A friend sent me a little story about someone who mocked a man for buying a fancy car, asking him if he realized how many people the money that he spent on the car could have fed. The man recounted all the jobs that were created to make/sell the car and noted that those jobs fed a lot more people than he could count.
Fair enough. But it ended with this:
“Capitalism is freely giving your money in exchange for something of value.
Socialism is having the government take your money against your will and give it to someone else for doing nothing.”
Sounds very uncomplicated and compelling. But let’s look deeper.
There is no doubt capitalism provides jobs. (But so can socialism or even communism.)
Jobs—or at least working and/or creating something—do contribute to a person’s dignity and self-worth. . . .Unless that job pays so little, one is scrabbling to feed oneself or family and building a better life is out of reach no matter how hard one works.
Tying self-esteem to work is risky. Overwork can lead to burnout and diminished productivity. There are many benefits to meaningful work, though “meaningful” is defined differently for everyone. Not all work is meaningful in a positive way.
The adage that teaching a person to fish is a better choice than giving a person a fish, rings with truth. . . unless that person is too hungry to learn anything. Then he needs fish first and teaching second.
I’m not an economist, so I’ll stop there. My point is that we humans have a compulsion to simplify.
Why?
The answer to that seems to go back to the way we evolved. We needed shortcuts for everything to function and thus, survive.
My body/mind has figured out (thanks to billions of years of life’s experimentation) how to move to the kitchen when I’m hungry. If you think about what this requires, it is no easy feat. Thousands of complex electro-chemical interactions and coordination involving nerves, muscles, and tendons takes place. If I had to direct this with my conscious mind, I would fail and lie in a puddle on the floor. . . hungry.
The body/mind has shortcuts for almost everything. It takes effort to think through a statement, judge it, weight the “what-ifs?” What is true in one scenario might not be true in another. For example:
It is wrong to kill another. A simplicity that feels true . . . unless your own life is threatened . . . or if your government has decided that other is “the enemy.”
Life is complicated. That’s why we have lawyers.
Seriously, the mind loves simplicity. And it is not “wrong.” If a tiger is coming for you, simple is better.
But our world is also complicated and very divided. And each “side” clings to its precepts without room for expansion or allowance of deviation or “what ifs.” The human brain prefers shortcut belief/value systems, which are more efficient than wasting valuable energy on something it has already “decided.”
For example, I believe education is the fulcrum for elevating society, but I understand a child born into the stress of poverty and constant violence is not on equal footing, and that our world is better if it allows the potential of all to be fulfilled. I willingly give up a portion of what I earn and my time to try and rectify that, understanding that some beneficiaries to that funding and time will choose not to work for it. (I also support a system that primarily helps those who need it and will do their part, but I am not willing to give up on helping if that is an imperfect system.)
A strong military is the best defense, and all must contribute to pay for that, while understanding that human systems will often devolve to some waste and corruption. (I support a system that discourages and punishes that, but I am not willing to give up a strong military to eliminate it.)
I support hospitals administering care in life threatening situations despite the ability of the patient to pay for it. (See comment above re waste and corruption.)
These societal needs require systems that are, frankly, not simple. They could be simpler; they could work much better. But just opting out would cause many unintentional and devastating consequences. Let’s do the hard work, the creative work of figuring it out. Albert Einstein said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” Do we have the imagination it takes to apply our creativity, technology, and will to the complex problems of our world?
That said, I leave you with a couple of truly simple things:
“Being kind and loving and caring really matters. The truths constantly change and disguise themselves, but being kind and loving and caring always counts.”—Jim Reed
“We can’t just hope for a brighter day, we have to work for a brighter day. Love too often gets buried in a world of hurt and fear. And we have to work to dig it out so we can share it with our family, our friends, and our neighbors.”—Dolly Parton
T.K. Thorne writes about what moves her, following a flight path of curiosity, reflection, and imagination. Check out her (fiction and nonfiction) books at TKThorne.com.
Our Addiction to Simplicity-by T.K. Thorne
/in T.K. Thorne, Uncategorized/by TK ThorneA friend sent me a little story about someone who mocked a man for buying a fancy car, asking him if he realized how many people the money that he spent on the car could have fed. The man recounted all the jobs that were created to make/sell the car and noted that those jobs fed a lot more people than he could count.
