Writer, humanist,
dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,
Lover of solitude
and the company of good friends,
New places, new ideas
and old wisdom.
Roses are following me around.
In my first mystery/thriller/crime/urban fantasy, I named my police officer-witch, “Rose.”
Names are a funny thing. When you give one to a character, it can instantly color them and lead to interesting places. I don’t know why that name popped into my head at the critical moment of creation. I’ve tried to figure it out:
Was it a subconscious play on my last name, “Thorne”?
Was I thinking of my grandmother whose name was “Rose”?
Or was it just that it was fun, because as Rose herself says,
“‘Rose’ is a difficult name. For one thing, it made me a target throughout childhood for “smells the same” taunts. For another, it sets up an assumption that fails to describe any part of my nature, conjuring an image of a tiny gray-haired woman. I am neither tiny—standing barefoot at 5’8”—nor gray-haired—dark curls minimally tamed per Birmingham police uniform regulations—and I’m more prickly thorns than soft petals.”
A one-armed man gave me the climbing rose in my yard (not that one-armed man, if you are of an age to have watched “The Fugitive”). It is in full bloom as we speak. That rose bush taught me valuable lessons (See “The Rose Wars.”)
Rose (the police-witch) got this for a cover:
All sorts of roses seem to show up in my life—a painting from a friend, a favorite scarf I never noticed had a black-and-white rose pattern, the two dozen long-stemmed roses my ex-husband (#2) sent me when he wanted to make up. That last one may be cheating since it was long ago. If my current husband sent me roses, I would definitely freak out (you have to read House of Rose to know why.)
Book two of the Magic City series is finally making its debut as House of Stone.
Just want to be clear, that is a red diamond in there—in case the universe wants to do that “Law of Attraction” thing, I’m good with it!
Here’s a promo moment for the new novel:
Witches and warlocks abide in Birmingham, Alabama in three ancient
Houses—Rose, Iron and Stone. They arrived over a century ago to draw their
powers from the abundant ores beneath Red Mountain. Rose Brighton, a Birmingham
police detective, is the last witch of House of Rose and possibly the most
dangerous thing since the hydrogen bomb. A terrifying encounter with House of
Iron has mentally crippled Becca, her best friend. While Becca struggles to
find herself, Rose battles to control her own abilities and the supernatural
attraction that pulls her to a mysterious, handsome warlock.
When magic kicks in at the scene of her first homicide, she learns
that her partner—the mentor and friend she depends on—is lying to her, and she
is on her own. Unraveling the murder entwines Rose in a web of greed and profit
involving a promising new medicine. Someone is willing to kill to keep a cheap
drug from the market. Not only do countless lives depend on Rose’s skills as a
detective, the fate of a unique race of people facing extinction also rests on
her shoulders . . . and some of them are determined to kill her.
Praise
“Thorne delivers a spellbinding thriller, an
enthralling blend of real-world policing and other-world magic. It’s a wild
ride of high stakes that pits the warm humanity of Rose and her friends against
chilling powers of darkness in a battle that is both ages old and totally of
today.”
—Barbara Kyle, author of The Traitor’s Daughter
“A deftly crafted and riveting read by an author with
an impressively deft ability to hold the reader’s rapt attention with her original
fantasy novel “House of Rose.” Readers new to her will look eagerly forward to
the next title in her new Magic City Stories series. While very highly
recommended for personal and community library Contemporary Fantasy Fiction
collections, it should be noted that “House of Rose” is also available in a
digital book format.”
—Midwest Reviews
“Rookie cop Rose Brighton never imagined that a simple
suspect chase into an alley would lead her into dark passages where she would
question her definition of reality, her own identity, and whether she was pawn
or prey. HOUSE OF ROSE is a gem.”
— DP Lyle,
award-winning author of the Jake Longly thriller series
“The life of Birmingham, Ala., rookie cop Rose
Brighton, the narrator of this promising paranormal series launch from Thorne (Noah’s
Wife), veers into the extraordinary one night. . . . Thorne, a retired
captain in the Birmingham PD, grounds the fantasy with authentic procedural
details and loving descriptions of the city and its lore. Readers will look
forward to Rose’s further adventures.”
