstacles, so many turns and switchbacks and dark tunnels to negotiate.

You embark and work hard, honing your craft, pouring your story out. Word by word, sentence by sentence, chapter by chapter, it takes shape. S-l-o-w-l-y. You might take a writing class or workshop; you might join a critique group to help you from getting lost. Whatever works for you.

Be sure to ignore all the stalled and abandoned vehicles on the side of the road. Keep your eyes on the destination ahead.

You press on, undeterred.

Finally, you approach Milepost One - a finished first draft. Traffic is still heavy here, but a good number of the fast starters never made it to this point, for whatever reason. You celebrate this achievement, because frankly, you weren't sure you were going to make it this far, either.

Now you enter the revision leg of the trip, and the road becomes winding and treacherous. Signage is confusing and often contradictory. Which direction should you go? What turns should you make to stay on the right track? Expect to run into dead ends along the way and encounter scores of other writers, all going in various directions, some fast, some slow, many in endless circles. You check in frequently with your critique group to keep from wandering too far afield.

After many weeks (or months or years) traveling Revision Boulevard, you've completed a finished, polished manuscript. Congratulations on reaching Milepost Two! (Go ahead, celebrate again. In fact, take every chance you can to celebrate.)

The trek continues. Up ahead, you see a gigantic bottleneck--people trying to merge onto the Snare-an-Agent exit. (You can take a detour here to avoid the masses, but be warned: the alternate routes are bumpy and the bridges are often washed out.) You write a query. Then rewrite it. After thirty or so rewrites, you figure it's ready. As you query agents (widely), you inhale exhaust fumes from thousands of others stuck in the same gridlock. Unfortunately, it could take a long time to get your wheels moving again. Some never do.

But your persistence pays off and you sign with an agent at Milepost Three (Yahoo!). She buckles into your passenger seat and directs you into the HOV-Agent lane of Submittal Highway. There aren't as many vehicles, but for some reason, no one is moving very fast.

With a lot of patience and persistence, you are fortunate to reach the all-important Milestone Four: SALE!

You breathe a big sigh of relief and celebrate.

Next, you abandon your car for a seat on your publisher's train. (Hey, this is my convoluted extended analogy, and if I want to mix cars and trains, I will. Now pipe down, unless you want me to turn this thing around and head back home!) Your editor-conductor tells you to sit back and enjoy the ride--he knows the way and he'll get you to your destination safely. No longer do you have to fret about which way to go. (Save your energy, there are plenty of other things to worry about!)

So you sit back and watch the milestones go by: an editorial letter, a shiny cover, the listing on Amazon. Inclusion in your publisher's catalog. Your bookmarks. Galleys, ARCs, reviews, interviews--the mileposts blur. But it's all good. And since you're no longer driving, you can concentrate on mapping a route to your next destination: Promotionville. Of course, in your spare time, you might want to pull out the laptop and get to work on your next manuscript.

After all, you want to take this crazy trip again, don't you?

Alan**

Footnotes
*For your enjoyment (and as a change of pace), this post is written in second-person.
**All this talk of mileposts reminds me that today is my birthday.

10 Things From Boucehrcon

2009-10-23T15:01:00.012-04:00

1. The insecurity of going to a conference by yourself fades away quickly when you see old friends.

Buddy Marcus Sakey

2. It's a good idea to stay out your room and in the traffic of people even if you're having bouts of introvertism.

3. People you see a handful of times of years can feel just as close (maybe more) than people you see all the time.

4. It is a thrill to give a panel and then come out and see a line of people waiting for you to sign their books.

The Old School Duffy shirt design

5. Giving away Duffy t-shirts and Out Cold beer koozies was a fun idea and not silly like I feared.

My new best friend, reviewer Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts

6. Always, always, always bring extra books. I was sold out of sixty books on Friday and kicked myself the rest of the weekend.

7. Whether you're tired at night or not you should stay in the bar as late as possible. More connections are made there than any place else.

8. What a gas it is when people come up to you and say they love your books.

9. Having friends like the Jordans, Joe Konrath and Bob Ward make it easy to meet a ton of other people.

10. I think it is good business to go to Bouchercon but I think I do these things because they're fun. I think it is a gas to hang out with writers. I think it is an even bigger gas when people think that I belong in that fraternity.

