Do you subscribe to author newsletters?

I do a monthly newsletter for my readers - Books & Cookies - which includes a recommendation for a book I've read and a cookie recipe. I like to include subscriber-only content to reward people for signing up. Sometimes that's a sneak peek at a new cover, or a bonus scene, or a giveaway. It is my experience other authors do the same to varying degrees. I've been considering changing things up in the new year, and I'd love to hear from people about the things they look for. This is what my most recent newsletter looked like: October newsletter

Often, audience builders are based on a giveaway. People sign up to get a free book without really considering who the author is and sometimes without knowing what the books are about. I was actually surprised when I did a promotion recently to my subscribers and the winner replied that she'd never read one of my books before. Surprise! She loved it. I was pleased to hear from her but had to wonder why she'd subscribed in the first place. Not complaining, I'm always happy to find potential readers, but it made me wonder how to make the transition from "potential reader" to "returning reader." 

What prompts you to sign up for an author newsletter? Content? Connection? Book news? Freebies? How often do you want to receive a newsletter? New release information only? More often if there's additional content (like my cookie recipes or book recs)? Anecdotes? Inquiring minds want to know. 

The phases of writing

I'm always amused by people who say, "I should write a book." Everyone who wants to absolutely should. What they do with it is another matter. When I first told my former husband I was writing a book, he immediately wanted to appropriate it as "we should write a book." Writing requires more than a solid grasp of grammar, it calls for a thick skin and "sticktoitiveness." Perseverance. My would-be partner lacked all of those traits.

As I'm writing and working with my critique group, the various phases of writing are jumping out at me. When we (my critique group and I) begin our projects, we submit chapters to each other. In the beginning phases, it's mostly the "creative" aspect. Ideas that are still forming. There are lots of errors and issues. The group helps keep each other on track and corrects the ticky-tack stuff along with continuity and plot issues (this is where the thick skin comes in). As the project progresses, we generally get ahead of each other, writing well past what we're submitting, so that by the time we're about halfway through critiquing a project, the author is more or less in the completion phase, which means the work is getting cleaner. Tighter. Accordingly, the critiques are getting sharper, more fine-tuned, because there is less to critique.

In the creative phase I, personally, am less tuned in to the mechanics. I'm trying to get the story from my head onto paper. The details aren't always clear, and I have a much broader picture of the work as a whole. Mistakes happen. Homonyms. Wrong words. Granted, my group is pretty keen to start with so those rookie mistakes are fewer as a whole, but they do pop up, during the creative phase especially. As I move past the creative phase into the fine-tuning phase, those errors become fewer--or at least I hope they do. 

I'm currently in the creative stage with my new work, although at about the halfway mark. The closer I get to the end, the more I know what's happening and the less the story - overall - is going to change. I haven't quite made the shift to fine-tuning, but my partners are closer to finishing their work. In fact, they both have completed first drafts and are working on final drafts. Their critiques are more pointed, because that's where they're currently focused with their own writing. Things they might have not noticed or didn't call attention to in earlier submissions for critique are now jumping off the page because they are looking for those "ticky-tack" mistakes in their own work. 

When I worked the day job, I was a proofreader, looking for errors other people made. I worked with a team, and we were the last set of eyes. The funny part is that by the time we got it, the work had already been through at least three previous sets of eyes looking for mistakes, so there was surprise when we found things that had been overlooked. There are always things that sneak through no matter how many people check you, and that's why you need SOMEONE ELSE to read what you've written - someone you trust to know what they're doing. Someone with at least rudimentary industry knowledge.

I'm grateful for my critique partners who keep me on track, both structurally and creatively. As published authors, themselves, they know what to look for and how to get successfully to the finish line. The critiques always hold value, even if we don't agree with what's been pointed out. If it makes us think, we have the tools to evaluate if what we've written requires greater clarification or if the reader has "lost the thread." There are many times when what we see in our heads doesn't make it to the paper, just as there are many times the reader lost track of what happened in the last chapter. There are also the genre-specific aspects (my partners and I write in different genres) to be accounted for, and we trust each other to know what those parameters are.

As I'm preparing to shift gears in my own work, the shift in focus will naturally apply to my partners' work as well. I hope to add value to their work, as they add value to mine. I couldn't do this without them.

Signs, signs, everywhere the signs

As we approach All Hallows' Eve, I thought I'd share some superstition with you - my own personal quirks.

When I moved into this house, I brought two cats with me. One was very chill, the other very hyper. One was boring, the other an endless source of entertainment. I loved them both for their personalities and because... cats. After a few years, when the older one (the "boring" cat) died, we had an infestation of drain flies. I'd never seen them before. Didn't know what they were. They mostly stayed where the cats’ safe haven was and I had the odd sense it was the old cat either reincarnated or a sign from the old cat. Weird. I know. And no, I didn't share that with anyone because ... weird. Fast forward a couple of years to when the younger cat died. She lived to be over twenty years old and was moving like an old lady, so it was only a matter of time before she "gave up the ghost." The odd thing is that when she died, again with the drain flies. Only around where the cats spent their "safe" time. Weird, right?

When my dad had to move from his home into assisted living, an odd thing happened. The senior living apartment my parents had lived in was overrun with drain flies. These little pests now represented death to me, but I kept that weird belief to myself. 

Recently, I found a drain fly in an unexpected place in the house. One. By itself. In a location diametrically opposed to where they appeared when the cats died. A harbinger of death? Now, it's sort of like when people say "death comes in threes." You're always waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

I'm currently writing a ghost story. The ghost's name in the story is Penny (this is not a spoiler, so don't worry about not being surprised). This morning, I was taking my shower and out of the blue, something brown shows up on the shower floor. Eww! That did NOT come from me! I step out of the shower for a tissue to pick up whatever it might be, expecting it to be soft and squishy, and to my surprise, it was a penny. Where the heck does a random penny show up from in the shower? There is a possible explanation for this, but it defies logic. Doesn't make sense, that I could carry a penny around on my body for an entire day and night without losing it. What does it mean? Probably nothing, but it does give me thoughts for the book I'm writing! Similar to the conical mound I visited on my field trip, it's a sign, like the world is tossing things my direction to keep me writing this story. I got the message. Not to mention I like the premise to start with, so I don't need the extra nudges - although they're always appreciated.

As to the drain fly? I haven't seen it again, nor any of its friends. Here's hoping everyone stays healthy and safe.

Field Trip

When the pandemic hit, I decided since we couldn't safely travel, it might be fun to visit old mansions. I made a list, and we went to a couple, providing the inspiration for HORNED OWL HOLLOW and DARK SHADOWS. There were more on the list that we didn't get to. I'm still a sucker for a good ghost story, so when I was recently looking for something to do, something popped up in my SM feed that looked interesting. Tinker Swiss Cottage is less than an hour's drive, and being of Swiss heritage, it looked like it would be "scenic," if nothing else, so we planned an excursion. When we mentioned it to a friend, they mentioned a Japanese garden that was also in that area, so we decided to do both.