Fair enough. But it ended with this:
“Capitalism is freely giving your money in exchange for something of value.
Socialism is having the government take your money against your will and give it to someone else for doing nothing.”
Sounds very uncomplicated and compelling. But let’s look deeper.
There is no doubt capitalism provides jobs. (But so can socialism or even communism.)
Jobs—or at least working and/or creating something—do contribute to a person’s dignity and self-worth. . . .Unless that job pays so little, one is scrabbling to feed oneself or family and building a better life is out of reach no matter how hard one works.
Tying self-esteem to work is risky. Overwork can lead to burnout and diminished productivity. There are many benefits to meaningful work, though “meaningful” is defined differently for everyone. Not all work is meaningful in a positive way.
The adage that teaching a person to fish is a better choice than giving a person a fish, rings with truth. . . unless that person is too hungry to learn anything. Then he needs fish first and teaching second.
I’m not an economist, so I’ll stop there. My point is that we humans have a compulsion to simplify.
Why?
The answer to that seems to go back to the way we evolved. We needed shortcuts for everything to function and thus, survive.
My body/mind has figured out (thanks to billions of years of life’s experimentation) how to move to the kitchen when I’m hungry. If you think about what this requires, it is no easy feat. Thousands of complex electro-chemical interactions and coordination involving nerves, muscles, and tendons takes place. If I had to direct this with my conscious mind, I would fail and lie in a puddle on the floor. . . hungry.
The body/mind has shortcuts for almost everything. It takes effort to think through a statement, judge it, weight the “what-ifs?” What is true in one scenario might not be true in another. For example:
It is wrong to kill another. A simplicity that feels true . . . unless your own life is threatened . . . or if your government has decided that other is “the enemy.”
Life is complicated. That’s why we have lawyers.
Seriously, the mind loves simplicity. And it is not “wrong.” If a tiger is coming for you, simple is better.
But our world is also complicated and very divided. And each “side” clings to its precepts without room for expansion or allowance of deviation or “what ifs.” The human brain prefers shortcut belief/value systems, which are more efficient than wasting valuable energy on something it has already “decided.”
For example, I believe education is the fulcrum for elevating society, but I understand a child born into the stress of poverty and constant violence is not on equal footing, and that our world is better if it allows the potential of all to be fulfilled. I willingly give up a portion of what I earn and my time to try and rectify that, understanding that some beneficiaries to that funding and time will choose not to work for it. (I also support a system that primarily helps those who need it and will do their part, but I am not willing to give up on helping if that is an imperfect system.)
A strong military is the best defense, and all must contribute to pay for that, while understanding that human systems will often devolve to some waste and corruption. (I support a system that discourages and punishes that, but I am not willing to give up a strong military to eliminate it.)
I support hospitals administering care in life threatening situations despite the ability of the patient to pay for it. (See comment above re waste and corruption.)
These societal needs require systems that are, frankly, not simple. They could be simpler; they could work much better. But just opting out would cause many unintentional and devastating consequences. Let’s do the hard work, the creative work of figuring it out. Albert Einstein said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” Do we have the imagination it takes to apply our creativity, technology, and will to the complex problems of our world?
That said, I leave you with a couple of truly simple things:
“Being kind and loving and caring really matters. The truths constantly change and disguise themselves, but being kind and loving and caring always counts.”—Jim Reed
“We can’t just hope for a brighter day, we have to work for a brighter day. Love too often gets buried in a world of hurt and fear. And we have to work to dig it out so we can share it with our family, our friends, and our neighbors.”—Dolly Parton
T.K. Thorne writes about what moves her, following a flight path of curiosity, reflection, and imagination. Check out her (fiction and nonfiction) books at TKThorne.com.
The Whack-a-Mole Method of Writing
/in Author Life, Cozy Mysteries, How to Write/by Lois WinstonEvery author has her own process. What works for one of us doesn’t work for all of us. Some authors are diehard plotters who create extensive outlines before ever committing that first sentence to paper (or in most cases, to keyboard.) Some are known as “pantsers,” authors who write by the seat of their pants, having no more than a vague idea before they place butt in chair and begin pounding out the words.