No Rest for the Wicked

2009-10-22T13:44:00.012-04:00

Returned from the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention Sunday night to find myself on the cusp of launch week for Smasher.

So that evening I had to come up with a posting for the marvelous Criminal Minds blog where I'm a guest this week.

Monday morning I spoke to Therese Poletti of MarketWatch who was working on a story about a Silicon Valley entrepreneur-turned-thriller-author. (Story here.)

Then came the big event -- the launch of Smasher at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park. I had no clue how many people would show, but in a fit of bravado two months ago I'd taken the over on an over/under wager of 100. Of course, by Tuesday afternoon, I was wringing my hands with concern about attendance. I managed to win the bet when 105 friends and readers showed up to listen to me drone on about where the ideas for Smasher came from and why I love being a novelist. (Below is the view from the lectern.)

I worked with Abigail Johnson, one of Silicon Valley's top PR people, to put out a press release (click here) on how being an entrepreneur prepared me for life as a writer.

Yesterday I drove the 100 miles to Davis for a "sign and greet." The manager said she would order 20 books. I showed a false sense of confidence when I told her I could sell more. We bet $1 on my selling 30. Thanks to my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and his boss, I won that bet, too. Whew. (The drive went quickly; I listened to the great Michael Connelly's newest, Nine Dragons.)

Tonight I'm going to be at A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland. Two dozen more events in the next month. What an endurance test! I'm excited!

But Words Will Never Hurt Me?

2009-10-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

by Felicia Donovan

"Sticks and stones may break my bones,

but words will never hurt me..."

Growing up, that adage was ingrained in me by my mother to ward off children on the playground who may have had comments about my geeky penny loafers or later on, to assure me that the teens teasing me about being so studious could be disregarded.

I never bought it.

Sticks and stones are an awful way to settle any conflict, but as an adult I've come to realize that words can, indeed, hurt. Words can hurt very badly, in fact. I have many friends who bear the scars of words that cut deeply into their hearts by people who knew them well. Just ask any couple who has every gone through a bad breakup who may have, in the heat of the moment, launched a verbal assault at their significant other. I've lost count of how many friends have reiterated, verbatim, the exact words that were hurled at them by their former lovers when tension rose to an untenable point...and they still remember those words years later.

As writers, we understand the value of words. They can bring us to laugh, to cry, to experience joy, to re-experience a wonderful memory - but they can also cut to the core of who we are by those who know us most well. And once they are out, they cannot be taken back.

Consider your words. Whether writing or speaking, consider the value of each word and the impact it has on the other person. Sticks and stones can, indeed, break bones, but words are often what leave the deepest scars and take the longest to heal.

Have words ever hurt you?

Back from Bouchercon - October 2009

2009-10-20T03:05:00.004-04:00

by G.M. Malliet

My apologies for the quality of the photo at left, which looks as if it were taken underwater. I have a few more from Bouchercon over here at Facebook, mostly featuring the lovely display of attending authors' book covers by the wonderful Sisters in Crime of the Indianapolis area.

I am generally too busy at Bouchercon to do more than race around and catch up with as many people as I can, and taking photos doesn't always happen. Running into people like Peter Lovesey, Sue Grafton, and Michael Connelly tends to make you forget you're carrying a camera in the first place--you're just too much in awe. But I did have the presence of mind to take the photo above, which is from the hugely popular agents and editors panel. From left to right are Joshua Bilmes, Michael Pietsch, Keith Kahla (M), Kelley Ragland, and David Hale Smith reporting on the state of the mystery genre.

Their news, I am happy to report, is on the positive side. I'll get to the negative in a minute. But editors Ragland and Pietsch (Minotaur and Little, Brown, respectively) report that, bad economy or no, they're still buying books to feed what seems to be the public's never-ending appetite for entertainment, mysteries in particular. Kahla (St. Martin's Press) and agent David Hale Smith agree--things are looking fine, and good books are still finding a home.

What no one is entirely sure of is the effect eBooks will have on the industry, but as one panelist mentioned, paperbacks were at one time viewed as the End of Publishing As We Know It, and we somehow survived that.