We try to plan our visits at times we won't bump into a ton of other people - during the pandemic we were often the only people on the tours. When we went to the cottage, we were two of five tourists (unless you count the "support" dog riding in one woman's backpack). Nice, small group. Before we left the gift shop to begin, that particular woman asked if the place was haunted. I'll admit I was hanging on the answer, because that was one of the reasons I wanted to see it! Imagine my disappointment when the docent said no. Only one family had inhabited the house over the past 100 years, and to the best of her knowledge, it was not haunted. I was hoping for at least a story! Regardless, we took the tour, which was worth the trip. I desperately wanted to ask about one particular piece, however. A snuff box made from human bone. Human bone?? Whose? But I didn't. Sometimes, you have to let your imagination fill in the blanks when making up stories. I did learn something that I'll be using in the current work in progress - something I wasn't expecting to see there, but which I'd been entertaining as part of the story. When the world repeatedly presents you with ideas to include, you need to pay attention.

The kitchen with pictures overhead.

The library staircase

The conical mound!
(Look for this in the new book)

After we got home, I searched online for ghost stories related to the cottage, and found a show with Jack Osborne and Jenny McCarthy where they stalked around the cottage in search of ghosts. The usual performative type ghost show, and when Jenny professed to actually see/feel a ghost, Jack shrugged her off and suggested they move on. 🤣 I did learn more of the history of the cottage, and also that they "called in" the ghost hunters because locals were nervous and no one was coming to tour because they were afraid of said ghosts. I think they vastly underestimate tourists, but what do I know?

Then there was the Japanese Garden to get our Zen on. Beautiful day. Beautiful garden. Very peaceful. We had a great blue heron hanging out posing for pictures. Lots of ducks. Lots of koi. A Japanese tea house tucked into the woods. Waterfalls. We had lunch at a farm to table restaurant, and all in all, a very successful field trip.  I leave you with some pictures from our adventure...

The benefits of being a pantser

There have been books where I wish I'd have started with a definitive outline, one that plotted where my story was going and how it played out. There have been books where I had to stop writing in order to plot where the story was going because I was getting lost, or writing "blah blah blah" instead of anything that might move the story along. Being a pantser (defined as someone who writes by the seat of their pants) has its downsides. But then...

I'm working on my new book, and yes, I'm pantsing my way through it. I have a pretty good idea where I'm going and what comes next, but the mystery part has been hanging over me. I have a villain. And I have a red herring villain. Today, as I was trying to figure out what comes next--and I should have had this thought sooner, when I wrote down the motives and reasonable cause for the murder--I found yet a third potential villain, one that makes a lot of sense! 

Sometimes we write characters to fill space. Someone needs to be somewhere and they need someone to be there with. Oftentimes, those filler characters don't even get a name because they aren't critical to the story. Sometimes, they need a name because they're going to have a spot in the story later, or they will be a recurring character. Sometimes you just need to call them something other than "the other guy." Many times, I've discovered that if I've gone as far as to name the character, they need to have a reason to be there--sometimes, even to be the unexpected villain! This is when being a pantser is fun. You write things you didn't know you meant to write and they suddenly come together to make the story richer. Deeper. As if your brain knows before you do and sets the stage, just waiting for you to have that "a-ha!" moment. 

I just plotted my "a-ha" moment. Which makes me excited about the story all over again. Which keeps me writing. Of course, I've been pretty interested in this story from the beginning, so that makes it that much more fun.

Stay tuned for more information on Unidentified Remains!

And then what?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why, when you finish a chapter and you have things to do, you keep reading instead? One of the rules of writing: Every scene, every chapter, should have a hook, something that makes you want to turn the page. If you finish a chapter with "and it was the end of the day so they went to bed," so will your reader. But if you finish your chapter with, "and then the bad guy walked in," you're going to want to know what's going to happen next.

That applies to more than just reading a book. As an author, we're often told to write your characters into a corner, and we don't always know the way out. Oftentimes, the hook isn't always obvious, but sometimes... That hook not only keeps you reading, it keeps the author writing. Trouble is interesting. Mysterious characters who show up out of the blue are interesting. 

I often find myself writing the end of a chapter, and if it's the end of my writing day, I'll keep going into the next so I know what I did there. If I finished a scene with a potential villain walking in, I'll leave myself a note so I know where to pick up. If I leave a character in potential jeopardy, I make a note that the next time I go into that point of view, I need to resolve the jeopardy (or up the ante). One example: Bella is in the kitchen at Edith Ann's, the coffee shop she runs. The server on duty comes in to tell her someone is asking for her in the dining room. Bella goes to see, and the potential villain's sister introduces herself. What does she want? The reader has to wait to find out, because now it's time to switch POV and get the forensic results for the second body in the coffin. (Second body in the coffin? Yep, but I'm not giving the whole book away here.) But how did he know to point the forensic anthropologist/dentist in the right direction? Welp, that all has to be addressed before he goes out on patrol and runs into... duh duh duh ... the girl Bella interviewed for a job at the coffee shop -- and the girl is being stalked. By who? End of chapter.

You get the drift. 

In a world full of distractions, it's hard to stay motivated, but if you keep leaving yourself spicy breadcrumbs, they're more likely to draw you back in, both as a reader and as a writer.

Pirates be walkin' the plank

I'm on a rant today...

With the dawn of AI, even artistry is becoming automated. Would-be authors have decided they can use AI to write a complete book. 

AI is NOT the be-all and the end-all. There is only so much you can do with soulless technology. It is flawed, and its creators are pirating work from actual artists to train it. 

I was recently notified that my work was pirated without my consent, and as part of a class action lawsuit, I am now entitled to compensation. Theoretically. I'll believe it when I see it. This is only the first of many, as I understand it.

As an independent author, there are costs that go into producing a book. Sure, it's easy to say "it doesn't cost anything," but if you want to put out a quality product, you need an editor. Some people use a variety of editors for different things, or one editor for a variety of things. There is the cost of commissioning a quality book cover. There is the cost of formatting. If you do an audio version, you might have paid a narrator. Some people have skill sets that make life easier, but as one of my author buddies always says, hire out what you aren't good at. And here's the thing. I was an editor on the day job, and I still hire an editor, because that's a particular skill that requires "a second set of eyes." I can get close. I get it right for the most part, but it's way too easy to miss things. 

The settlement will cover some of those extra costs, assuming the amount they're predicting comes through, and that's just from the AI pirates.

There are other pirates out there. How many people want to save a buck and find a place that offers books for free? Legitimately? There are far too many pirates out there, but let's call them what they are. Thieves. You're buying "fenced" goods. Some people might remember when recording artists sued streaming services for essentially giving away their music for free. Hey, we need to eat, too.

There are plenty of authors who offer books free of charge to their readers - first in series is a prime example. We want you to read our books. Take the free one, and if you like it, support our work. If you can't afford to buy books, get them from the library. If they don't have the hard copies, you can bet they'll have the electronic copies, or you can request the hard copies.