—Publishers Weekly
“T.K. Thorne is an authentic, new voice in the world
of fantasy and mystery. THE HOUSE OF ROSE blends the realistic details of
police work with magic. The result is an explosive story that will keep you on
the edge of your seat as Rose learns of her true heritage…and the dangerous
powers that are her birthright. Pick up this story—you’ll thank yourself over
and over again.”
—Carolyn Haines,
USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney, Pluto’s Snitch, and
Trouble the black cat detective mystery series.
“Although
“House of Rose” is speculative fiction, a kind of fantasy, T.K. Thorne is so
knowledgeable about Birmingham and law enforcement that it is also, truly, a
police procedural and a thriller—something for everyone. House of Rose” is the
first of a series which should be a hit.”
—Don Nobles,
reviewer for Alabama Public Radio
T.K. is a retired police captain who writes Books, which, like this blog, go wherever her interest and imagination take her. More at TKThorne.com
The Characters Who Break Our Hearts
/in Uncategorized/by Barbara Kyleby Barbara Kyle
A recent fascinating post by Lois Winston on
this blog asked: “Are there
characters that you wish the author would kill off? Or characters you wish an
author hadn’t killed off?”
I thought
I’d dig deeper into Lois’s topic with another question: What
character’s death broke your heart?
I once asked that
of my Facebook friends and the replies were extraordinary. People recall with
vivid clarity how a fictional death left them feeling bereft.
Beth March in Little Women. Sydney
Carton in A Tale of Two Cities. Ned Stark in A Game of Thrones.
Charlotte, the valiant spider in Charlotte’s Web.
Characters’ deaths that broke
my heart include Mariko in James Clavell’s Shogun, Robbie and Cecilia in Ian McEwan’s Atonement and Gus in Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome
Dove.
Pic: Yoko Shimada as “Mariko” in the 1980 TV series “Shogun.”
That affecting experience as a reader applies
with equal force to an author. Every time I’ve killed a beloved character in
one of my books, I wept. The poet Robert Frost said it eloquently: “No
tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.” I must be shaken by a
character’s death myself if I am to render it faithfully to my readers.
Three kinds of characters’ deaths shatter us the
most:
1. The Innocent Friend
The most dangerous relationship a character can
have is being the best friend of the hero. If the hero has been reluctant to
accept his destiny, or his responsibilities, the death of his friend is often the
turning point that galvanizes him to take the next steps and the necessary
risks. By his friend’s death the hero is changed, made stronger, grows up.
2. The Victim of a Wicked World
When we shudder at Fantine’s death in Victor
Hugo’s Les Miserables we
shudder at the hellish poverty that killed her. In Atonement Robbie and Cecelia lose their lives pitifully in
the gruesome grind of war. In A Game of Thrones Ned Stark is executed in a naked political power
grab.
3. The Self-Sacrificing Hero
When Mariko, the courageous noblewomen in Shogun, goes to Osaka Castle to obtain the release of
innocent hostages, she knows she is going to her death. She sacrifices her life
to save Lord Toranaga from his enemies, and restore peace.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Sydney Carton takes his awe-inspiring walk to the
guillotine with selfless resolve, sacrificing his life so that Lucie, the woman
he loves, can be reunited with her husband.
These are deaths of valor – to me the most
poignant of all – in which the character accepts death as the price of
saving someone they love. That’s powerful stuff. What reader is not moved to
ask in admiration: Could I do the same?
And, speaking of killing . . .
I hope you’ll enjoy my new
video: “What Makes a Killer Mystery?” in which I
outline the essential elements of the genre and show interviews with five
acclaimed mystery writers, including Denise Mina and John LeCarré (below). Watch the video here.