Some authors set a deadline for each day, whether it’s the amount of time they’ll spend writing or the number of words they’ll write each day. I’ve read about some bestselling, household names who often stop mid-sentence when they reach their day’s word count, or the timer goes off. Other authors will keep writing each day until either their fingers cramp up, their eyes start watering, or their family demands dinner. Often all three.
I’m none of the above. I’m a hybrid—half “pantser” and half whack-a-mole writer. I write in fits and starts. I suppose you could call it the bipolar method of writing. I’m not bipolar, but my writing method certainly is.
The “pantser” part of me comes up with a vague idea for a story. I’ll jot a few sentences or maybe a paragraph or two, which often becomes the basis for back cover copy. But then I give my muse free rein. And that’s where the whack-a-mole writing comes in. Sometimes my muse is extremely cooperative, and my fingers fly across the keyboard for days and days. My word count grows at a frenetic pace. Then, for no apparent reason, the muse deserts me, and I reach a part in the story where I can’t figure out what comes next.
I wrack my brain. I lie awake at night, brainstorming with myself. One night becomes two, then three, then a week. I’m exhausted from lack of sleep, which only makes the situation worse. I spend hours at a time staring at a blinking cursor, waiting for my brain to send a signal to my fingers. I wait and wait and wait.
I check in with my critique partner who offers various suggestions, some with possibilities but none that feel exactly right. I go back and read what I’ve previously written, hoping inspiration will strike, but all I do is wind up tweaking here and there, choosing a more descriptive word, rearranging the sentences in a paragraph. Wasting time.
And then suddenly, my muse returns with a fully formed idea for what happens next. Once again, my fingers fly across the keyboard, my word count soaring.
Until the next time when the pattern repeats itself. Wack-a-mole writing. Love it or hate it, it’s my process, and I’m stuck with it.
~*~
USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.
Celebrating All Things Edgar
/in Paula Gail Benson, Short Stories/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
By Unknown author; Restored by Yann Forget and Adam Cuerden – Derived from File:Edgar Allan Poe, circa 1849, restored.jpg; originally from http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=39406, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77527076
Edgar Allan Poe, one of the country’s earliest practitioners of the short story, inventor of the detective fiction genre, and significant contributor to the emerging genre of science fiction, was born on January 19, 1809.
In addition, on January 16, 2024, the Mystery Writers of America announced the Edgar nominees. Here are the nominations for short stories:
BEST SHORT STORY
“Hallowed Ground,” by Linda Castillo (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)
“Thriller,” Thriller by Heather Graham (Blackstone Publishing)
“Miss Direction,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September-October 2023 by Rob Osler (Dell Magazines)
“The Rise,” Amazon Original Stories by Ian Rankin (Amazon Publishing)
“Pigeon Tony’s Last Stand,” Amazon Original Stories by Lisa Scottoline (Amazon Publishing)
Note that two of these nominations are for Amazon Original Stories. Each of these authors is known for their longer works.
Linda Castill is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder series, set in the world of the Amish.
Heather Graham is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 200 novels of category romance, suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult and Christmas family fare.
Rob Osler’s debut mystery DEVIL’S CHEW TOY was 2023 Finalist for the Anthony, Macavity, Agatha, and Lefty Awards.
Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin is best known for his Inspector Rebus novels.
Lisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of 33 novels.
Here are the nominations:
ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD – Endowed by the family of Robert L. Fish.
“Errand for a Neighbor,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January-February 2023 by Bill Bassman (Dell Magazines)
“The Body in Cell Two,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May-June 2023 by Kate Hohl (Dell Magazines)
“The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. January-February 2023 by Sean McCluskey (Dell Magazines)
“It’s Half Your Fault,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July-August 2023 by Meghan Leigh Paulk (Dell Magazines)
“Two Hours West of Nothing,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September-October 2023 by Gabriela Stiteler (Dell Magazines)
Welcome to my world by donalee Moulton
/in Author Life/by donalee MoultonI ’m thrilled to be joining the Stiletto Gang and to be making it my mission to bring mystery, humor, romance, and high heels to the world. You’ll be hearing from me the third Thursday of each month – but comments, questions, and ideas are always welcome.
