HORSE SAYINGS and JUST FINE THE WAY THEY ARE

Today I have a couple of interesting books to share with you. Both would make lovely gifts.

HORSE SAYINGS by Bradford G. Wheler

Almost every kid falls in love with horses and wants one in their early life. Some outgrow the desire, others don’t.

If you love horses, HORSE SAYINGS: WIT & WISDOM STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH by Bradford G. Wheler is a must have for your library.

This is a collection of beautiful and thought-provoking horse-related quotations from various people throughout the world and from different eras.

Each quote is accompanied by a gorgeous drawing, illustration or photograph depicting horses and their environment. Author Bradford G. Wheler has compiled the works of 61 artists and photographers from all over the world for this collection.

The book also contains a unique and fabulous painting by a most unusual artist. Not to give away the surprise, but the artist creates paintings that could be of himself. It’s a book about horses, think about it then check out this website www.ArtistisaHorse.com

According to the publisher, this book has two goals in mind: “first, to honor and highlight the horse through text and artwork, and secondly, to showcase talents of new and emerging artists who focus on creating horse art.” I think they have accomplished both goals beautifully.

One of the quotations in the book has become a favorite of mine. “A good man will take care of his horses and dogs, not only while they are young, but also when they old and past service.” … Plutarch, (46-120)

HORSE SAYINGS is a great book for any horse enthusiast.

Horse Sayings: Wit & Wisdom Straight From the Horse’s Mouth by Bradford G. Wheler, BookCollaborative.com Publications, @2011, ISBN: 978-0-9822538-3-0, Paperback, 134 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

JUST FINE THE WAY THEY ARE 

by Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge

Trying to explain to young children how we have progressed from horse-drawn wagons to where we are today can sometimes we difficult.

Author Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge has created a wonderful teaching tool in the form of her new book, JUST FINE THE WAY THEY ARE: FROM DIRT ROADS TO RAIL ROADS TO INTERSTATES. This delightful book is aimed at upper elementary school readers.

The story begins with tavern keeper John Slack who is upset with two senators that want to build a National Road that will come right by his business. He doesn’t want the improved road because wagon drivers will no longer get stuck in the mud and have to stay overnight at his establishment.

From there the story follows 200 years of improvements to our transportation system that some people wanted, while the others didn’t. Each stage of the development has those who are happy with things just the way they are.

The story line is beautifully illustrated by Richard Walz. The rich illustrations bring the characters to life and give depth to the story.

JUST FINE THE WAY THEY ARE can be a fun reading book for youngsters or used as a teaching guide. The book includes a timeline, a bibliography, websites and places of interest to visit.

Author Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge’s website is http://conniewooldridge.com/

Just Fine The Way They Are: From Dirt Roads to Rail Roads to Interstates by Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge, Illustrated by Richard Walz, Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills Press, @2011, ISBN: 978-1-59078-710-6, Hardcover,  32 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES by Jussi Adler-Olsen

A riveting tale of suspense, THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES is told from two viewpoints and begins five years apart.

In 2002 Merete Lynggard was a young, rising political star in Denmark. While a bit controversial, everyone seemed to like her. She cared for her younger brother who was unable to speak. He had been severely injured in a car wreck that had also killed their parents. One day on a boat ride with her brother, Merete disappeared.

At first there was speculation that her brother had pushed her overboard. Some believed she committed suicide, while others thought she just ran away. In the end it was listed as an accidental drowning and the case went cold since her body was never found.

Five years later an ambush leaves one officer dead, one permanently paralyzed, and one who no longer seems to care as he doubts his abilities.

Once Copenhagen’s best homicide detective, Carl Morck has now been assigned to head up Department Q. The department consists of Carl and a custodian, Muslim immigrant Assad, who turns out to be more like a partner half way through the story. Department Q, housed in the police headquarters basement, is given cold case files of ‘special focus’ to solve.

Not really caring, Carl selects Merete’s case from the stack on his desk. As he begins to dig into the case, with great assistance from Assad, he starts to care bit by bit. He finds unanswered questions and unchecked leads in the original case.

Author Jussi Adler-Olsen takes the chapters back and forth between Merete in 2002 and Carl in 2007. Readers learn Merete has been kidnapped and held prisoner in a small cell. It’s also discover that Merete is still alive in 2007, but will soon die as her kidnappers have a set date for her execution. She has devised a way to take her own life and deprive her kidnappers of killing her in the gruesome way they have planned. The closer Carl and Assad get to finding out the truth and discovering Merete, the more panicked her kidnappers become.

This psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath, hoping Merete is found before the clock runs out. While you may be able to guess the kidnappers identities, the author still has a few twists at the end to get your pulse racing. It’s a roller coaster ride till the very end.

The characters are compelling and the story flows smoothly despite jumping back and forth. Switching between past and present sets the reader on track for the two realities to collide in a dramatic conclusion. Merete is a strong, determine woman who has a fierce love for her brother. Carl is a dedicated, but burnt out, detective burdened with guilt over the outcome of the ambush. Assad is a colorful sidekick with a hidden past that could hold endless possibilities. For a touch of humor there is also Carl’s stepson who needs severe discipline; a zany tenant who has a most unusual collection; and Carl’s wife who prefers to live with her latest fling but won’t give him a divorce.

This is a gripping, fast-pace story on its own, but I would highly recommend the audio version. Narrator Erik Davies does a wonderful job of bring these characters to life. Hearing the lovely Danish names and phrases spoken by Davies’ accent is an added bonus.

THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES is the winner of the prestigious Glass Key Award given to top Scandinavian crime writers. Originally titled, THE WOMAN IN THE CAGE (and also MERCY), this is the first installment in the Department Q series and Adler-Olsen’s debut into the US market. I hope we can expect the other installments in this series very soon.

Author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s website is http://www.jussiadlerolsen.dk/

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, A Department Q Novel, Read by Erik Davies, Penguin Audio, @2011, ISBN: 9781611760354, 13 Discs, Listening Time: 15½  Hours

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

*Author Elizabeth Edmondson was scheduled to guest blog today but due to sickness in her family, she was unable to. We hope to be able to reschedule her post as soon as her family member is better. Please send healing thoughts to her and her family. Thanks so much.

Do you enjoy reading psychological thrillers?

Author Artie Van Why On The 10th Anniversary of 9/11

Today is the 10th anniversary of a devastating tragedy that has forever changed the lives of millions and the way of life we once knew in the US. My special guest today is Artie Van Why, author of THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER which chronicles his personal experience of 9/11. He worked across from the World Trade Center and was there in the streets that morning.
 
Artie is here to share his thoughts on the days leading up to this anniversary.
 
My emotions have been all over the map these past weeks as the anniversary gets closer. I'm very aware of the unwarranted pressure I have put on myself in regard to how I personally observe that day. Try as I might, there's really nothing I can do that would be enough in my mind's eye. So I've tried to do what I can; when I can. I have done a number of interviews (for newspaper, radio and TV) which I'm grateful for. It still, to this day, means so much to me to be able to tell my story. I spoke to the whole student body of a high school here in Lancaster, PA on Sept 9.
 
In spite of these opportunities I have felt strongly about being able to do something significant on the anniversary itself. For me, that means being able to witness to the memory of that day. It means sharing what the struggle has been like in the years since 9/11. I guess you could compare it to a eulogy. I just feel the need to acknowledge the day, and my place in it, publicly. Not for the attention, or to make it about me.... although I guess there's a selfish element since doing it would cause me to feel better. But when I try to think of what I can possibly do to honor the memory of those who died, my words are all I have to offer.
 
I'm grateful that my play, from which my book is adapted (also titled That Day In September), was performed on Saturday, Sept. 9, as a benefit for the WTC Survivors Network (an organization that has been very helpful to me). I participated in a talkback afterwards, along with the actor who played me. But that still leaves me with the need to speak on the actual anniversary. I don't know how to convey the importance of that to me.
 
And now that the anniversary is approaching, it seems everyone wants to talk about it. I have very mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, I'm grateful for the nationwide recognition of the day but on the other hand it angers me that it takes an anniversary for people to show interest. I understand that... but I also know that, come Monday, Sept. 12, no one will be asking me to tell my story as they have now. It's as if people will say "okay, that over. Now let's move on." I'm certainly all about moving on. But moving on doesn’t mean forgetting. I won't "forget" 9/11 like the majority of people will after the anniversary. Or rather I'll say they won't be consciously aware of it as I (and other survivors) am. There is not a day that goes by where I don't think of 9/11. I know there will never be enough tears to cry over the horrors I witnessed that day.
 