___________________________________________________________
Barbara Kyle is the author of the bestselling
Thornleigh Saga series of historical novels and of
acclaimed thrillers. Her latest novel of suspense is The Man from Spirit Creek. Over half a million
copies of her books have been sold. Barbara has taught
hundreds of writers in her online Masterclasses and many have become
award-winning authors. Visit Barbara at https://www.barbarakyle.com/
Untitled Post
/in Uncategorized/by Saralyn RichardWhat’s Happening to the English Language?
by Saralyn Richard
I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can
remember. My parents encouraged me to be an English teacher, instead. So, I
spent several decades reading and grading other people’s writing. I even taught
journalism and creative writing—to teenagers and later to seniors (aged 50+).
Although teaching kept me way too busy to write, it also kept me in the
universe of writers and writing. I was like a frustrated chef who had all the
best recipes and ingredients but couldn’t enter the kitchen.
Several
years ago, I came to a crossroads in my education career. By then I’d moved
into administration and school improvement consulting, and the constant travel
had become too much. I stepped back from on-site consulting and began doing
what I’d always loved, writing. In this case, it was technical
writing—curricula, white papers, articles, proposals, and grants.
It
was a joy to flex my writing muscles. I had a blast selecting the best words,
sentence structures, and arguments. The rules of grammar and mechanics rolled
back into my frontal lobe as if they had never left.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com
Soon
I was ready to try my hand at fiction, and I took great delight in practicing
other tools of the trade, such as imagery, figures of speech, and dialogue.
Grateful for a traditional education in grammar and composition, which even
included diagramming sentences, I forged ahead with fulfilling my dream
deferred.
What
I didn’t realize is how much the English language had relaxed while I was busy doing
classroom duty. When had the Oxford comma controversy reared its ugly head?
When had use of “their” as a singular possessive pronoun come into acceptable
use? How had adverbs, those lovely -ly descriptors, become persona non grata?
I began seeing non-words like “supposably” and “irregardless” cropping up in articles
that had supposedly been edited and vetted for publication. And when did
“blonde” become an adjective?
Fortunately,
my first publisher was as picky as I was, and the few times we clashed over how
to punctuate something, we let the Chicago Manual of Style serve as
referee, and most of the time, Chicago sided with me. I did go to the mat a few
times over such things as where the apostrophe should go in a possessive of a
proper name ending in “s.”
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com
If I
sound like a hundred-year-old spinster schoolteacher, let me assure you that is
not the case. I can waltz and fox trot, but I can also hit the whoah. I’m sure
everyone reading this post has certain pet peeves regarding the English
language. What are yours?
Saralyn Richard is the author of A MURDER OF
PRINCIPAL, the Detective Parrott mystery series, and the children’s book,
NAUGHTY NANA. Follow her on social media and on her website here.
Crossword Puzzles or a Writer’s Research
/in Uncategorized/by Donnell Ann Bellby: Donnell Ann Bell
“What’s a three-letter word for expert?” my husband asks as
I’m getting a glass of water before returning to my office. I stiffen. Here it
comes, where I should be concentrating on three letters my brain turns into a
giant mushroom cloud and I think of every word under the sun meaning expert, including, adept, proficient, and skillful, sans one with three letters.
“You know,” he says, reading glasses perched on his nose, “Daily mind games keep your mind sharp.”
I swallow some of my water and say, “So you’ve said. See you
later, you know where I’ll be.”
What he doesn’t get is that while he works crosswords, Sudoku
and other puzzles our doctors insist keep our minds sharp, I work mind games
all day long.
I do research! What’s
more the research I do has to. . . you guessed it . . . fit into a puzzle. Further, that research has to appear seamless
and relevant, or you can come up with a pacing problem or worse, tell the
reader you’re DOING research. As a new
writer years ago, my critique partner laid a dreadful accusation at my feet,
saying, “Your research is showing.”
Talk about red-faced. You never ever want your research to
show. It’s akin to a plumber’s crack or a piece of toilet paper clinging to your
shoe.