As a first step, I thought it would be great to get to know one another. I’m a new mystery writer. My first book, Hung Out to Die, was published last spring, and my second book Conflagration!, a historical mystery, is just out.
I was recently interviewed for the Crime Writers of Canada by Bob Harris, a Vancouver writer, book promoter and publicist.
Below is the section on my life as writer and reader. How would you answer these questions?
The Writer and Reader
Please enlighten me on when you think you realized that writing was your destiny, even though your website bio states, “I don’t’ know that there was one definitive moment, event, or experience that led me to conclude my life would be shaped by words.”
Growing up I wanted to be a lawyer. I started university prepared to be a lawyer. Then I was introduced to academia and research. I wanted to teach at a university and publish papers in esteemed journals. Then I had a scholarship to get a PhD. I was thrilled. I turned it down. I had a chance to go to Harvard to research perceptions of time. I was thrilled. I turned it down. Clearly something else was at play. I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life was write.
Describe the genres you have pursued. What is your preference?
I have published poetry and literary short stories. I have published thousands of articles in magazines and newspapers, online and in print. I have published personal essays, usually humorous. More recently, I have published non-fiction books and my first mystery novel as well as two mystery short stories. Whatever I am working on at the time is my favorite.
Who and what are your influences and why? And mentors?
My mother taught me to love language – and to respect it. She cared about words and getting the words right. She was my greatest influence.
When I was about eight or nine, a next-door neighbor tossed me a Nancy Drew book. She thought I might like it. I sat on the curb between our two houses and read the entire book cover to cover. I loved the puzzle, figuring out who dunnit, and being propelled into a world outside my own.
That same year someone gifted me Charlotte’s Web, and my life was forever changed. Not only could words transport you to new worlds, they could become a part of your heart, change you in ways you could not have imagined. I wanted to do that.
As a book reader, what genre appeals to your personal taste?
I really like mysteries. When you’re busy, career focused, juggling meetings and deadlines and interviews and research and editing and teaching and scurrying to find something for dinner, there isn’t a lot of time for reading. As wrong as that is, it is also a reality. So, I embraced the mystery genre and read as much as I could as often as I could. That was sheer enjoyment.
I also wanted my ideas to be challenged, my senses to be assaulted (gently but definitively), and my heart to be broken. So, I read as many novels, especially Canadian novels, as my mind, heart, and spirit could bear.
Do you have an ideal reading experience?
There is no special place for me when it comes to reading. Whenever I have a chance to engage with a book, that is the most special of all places. Like a curb. My mother told the story of one Christmas when I was about five. Turkey is in the oven, tree is lit, gifts are being opened, bows and paper everywhere. It was all a little too much for me. She turned to find me curled on the couch reading. I loved that couch.
Detective Parrott Mystery Series by Saralyn Richard
/in Brandywine Valley, Saralyn Richard, Series, Settings, The Stiletto Gang/by Saralyn RichardMy introduction to Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania, was at a weekend retreat in one of the country mansions there. I was invited to a birthday party for one of the elite one-percenters who owned a gentleman’s farm. The thirteen guests were treated to three days of luxurious meals and accommodations, fit for royalty. That Saturday night we enjoyed a gourmet nine-course meal with wine pairings for each course. It was over the top, but tasteful at the same time. The conversation was intelligent and witty, and everyone had a wonderful time, especially the birthday celebrant, who beamed at his friends and family members the entire time.
After the elaborate dinner on Saturday night, our bellies and spirits equally full, we sat around near the fireplace in the den and talked about many things. The gathering reminded me of an Agatha Christie locked room mystery, where someone died, and the rest of the guests were suspects. I was struck by the idea that this would be the last place you’d expect a murder to occur. I turned to the person next to me and said, “This would be the perfect setting for a murder mystery.”
From that moment on, I wanted to write about these rich and powerful people, this setting, and the elements of social class that distinguish the ultra-wealthy from those who serve them. That was the beginning of MURDER IN THE ONE PERCENT.
Since that time, I’ve traveled all over the country, talking about Brandywine Valley. The Detective Parrott mystery series has become popular, and it’s grown from a single mystery to four, the latest of which is being released January 5, 2024, MURDER OUTSIDE THE BOX. In each of the books, Detective Parrott learns and grows, while his cases intertwine with his real life.