I’m fortunate in that I will be able to speak at a memorial ceremony that is taking place here in Lancaster on the anniversary. I will be able to deliver my "eulogy." In spite of having my book that people can read; or my play that people can see; there is still the need to talk about that day and my experience of it. Each time I’m able to do that I feel as if I’ve honored the memory of all those who died. It is, for me, a lying of flowers on their collective gravesites. I’m grateful I’ll be able to do that on this anniversary. It is my way of saying “I have not forgotten.”

Artie, thank you for sharing your story with us here today. We must not forgot, but hopefully be able to heal somewhat and continue for those who can’t.

Let me share a bit of background on Artie. Two months after that fateful day, he quit his job of 13 years and spent the next two years developing a one man theater piece (also entitled That Day In September). He performed this in LA and Off Broadway in New York. He moved to Lancaster, PA in 2003 to be closer to his retired parents. That move was a direct result of having lived through 9/11 as family became very important to him. Once in Lancaster, Artie adapted the script and published THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER as a book in 2006.  

Artie’s experience of 9/11, and how it has affected his life in the years following, is featured on the website of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to commemorate the 10th anniversary. The story behind the writing and publishing of his book is included, as well as a video of Artie talking about 9/11 and events that have followed for him. He was also interviewed for That Marketplace on NPR.

For more on Artie and his writing, you can find him on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/ThatDayInSeptember. THAT DAY IN SEPEMBER is available at Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble  

Here is a book trailer for THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER.
 

 
Do you have memories of 9/11 you would like to share? Thank you for stopping by today. God Bless America, may we continue to grow stronger each day. 

The Perfect Suspect and Train Dreams

Ever get tired of reading books from the same genre all the time?

I wouldn’t say I get tired of reading them, I just find I don’t seem to have as much enthusiasm when I read too many back to back. I enjoy the variety of switching from one genre to another. It makes each read more refreshing to me. 

With that in mind I have two completely different style books to share with you today. The first is a novel of suspense and intrigue, while the second is a novella of poignant fiction almost a memoir.

THE PERFECT SUSPECT by Margaret Coel

Reading a murder mystery, the reader tries to discover the killer’s identify before the author reveals it near the end of the book.

With THE PERFECT SUSPECT, author Margaret Coel has given readers a new challenge. She reveals the killer at the start and keeps readers guessing how and when the killer will finally be caught.

Here’s the blurb that sparked my interest: A scream renders the early morning quiet of an upscale Denver neighborhood when David Mathews, the wildly popular candidate for governor, is found murdered. It quickly becomes a high-profile homicide and local investigators are pressured to make an arrest. When David’s estranged wife, Sydney, is arrested for first-degree homicide, journalist Catherine McLeod receives an anonymous phone call from a woman who claims she saw the real killer leave the scene of the crime and it was not Sydney. Because the caller is afraid to confide in the police, Catherine risks her career—and her life— to uncover the truth and find another witness who can identify the candidate’s real murderer: Detective Ryan Beckman, the lead investigator in the case.

 

Pitting a reporter against a murdering detective leads to suspense, intrigue and a gripping story. The author’s writing is smooth and flowing as it draws you further into the plot with the turn of each page. While you know who the killer is, it’s a fascinating story of cat-and-mouse as you guess how the killer will finally be brought to justice. The twist at the end may surprise you.

The story deals with three independent women who face life’s adversities in very different ways - the killer, the reporter and the witness. Two of the women, McLeod and Beckman, are strong and determine. It’s a case of good, evil and one trying to do the right thing.

THE PERFECT SUSPECT is a sequel to BLOOD MEMORY, but is a stand alone read. 

The Perfect Suspect by Margaret Coel, A Catherine McLeod Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 978-0-425-24348-0, Hardcover, 304 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

TRAIN DREAMS: A NOVELLA by Denis Johnson

TRAIN DREAMS begins with the attempted murder of a ‘Chinaman’ in the American West before the turn of the 20th century.

Young day laborer Robert Grainier has joined with some of his fellow workers who are attempting to throw a Chinese worker off a bridge for allegedly stealing. The man breaks free while screaming at the men in his native language. Grainier feels certain the ‘Chinaman’ has cursed them all.

From there the story follows the few triumphs and many defeats Grainier faces throughout the course of his life. He works as a logger, a bridge builder, and as a freight hauler. He loses his wife and baby daughter to a great fire that sweep the area just hours before he returned from a logging job.

The novella tells of various people and situations Grainier encounters. It tells of the harsh life many faced. It also tells of how the landscape of the west changed, as well as the changes the people experienced. It talks of Grainier’s first airplane ride, his seeing the world’s fattest man and his encounter with the ‘wolf girl.’