Here’s something that puzzles me, and I’ve often asked
myself why I don’t write less complicated books. The only answer I’ve come up
with is I love suspense, police procedure and want to address the topics
that interest me in my writing. I want to understand
more divergent topics that I normally wouldn’t come across in my ordinary world. I
love thwarting my protagonists, then watching THEM work to outwit the
antagonist.
Wouldn’t it be incredible to hold all the answers in our
heads as we wrote our novels? Certainly would be simpler and imagine the productivity. But then, what fun
would that be? And how would existing knowledge stretch our imaginations? I
love discovering new avenues, further knocking around the plot with Lois Winston, my very smart critique partner, then brainstorming with experts.
One thing my husband and I are fairly equal at is Jeopardy. We watch it most evenings at 6 p.m. What’s a three-letter word for
expert? Try ACE. Do you love puzzles? Research?
Both? Something else that keeps your
brain churning? I’d love to know.
About the Author: Donnell Ann Bell gave up her nonfiction career in newspapers
and magazines because she was obsessed with the idea she could write a mystery or
thriller. Years later, she is an award-winning author, including a 2020 Colorado Book Award
finalist for her latest release Black Pearl, a Cold Case Suspense. Donnell’s
other books include Buried Agendas, Betrayed, Deadly Recall and the Past Came
Hunting, all of which have been Amazon bestsellers. Currently she’s submitted
book two of her cold case series to her publisher and is hard at work researching book
three. www.donnellannbell.com
Better Than Christmas! – Mystery in the Midlands is coming!
/in Uncategorized/by DebraBetter than Christmas! –
Mystery in the Midlands is coming! by Debra
H Goldstein
wait!
Last year, over nine hundred (you read that right – over 900)
readers and authors attended the virtual four and one-half hour Crowdcast conference
co-sponsored by Southeast Mystery Writers of America (SEMWA) and the Palmetto
Chapter of Sisters in Crime. The line-up, led by Charlaine Harris was
phenomenal —- but in some ways, for me, this year is even more exciting.
Why? Because I’m a die-hard
fan of every panelist and I’m getting to interview the keynoter, Dr. Kathy
Reichs. Who hasn’t seen Bones, the television show that was based upon her
books and her life? As if it wasn’t a thrill to be interviewing her, I’ve been
given the extra treat of being able to read an advance copy of her upcoming
book, The Bone Code. You can bet it will be one of the things we’ll be
discussing.
Dana Kaye will be moderating Mystery in the Midlands’ steaming
three panels: Searing Suspense, Hot for Historicals, and Scorching Short Stories.
How can you go wrong with hearing Robert Dugoni, Yasmin Angoe, Alex Segura,
Laurie R. King, Caroline Todd, Lori Rader-Day, Barb Goffman, Michael Bracken,
and Frankie Y. Bailey – especially when the entire cost (merely to defray
expenses) is $5 (once again, yes, you read that right – simply five dollars)? Look
at their pictures below, but don’t close your browser. Hurry and guarantee your
spot by registering now! https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-2/register
#Mystery in the Midlands
Roses are Stealthy by T. K. Thorne
/in Uncategorized/by TK ThorneWriter, humanist,
dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,
Lover of solitude
and the company of good friends,
New places, new ideas
and old wisdom.
Roses are following me around.
In my first mystery/thriller/crime/urban fantasy, I named my police officer-witch, “Rose.”
Names are a funny thing. When you give one to a character, it can instantly color them and lead to interesting places. I don’t know why that name popped into my head at the critical moment of creation. I’ve tried to figure it out:
Was it a subconscious play on my last name, “Thorne”?
Was I thinking of my grandmother whose name was “Rose”?
Or was it just that it was fun, because as Rose herself says,
“‘Rose’ is a difficult name. For one thing, it made me a target throughout childhood for “smells the same” taunts. For another, it sets up an assumption that fails to describe any part of my nature, conjuring an image of a tiny gray-haired woman. I am neither tiny—standing barefoot at 5’8”—nor gray-haired—dark curls minimally tamed per Birmingham police uniform regulations—and I’m more prickly thorns than soft petals.”