I'm pleased the AI book pirates are being addressed, but that doesn't cover all the pirating that happens. I write because I love to write. I publish to share my work with you, but there are a lot of hours of blood, sweat, and tears that go into my work, and I don't overcharge my readers. In a lot of cases, my books are cheaper than a cup of coffee. I have to sell a lot of books just to break even. If you can't justify supporting an author as easily as your coffee habit, there will be fewer authors to choose from. I can't tell you how many days I ask myself if it's worth it. For myself? Yes. Sharing it? Not if you'd rather support a pirate than an author. It's very disheartening.

Time in a bottle

If you’re like me, there are certain instances when you expect time to stand still.

Have you ever gone to a high school reunion expecting everyone to look the same (I haven’t, but it seems like a reasonable expectation, eh?) Or movie stars? I always thought Sean Connery was handsome, even when he got old as sin. Maybe it was due to excellent makeup artists. Steve Martin? There’s a man who never changes - or maybe he does. Which brings me to the latest “when did he get so old?”

I saw a video clip featuring Steve Martin and Jackson Browne. (You can see it here.) Those of you who are of a certain age might remember "Running on Empty" (among other songs). It so happens a few years back I'd seen a Jackson Browne soundstage concert while I was writing Cookie Therapy. I modeled my fireman after him. Granted, JB was already aging then, but I looked up some pictures of when he was younger because he had a distinctive look and some of us 😏found him attractive. So watching that new video clip sort of took my breath away. That couldn't possibly be Jackson Browne. Could it? It must be the beard that makes him look different. Here's me, off to Google him. How many years ago was he making music? How many years ago did I write Cookie Therapy? HOW OLD AM I?? Which reminds me of something my writing buddy often says - she looks in the mirror and there's an old woman looking back--where did she come from? 

My mother used to say you're as old as you feel. After having some health challenges at a relatively young age, I was feeling pretty darn old before my time. Once those challenges were corrected, I felt remarkably better, but ever conscious of my age. I'm not one of those people who wants to be younger. To look younger. I've earned my stripes, in a manner of speaking. I am who I am, and this is what I look like. We all have our own vision of what "old" is. I've been told I'm an old soul, which might account for why age doesn't bother me quite so much (not that I'm THAT old). I'm the youngest of my sisters, and I still remember one of my sisters' boyfriends asking (when I was still a teenager!) if I was older than she was. By some measures, I've always been old. Still, it's somewhat of a shock when you see contemporaries or childhood idols who no longer resemble the heartthrob they once were. We can't all age like Dolly Parton or Paul McCartney, but the characters in my stories will be forever young. Here's looking at you, Matt Billings, the man I modeled after Jackson Browne.

Chasing Squirrels

I admit to being distracted when I write. Sometimes. 

There are days the words flow forth like a faucet opened to full stream. Then there are days the words dribble. On those days, distractions are more effective at getting your attention. Some days, I give up to the distractions, and others I firmly denounce them. What kinds of things distract me?

The "I don't know what I don't know" squirrel

I'm in the middle of writing something and one of my characters, who is in a profession I'm not knowledgeable about, has to wax poetic about their job. What do I do? I reach out to a professional and ask them how it works. How do I get around that? I write what I *think* and go back to it after I've heard from the professional.

The "what's the correct usage/idiom/word?" squirrel

This one can be tricky, because once you go out to the world wide web to find what you're looking for, the browser might distract you with something else, and then you lose track of what you went after in the first place. For example, I have a real blind spot when it comes to the correct usage of lie/lay. In order to get it right, I'll search the sentence I wrote to see the proper usage. If I remember why I went to the browser in the first place... This problem also leads to doom scrolling if you have news on your default browser page. 😟

The "I don't know what to write next. I must need sustenance of some sort" squirrel

So I go into the kitchen. Open the refrigerator. Open the pantry. Stare at the food and decide no, I'm not really hungry. Hey, at least I got a few steps in walking back and forth, right?

The "Wow, I didn't know that!" squirrel

This is the going down the rabbit hole trap. I look something up to make sure I got it right and learn more than I bargained for. Oftentimes, I find the answer so interesting, I keep reading, or if I don't find what I was looking for, I keep looking, which can provide more information than I needed, or divert me from the given path altogether. 

The list of distractions isn't comprehensive. We all have our own personal squirrels. Likewise, the amount of writing I do on any given day varies greatly. As mentioned, there are days I am fully focused for several hours and write until my brain runs out of words. It's like watching a movie, and let's face it, it has to end at some point (even if the story hasn't finished). Then there are the days the chart above is 100% accurate. The goal is to write 1,000 words a day. It's a reasonable expectation and gives me a focus. Even if I'm distracted, if I can get to the goal, I can quit and chase those squirrels. Or I can keep going and exceed my own expectations. 

And for now, the beat goes on (#MyLifeIsAMusical). Working my way through the next book, which follows on from Through the Viewfinder. My editor wanted to know the secondary characters' stories, so I'm indulging her (and me. Who am I kidding?)

See you next week.

Writing is like a box of chocolates?

You never know what you're going to get. 

I've have close to forty books under my belt now, and every one of them has been a different experience. I'm not a firm believer in writers' block, so I can't say any of them has ever stumped me, per se. The trick is to keep writing. Even when it's nonsense. One thing I can say, however, is that each book has presented itself differently.

Some books practically write themselves. You sit down and the characters play nice with you. They walk you through their stories and tell you everything beginning to end. You might hit snags along the way, but overall, it's a clear picture. A well-defined path. 

Then there are those books that are like buying a box of chocolates without any idea what flavors are inside. The characters play close to the vest and while getting them to show you the way, they turn their backs on you. That's the closest I've come to "writers' block." Trying to figure out what comes next. Where are they going? What is their journey? When you figure it all out, though, it all comes together in an "a-ha" moment that is very satisfying.

Through the Viewfinder was a box of chocolate truffles without a flavor key. I had all the pieces. I knew the characters. I knew the basic plot, but when I tried to fit it all together, it didn't track. It didn't make sense. How does this part of the story relate to the other? Why does this happen this way? How do these flavors go together? But I kept writing (and this is the lesson for this blog post, keep writing). I was at least half, and maybe further along when I reached the "A-Ha! Now this all makes sense!" Once you figure it out, you can fit in the missing pieces where they go, layer in the foreshadowing that gets you to that once piece of information that had been eluding you but now makes perfect sense. It's like taking a bite of one of those unknown chocolates and finding a new favorite flavor. There's an immense sense of satisfaction once it all comes together, that perfect blend of chocolate and [add your favorite filling here].

This time around? The secondary characters from Viewfinder are stepping forward for their story against a backdrop that both creeps me out and fascinates me. I took them on a field trip, found the ghost story (because that's what I do, after all) and instead of wondering what flavor I'm going to find, it's like I have a whole box of my favorites. I know what I'm going to get in every bite. So satisfying! 

When you're writing, as frustrating as the unknown flavor might be, it keeps me fresh. Keeps me thinking. If every story was easy to write, as with eating your favorite thing every day, you might lose interest. If I didn't have to work for it, I might take it for granted and write a boring story. Not everyone likes vanilla caramel every time.