The story is rich in history and Will Patton’s powerful narration adds great emotion to the story. Patton gives each character in this tale great depth.

TRAIN DREAMS is a short audio, but well worth listening to. The characters will stay with you long after the story ends. 

Train Dreams: A Novella by Denis Johnson, Read by Will Patton, Macmillan Audio, @2011, ISBN: 9781427213778, Unabridged, 2 CDs, Run time: 2½ hours

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER by Artie Van Why

Most of us can still remember where we were on the morning of September 11, 2001, while others can never forget.

Author Artie Van Why is one such person. He was working in the office building across from the World Trade Center on that faithful day. He came out of his building to find out what was happening only to see people jumping to their death in front of him. As he and hundreds of others ran from the area, he encountered people that remain with him today.

THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER is the story of Van Why’s journey beginning with his move to New York, the tragedy, its aftermath, and how he continues to heal.

Van Why details his thoughts and feelings the morning of Sept. 11. He vividly recalls the events that went on around him during those terrifying hours that morning. He tells of how he and the city responded when faced with such destruction. He relays how it felt to be in the city in the days that followed. He doesn’t describe himself as a hero or a victim, just as one who was there and survived.

Weeks following the crash, the city tried to return to some sort of normal routine. Van Why describes how the devastation continued to haunt him and how he learned to deal with those feelings as he began to truly live his life.

Though this book deals with the tragic loss of life and a world as we knew it, it is also a story of inspiration and healing. It’s a story of one man’s determination to carry on after the tragedy and live his life to the fullest as a tribute to those who lost their lives. He will never forget and will always remember how precious life is.

Author Artie Van Why can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ThatDayInSeptember

That Day in September by Artie Van Why, Van Hughes Publishing, @2007, ASIN: B001201BQY, Kindle Edition, 135 KB

FTC Full Disclosure - This book and it was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Please join me on Sunday, Sept. 11, (the 10th anniversary of this tragedy) when author Artie Van Why will be guest blogging to tell more of his story.

Mysterious Postcards Reveal Children Of Paranoia

Photo Credit: Kevin Trageser

I was introduced to author Trevor Shane and his current release, CHILDREN OF PARANOIA, through a series of mysterious postcards a few months ago.

Trevor is here today to answer some questions about his first novel, CHILDREN OF PARANOIA, and his writing.

First, here’s a brief synopsis of CHILDREN OF PARANOIA: Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn’t fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides — one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away.

Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he’s one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he’s sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away.

Before Maria, Joseph’s only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the war. . .is leaving it.

Mason - CHILDREN OF PARANOIA has an intriguing plot. What inspired this book?

Trevor - Different aspects of CHILDREN OF PARANOIA were inspired by different things. The original inspiration was to create a world where the main character can kill a woman he doesn’t know in the first fifteen pages of the book without making him the bad guy and without resorting to simplified concepts of good versus evil. I wanted to write an action thriller centered around some real life ambiguity. I am also just a big fan of what I call paranoia fiction (books like Catch 22, Blindness, Darkness at Noon and so many others). At the same time, family and what the characters are willing to sacrifice (or not sacrifice) for family play and important role in the book and those parts were inspired by things that were happening in my personal life while I was writing CHILDREN OF PARANOIA. I pretty much find that, when I’m writing, a little bit of everything that I know and everything that I am experiencing at the time slips into my work.

Mason - How did you go about doing research for your book?

Trevor - My research has really been limited to small factual tidbits in my stories. That’s mostly because the stories themselves come primarily from areas where I already have a lot of knowledge. I’m not saying that this is always a good thing; it’s just how my brain works. The best example of that is the different areas where CHILDREN OF PARANOIA takes place read much like a travelogue of places I’ve lived or spent a lot of time. I’ve lived in Brooklyn, New Jersey, Montreal and Washington D.C. My grandfather lived in Naples, Florida. My father lives in Charleston, South Carolina.  

So, what I end up researching are facts that I try to use to make certain scenes more realistic, like how many bullets certain types of guns hold or the actual impact that a silencer has. My goal there is to take this crazy concept of a centuries old, underground, secret War that is central to CHILDREN OF PARANOIA and make everything within that crazy world as realistic as possible. A lot of times, doing this research is fun (though I don’t know what I would have done before the Internet existed).    

Mason - Do you see research as a fun part of the writing process or just as something that is necessary?