A one-armed man gave me the climbing rose in my yard (not that one-armed man, if you are of an age to have watched “The Fugitive”). It is in full bloom as we speak. That rose bush taught me valuable lessons (See “The Rose Wars.”)
Rose (the police-witch) got this for a cover:
All sorts of roses seem to show up in my life—a painting from a friend, a favorite scarf I never noticed had a black-and-white rose pattern, the two dozen long-stemmed roses my ex-husband (#2) sent me when he wanted to make up. That last one may be cheating since it was long ago. If my current husband sent me roses, I would definitely freak out (you have to read House of Rose to know why.)
Book two of the Magic City series is finally making its debut as House of Stone.
Just want to be clear, that is a red diamond in there—in case the universe wants to do that “Law of Attraction” thing, I’m good with it!
Here’s a promo moment for the new novel:
Witches and warlocks abide in Birmingham, Alabama in three ancient
Houses—Rose, Iron and Stone. They arrived over a century ago to draw their
powers from the abundant ores beneath Red Mountain. Rose Brighton, a Birmingham
police detective, is the last witch of House of Rose and possibly the most
dangerous thing since the hydrogen bomb. A terrifying encounter with House of
Iron has mentally crippled Becca, her best friend. While Becca struggles to
find herself, Rose battles to control her own abilities and the supernatural
attraction that pulls her to a mysterious, handsome warlock.
When magic kicks in at the scene of her first homicide, she learns
that her partner—the mentor and friend she depends on—is lying to her, and she
is on her own. Unraveling the murder entwines Rose in a web of greed and profit
involving a promising new medicine. Someone is willing to kill to keep a cheap
drug from the market. Not only do countless lives depend on Rose’s skills as a
detective, the fate of a unique race of people facing extinction also rests on
her shoulders . . . and some of them are determined to kill her.
Praise
“Thorne delivers a spellbinding thriller, an
enthralling blend of real-world policing and other-world magic. It’s a wild
ride of high stakes that pits the warm humanity of Rose and her friends against
chilling powers of darkness in a battle that is both ages old and totally of
today.”
—Barbara Kyle, author of The Traitor’s Daughter
“A deftly crafted and riveting read by an author with
an impressively deft ability to hold the reader’s rapt attention with her original
fantasy novel “House of Rose.” Readers new to her will look eagerly forward to
the next title in her new Magic City Stories series. While very highly
recommended for personal and community library Contemporary Fantasy Fiction
collections, it should be noted that “House of Rose” is also available in a
digital book format.”
—Midwest Reviews
“Rookie cop Rose Brighton never imagined that a simple
suspect chase into an alley would lead her into dark passages where she would
question her definition of reality, her own identity, and whether she was pawn
or prey. HOUSE OF ROSE is a gem.”
— DP Lyle,
award-winning author of the Jake Longly thriller series
“The life of Birmingham, Ala., rookie cop Rose
Brighton, the narrator of this promising paranormal series launch from Thorne (Noah’s
Wife), veers into the extraordinary one night. . . . Thorne, a retired
captain in the Birmingham PD, grounds the fantasy with authentic procedural
details and loving descriptions of the city and its lore. Readers will look
forward to Rose’s further adventures.”
—Publishers Weekly
“T.K. Thorne is an authentic, new voice in the world
of fantasy and mystery. THE HOUSE OF ROSE blends the realistic details of
police work with magic. The result is an explosive story that will keep you on
the edge of your seat as Rose learns of her true heritage…and the dangerous
powers that are her birthright. Pick up this story—you’ll thank yourself over
and over again.”
—Carolyn Haines,
USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney, Pluto’s Snitch, and
Trouble the black cat detective mystery series.
“Although
“House of Rose” is speculative fiction, a kind of fantasy, T.K. Thorne is so
knowledgeable about Birmingham and law enforcement that it is also, truly, a
police procedural and a thriller—something for everyone. House of Rose” is the
first of a series which should be a hit.”