The series, along with two standalone novels set in less opulent environments, has won numerous awards, favorable reviews, and loyal fans. I’ve conducted extensive research on various aspects of the Brandywine community, and I’ve acquired many first-hand sources who are happy to fill me in on details about the topography, history, architecture, artistry, equestrian activities, artistic endeavors, gardens, museums, shopping areas, bank barns, funeral customs, wildlife conservancy, and other aspects of the community.
The area has turned out to be a second home for me and a favorite escape for my readers. I love the less posh settings of my other books, too, but that long-ago birthday celebration in Brandywine Valley has turned out to be a seminal event in my writing life, and my fascination with the Brandywine culture continues to grow.
Do you have a favorite setting, either fictional or real, that holds you with its magic? Tell me about it!
IT’S A MATTER OF BIRTH AND DEATH.
The serene Brandywine Valley wakes up to an intoxicating double shock: a baby abandoned on the porch of a caretaker’s cottage, and a young post-partum woman lying dead on the estate of a billionaire scotch whiskey magnate. Detective Parrott’s instincts tell him the two crimes are connected, but the evidence points him in directions that are both baffling and personal. Parrott searches for answers in high and low places, including his own office. As he races to find the truth about the baby’s origin and best placement, he untangles chilling murder clues that implicate people who harbor secrets that even their positions of power and trust can’t protect. Once again, Parrott may have to risk his reputation—and even his life—to uncover the real story.
A compulsive and compelling police procedural with relatable characters who remain in your heart. If you like detectives from Louisa Scarr, Clare Mackintosh, and Michael Connelly, you’ll love Detective Oliver Parrott. Purchase at your favorite bookstore or here.
One Word
/in Inspiration, Paula Gail Benson/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
This year, I received a gift that has me thinking differently about New Year’s resolutions. The gift is a book entitled One Word that Will Change Your Life (Expanded Edition), written by Jon Gordon (a leadership speaker with a training/consulting company), Dan Britton (a speaker, writer, coach, and trainer who serves as the Chief Field Officer with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and Jimmy Page (author, speaker, and leadership coach). It was given to me and other members of our church’s congregational council to encourage team spirit and help establish and focus on “relationships” (the word selected for our council members this year).
So, what is the “one word” method? How does it work and how do you determine your word?
The authors explain in the Introduction: “One Word that Will Change Your Life is a proven way to create clarity, passion, power, and life change. Each year, resolutions are rarely kept, and goals are often easily forgotten. But One Word sticks. By living a single word that is meant for you, you’ll find renewed purpose and meaning throughout the year and achieve laserlike focus and power for your life.” (One Word, p. x)
According to the authors, while 87 percent of people make new resolutions and goals each year, 50 percent of those folks keep their resolutions and goals only through January. The authors contend, with resolutions and goals, “[s]uccess is measured by what we accomplish instead of who we become.” (One Word, p. 2) They said, “By embracing, owning, and living a single word for 365 days, our lives changed. Instead of being weighed down with unrealistic resolutions and unmet goals, One Word provides an entirely new perspective on how we approach our year. It frees us up. One Word gives us renewed purpose and meaning.” (pp. 5-6)
The authors recommend a three-step process for finding your word: (1) prepare your heart by removing yourself from “busyness” and contemplating in “silence”; (2) ask God what word is right for you and listen for an answer; and (3) keep your mind on the word as you face life and consider how its perspective changes how you view and react to events.
You can start the process at any time and concentrate on a single word for any amount of time you choose, but don’t repeat a word—select a new one for the year or time-period.
The book itself takes about 49 minutes to read. It is available in audio format. At the end of the book is an “action plan” that provides questions and exercises to help discover your word and think about how to use it. Also, there is a website: GetOneWord.com, and X and Facebook accounts.
In addition, these authors have collaborated on a One Word book for children and a book called Life Word, about finding your passion and creating a legacy.
If you went with a single word instead of a list of resolutions or goals, what would your word be?