I have favorite authors. At least two of them write "vanilla caramels" every time. I like vanilla caramels, but every time? Every now and then you want a cherry center. Or English toffee. That's when I switch off and read someone else. Well, you get the idea. 

The good news is that the current work in progress, tentatively titled "Unidentified Remains," is a perfectly balance chocolate truffle. I know this recipe, and I'm pretty sure you'll love the results. 

Doing the research

As an author, there comes a point in every book where I don’t know what I don’t know. Time to ask an expert. But how does one go about that?

The internet is a fabulous source of information, and now there’s AI, but let’s face it. Those sources don’t always get it right. Not only that, they don’t always answer the questions. For the “easy” stuff, it’s a quick search. But more in depth? And where do I go?

There are groups of professionals that help authors out. An online crime scene writers group is made up of policemen, firemen and other public servants who can provide a quick easy answer on those questions, but they usually limit their answers, and unless it’s an easy question, I’m usually left wanting more. I’ve found the best way to get the information you need is to interview a live person. Most people are happy to talk to you about their professions, and you usually get extra information in the process. “There was this one time…” Conversation. Where do you find these people? Everywhere. 

I have a friend who is an architect. After touring New Orleans and admiring the Garden District, I wanted to write a character who was an architect. Her first comment? Architects are boring. After helping me with the eponymous book (THE ARCHITECT), she gave me information that gave the book more depth, and she liked the story, too! I’ve interviewed policemen and firemen. They always have extras to provide a story with more depth, and when I stopped them in the grocery story or on a lunch break, they were more than happy to talk to me or set up a time to chat. 

Authors are often introverts, myself included. Talking to strangers is a difficult thing to do, but every time I put on my big girl pants and make the effort, I’ve been rewarded with more information than I was looking for, which made the books that much better.

I'm not a gardener

Hollyhock doll (Thanks, Ruth)

Fun fact. My mother grew up on a farm. She loved her garden at home, where she grew flowers. We had a neighbor who lived behind us with acres of land. He grew iris, among other flowers. He showed my sisters how to make dolls out of hollyhocks (something I must have been too little to remember). My mother-in-law always grew a vegetable garden, and some flowers, too. Fresh food (or formerly fresh--she did a lot of canning) whenever we visited. She was very fastidious in both her garden and her lawn. Very attentive to all things green and growing. My sisters grow gardens filled with beautiful flowers and veggies. My daughter also grows gardens with her daughters. 

When I moved into my present house, the woman who lived here before us had gardens. Everywhere. There was the tiered vegetable garden filled with a dozen different types of veggies and the flower beds in the back and flower boxes on the deck. My husband moved in in July, and everything was ready for harvest. What a lovely moving in gift! 

My husband took down all the flower boxes, both inside and out. I think the rationale was men don't garden. I would have liked to have some of those flower boxes to grow herbs or even flowers. Off the ground where the bunnies couldn't get them. 

One of the authors I've followed for years - we communicated some when we both first started writing - is a gardener. She posts dozens of pictures of her expansive garden and even built a greenhouse. It's her happy place. She reminds me of my mother-in-law in the way she grows and uses vegetables. I'm envious, in a way, but gardens aren't my talent.

I've grown gardens over the years. Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans--the easy things--and I've had good luck, which I attribute to the gardens the master class gardener who lived here before me left. I grew strawberries in the tiered gardens that lasted way longer than strawberries are supposed to with very little effort. Successful gardening requires commitment, though, and I'm sorry to say the things that grew in my gardens grew in spite of me.

Several years ago now, I had some mobility issues, and surgery to repair same. As a result, I wasn't able to garden, especially in a tiered garden where I had to climb up and down and on different levels. My beloved strawberries suffered (I guess I was more committed to them than I thought). While I recovered, the gardens went to weeds. Once the weeds get out of control, I'm a lost cause. I only last so long before I have to give up. Yes, I've still managed to grow some veggies, and I've planted some bedding plants. I had a mandevilla that wintered inside and moved back outside in the summer for a few years. It didn't thrive, but it didn't die. I had one ivy that was a gift at work that survived in spite of me. It lasted WAY longer than I ever imagined, indicating it was a low maintenance plant. I've planted perennials because I do like pretty flowers. Some of them got overtaken or choked by my poor weeding practices.

This year, I bought a basket of marigolds to hang from my shepherd's hook. It was such a bright, sunny, happy plant. And then it started to get brown and sad and weepy looking. I consulted my granddaughter, who is becoming quite the gardener, and she said, "Yes, it does look kind of sad. Remember the rules of gardening." My granddaughter. Welp, I have the Picture This app on my phone and I snapped a picture. It's supposed to tell me what's wrong with my plant. It came back with "your plant is sick" and invited me to pay a fee to tell me what was wrong with it. I use that app about once every two years, so no, I'm not going to pay the fee so it can tell me I have a black thumb. I read up on marigolds, which need full sun. My shepherd's hook is in part shade. So I moved the marigold basket to the back deck as a last resort, where it gets sun all day. It perked up! I have to say, in spite of rallying, it doesn't have that same bright, happy look to it anymore, but it isn't dead. Really, that's the best I can say of most of my plants. They aren't dead.

Tomorrow, I'm going out to weed one of my gardens (after having landscapers come to dig up out-of-control weeds). I'm hoping I can keep up at least a little so it isn't necessary to hire someone to keep from choking my perennials. If I want to enjoy my gardens--and I do--I need to at least make a minimal effort. I just wish I was better at it.

We all have our talents, I guess. Gardening isn't mine.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning

A very good place to start...

FIRST - Today is release day! If you haven't gotten your copy of THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER, what are you waiting for? The ARC readers reporting have loved it (and I think you will, too).

SECOND - my editor suggested I take the secondary characters and write a story for them, which I am doing. Chapter 1 in any book almost always turns into exposition and backstory in the first draft. It's sort of a "get to know you" for the author, during which the characters reveal things about themselves that make them who they are. As the story progresses, many of those details get moved into later sections where they can be added more seamlessly, but for now, I'm starting at the beginning. 

The fun part about writing is that once you get started, it unleashes your imagination. So even if I'm writing complete drivel, it's carrying me away with "Oh! What if this happened, or what if that happens?" "Oh, what if the plot I imagined relates to such and such?" First drafts are flights of fancy. Let your imagination carry you wherever it wants to go. You can always clean it up later.

Oftentimes, somewhere along the writing process, the story stalls out, so the more thoughts I have now that I can capture (like capturing a fly, or maybe a butterfly) the easier it will be to navigate that stall. The muddle in the middle. The "where is this story going?" If I know that now, even just a little bit, it helps motor through when things start to slog. This is especially important when you have the ideas in the first place. There are some books where those ideas are elusive, and it takes a concentrated effort to see the forest for the trees, in a manner of speaking. Give yourself the freedom to create without structure, and you'll have the bones to build that structure later. You've heard the expression, "just write." That has gotten me through more quagmires than I can count, and it's no more important that when you're first starting out.