—Don Nobles,
reviewer for Alabama Public Radio
T.K. is a retired police captain who writes Books, which, like this blog, go wherever her interest and imagination take her. More at TKThorne.com
Moonlight & Misadventure
/in Mystery/by Bethany Mainesby Bethany Maines
One of the best parts about the Stiletto Gang is the chance to meet and work with other mystery and romance writers. I have made many lasting friendships and learned a great deal from my fellow gang members. And last year, when Judy Penz Sheluk, a former Stiletto Gang member, posted about an opportunity to be a part of the Moonlight & Misadventure anthology, I quickly submitted my story – Tammy Loves Derek.
Tammy Loves Derek does indeed contain moonlight and more than a little misadventure, as well as some revenge and a heaping helping of just-desserts. I wrote the story intending to read it at the Seattle Noir at the Bar, but then COVID hit and so did about an extra 1500 words (it’s the COVID 15 of writing!). So now I have a lovely little tale about, Tammy Lee Swanley, who has a med-spa job, a cheating boyfriend, and a plan—a five-step, sure-fire plan to wealth and happiness.
Moonlight & Misadventure will be available at retailers everywhere on June 18. I’m thrilled that Tammy is in such good company and I can’t wait to read all the other stories!
Moonlight & Misadventure:
Whether it’s vintage Hollywood, the Florida everglades, the
Atlantic City boardwalk, or a farmhouse in Western Canada, the twenty authors
represented in this collection of mystery and suspense interpret the
overarching theme of “moonlight and misadventure” in their own inimitable style
where only one thing is assured: Waxing, waning, gibbous, or full, the moon is
always there, illuminating things better left in the dark.
Featuring stories by: K.L. Abrahamson, Sharon Hart Addy, C.W.
Blackwell, Clark Boyd, M.H. Callway, Michael A. Clark, Susan Daly, Buzz Dixon,
Jeanne DuBois, Elizabeth Elwood, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, John M.
Floyd, Billy Houston, Bethany Maines, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Joseph S.
Walker, Robert Weibezahl, and Susan Jane Wright.
PRE-ORDER TODAY: https://books2read.com/Moonlight-Misadventure
Release Date: 06.18.21
**
Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she’s not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.
Gay Yellen: Cruella and Me
/in Uncategorized/by Gay YellenTwo fictional characters are making me crazy. One’s a famous villain, the other, a hero, and lately, they’ve pulled a switcheroo.
Cruella de Vil, the nefarious puppy kidnapper of Dodie Smith’s novel, The Hundred and One Dalmations, is the villain. Ever-popular, her story has been made and remade into film at least four times. And she’s invaded my writing life twice.
In 2014, a magazine reviewer called my antagonist in The Body Business “the Cruella de Vil of the year, the kind of villain you just love to hate.” The description was perfect, though I hadn’t thought about Cruella when I created my own greedy vixen.
That same year, I was asked to name the actor I’d cast as the hero of my book, Samantha Newman, a determined young woman with grit and a fair sense of justice. After Emma Stone’s quirky performance in “Easy A,” I chose her, partly for her physical features, but mostly for her sense of comedy which, like Samantha’s, is tinged with an interesting blend of snark and genuine heart.
Fast forward to today, and imagine my surprise to discover that Emma, my Samantha of choice, is now starring as Cruella in a new Disney release. Presto change-o, hero becomes villain, and I have mental whiplash.
decide for myself— as soon as I get over the shock.
daily struggle. But as long as we keep our good guys real and consign our bad
guys to make-believe, I think we’ll be okay.
Have you ever cast a favorite actor as the hero in a book?
Behind The Scenes of This Writer’s Life
/in Uncategorized/by Debra Sennefelderby Debra Sennefelder
On June 1st I made the decision to participate in a twenty day Instagram challenge that will run until the first day of summer. I thought it would be fun share some of the prompts with you they give a glimpse to this writer’s writing life. 🙂 I’ll be sharing five of the prompts and my answers today.
Let’s procrastinate. What do you know when you’re wasting time?
