Tag Archive for: Cathy Perkins

Ready to Double Down?

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“Double Down” used to
mean a calculated gamble – and maybe it still does. The technique certainly can
increase the odds of winning. These days the term can mean anything from a bold
decision to an increased resolve to stick to a position. Of course, it can also
be a media euphemism with huge political overtones about certain
statements, but that’s a different discussion.

What do the words have to do with books?

Lots!  DOUBLE DOWN, a story set in the Holly Price mystery series world, is my newest release.


While this story was fun to write, I have a couple of confessions to make:  
People always ask authors where we get our story ideas. Confession #1 – The premise for this story was a given. A group of us challenged
each other to write a story where luck changed the protagonist’s life.  Of course, for a mystery writer this means someone is likely to die. That isn’t the life changing event. 

Really. 
Characters are as
important as the plot in my stories. My heroine, Maddie Larsson, leapt onto the page. The
inspiration for Maddie came from a friend’s daughter—a single parent who works
in a casino as a blackjack dealer. Maddie’s determination to forge a stable
life for herself and her son draws the admiration of one of the casino’s gamblers, attention that
changes her life for the better but also threatens to ruin—or end—it.
I wrestled a bit with the male lead character. So many readers
wanted to see JC Dimitrak’s side of events (JC is the hero in So About the
Money, book 1 in the series) I decided to put him in charge of the
investigation. Maybe he was a little too charming since my beta readers …well, telling you would be a spoiler.


Confession #2 – I
didn’t know anything about gambling. Honestly, I don’t understand the
attraction but clearly it’s a popular pastime. Fortunately I had a willing
“resource” (aka my friend’s daughter) to teach me the basics and give me
insight into the dealers’ world.

Take all that and place your bets – DOUBLE DOWN releases
October 23rd
Murder isn’t supposed
to be in the cards for blackjack dealer Maddie Larsson. Busted takes on a new
meaning when her favorite customer, a former Poker World Tour champion, is
murdered. His family claims—loudly and often—Maddie is the gold-digging
murderer. She better prove she’s on the level before the real killer cashes in
her chips. 
If the victim’s body
had been dumped five hundred yards up the road, Franklin County Sheriff’s
Detective JC Dimitrak wouldn’t have been assigned to the Tom Tom Casino murder
case. Instead, he’s hunting for suspects and evidence while dealing with a
nemesis from the past and trying to preserve his own future. He better play his
cards correctly and find the killer before an innocent woman takes the ultimate
hit.
Special release week pricing! 
Amazon       B&N      Kobo      iBooks  
An award-winning author of financial
mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes twisting dark suspense and light amateur sleuth
stories.  When not writing, she battles with the beavers over the pond
height or heads out on another travel adventure. She lives in Washington with
her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

Find out more or sign up for her newsletter at http://cperkinswrites.com 

Series and Standalones

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Series or Standalone? 
By Cathy Perkins

Hitting
today’s Frustration Meter – getting to the end of what you thought was a really
great standalone novel and stumbling onto the words “END OF BOOK
ONE.”  

(Yes, First World Problem.)


Worse yet – ugh – a serial novel.

Or the flip side – you reach the end of a story, and the ending is so
perfect… 


…or
you’re like a food addict and someone just took away your cake. 

“How am I
supposed to live without these characters? What
happens next? How could the author be so cruel?“



Which begs the questions: Series or Standalone?