So if you're writing, start at the beginning. Write it all down. Let your imagination carry you along, and as the story gets further along, you can shape it however it needs to go. That backstory you started out with? It will be important somewhere along the way. Write it down. You can filter it in later where it's more appropriate. That crazy idea? Write it down. You can discount it later if it doesn't make sense, but if you don't write it down, you won't have it for later in case it fits in. 

So excuse me now, as I go to see how many people are buying the new book because YAY! It's release day. Your support is what keeps me motivated. Don't forget to tell all your friends about this great new book you heard about. In between checking sales, I'll be writing the new book, because I have some great ideas for those secondary characters who are stepping into the spotlight!

Truth is Stranger than Fiction

I was having dinner with my nephew the other night and he asked what my new book was about. 

You all know by now that I was inspired by a local cold case while I was writing THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER. The story still fascinates me, even after it was solved. All the evidence the police found, all the clues they followed, the way they looked at the angles in the case. You can read my previous blog post about the case here.

At any rate, I was telling him the story, which prompted him to tell ME a story about a trainwreck in Southern Illinois from 1971 that has recently come back into focus. Eleven people died, but one victim went unidentified, and they buried the remains under a memorial stone as such. With the advances in technology and DNA identification, a reporter made the case for exhuming the body all these years later to finally put a name to the victim, but when they opened the body bag, they had spare body parts, i.e., more than one victim buried in the grave. Who else was buried there? That remains (no pun intended) to be seen. DNA has been sent for identification, which takes time.

Naturally, the story sparked my interest. I've been contemplating my next novel and planning a field trip over the weekend to walk around a spooky locale that was once owned by a macabre, eccentric locally famous person. I didn't really have a story plot in mind yet, expecting inspiration to hit while I was touring the estate, but now I'm envisioning conflating (yes, that's my new favorite word) the two stories together--the estate along with the exhumation of an unidentified body that becomes bodies. My imagination is already seeing pictures and having conversations with the characters about what happened and how this comes to light. 

This might be a good time to tell you the first ARC reader for THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER came back asking about the cold case featured in that book. It seems she lives not far from me and is familiar with that case (it made the news as far away as South Carolina, based on my dinner conversation the other night). She found the local aspect was fun, and while she knew the "real" story, she liked the way I'd adapted it to fit my story. (This is called artistic license.) Too many times, when I've tried to include nuggets of truth in my novels, people come back with "that could never happen" when, in fact, it did. This is where artistic license comes into play. I can modify things to make them more believable, OR I can make sure the characters are right beside you with the "no way" attitude. It highlights the improbability while also pointing out the fact of the matter.

So while I'm plotting and preparing to write, this is a good time to remind you that THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER is now available in paperback, with the ebook version releasing on July 23. You can preorder the ebook for a discounted price, but that price will go up once it's live, so order now! 

Prime Days

For Amazon lovers, this is the week they're offering all their discounts. For those of you who are NOT Amazon lovers, the good news is my new book, THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER, is discounted everywhere as long as you preorder it. (Click the title to find your favorite bookseller.)

Me? I'm not buying anything right now. I'm doing my last passes (i.e., having Word read the book back to me) to catch all those last-minute mistakes in the book that need to be corrected), and yes, I'm finding silly little things that sneak through even after I've read it multiple times, even after my editor has reviewed it. Even when I worked the day job, there was always a sense of ... shock? disappointment? surprise? ... when errors crept through no matter how many eyes had been on a project. I have a lot of confidence in the auditory editing pass. You can fool the eyes after multiple reads, but your ears will hear what you eyes miss. 

So apologies that this post doesn't have more "meat," but I'm focusing my creative juices on making the book as perfect as I can. Go buy it before the price goes up! (please? 😁)

In the old days... Finding my next read

When I was a kid, if you wanted a new book to read, you went to the bookstore or to the library. Both were down the street from where I lived, and I was a frequent visitor to both. The bookstore eventually moved to the mall, so the library became my sole source of entertainment.

If I wanted a mystery to read, I headed to the mystery stacks. I went through a biography phase. A Gothic phase. There was something fascinating in touching the spines, pulling one down and randomly checking it out. When I was in high school, I spent my free periods in the school library.

Nowadays, we do online book searches that have become SOOOOO complicated. Yes, you can narrow those down. I can still search for a mystery, or a biography, or a Gothic romance, but it just isn't the same. No more walking among the stacks. Discovering a hidden treasure. In the electronic age, authors are scrambling for attention. Online bookstores let you search everything from genre to trope to category. You can narrow your choices down to the exact thing you want -- and find a thousand unrelated titles.

I've been looking at my TBR pile, books I've gotten here and there that are waiting to be read. I haven't made a lot of additions in recent months, aside from books I KNEW I wanted to read. I've come to the decision I should read through what I have, then revert to old habits. Go to the library. Be among "my people" and search out my next book there. The problem is the changing landscape of books. The library doesn't give shelf space to dozens upon dozens of authors waiting to be discovered. Yes, the library stocks indie authors, but on a very limited basis. On the other hand, I have been reading many indie and "new to me" authors for the past 20 years. It might be time to catch up with some of my old favorites. But here's the thing. I've found recently that some of my favorite "big name" authors are going the indie route. Jill Shalvis, for example. She recently released a new book, and she's been telling people loudly that if you go to a bookstore, you'll probably have to order it because ... bookstores don't stock indie authors. Jennifer Crusie is another one. I don't know if she's still writing books alone or only the joint projects with Bob Mayer, but I do know Bob Mayer has taken their collabs indie. Which brings me back to...

Where am I going to go for future reads?

Another option is e-books through the library. While they don't have the same physical inventory they used to, you can easily find electronic copies, and if I want it badly enough, I could ask them to order the hard copy. I do miss reading hard cover books. Then again, hard cover seems to have gone the way of vinyl records. Available on a limited basis. 

As you can tell, I'm a tad overwhelmed. This from trying to categorize my own new release so people can find it. When I look for related titles... they're not. So I'll just tell you it's a romance. It has a ghost. It has a cold case. It has a tour guide and a photographer. If it sounds interesting, you can preorder it. Release day is July 23!

Click here for more information

Getting down to the nitty gritty

You'd think after reading a manuscript multiple times, the mistakes would be minimal, but each pass has its purpose. 

The new book goes to the editor this week, and for the first time probably ever, I’m scrambling. Usually I have it to her early. I’ve had things interfering. Trips and surgeries and projects, oh my. On top of that, the program I rely on to help me with edits is no longer “a thing.” Instead of having something visibly show me usages, I’m back to searching for the overused and filler words, among other grammatical snafus. Here’s hoping I haven’t misspelled my heroine’s name (yes, I’ll check for that). I’ve removed dozens of instances of “just” and “up” and other adverbs that don’t belong. I’ve fixed instances where I misused “that” and made vague references clear.