Trevor - I think that it’s important to get things right. You have so much leeway as a fiction writer to create but your readers will really rebel if you mess up something that is purported to be based on fact. Readers can accept the fact that your main character has been trained since the age of sixteen to be an assassin in an underground war but the minute he shoots the seventh bullet out of a gun that only holds six bullets, you’ve lost your credibility with a lot of those readers. That being said, if you don’t enjoy the research that you’re doing, that boredom is going to come across in your writing. If the research doesn’t interest you, then I think you’re in trouble from the get go.     

Mason - Of all the authors (past and present) you enjoy reading, has any one (or more) been an influence on your writing?

Trevor - I think a lot of the writers that I read have influenced me, though I think the influence is more as a storyteller than as a writer. I’m not really sure where my writing style really comes from, other than within. Some of my favorite writers include Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut and Ernest Hemingway. I will say, however, that from the ages of eleven to about fourteen, the only author I read was Stephen King. While I enjoyed his horror books, what I really loved was his more conceptual fiction including works like The Long Walk (which I still think is the best thing he ever wrote), The Body and The Running Man (which is nothing like the cheeseball movie they turned it into). Those books had such a profound effect on me when I was a kid that I still see myself drawing on them today, over twenty years after having first read them. I would love to have that type of impact on someone else one day.

Mason - What can readers expect next from you?

Trevor - CHILDREN OF PARANOIA is the first book in a trilogy. Dutton is publishing the entire trilogy. The second book (currently titled CHILDREN OF THE UNDERGROUND) is set to come out next fall and the third book should come out in the fall of 2013. While the three books make up one larger, overarching story, I hope that they each stand on their own as well. Each book will focus primarily on a different character. For those who have read the first book, the second book really belongs to Maria.

Trevor, thanks for guest blogging today. Your take on research says a lot. If you’re bored with the research then it goes to reason that the writing will be boring too. It’s hard to make something interesting if you don’t find it interesting yourself. Wishing you much success with your trilogy.

Trevor lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son. For more on Trevor and his writing, stop by his website, www.childrenofparanoia.com

What are your thoughts on research? If you’re a writer, do you research minor details or just the major ones? As a reader, could you overlook such details as a gun that was shot seven times but should have only carried six bullets?

The postcards:

Author L.J. Sellers: Writing Habits of a Thriller Author

Award-winning journalist and author L.J. Sellers makes a stop at Thoughts in Progress on her virtual blog tour with her latest book, THE ARRANGER, a futuristic thriller which is scheduled for release tomorrow. She is also offering a free e-book copy of her release.

Here’s a brief look at THE ARRANGER: The year is 2023 and ex-detective Lara Evans is working as a freelance paramedic in a bleak new world. She responds to an emergency call and is nearly killed when a shooter flees the home. Inside she finds the federal employment commissioner wounded, but she's able to save his life.

The next day Lara leaves for the Gauntlet--a national competition of intense physical and mental challenges with high stakes for her home state. She spots the shooter lurking in the arena and soon after her contest roommate turns up dead. Who is the mysterious assailant and what is motivating him to kill? Can Lara stop him, stay alive, and win the Gauntlet?

Thanks to L.J. and the good folks at Nurture Your Book Tours, I can offer 1 e-book copy of THE ARRANGER. Be sure to check the end of the post for giveaway guidelines.

Now L.J. is here to talk about the ‘writing habits of a thriller author.’

Readers often ask how I develop my stories, whether I work from an outline or wing it, and when I do my writing. In a nutshell, I outline first, then write a rough draft without editing, and do most of my writing in the late morning and afternoon, with a goal of 2,000 words a day when I’m producing the first draft. 

Yet because my stories are complex (and usually mysteries) my process is also very complex and purposeful… some would even say “anal. “ Here’s what it looks like: 

1. Create an outline. Once I have a basic story idea—comprised of an exciting incident, major plot developments, and overview ending— I start filling in the details. I typically structure my outline by days of the week, then key in the basic events/scenes that happen each day, noting which POV the section will be told from. For police procedurals and thrillers, in which everything happens in a short period of time, this seems essential. Some people (like Stephen King) tell you not to outline, that it ruins creativity, but I disagree. So I fill in as much detail as I can at this point, especially for the first ten chapters and/or plot developments.  

2. Write out the story logic. In most suspense novels, some of what happens before and during the story timeline is off page — actions by the antagonists that the protagonist and reader learn of after the fact. Many of these events and/or motives are not revealed until the end of the story. I want to be able to convey to readers how and why it all happened, so I map it out—all the connections, events, and motivations that take place on and off the page. Bad guy Bob knows bad guy Ray from prison. Bob meets young girl at homeless shelter. Young girl tells Bob about the money she found . . .