I
really try not to waste time. There’s so much to do and I like to keep
on schedule. But…there are times when I need a break so I’ll read,
I’ll watch YouTube videos (fashion hauls, cleaning and monkeys) or I
spend quality time with my little bestie, Connie.
I snapped the above photo of Connie while we were out on the patio. I was cleaning up and she was lounging. Typical! 😁
Beginnings.
I start my days with a workout and water. Having the workout done first thing sets me up for a good, productive day.
The
prompt “Beginnings” can also be the opening line of a book. So, here’s
the opening line of the next Food Blogger Mystery, THE CORPSE IN THE
GAZEBO.
“Hope Early had her Explorer’s windows rolled down and
the sunroof open so she could inhale the sweetness of spring blooms and
feel the gentle breezes that rolled through swaying trees on her drive
to Cleo Sloane’s house.”
The view from where I write.
My home
office windows look out to the stream that runs through our property and
the bridge over it. In early spring the burst of daffodils make me
smile.
My published works.
A couple
of weeks ago, I turned in my tenth book. It’s hard to believe since I
signed my first contract, I’ve written nine more books and that I’m
about to start number eleven. It’s #dreamcometrue.
Okay, there are some days when it’s more challenging than others. This
writing gig isn’t always easy but anything worthwhile usually isn’t. And
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If there’s a dream you want, go on and chase it. You never know what could happen.
You’ve been kidnapped. Which one of your characters will come to your rescue?
I’m
so lucky to have so many resourceful, responsible and loyal characters
who I know would come to my rescue in a heartbeat. This also means, I
can’t answer this question. I know who wouldn’t come to my rescue –
Elaine Whitcomb, Summer Blake and Ralph Blake. Oh, Maretta Kingston is
kind of iffy so I wouldn’t rely on her. 🤪
Now it’s your turn. Which character from your favorite mystery series would you like to come to your rescue? If you’re a writer, which of your characters will come to your rescue?
Debra Sennefelder is the
author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking,
exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch
with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.
A Story is Feelings
/in Uncategorized/by Sparkle Abbeyby Sparkle Abbey
One of the many advantages of a
writing team is that you always have someone to talk books with. While we tend
to read the same types of books, we don’t always read the same authors, so our
chats are a great way to discover the-book-you-didn’t-know-you-needed-to-read.
from Pexels
During one of our hours-long book
conversations, the topic of award-winning books came up. There was one book that
we had both recently read, that we agreed was really well written, had a great
plot, good twist, interesting characters, but left us. . . .unfulfilled. After
a deep dive into what we loved about it, we realized that neither of us had become
one hundred percent invested in any of the main characters. Anita likes to call
that “imprinting.” By that, she means the character whose emotional story
is being told is firmly impressed into her mind in a way that she strongly
connects with them.
Don’t misunderstand, that bestseller,
award-winning book we were discussing it’s NOT a bad book. We’re still talking
about it. We’re just talking about the plot twists and the great writing. But
for us, it wasn’t a book that either of us devoured, willing to stay up all
night to finish knowing we’d be blurry-eyed, and sleep-deprived the next day.
So why not?
The conversation turned to an
excellent craft book (who doesn’t love a great book on writing?)
by our dear friend,
Cheryl St. John, called Writing
With Emotion, Tension, and Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and
Compelling Novel. If you’re a
writer and have not read this book, read it. It will change the way you write. One
of the many amazing takeaways from Cheryl’s book is found on the first page of
the introduction. Cheryl writes, “Probably the most important concept I’ve
taken away from any book on writing is from Dwight V. Swain’s Techniques of the
Selling Writer: A story is feelings.”
So much power in four words. A.
Story. Is. Feelings.
Emotions come from the inner
conflict, the fight within the characters themselves. When done well, those
feeling are strategically woven throughout the story in a way that the reader can
“imprint” on the character. As the reader we must know what happens next because
we’re emotionally invested in the characters—good, bad, or fatally flawed—and
the story those characters are telling.