Probably the single biggest advantage to a series is if you like the characters, you can get more of their
story. After a while it becomes comfortable, like hanging out with friends.  I know
these people! I like them – what’s happening?
Over
the course of the series, the characters can change, hopefully improving for
the better, over a more realistic, longer period. As a reader, it’s easier to commit
time and money if the book in a series. If you like the first one, you figure
you’ll like the next one in the series, rather than chancing another random book, even
another book by the same author.
The down side is, if each book in the series doesn’t have a
complete and satisfying story arc of its own, you may feel you’re left hanging
while waiting for the next book. Books aren’t like TV shows. You
don’t get the next episode a week later. Also, depending
on the overall story arc of the series, there may be significant threads left
unresolved. This can bother a reader who has to wait for the next book.
Writing a series means every installment has
to be as good as or better than the last. No rehashing of a theme. No cookie
cutter plots. No formulas. Readers deserve to feel their appetite for the adventure was satisfied, and they can’t wait for the next in the series.
Another challenge is
backstory. Can the reader pick up a book in the middle of the series and get
enough backstory for it to make sense? Or do they have to start with book one?
How much backstory does the author include in subsequent books without boring
the dedicated series fan or confusing the mid-series pick-up reader?
Finally, what if a series goes too long?
What if the protagonist keeps falling into the same old danger time after time?
This can result in the B word: boring. You don’t want to go there.
The advantage of writing a standalone is
trying new ideas or themes without the confines of your established setting and
characters. Your readers can discover a new side of your talent. A standalone
for a series author is like an experimental science lab. Just don’t blow up the
place and go so far over the line that your fans don’t recognize you.
What do you think? 
Do you prefer reading
or writing a series or standalones?

Cathy Perkins
After
publishing three standalone novels, I’m easing into the series idea. DOUBLE
DOWN (presale available here) features several of the characters from So About the Money (JC speaks! He
finally gets a point of view!) with events right after “book one”
ends. 
I’m working away on Book Two, so hopefully readers will jump on board
with this new story and series.

Keep in touch at my website or sign up for my newsletter.

Wedding Countdown

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Wedding countdown is in full swing in the Perkins’ homes!

My daughter and her fiance have handled most of the planning (thank goodness!) allowing me to play with the fun parts. Don’t worry, there’ll be no spreadsheets and seating charts, they aren’t as much fun to look at.

Things were much simpler when my husband and I got married – well, the ceremony part was simpler, but that’s a different story. For this couple, the planning started last year. Seattle has a really short “wedding season” given its intensely beautiful summers and the kids’ preference for an outdoor wedding. Once they decided on a venue, the adventure began.

We shopped for the dress – no, she didn’t select this one, but I love the swirl of the train – and sipped champaign to celebrate when she found The Perfect Dress.  

Wine tasting in Woodinville is always fun. The wine for the reception dinner? Cases and cases stacked and ready. Caterer? Check. DJ? Check. Flowers? Check.

On and on.

And so their list of tasks clicked into the “done” column.

I got to do more of the fun stuff.

Shower with her Besties? Oh yeah.

Shower in the most beautiful backyard of my new… what do I call the mother of the groom…?

Wonderful Woman 🙂

I’ll see her at the wedding 😊






Did you do most of the planning for your kid’s wedding or let them handle it? Or does a quick trip to the courthouse sound like a better plan? Your turn! 

Cathy Perkins
started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting
daydreams. Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was
hooked on the joy of creating stories. When not writing, she can be found doing
battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel
adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with
her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

Her next book, DOUBLE DOWN, releases in September – after the wedding is over and all the guests have gone home. 

The Box Set Funeral

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Box sets have been a marketing staple in the publishing
industry, but a lot of people are ready to call the technique dead and bury it.
Queue the band and plan the funeral.
Or not.
The opportunities presented by setting up a box set remain
as numerous—and practical—as ever. The sets offer a chance to collaborate with
other authors to reach a different group of readers. 
In well run ventures, many
hands mean a combined promotional effort that expands the reach of an
individual. And on a practical level, the book is already written, so the set
adds another potential income stream.
Genres sets tend to perform better than literary sets,
especially if the books share a similar audience. Many of the current box sets
share a theme, setting, or type of hero/heroine.
Does that mean you should dive into the next set you hear
about? 
Probably not. 
From the author’s perspective, understand why you’re joining
the set and who you’re teaming with. Are their readers potentially your
readers? On a more personal level, will the other members of the team pull
their weight and take responsibility for their marketing or preparation tasks? Other
decisions include financial management of royalties and/or required buy-in of advertising
dollars.
Let’s say you’ve considered the options and assembled a
team, chosen a theme and established a time line. What’s not to like about this decision?