After a high level review to make sure things flowed, I’m doing an overall read for the mistakes I’ve created while editing, but because of all the distractions, I’m finding so much more that snuck through. In Chapter 1, my hero is using a notepad and pen. Then a notebook and pencil. He puts his pen/pencil down, and a paragraph later, he does it again - without ever picking it up. All of this in Chapter 1. The story as a whole flows, but now I’m in the nitty gritty. Does everything make sense? Clearly, I still have work to do. Too many silly mistakes. Don’t ask my critique partners about the number of incorrect homonyms I’ve used. My mind has been elsewhere too often this time around, but that’s what editing passes are for, and I’m in the home stretch.

Assuming everything holds together, next week’s blog post should have preorder links for anyone who likes to do that. Baby steps, but I’m getting there!

Torn From the Headlines

Recently, the cold case unit where I live publicized one of the cases they were working on, looking for help. They have a podcast called SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMETHING, and somebody knew something. As the buzz intensified, I got sucked in. It's right where I live, after all. The podcast was easy to find, and while the case was progressing - they had new evidence - I was following along in real time. 

The police department "opened up" the investigation - it was forty years old - after exhausting dozens of leads and dead ends. They shared information never before shared. Details previously unknown. Listening to them investigate the case, step by step, was fascinating. A woman disappeared. Poof. Vanished into the ether. She disappeared with her car, so the original conclusion was that she chose to disappear. Got in her car and left. But where did she go? There was no trace of her. No trace of her car. Once she'd been reported missing, the police searched her apartment and found the title to her car. - a paper trail they could follow. Someone would have to buy the care eventually. Or sell it. Or wreck it. For any of those options, they'd need the title, and police were in possession. Nothing ever pinged. 

The inclination is to blame a spouse or lover. She had a boyfriend, the man who reported her missing (three days after she disappeared). Didn't anyone miss her prior to three days? They looked at him, suspecting him of foul play, but there was no evidence to support that theory. The case went cold, unsolved, but never closed. 

When the cold case unit took another look, they checked all the options again. Interestingly, a serial killer had rented the missing person's apartment before she did. Was it possible he'd returned? Then there was the possibility that the woman, who'd been at a bar immediately prior to her disappearance, might have been harassed/abducted/disappeared by a biker gang who had been hanging around in the parking lot that night. They had lots of suspects, and had to consider whether her disappearance had been orchestrated. Unfortunately, they were short on witnesses who could pinpoint the woman's last moves.

Forty years later, a witness came forward who said they'd seen this woman leave in her car. So what happened to her if she left of her own volition? 

The cold case team started looking into details. Forty year old topography maps. Weather reports. Climate reports. Since she'd been seen driving home, the police looked at what routes she might have taken and a new theory began to form. One of those routes runs beside a river. During their historical investigations, they found the river had been at record flood stage when she disappeared. The weather had also been colder than normal, which might have led to slick conditions and possible patchy ice. If she'd been drinking at the bar, she might have been impaired. The road ran through a wooded area where deer (or other animals) might have darted in front of her. No street lights back then. Could she have lost control and ended up in the river?

For the first time in forty years, the police called in a dive team, Chaos Divers, to check the river. They used sonar to check the river for targets - submerged vehicles and the like. They found three targets on a chilly March day and went in to check. After two strikes, the diver came aboard to warm up. They were already making plans to check other nearby bodies of water the next day when the diver made the decision to go back down to eliminate the third target. Checking off boxes. He came up with a license plate from a vehicle submerged upside down in the water. It was the license plate from the missing woman's car. 

The podcast highlighted the entire investigation from following leads to recovering the car, which all happened in a surprisingly short period of time. I decided to adapt the case (read "artistic license") for my upcoming book, and as I'm now in the editing phase, I stopped to watch the video Chaos Divers did of the investigation. Now I had visuals to accompany the story. While my book isn't primarily about the cold case, the story does feature prominently.

The recovery was fascinating to follow, as evidenced by the multiple media outlets visible in the video the divers produced. Even after the recovery, the police investigation continued. Was it an accident? Suicide? Foul play? The podcast followed the case beyond the recovery of the missing woman into the remainder of the investigation. They were able to determine the emergency brake had been engaged. The woman had tried to stop the car in a hurry. There was no other visible damage to the car to indicate a collision of any sort. Whether the river carried her in (it was a smaller vehicle, low to the ground) or she encountered something on the road that sent her into the river is a question they might never be able to answer. The parking brake was enough to rule out foul play, but we'll probably never know exactly what happened that night. The end result is they brought the missing woman home and gave her family closure after forty-plus years. 

Torn from the headlines? Absolutely. Inspiration is where you find it.

Shout out to Chaos Divers, who do this sort of work on a regular basis, relying chiefly on donations. Noble work. They've solved dozens of cold cases related to water disappearances. Check them out. If you are so inclined, donate to their GoFundMe efforts, or other fundraising efforts. 

The book? I'm looking at a July release date. 

Where do you interact with your favorite author?

Remember MySpace? "Tom" pioneered social media as we know it today. Then along came Facebook. Then Instagram. Now there are multiple places to catch up with your favorite authors. TikTok. YouTube.

I’ve long relied on Facebook, but I’m becoming disenfranchised. It pops up reels in my feed that are clearly AI generated, easily dismissed garbage. Even the recipes that show up are generated by bots. Are the recipes tried and true? Can I trust anything in my feed? I saw an "article" today that featured Ron Howard and Henry Winkler with "then and now" photos. Except the "then" photo wasn't Henry Winkler. Seriously? Do they think people won't notice? That wasn't the first time I'd seen "not the celebrity advertised" in a photo, a clear sign this article is click bait or spam or something equally horrifying. THIS is why AI/bots aren't the future. 

Still, old habits are hard to break. Where should I hang out more often? I don't do TikTok, sorry. I do have book trailers on YouTube. Instagram is pictures, right? How much interaction is there? I have one author friend who posts multiple reels a day as she goes through cancer treatments, updating people on her journey. She's very brave, but I wonder how much traction she actually gets. Still, I post my out and about pictures. BlueSky seems like a friendly place. Substack? I'm still trying to get a feel for that place, but it looks promising. Kristan Higgins convinced me it was a good place to meet readers. But is it?

So I'm asking you. Social media is rapidly changing - there's no question about that. Has it outlived its usefulness? I find I'm spending less time "engaging," largely because I find myself doom scrolling, or not finding any real people. Yes, I still keep tabs on friends and family, but they get buried in all the other miscellanea brought to you by Boris and Natasha (hypothetically speaking, of course).

Inquiring minds want to know. As I finish up this next book (cover reveal coming in my next newsletter!), I'm weighing the value of "live" posts on each of the platforms to see whose out there and what the value is. Where will I find you?

Research, and the things we take with us

There is an adage that you should write what you know. I agree with that, but sometimes you don't know what you don't know. The idea is that if you write about something you have zero experience with, that lack of experience will come through and the writing won't be as genuine. 

Sometimes you have to write to learn something new. 