That’s what we were missing. We didn’t
know which character to imprint on, so we didn’t connect to any of the characters
on a deeper level. A great lesson for us to apply to our writing. Also, it
reminded us that it’s probably time to reread Writing With Emotion, Tension,
and Conflict.
If you’ve recently read a book that
kept you up all night, tell us about it in the comments. We want to know!
Sparkle Abbey is
actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the
national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as
well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder.
(But don’t tell the other neighbors.)
They love to hear from readers and
can be found on Facebook, and Twitter their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want
to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.
If We Could Travel Anywhere – Clicking Our Heels
/in Clicking Our Heels/by Stiletto GangIf We Could Travel Anywhere……. Clicking Our Heels
With the pandemic and travel easing, we wondered
where each member of The Stiletto Gang would go once the world truly reopened:
Donnell Ann Bell – Before COVID-19 struck in 2020, my husband,
myself, and our longtime friends, had planned a trip to Scotland to participate
in a walking/hiking tour. Not only did we want to visit Scotland, we wanted to
walk across Scotland in honor of my dear friend who had walked across the
200-mile trek years before. She passed away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS) several years ago. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to honor her as
well as experience the trip of a lifetime.
Needless to say during COVID 19 and the awful
2020, my husband and I became hooked on a British mystery series called Loch
Ness. The six-episode series featured—what else—Scotland. It’s a sign, I tell
you.
Lois Winston – I want to travel to California to see
the three grandchildren I haven’t seen, other than on Facetime, in more than
two years.
Robin Hillyer-Miles – My mother, husband, and I actually have a
British Isles cruise planned for September 2021 and I am attending the Georgia
Romance Writers Moonlight & Magnolia conference at the end of
September, early October.
Dru Ann Love – First I want to visit my mom and the second, return to attending
read/fan conventions.
Saralyn Richard – I’ve promised a certain young lady a trip to NYC for the
annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
Kathleen Kaska – Once the world reopens, I plan to travel back to my home state
of Texas and visit my family and friends.
Debra
Sennefelder
– I wasn’t a big traveler before 2020 so I have no big travel plans.
Though, I really want to go out to a restaurant without any type of
restrictions. Yes, that’s my dream.
Kathryn
Lane – Once
the world reopens for travel, I will go to Hong Kong, the Greek isles,
Istanbul, Miami, and Cuba since these are places where my protagonist, Nikki
Garcia, will be sent to confront dangerous situations in the next couple of
books.
Debra H. Goldstein – Because of vaccinations,
we finally have been able to see our children and grandchildren. Although we
want more trips like that, my secret pleasure would be a week in New York
seeing Broadway shows (which means Broadway needs to safely reopen, too)
T.K. Thorne – Got
a trip to Machu Picchu and Galapagos waiting and maybe Japan. There are so many places I want to see that
I’ve never been! I also want to explore
the countryside around me more, and I want to hug a lot of friends and family!
Anita
Carter (1/2 of Sparkle Abbey) – Anywhere!
I have wanderlust right now and I’m game for just about anything. The beach, a
national park, the mountains. . . .Let’s go!
Barbara Kyle – A trip anywhere with my
daughter and granddaughter. When my daughter suggested it recently, it made my
day. So, yup, anywhere with those two.
Linda Rodriguez – I have a dear friend who just spent several years working
herself half to death as the poet laureate of San Francisco and has just been
set free. I was supposed to visit her, but I had a bad fall that kept me from
traveling—and then the pandemic hit. I want to go out to see her.
Shari Randall – When the
world reopens the first thing I’ll do is hug my parents, my kids, and my
friends, then I’d love to rent a motorhome and visit
the national parks out west.
Mary Lee Ashford – First and foremost, family. I miss seeing family so much.
And if there’s any way that could include a beach…that would be
awesome.
Bethany Maines – Ireland! I was
planning a trip before COVID and now it’s sort of indefinitely on hold and we
need to see if we’re going to be re-roofing the house instead. Maybe
we’ll just forget everything and head to Hawaii for a week.
Gay Yellen – So many places! Book
conferences.