Joshua Bilmes, although agent to Charlaine Harris of the hugely successful Sookie Stackhouse vampire books, admits to being a bit of a pessimist nonetheless. He is more cautious than his colleagues, not only about how eBooks, when they really catch on, will affect profits, but the effect of illegal (or legal) filesharing on profits. If people can download a book for $10 and then share the same book with five or fifty friends, Bilmes wonders how that can fail to hurt the bottom line for authors and publishers. Is it different from or the same as friends in a book club, for example, sharing the same book to save money?

Your views on the pros and cons of the eBook revolution? (I used to think the fact that eBooks can't be signed would save us, until someone recently asked me to sign the cover of their Kindle reader.)

Lost City: Another Mystery of History

2009-10-19T00:00:00.002-04:00

by Julia Buckley

The legend of the lost city of Atlantis is rooted in the writings of Plato. In his dialogues Timaeus and Critias, Plato presents the island of Atlantis as a naval power which ultimately faced a day of terrible battles and simply sank into the sea. It was understood in Plato's time to be entirely fictional, but in the Middle Ages the legend was resurrected by the Humanists and became the subject of discussion and writing. Nowadays, scholars and archeologists tend to place Atlantis, once again, firmly in the realm of the fictional.

However, that doesn't preclude the idea of other lost underwater cities, and Friday's Science Daily reported that scientists have found the oldest submerged town in existence--a town which is remarkably well-preserved, considering that it is 5000 years old. The city, located off the southern coast of Greece, is intact, complete with a large central gathering hall. Mr Elias Spondylis, Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture in Greece, says that “It is a rare find and it is significant because as a submerged site it was never re-occupied and therefore represents a frozen moment of the past.”

This sort of mystery--a mystery of history which must be solved by people donning scuba gear and carefully uncovering what 5000 years had kept hidden--is perhaps the most fascinating of all.

Look at this You-Tube clip of one of the archeologists from the University of Nottingham (with a delightful Scottish accent) explains the features of the site and shares its wonders.

Pretty amazing, eh? What's your favorite mystery of history?

photo link here.

Beth Groundwater Joins InkSpot!

2009-10-16T00:10:00.000-04:00

Since this is my first official post on Inkspot after signing my 2-book contract with Midnight Ink and joining my fellow "Inkers" at this blog, I thought I'd introduce myself and my new mystery series. You can always find out more about me and my writing by checking out my personal website and blog. Also, I'm at Bouchercon this weekend, so if you are, too, come up and say hi! If you comment on this post, I'll reply after I get home.

The photo shows me on July 4th (hence the red, white & blue outfit) in Breckenridge, CO signing the two books in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series published by Five Star Publishing. I love my state, and I enjoy using real Colorado locations in my fiction. A Real Basket Case is set in my hometown of Colorado Springs, To Hell in a Handbasket is set in Breckenridge, and the new Midnight Ink series will be set in Salida, Colorado.

My new Midnight Ink series will be the Mandy Tanner river ranger series. The first book, Wicked Whitewater, is slated to be released in the first quarter of 2011, and the second, which I'm currently drafting and have tentatively titled Evil Eddies, will be released in the first quarter of 2012. Mandy is a 27-year-old seasonal river ranger with the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, the most popular location for whitewater rafting and kayaking in the United States. She's single, struggling to make ends meet, and might just be in love.

River rangers, like Mandy, are usually whitewater rafting guides who take additional training to become rangers, and I met quite a few while researching the series. If they discover a dead body in or near the river while on patrol, they become part of the investigative team with the detectives in the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office, though the Sheriff's Office retains primary responsibility for solving the case. Thus this series will be a hybrid of the amateur sleuth and police procedural genres. I'm a fan of the work of C.J. Box and Nevada Barr, and my hope is that my new series will marry the wilderness settings and ranger/warden lifestyles of those series with the thrill of running roiling rapids.

I was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s, running whitewater rivers in the eastern US in an open-boat canoe stuffed with flotation bags before I settled down to raise a family. I'm still fascinated with flowing water. My husband knows that if we drive alongside a whitewater river, I'll be leaning out the car window, reading the water, assessing if it's deep enough to be run, and if so, what line I would take. I have enjoyed reacquainting myself with the river rat subculture and its updated boating equipment while researching the Mandy Tanner river ranger mystery series. And, of course, I never turn down the chance to take a whitewater rafting trip! I enjoy Colorado's many outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, and biking as well as whitewater rafting, so sometimes it's hard to sit inside and write.