My first book, TOUCHED BY THE SUN (The Treasure of St. Paul) had me crawling down all sorts of holes doing research. In an effort to "get it right," I learned Italian. I read every guidebook I could lay my hands on for Pompeii and Herculaneum and Southern Italy. I interviewed people who had been to those places, and one told me unless I actually went, I couldn't possibly get it right. When she read the book, she told me I got it right. When I visited, I found more things I might have incorporated, but overall, yeah, I got it right. I ordered little jeweled goblets for swag for my first book signing, and I still have one today.

For every book I write, I inevitably have to conduct some sort of research in order to make sure I have the facts right. Sometimes, the research is to provide a deeper look into something I don't know much about. I learn something from every book I write. I have souvenirs I've collected from some of that research, or as reminders of what inspired a book.

The bulk of my research comes from interviewing people. I've interviewed firefighters and police officers and monument shop owners. When I wrote INTIMATE DISTANCE, I bought myself a gryphon statuette to hang over my computer.  When I wrote COOKIE THERAPY, I learned how to fight off a panic attack. My favorite piece of research was while writing THE TWINS. I needed something my hero could use for "good juju" (essentially). He's a finish carpenter, so I was particularly focused on something wooden. I stumbled upon Palo Santo, and in an effort to know more about it, I bought myself a little cat, carved from palo santo wood. The instructions suggested hanging my cat in the shower to release the fragrant smell, but it sits on my desk. Once I'd discovered there was such a thing, I noticed natural soap makers who sold bath products scented with palo santo. Go figure! How could I resist? Do I buy it for good juju? Eh. Not really. Mostly because I like the way it smells, but it is a luxury item, and the superstition behind it makes it more appealing to someone like me. 

New book is almost done! Final edits from the editor at the end of the month. Make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter for release information. 

On Moms and Dads

Today is my mom's birthday. It still is, even if she isn't still with us. 

For Mother's Day, my daughter gave me a book entitled "I Want to Hear Your Story, Mom." It's a journal thingy with prompts to help me tell her my life story. I get it. I would have liked to know more about my mom, too, but here's the thing. I'm really bad at journaling, and part of that is because I tend to revisit things that are better left unvisited. I started filling it out, and quickly remembered why I didn't keep a diary growing up. This process did, however, remind me of some fun parts of my history, including the day I was born. My dad was traveling on business (I arrived a week early). My dad's secretary typed up a list of things the people in the office did to track my dad down (this was way before cell phones and instant contact were invented) while they awaited the birth of daughter number four. 

At any rate, while I'm working to finish the next book, I thought I'd share the mayhem of the day (after) I was born.

Reader Feedback

As an author, they tell you not to check reviews. They can mess with your headspace, but sometimes they can motivate you. They also help point out things you might have overlooked. Reviews seem to have slowed since the pandemic. I've seen stars, but not feedback. Well, this is me doing a happy dance.

I recently received several new reviews on Chirp from people who have enjoyed my books! This comes at a crucial time, because I'm in the home stretch with the new book. Knowing there are people out there who enjoy what I'm writing motivates me to keep going. 

The new book? It's sort of along the lines of the Epitaph series, a romance with a ghost in the background. It's tentatively titled THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER. Inspired by a cold case that was recently solved where I live. A photographer rediscovers his passion for taking pictures only to find he's taken a picture of a ghost. On top of all this, the struggling tour guide who inspired him, who told him the urban legend behind the ghost's appearance on one of her tours, finds herself in someone's crosshairs. 

I have a date with the editor, but haven't set a release date yet. Should be mid to late summer. I'll keep you posted as details become available.

Writing is rewriting and "chaos"

Part of the writing process is relearning lessons over and over. Usually different lessons with each book. The lesson I’m sharing with you today is "writing is rewriting," because I have my seam ripper in hand to fix what I stitched together incorrectly this week.

Because I'm a pantser (I write by the seat of my pants), I often don't know exactly where my story is going at any given time. I know my plot, I know what I'm writing toward, but I don't necessarily see the stepping stones along the way. One of the tricks of the trade is that each chapter should end with a "hook" that will pull readers into the next chapter. The saying is that trouble is interesting, so often an author will write their characters into a corner and then have to find a way to extricate them. I did that. The problem is the trouble I wrote requires a major plot point, and I already have one of those. Now I have two plots competing for page time instead of a plot and a subplot. Enter the seam ripper. Now I need to tear apart those references and soften them into a subplot, a blind stitch, to continue the sewing metaphor, that holds the story together without calling attention to itself.

In line with the "trouble is interesting" guideline, I've been reading author threads recently talking about how difficult it is to write trouble in these turbulent times. While we live in times of chaos - every day is a new affront to the rule of law - I find I'd rather look for smooth sailing and peace. People say they use writing to escape the troubles of every day life, and I completely agree with that, but that applies to every day troubles, not a constant state of chaos. I've definitely had a much more difficult time focusing on the writing this year, hence the need for a rewrite to fix a runaway thread. With that being said, I do like how this new story is coming together, and the farther into it I get, the more I can't wait to see how it turns out! 😉 Spoiler alert - I know how it turns out, but life is about the journey, not the destination, right?

So back to rewriting this story into something you'll all love!

Tarot for Authors

Some books fight you every step of the way. Last time this happened, I was writing the Mist series and was struggling with my antagonist. Shout out to my esteemed editor, Kelly Lynne Schaub, who recommended a book to me that she referred to as Tarot for authors. It's called The Writer's Brainstorming Kit: Thinking in New Directions. It helps authors get out of their heads and think outside the box by breaking down the parts of your story.

• Role/Pursuit
• Trait
• Goal
• Motivation
• Internal Conflict
• External Conflict
• Growth/Realization
• The Ordinary World
• Trigger Event
• Change of Plans
• Black Moment
• Resolution

For each of these bullet points, the book provides "thinking points." If you buy the hardcover book, it comes with a deck of cards. Each card gives you a theme. Each theme breaks down five things to consider for each of these bullet points. If you use the eBook version, the book associates each theme with a regular deck of cards, broken down by suit - Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs. It then cross references the card with the options that come on the "tarot" cards in the hardcover book/kit.

The beauty of the book is that you can apply the tarot to one part of the process or the entire project. Need to map out your story? Shuffle the cards and apply one to each of the bullet points. Need to refine a character? Use one of the cards most closely associated with how you want to present your character and it suggests the steps that character can go through from "role" to "resolution." Need to build your plot? Pick a theme and follow the bullet points for ideas. Need to send your plot a new direction? Pull a card and read the "trigger event" for possibilities. Don't like your options? Mix and match. Think outside the box. The suggestions are meant to get you to think, not a limit or a boundary for what you are writing. 

After thirty-some-odd books, I've covered a lot of ground in my books, and it's easy to get stuck in a rut, or to inadvertently revert to an old character. While I've been making progress in this book, I've felt disconnected from one of my characters. She felt too much like another of my characters (or a couple of my other characters) while I was striving for something different. So I stopped. Re-evaluated. Decided I had to do a character sketch, maybe even a character interview to dig deeper into who this person is and why she is the way she is.