3. Start writing and beef up the outline. As I write the first 50 pages or so, new ideas come to me and I fill in the rest of outline as I go along. I continue adding to the outline as I write, and by about the middle of the story, I have it completed. 

4. Create a timeline as I write. A lot happens in my stories, and my mysteries usually take place in about six to ten days. Even for stories with a longer timeline, I have parallel stories or POVS with overlapping time frames, so I keep the timeline filled in as I write the story. That way I can always look at my timeline and know exactly when an important event took place (Wednesday, 12 noon: Lara goes into the Puzzle). It’s much faster to check the timeline than scroll through a 350-page Word document. The timeline keeps also me from writing an impossible number of events into a 24-hour day, and it keeps my parallel stories in a logical time frame.

5. Keep an idea/problem journal. I constantly get ideas for other parts of the story or realize things I need to change, so I enter these notes into a file as I think of them. (Ryan needs to see Lexa earlier in the story, where?). I keep this file open as I write. Some ideas never get used, but some prove to be crucial. Eventually, all the problems get resolved as well. Until recently, I used the Notebook layout feature in Word so I could keep the outline, timeline, notes, problems, and evidence all in the same file, using different tabs. Then I bought Scrivener and used it to write THE ARRANGER. The process is still the same, only more convenient. I love this software and can’t wait to use if for my next mystery.

 

6. Update my character database. This step applies mostly to my Jackson series, but Lara is an overlapping character so I had to add information while I wrote THE ARRANGER too. Overall, as I write, I enter each character name (even throwaway people who never come up again) into the database, including their function, any physical description, or any other information such as phone number, address, type of car, or favorite music. Now, when I need to know what I named someone earlier in the story or in a previous novel, it’s right there in my Excel database (Zeke Palmers; morgue assistant; short, with gray ponytail). For information about how to set up a file like this, see How to Create a Character Database. 

 

Now that I’m self-published, my writing is a small business and I treat it that way. I have a production schedule in which I’ve mapped out a timeline for the next three novels. I have a target completion date for the rough draft and the second draft, and for when the manuscript goes to beta readers, the editor, and the e-book formatter. So I plan launches and book tours and buy promotional spots six to eight months in advance. My goal for now is to write and publish a new novel every five months or so.

L.J., thanks for guest blogging today. Your system sounds impressive and very efficient. I can see where the timeline and character database would be most helpful and decrease the time of having to go back and re-check elements.

L.J. mentioned her Jackson series. She is the author of the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/suspense series: THE SEX CLUB, SECRETS TO DIE FOR, THRILLED TO DEATH, PASSIONS OF THE DEAD, and DYING FOR JUSTICE. Her novels have been highly praised by Mystery Scene, Crimespree, and Spinetingler magazines, and the series is on Amazon Kindle’s bestselling police procedural list. L.J. also has two standalone thrillers: THE BABY THIEF and THE SUICIDE EFFECT. 

When not plotting murders, she enjoys performing standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. She’s also been known to jump out of airplanes. For more on L.J., check out her website at L.J. Sellers, Mystery/Suspense Novelist, she blogs at Crime Fiction Collective, and she can be found on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/LJSellers

Now for the giveaway guidelines. I have one e-book copy of THE ARRANGER to giveaway. Comment on L.J.’s post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Sept. 15, for a chance to win. Be sure to include your e-mail address if it’s not included in your profile. Remember, the giveaway is open internationally.

If you’re a writer, do you have writing habits you follow? If you’re a reader, what are your habits when you’re reading?

Cruising Toward Love Featured

It’s my pleasure today to feature, CRUISING TOWARD LOVE, the latest release by author Christi Barth.

Want to end the summer with a funny, sexy romp through the Caribbean? Of course you do! So dive into the pages of CRUISING TOWARD LOVE. Here’s a blurb to get you started. If you really want to get your feet wet, there’s another excerpt below the banner.

Can an unexplained breakup and ten years of heartache be cured by the romance – and endless buffets – of a tropical cruise? When her sister is left at the altar, small town librarian Zoe Balis jumps at the chance to take the bride’s unused ticket for the honeymoon cruise. But she didn't count on sharing a cabin with the man who broke her heart ten years ago!