Beginning of the Year and I’m Already Tired
/in Author Life, Debra H. Goldstein/by DebraIt’s the beginning of 2024, and I’m already tired. How can that be? Aren’t we all supposed to feel invigorated and energetic when the calendar turns over? Theoretically, the old year is fading away and it’s a time of new beginnings, resolutions, and self-promises. But I’m tired.
Or, is it that I’m questioning what 2024 will bring? There’s a saying attributed to John Lennon, among others, that “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” With some book proposals out, short stories accepted but not yet published, I’m at a loss for my next project. One part of me wants to write something new, another to revise and update a book I wrote during NaNoWriMo years ago (it had good ideas, but wasn’t ready for prime time), and a third to simply sit back and see what happens. Unfortunately, the last option won’t produce anything for a future pipeline.
But does that matter?
My instinct as a Type-A goal-oriented person is to say “Yes, it matters!” Then, I think how nice it would be to simply glide on a cloud and let things happen. Can I do it? Although I’d love to, I’m honest. The answer is “No.” Stay tuned and together we’ll see what transpires in 2024. Maybe I’m not as tired as I thought. Are you?
New Year – New Mystery
/in Author Life, Mystery, New Release, Novels/by Bethany Maines2024 Brings in the Mystery
As a multi-genre author who has written everything from mystery, sci-fi, crime, and fantasy, I know my genre hopping can get confusing to my readers. But I started writing back when having a pen name was a closely guarded secret. Now if you want to write in another genre, people pop out a new pen name. Essentially they’re sub-branding themselves. I’m enthusiastic about the idea, but at this late stage where I’ve managed to write in all the genres I read as a young person I wonder if I should bother or if I should just do a periodic announcement to let people know where the boundary lines are. And that means that whenever I announce that I have a new book coming out I get a lot of readers asking…
Yes, but what kind of book is this… like mystery, romance, what? (insert side-eye)
EYE CONTACT: Lexi Byrne—UW grad student, brilliant researcher, and neurodivergent—is working on cutting edge research into bionic eye technology. But Lexi’s normal, safe, science-based life takes an abrupt left turn after her prototype is stolen. Lexi must fight her own limitations and lean on the strengths of her friends to stop a misogynistic, greedy thief and recover her work.
Join Lexi and her best friend Shea as they take on theft, spies, and dating.
RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
GENRE: mystery-comedy
AVAILABLE: All-retailers – books2read.com/Maines-Eye-Contact
So will there be pen names?
Not unless I get a sudden burst of energy that would enable me to re-brand ALL of my books. I’m not saying never, but for now I think I’ll stick with just trying to be very clear about my genres and making the occasional announcement.
Oh, look an announcement…
Find a complete list here: bethanymaines.com/catalog/
GENRE: Murder & Crime
San Juan Island Murder Mysteries – Murder and laughs as Tish Yearly and her grandfather Tobias solve mysteries on their tiny Pacific Northwest Island home.
Steam level: kissing the boy next door, everything else is behind closed doors Available: All retailers
Shark Santoyo Crime Series – A very different mobster meets a very different teenager and together they take on the under world, the FBI, and the whatever else is standing in their way.
Steam level: Steamy, but we don’t get any nekkid action until book 3 Available: Amazon & Kindle Unlimited
The Christmas Carols – Crime meets romantic comedy in this trilogy of linked Christmas stories. Steam level: Kissing Available: Oh Holy Night & Winter Wonderland – Amazon & Kindle Unlimited, Blue Christmas – All Retailers OR FREE if you sign up for my newsletter
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
The Deveraux Legacy – Follow the lives of four cousins as they try to repair their broken family, find love and keep from getting killed. Steam level: There be nekkid schmexy times ahead! Available: All retailers
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
The Three Colors Trilogy – The Lucas Siblings want to change the world, they never expected to find their mates. Steam level: We’re naked by chapter 3 Available: Amazon & Kindle Unlimited
The Rejects Pack – A group of wolves rejected by their birth packs band together to solve a historical and archaeological mystery and maybe find true love along the way. Steam level: We’re making out by chapter 3 and nekkid as soon as the warlocks stop chasing us Available: Amazon & Kindle Unlimited
Maverick & Wild Waters – Stand-alones in the same Supernatural world. Steam level: naked, naked, naked Available: Amazon & Kindle Unlimited – Maverick, Wild Waters
***
Have You Read These Books?