The biggest criticism of the box sets is the same disdain leveled
at other forms of “cheap marketing”—i.e. free or very inexpensive books. 
“They
devalue the written word.” 
“They’re destroying the industry.
Yeah, yeah, the sky is falling.
There’s also the naysayers’ claim the book hoarders simply
snap up the inexpensive sets and place them on their e-reader, where they
disappear among the pixels. 
That may happen. But there are also readers who dip
and sample through the set (or even better, voraciously read all the stories).
And they just might tell their friends about a new –to-them author (you!).
Because word of mouth marketing is still the best kind.
I’m sure you’re surprised to hear I joined a box set that
released this week. LUCK OF THE DRAW features thirteen brand new stories centered
on a life-changing stroke of luck. (Special release week price at Amazon) 
My contribution to the set is DOUBLE DOWN. Murder isn’t supposed to be in the cards for blackjack dealer
Maddie Larsson. A single mom, struggling to make ends meet, dealing
at the Tom Tom Casino pays better than anything else she’s currently
qualified to do. Busted takes on a new meaning, however, when her favorite
customer, a former Poker World Tour champion, is murdered. His family
claims—loudly and often—that Maddie is a gold-digging murderer. She better
prove she’s on the level before the real killer cashes in her chips.
If the victim’s body had been dumped five hundred yards up the
road, Franklin County Sheriff’s Detective JC Dimitrak wouldn’t have been
assigned to the Tom Tom Casino murder case. Instead, he’s hunting for suspects
and evidence while dealing with a nemesis from the past and trying to preserve
his own future. He better play his cards correctly and find the killer before
an innocent woman takes the ultimate hit.

Taxis, Uber and Career Path Choices

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By Cathy Perkins

I had to go to LA for the day job this week. At LAX, I
trotted out to Ground Transportation. I’d heard LA didn’t allow Uber drivers in
the ground transportation aisle (where the nine million shuttles and taxis
wait), so I grabbed a taxi to head to my meeting. The driver shot away from the
curb before even asking my destination. 

Who knows, maybe he was afraid his fare
would escape.
After pulling up the street address from my email and
sharing the location with the driver, I opened an app to track our path to the
destination. The driver was livid and told me in no uncertain terms that he
didn’t want me telling him where or how to drive. Or that I thought I knew
better than he did how to get where we were going. There might have been a few
other “rules” thrown around, but I’d quit listening by that point.
I’m still not entirely sure what his actual objection was,
but I muted the sound and left the app running. Okay, part of the reason I run
the route app is security. I’m in a city I don’t know well, with a person I
don’t know the first thing about.  And
he’s not exactly making me feel safe as he drives like a maniac, squeezing into
non-existent gaps in traffic, alternating between sixty and zero in shoulder
wrenching seconds. (Yes, I put on my seat belt!) The other reason for running
the app is to put names to the streetscape flowing past my window. Oh look.
That’s Marina Del Ray with all the fabulous boats. I didn’t know Loyola
Marymount University had a campus here. It’s lovely.  
Somewhere along the way this driver ranted about Uber. By
this point, I’d tuned him out and looked at the window (while keeping a surreptitious
eye on the app and the route). When the meeting concluded and I needed a ride
back to the airport, who did I call? You got it in one. I tapped the Uber app
and a driver appeared within minutes.
The Uber driver’s car was new and spotless. The driver
himself was charming. In spite of what you may have read about some
disgruntlement among Uber drivers, this guy loved his job. He drove full time,
but set his own hours and avoided the late afternoon crush of LA’s notorious
traffic. I got the impression he spent most afternoons at the beach before
returning to the streets for several more hours of evening driving. (Great way
to get home from a club or restaurant if you’ve like to have a glass of wine
with dinner.)
The other information he freely shared was his business
structure. Because he’s been with Uber for over four years, his percentage of
the fare has increased from 80% to 90%. With his portion of the proceeds, he
covers all his own expenses, including the decision to upgrade (and afford) the
car he was driving. His positive ratings from passengers apparently also move
him up in the ranking for notifications in his area when he’s looking for his
next fare.
In the waiting area at LAX, I couldn’t help but compare the
two transportation modes to the evolving status of publishing. Taxis and
traditional publishing seem established and “safe” while Uber and independent
publishing seem riskier. That risk level in the newer technologies drops,
however, as the concept grows and evolves.
So how does transportation compare with publishing? While a
few big names still pull in significant advances from traditional publishers,
midlist authors have been cut left and right. Royalty rates are puny and print
runs are decreasing. On the plus side, the publisher covers most of the
production costs for the book. Likewise for the taxi driver, the rate of pay is
reduced, but the cab company pays more of the expense—which sometimes means a
sleek towncar and at others, a rust-bucket you hope makes it to your
destination. The author may be assigned a top notch editor and talented cover
artist, and receive superb marketing placement. Or he or she may end up with a new
untested editor and little publisher support.
Like the Uber driver, the independent author can potentially
earn a much larger royalty but also must cover his or her business expenses.
The author has the choice of where to spend and how much capital to allocate.
New car/clean up the existing vehicle? Hire a top notch editor/ask a friend to
beta read? What can the author competently handle and where is it better to
hire experienced assistants? Each step has financial repercussions. And each
person must make the career choice they feel is correct for them.
The most important decision the author (and driver) must
make however? What will give the passenger/reader the best experience?
Because isn’t that what it’s all about?