Army medic Nate Hyatt never told Zoe goodbye when he enlisted - or the real reason why he dumped her on prom night after a year as high school sweethearts. And he never stopped dreaming about the girl he left behind. Could this voyage be his chance to fix the worst mistake he ever made? After all, a Caribbean cruise should be romantic… if he can convince her to move past ten years of bitterness and hurt. 

Once aboard the luxury liner, Zoe befriends a bored Internet mogul with more heart than tact. Nate vents his problems to a ship’s photographer battling PTSD. The four team up on an island hopping treasure hunt. The stakes grow higher with each of Zoe’s mysterious brushes with death. They race to discover why she's a target and who's behind it, while still competing in the treasure hunt. Zoe’s never gotten over her first love, and is tempted to let Nate back into her life. But she already lost him once. She’s not willing to risk loving a man whose career keeps him in a combat zone. Can Nate breach her defenses and suture her broken heart? Grab a deck chair and see if they survive the stormy relationship seas as they cruise toward love!

 

"Did you stop kissing me because you weren’t enjoying it? You see, I’ve dealt with the first time you rejected me, when you left all those years ago. There’s no need to rehash the past. But I don’t think I could bear you rejecting me a second time. So I have to know—did you not take me to bed the other night because I didn’t turn you on, or was it because I somehow wasn’t good enough at it?"

The world stood still while she waited for his answer. Zoe focused on the squawk of sea gulls and the muted slap of the surf at the base of the wall. The lyrical lilt of Spanish from the group of teenagers passing by. A low buzz which must be some exotic insect in the shrubbery along the path. Every sound in her immediate vicinity rang with absurd clarity—except the sound she waited on with bated breath—Nate’s reply.

"If you still don’t want me, just say so, damn it!" she burst out.
Was it anger that hardened the lines of his body? Disinterest? Annoyance? Zoe couldn’t get a read on him. Nate advanced slowly. She backed into the turret, the space tight and cramped even for her stature. Built for the far shorter men of an earlier century, Nate had to duck his head as he edged ever closer. His sheer presence commanded as much area as his physical body. Something, some emotion rolled off him in waves, shimmering like heat above asphalt on a summer day. Why couldn’t she tell what was going on in his head?

"The sky is blue," said Nate, his face separated from hers by only a breath.

Huh? "Is that a military thing? Are you talking in code?"

"The sun rises in the east. Play with fire and you’ll get burned. These are all absolute truths. Indisputable facts. Well, there’s one more absolute you need to file away in your mental card catalog."

Nate brought the lower half of his body so close Zoe felt the heat radiating from his legs. Despite the heat, her goose bumps had goose bumps. The anticipation of his touch brought her every sense to high alert. He raised his arms up, planted his hands on either side of her head to cage her in place. Then he tilted so his forehead bumped hers. Her field of vision narrowed to the indigo sea of his eyes, pupils flooding black in the shaded darkness of the narrow turret they shared.

"I want you, Zoe." He forced the words out in a heavy rasp. "I wanted you the day we met. You wore a red ribbon in your hair, dropped a stack of books on my foot, and apologized adorably for ten minutes. All I could think of was wrapping the ribbon around my hand to pull you in for a kiss. I wanted you the first time we kissed, on the bridge in a storm. One by one, I licked off every raindrop that clung to your skin. I wanted you when I saw you covered in mud last Friday. Wanted you badly enough to crawl right into the mud to be with you. I want you now, and I will always want you."

Zoe let her eyes flutter shut in preparation for a kiss. Such a heartfelt, utterly romantic speech could only end one way. Just as whipped cream hungered for a cherry, his words demanded to be topped off by a kiss. She didn’t care about the past. With a handful of sentences he’d put her insecurities to rest. Nate dazzled her, and she was ready for more.

What was taking him so long? From beneath her lashes she snuck a peek. No Nate. Hoping the knees he’d melted to jelly would hold her, Zoe scrambled out onto the dirt path. Twenty strides ahead, Nate bellowed at her over his shoulder. "Hurry up. We don’t want to miss the reading of the clue." 

From confusion to relief with paper hearts dancing overhead...right back to confusion, all in less than five minutes. Zoe trudged after him with one thought uppermost in her mind—now what?

For more on author Christi Barth, CRUISING TOWARD LOVE and her other books, stop by her website, Christi Barth. On Friday, Sept. 9, she will be at Desert Island Keepers for an interview and on Wednesday, Sept. 14, she’s visiting Carol at Under the Tiki Hut for an interview. 