/in Author Life, Book Clubs, Give Away, Mystery Series, Publishing, Romantic Suspense, Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery series, Suspense/by Gay YellenI’ve long been skeptical of how the books are chosen. When a thriller I helped write earned a spot on The New York Times “Notables” list, it was disappointing to learn why—after five printings in both hardback and paperback and translated into two foreign language editions—it didn’t quite become a NYT “bestseller.” It had more to do with a bookselling logarithm and a publisher’s reluctance to support it than it did with the quality of the book itself.
But to learn what’s happening in the popular culture, I still read the lists. The NYT says the five best novels of 2023 are The Bee Sting, Chain-Gang All-Stars, Eastbound, North Woods, and The Fraud (written by Zadie Smith, an author I’ve read and enjoyed).
The Wall Street Journal chose an entirely different five: The Lost Wife, The Sun Walks Down, Good Girls, Red Memory, and A Dictator Calls (winner of a Man Booker prize).
In a sign of the times, there’s also a Top 50 Banned Books list. I enjoyed many of those as a child and in high school English class. I’m sure you have, too. Now I’m curious about the rest of them, especially one called Captain Underpants.
When I choose a new book, I often rely on recommendations from friends. I love being introduced to books I wouldn’t necessarily pick up on my own.
So, have you read any good books lately? Tell us about it in the comments below.
And speaking of books, I’m giving away free copies of The Body Business ebook for 24 hours beginning at midnight tonight through midnight tomorrow (Jan. 10th) on Amazon. Tell your friends!
Gay Yellen is the author of the award-winning SamanthaNewman Mysteries include The Body Business, The Body Next Door, and The Body in the News!
Contact her at GayYellen.com
On Accepting Advice
/in Author Life, Donnell Ann Bell, The Stiletto Gang/by Donnell Ann Bell“No enemy is worse than bad advice.” – Sophocles
Every once in a while people offer advice that really works. E.g., Look both ways before crossing the street, read warning labels on products and exercise three to five times a week to maintain a healthy weight. Those kinds of input I can use and appreciate. But some of the advice I’ve received of late leaves me shaking my head.
Two weekends ago I attended my local library’s workshop in which a marketing guru offered authors and aspiring authors’ advice for today’s market. She said the days that authors sit alone in their offices and devote long hours to writing are gone. As a matter of fact, she added, authors should be focused ten percent on writing the book and ninety percent to its marketing. “Twenty-four/eight,” she insisted. “Market your book twenty-four/eight.”
This weekend I attended the Pikes Peak Writers Conference where the age-old subject of prologues came up again. An editor told the audience how much he hates prologues and that he skips right over them. Once again people who had paid good money to attend wrote furiously in their notebooks, most likely taking this man’s words to heart and perpetuating this controversy further. While I was thinking of Sandra Brown’s Envy or Robert Crais’s Two Minute Rule and two of the best prologues I’ve ever read in commercial fiction.
There’s a lot of lousy, subjective advice floating around out there—what’s more the experts are touting it. If I have to devote ninety percent to marketing my books, I might as well hang it up right now. I didn’t get into this writing gig to market my wares like a gypsy in a caravan, I got into writing to tell my stories—to sit in my office alone a lot more than ten percent.
New York Times Bestselling Author Robert Crais once told me, “Sure you can write a prologue, just don’t write a bad one.” If a book needs a prologue, it needs a prologue, and how a few paragraphs at the start of a book can cause such a vitriolic response is beyond me.
So because there’s so much misinformation and bad advice out there coming from people I should otherwise respect and rely on, I’ve decided to break down the ways I will accept advice in the future. One, if it doesn’t make sense, I will completely disregard it, and two, if it doesn’t save my life, I will refer back to rule number one.
About the Author:
Leaving international thrillers to the world travelers, Donnell Ann Bell concentrates on suspense that might happen in her neck of the woods – writing SUSPENSE TOO CLOSE TO HOME. She is co-owner of Crimescenewriter, an online group, in which law enforcement, forensic experts, and a multitude of related professionals assist authors in getting those pesky facts straight in our novels. To learn more or to sign up for her newsletter contact her at www.donnellannbell.com