I'm thrilled to be a part of the Midnight Ink publishing family and an InkSpot blogger. I have a feeling I'm in for wild ride!

How Do You Define True Friendship?

2009-10-15T04:27:00.000-04:00

My son came home the other day and shared something he’d heard on the bus: “Friendship is like peeing your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel it.”

This peculiar and somewhat amusing statement started me thinking about friendship and looking up different definitions. In my 1976 American Heritage Dictionary, the first definition of a friend is “a person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.” The 1977 Webster’s New World Dictionary first defines a friend as “a person whom one knows well and is fond of.” Wikipedia says, “Friendship is the cooperative and supportive relationship between two or more people.” Hmmm. Perhaps friendship is not so easily put into words.

When my children were little and learning about stranger danger, we talked about who were our friends. At that time, I defined a friend as anyone who had been in our home or whose home we had been in. That was simple enough for a child to understand, but after further consideration, not a definition to stand the test of time. Just recall the flap over Obama’s visit to the Ayers’ home and the ramifications during his presidential campaign.

My first childhood friend was Judy. We were in the same grade in elementary school, and we both had curly brown hair. In fact, people often confused us because we looked quite a bit alike. Sadly, Judy’s family eventually moved to the next town. We still got together for a while; then, as often happens, our get-togethers ended. But I still remember her with fondness. Just seeing her picture makes me smile.

Now my dictionaries are dated and definitions may have changed. I wonder how many ways future editions of American Heritage or Webster’s dictionaries will define friends and friendship. Someday, will a friend be defined as a person one exchanges “tweets” with or a person one links to on Face Book? I have a dozen or so “friends” on Goodreads.com whom I know nothing more about than what they’ve read or plan to read. At least we all share a mutual interest in reading and Goodreads.com.

I like to read about different friendships. Mystery series in particular often have friendships—or sidekicks—woven into the stories. Stephanie Plum has Lula; Myron Bolitar has Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win). Even loner Jack Reacher has his band of ex-military police buddies who appear when he calls them. These characters do not always choose the same course of action or share the same beliefs, but they always support and respect one another’s choices and beliefs.

For me, true friendship is an intricate balance of respect, trust, mutual values and interests, shared experiences, loyalty, fondness, and acceptance. That’s the kind of friendship that never moves away. And it doesn’t come along everyday.

How about you? Do you remember your first friend? What fictional characters’ friendships do you enjoy? How do you define true friendship? And don’t tell me it’s the person who buys enough books for you to sell through :)

The Last Chapter

2009-10-14T11:29:00.001-04:00

After months of writing, it is time for the last chapter. For me, this time is always a mixed bag of emotions. I have been working at a frenzied pace for a month, writing seven days a week. I’ve stared at the computer screen until I’ve seen double, but couldn’t let go of the plot’s building crescendo.

The last chapter is like a descent from a mountain. One should do it slowly—adjust to the feeling of breathing 100 % oxygen again. I can never do this successfully. I race to the end, take a quick breath, and then leap into revisions. This is mostly due to the deadline hanging over my head, but one day I’d like to savor the moment of the last sentence.

The last chapter also means that the book is about to leave the author’s hands. It will be read by a team of people who then share their thoughts and opinions on everything from the title to the plot to the setting. And the author isn’t present.

From there, the editors get to work. They question line after line of writing and as the author answers the questions and makes changes, the book begins to change. Sometimes radically! Usually these changes are for the better, but it’s like sending your Kindergartener on the bus in the morning only to have him return from school that afternoon as a 4^th grader. It can be startling.

So this is the week of the last chapter. This week, the book truly belongs to me. I’ve given it the best of me for the last six months. I’ve shaped it and agonized over it and cursed it and laughed at it. These 85,000 words, these characters I love, this product that has filled my days and my thoughts is mine.

At least until Friday at five o’clock.

Have you ever had trouble letting go of something you made?