Celebrate The Holiday!

 

I would like to wish everyone who celebrates the holiday a safe and Happy Labor Day. For those who don't celebrate, may you have a safe and joyous day just the same.

Stop by tomorrow for a spotlight on Christi Barth's newest release, CRUISING TOWARD LOVE.

Explore Or Pusillanimous?

How is it possible to be both an explorer and scared of your shadow at the same time?

Watching my cats (Gum Drop and Little One) yesterday, this thought came to me. For the most part, cats are curious creatures by nature. Everyone knows the saying, ‘curiosity killed the cat.’ They like to explore, especially boxes. They examine everything very carefully, smelling, touching.

But in the same moment, they will jump a foot in the air if something moves unexpectedly. Sometimes the least little noise or movement will cause them to jump, crouch down, or run away and hide. This is where the saying, ‘scaredy cat’ comes into play.

Are we like that in our own lives without realizing it? Are we explorers who take that first step only to stop afraid of what will happen with the next movement?

For the writer this can be especially true. Writers face many difficult questions and decisions when preparing their writing. Then there are long, tedious changes to their work before they are ever ready to submit their manuscript for publication.

For many of us, we are the explorer who has our feet firmly planted in concrete. We love the freedom reading gives us. We can travel the world and outer space, meet realistic and mythical friends, and learn about various occupations all from the comfort of our favorite chair. While we may have thoughts for plots, we never go any further with the ideas. We tend to lack the courage or resolve (pusillanimous) to try our hand at creating. We wait for others and know soon there will be another great adventure written for us to tackle. We are the explorers of books, the written word of others.

I appreciate and am in awe of those who take the next step, then another, and another until finally a book is published. They are truly adventurers even if they do feel a bit scared in the beginning.

Where do you stand? Are you an explorer without fear? Are you a bit timid at first, but push ahead anyway determined to reach your goal? Or do you prefer for others to blaze the trail while you provide support?

*Side Note: Thought it a bit odd, but I could find no antonym for explorer or adventurer.

Around The World

Have you ever thought about where your words go?

I know it sounds like an odd question, but just how far do our words travel once they are placed in blogdom?

If you're an author, thinking about your words going around the world may not be any thing new. But for the non-writer, it can be mind boggling. 

If you are of the a certain generation (over 40), there was a time when the concept of sharing thoughts with others around the world in a matter of minutes would have been laughable. 

I am fascinated by the fact that what I'm writing now can be read by people all over the US and in other countries within a matter of minutes after I post it. Knowing that I can correspond with other bloggers in so many different states and countries is awesome. Once upon a time corresponding with someone in another part of the US would have taken weeks, while other countries would have been months.

We have definitely come a long way. What about the generation coming along now? What will their communication be like in 30, 40 years? What do you see for the future of communication? What would you like to see?

THE SANTA CLUB by Kelly Moss

With temperatures hovering near the 100 degree mark throughout much of the US for the past few weeks and months, Christmas seems a long way off.

But in truth, the Christmas holidays will be here before we realize it as it’s only a little over 16 weeks away. So it’s not too early to start thinking of Christmas presents and today I have a delightful book I’d like to recommend.

THE SANTA CLUB by Kelly Moss

What do you do when your child reaches that age when they start questioning whether or not there is a Santa Claus?

Author Kelly Moss has created an enchanting way of explaining the jolly old man. Once your child asks the question, they can become a member of ‘THE SANTA CLUB’ and pass along the gift of giving to others. The book handles the question with love, caring and compassion. It even reminds adults to believe once again.

THE SANTA CLUB is beautifully illustrated by Jim Keserich. His vivid and vibrant drawings captivate the reader and brings the story to life.

The story details the beginning of Santa Claus, who he really is, and why he visits once a year at Christmas. Used as a resource book by parents, this will also become a family favorite at the holidays.

The book contains an added bonus at the end. There is a lovely certificate where your child can add their name and photo to become an official member of THE SANTA CLUB. This book is suggested for youngsters ages 4 to 8, but would make a wonderful addition to any child’s library collection.

Author Kelly Moss’ website is http://thesantaclub.net/

The Santa Club by Kelly Moss, Illustrated by Jim Keserich, Palmary Press, @2011, ISBN: 978-0-9821340-1-6, Hardcover, 32 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publicist in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. 

Happy September 1

I can't believe it's already the first day of September. Christmas and New Year's will be here before we know it. 

Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful and safe day. I hope to be back tomorrow with something more interesting. Take care.