There are many resources out there, but this is one I keep coming back to. It isn't a how-to, it's a "let me help you think." Everyone has their own style, their own process. Anyone who tells you their way is the right way is lying to you. This book gives you what you need while still allowing you to do it your way.

The Joy of Writing

I'm what you might call a pantser when I write. I write by the seat of my pants, and I prefer it that way. I discover things the same time my characters do, and that entertains me. Oftentimes, I discover my subconscious has laid the groundwork and I just need to follow the plot, in a manner of speaking. I've only "known" my way to the plot for a couple of my stories, and honestly, it made them harder to write. Regardless, I still enjoyed the process.

With the book I'm working on now, I can't say I know the plot (I do, but I don't know all the steps to get to it) but it feels very much how all the "writing books" tell you to write. "Then this has to happen, then that has to happen." For me, that takes all the fun out of it. Every author has their own process. I'm not inclined to "Insert requisite sex scene here," or "insert black moment here." No. It has to happen naturally. Organically. It has to flow with the writing and not stop the action because I've reached a certain point. One of my favorite writing moments was in THE DEMON FROM THE CRYPT when I wrote who Elspeth's vision narrator is. I didn't know until the day I wrote it, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I found out the same time Elspeth did. The woman who did the audiobook narration shot me a message when she reached that point in the story. "Did you know it was him all along?" Nope. Not knowing allowed me to feel all the emotion at the same time Elle did. 

The joy of writing. Or is it the joy of pantsing?

I don't know everything that's going to happen in my current work in progress. I know the main plot, I know the subplot. I know how things should be structured. I have a lot of rewriting to do next time I get bogged down on structure to work on characterizations (I have a terrible habit of not putting things I see in my head to paper, which means going back later so readers can see the same things). 

My point in all of this is that although there are "rules" to writing, I've found that following a boilerplate or an outline diminishes the discovery process. Yes, books need to have structure, and mine do. But writing from a standpoint of "this has to come next" crushes my creative spirit. I can generally "feel my way," and on those occasions I stumble, I can go back and fix it. Add what's missing. Supply the structure that needs to be there. I know how all of this is supposed to work, but interrupting my flow to pay attention to structure is counterproductive. I've read more than my fair share of books where the author clearly stopped the story to "insert required scene here" and I don't mind telling you there is at least one author I no longer read for that very reason. 

Books need structure. I get that, but they need to flow seamlessly. I hate that I find myself thinking in terms of structure instead of flow while I'm writing this one. By the time the first draft is done, I'm sure I'll have satisfied both requirements - structure and flow. Just need to keep soldiering on.

Choose me

I had someone comment to me once that exhibiting art, be it painting or music or prose, is like a call for attention. For me, it's more like letting the characters who live inside my head out to tell their stories. With that being said...

I was the fourth of four girls. A counselor told me once as the youngest, I probably felt like "I didn't get an invitation to the party." I was too little to do what the big girls were doing, and my voice was often lost or discounted as a result of being last. Rather than calling attention to myself, I tended to blend into the woodwork. My parents had guests to dinner one night and commented on what a good child I was.  "Little children should be seen and not heard." To that end, I resorted to writing as a way to express myself.

As an author, I'm in a crowded field, as most artists are. I, along with my thousands of competitors, are all looking for ways to differentiate myself in that crowd. While I strive to write memorable characters that stand out, I don't have much personal experience. I grew up trying not to call attention to myself and was often pushed to the background. It took me years to "come into my own" and speak up when I had something to say. If I'm honest, I still have to work hard at that. Calling attention to myself doesn't come easily, but writing is something I'm good at. The people who've read my books say so. Reading is subjective by nature, so no, my words won't resonate with everyone. All I'm asking is for a chance to be heard. Read. Seen. In a jungle of books that are readily available, I've done my best to raise my hand. To stand out while being true to myself. 

We are living through difficult times. People aren't buying books the way they used to. AI is threatening authors' livelihoods (my work is all human generated!). Artificial intelligence is no substitute for real, human intelligence. Training AI using my intellectual property does not give the artificially generated product the same heart. (Getting off my soapbox now.)

This is me saying "choose me." Give my books a read. Get them from the library. Subscribe to audiobook platforms and give them a listen. I had an email from one of my Epitaph series narrators asking if I had any work for her this year because:

'I think this generation of folks who should Never write are putting out books so fast with no content, just sex and gore that it just kills the spirit of the reader.  Your stories have a beginning, a middle and an ending that makes you feel good - that is seriously lacking nowadays.  I love your stories-- they make me feel all warm and fuzzy :)"

Thank you, Karen Frantz. Emails like this encourage me not to give up. To keep giving voice to those characters who want page time.

Today, I'm asking you to read my books. If you liked them, tell two friends about them. Ask them to tell two friends. Give a struggling author a leg up. I strive to give you a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If I'm missing the mark, I'd like to know that, too. I love hearing from my readers--even if that means I haven't come through the way you'd hoped. 

via GIPHY

Check out my collection at: https://www.karlabrandenburg.com/all-books

Dogs? or Cats?

In the ongoing battle of dogs versus cats, allow me to present my grand dogs. I am currently without pets in my own home, but recently got to visit all of them, so I had to share. Kind of like baby pictures, you know.

I am firmly on team "cats," for the record. With that being said, I enjoy spending time with these dogs, even when they get a little over excited. Dogs are affectionate and loving and all they want is for you to pay attention to them. They also need you in attendance when they go outside - and they have to go outside. When they get bored, they tend to chew on things.

Cats? They don't need attention. Well, except in the middle of the night when suddenly they're nudging your hand for a pet. Or they're hungry and making sure you know it. But you don't have to take them for walks, or go outside in the middle of the night (along with whatever other wildlife is wandering around the yard that might lead to you being up far longer than you expected). Cats are still loving and affectionate. Sometimes. I had a neighbor once who said they were "sneaky" and that's why she didn't like them. The Big Guy complains that they are messy. Well, that might be true, too. Some of the time. To be fair, they chew on things sometimes, too, and don't forget the razors on their paws.

Both need you to clean up after them, whether it's scooping in the yard or from the litter box. The Big Guy complains that cats puke. They do. Sometimes. So do dogs. Then again, The Big Guy never claimed to like dogs much, either. 

Both cats and dogs are good at sensing moods. Sad? They'll both appear to comfort you, although cats aren't officially trained to that purpose the way dogs are. Still, having a furry, purring body on your lap is very soothing. They're also good at reading the people around you. In this instance, dogs probably win because they can intimidate the bad guys, whereas cats will just disappear. Not good protectors, those cats. 

I've invited cats to be part of my books, particularly in the Mist series. When you're writing supernatural stuff, cats are a natural fit. I suppose I should add a dog now and then. Haven't done that yet. Then again, sometimes I see pets as distractions when I'm reading a book. While they can tell you a lot about the characters, they also need care and attention, and the characters need to expend their care and attention other places in fiction. Usually. 

What about you? Are you a fan of cats? Dogs? How do you feel about them in the books you read?