Whose Kids Are Those? by Jess Lourey

2009-10-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Bouchercon 2009, coming this Thursday and lasting through Sunday, marks the end of my September Fair book tour. Those who know me, particularly those who rely on me for love, food, and shelter, refer to my book tours as "Mom's Crabby Time," a period where I’m so busy I forget what my kids look like and what my nice voice sounds like.

Yet despite the personal and financial cost, I continue to go on book tours. Here’s why:

I want my series to do well.
I value my publisher, Midnight Ink, and I understand the risk they're taking by publishing my novels and what they expect of me in terms of pushing the product.
I like to see people who like my books.

But because I have a full-time job, two kids, and a partner who likes it when I occasionally acknowledge him, I now specialize in the "Work Smarter not Harder" style of book touring. It hasn't always been this way. With May Day, published in March 2006 and the first in the series, it was more of a Monica Lewinsky approach, where I was trying to please everyone. Not anymore. And I’d like to share with you the nuggets of efficient book touring I’ve picked up:

Choose library engagements rather than bookstore booksignings. Libraries pay and in my experience, draw a larger crowd. And they always let you sell your books.
Plan multiple booksignings in a single day. Three in one day, nine in a weekend is my record. I totally gave that weekend over to booksignings, which was exhausting but allowed me to schedule family time the rest of the week. And once you’re in signing mode, I say go for it.
Contact local media at least three weeks before each signing. If you don’t have a great publicist like me, do this yourself. I’ve done it before, and they’re almost always grateful for a light news story. Only one signing in my two-month tour was not accompanied by a newspaper article or radio or television interview.
Support your indies. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because they are the people who will handsell your books. A tiny store in northern Minnesota sold over 40 copies of September Fair the month it came out, and it’s because I connected with the owner. In my experience, booksignings are as much about making friends with the staff as they are about landing a new reader or two.
That said, I always hit a couple B & Ns and Borders. It’s easier to get publicity for those, and B & N CRMs are some of my favorite people out there.
Put writing on hold while on book tour, and keep the book tour to a limited span. You may disagree with me on this one, but I think writing and promoting run counter to each other, and it’s best to focus on one or the other. That’s why I keep my book tours to two months and turn down almost every request that doesn’t fall in that time period.

That’s about all I know for sure. Let me know if you have any questions about the above, or tips of your own to add. Hope to see you in Bouchercon!

Black Frost

2009-10-12T00:08:00.000-04:00

Cricket McRae

Actually, the frost is white, but it blackens all but the most cold hardy plants. The leaves on the cottonwoods haven't even turned yellow yet, but we've already had snow and temperatures cold enough to delay the Rockies/Phillies playoff series by a day.

The change was somewhat abrupt, but that's the way things go in Colorado. Learn to roll with it, or move.

So green tomatoes are piled in bowls and stacked in baskets to ripen. Beets, potatoes, carrots and leeks hide in the root cellar and braided onions hang in the basement pantry next to jars of pickles and dried herbs and honey. Below them rows of acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash await on shelves. Pots of parsley, rosemary, basil and thyme march down the window sill, adjusting to their sudden move indoors. The big freezer in the garage overflows with beans, broccoli, corn, peppers, chard, tomatoes -- and an eighth of a Charolais cow.

Soup's on the stove. Bread's rising. Deer are pawing through the thin crust of snow in the front yard to get at the fallen apples.

And the urge to write rides under my skin, a constant itch.

Sometimes writing is fun. Sometimes it's a job. You have to show up and do it, and if your muse deigns to ride along, all the better. But there is something about this time of year that affects my creativity in a primitive, visceral way.

In The Midnight Disease, Alice Flaherty examines writing mania. This time of year I feel I've caught hypergraphia like some kind of yearly flu.

Chunks of time are like candy. I play with ideas, wallow in words. In Sue Ann's post last week she related how this intense love of writing stays with her, drives her. It is not always the case for me. Oh, I love it all right, but it does not always sound this siren song.

I wonder what it is about this time of year that hits me so squarely in the creative plexus. Could it be related to all those years of facing back-to-school time? The feeling is familiar. Or perhaps it is an offshoot of my uber-nesting, the stocking up for cold weather. I do, after all, write about colonial home crafts. One activity is bound to feed the other. I can only hope that the stockpile of ideas and projects will get me through the winter.

Does this time of year affect your creativity? Your writing output?