By the way, I’m sure you’ll be surprised to hear that next
time I’m in LA, I take Uber rather than stepping into that taxi.

An
award-winning author of financial mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes twisting dark
suspense and light amateur sleuth stories.  When not writing, she battles
with the beavers over the pond height or heads out on another travel adventure.
She lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the
resident deer herd.

Visit her at her website or her Amazon author page.

Left Coast Crime

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Aloha!

I’m heading out this morning for Left Coast Crime.

Left Coast Crime is the big reader-oriented mystery conference that’s always held somewhere on, well, the left coast. This year it’s in Honolulu. I know, a sacrifice to head to Hawaii when we still have snow on the ground, but I’m up for the challenge.

Rather than author focused panels about craft or industry/publishing, the sessions are totally focused on books. Gotta love that, right? My panel is financial crime in mysteries, a session that’s right up my alley. Come by and say hello if you’re at the conference.

I’m eagerly waiting to catch up with author friends and make new ones.

Have you ever been to a reader-focused conference?





Cathy Perkins is currently working on new story in the So About… series.  She started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting daydreams.  Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories.  When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure.  Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd. 

Relationships – They’re Complicated

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Ah, Valentine’s Day. Doesn’t it capture the good, the bad
and the ugly in a relationship? Yikes! Hopefully it’s all good, but so often
the best words to describe a relationship are, “It’s complicated.”
My husband and I ran errands on Valentine’s Day and watched
with amusement as people made mad dashes into Edible Arrangements, CVS, and the
grocery store for last minute candy, cards and flowers.  It took two seconds to make up stories about
those couples and their relationships. The stories became wilder as the day progressed–funny, tragic, strained, hopeful. The wonderful part—from a writer’s perspective—is
how deliciously complicated relationships can be.
“It’s complicated.”
What a wonderful relationship description. Messy, imperfect,
human. The term implies a hint of mystery, half a cup of vulnerability, the
other half trust. Heartache tossed with belief.
Can you think of any relationship in you life where “it’s
complicated” hasn’t applied at some point?
In my life, beyond (my wonderful) husband, there are parents (don’t get
me started on my father), children, siblings. Friends who’ve held and broken my
trust. Pets who own pieces of my heart. I love them all but the currents,
subtext, history and mutual flaws has woven a multi-dimensional tapestry that’s still evolving. 
I’m wrapping up a novella this month that features several
characters from So About the Money. While the who-dunnit is front and center, the relationships drive the story. The novella is a strange format
for me since I’m used to telling wonderfully complicated stories with subplots,
but it’s terrific for focusing on one character’s path. (And because I can’t
resist, there is a small subplot with Detective JC Dimitrak wrestling with his
prickly relationship with former cop, Frank Phalen.) The new story centers on
Maddie, though; her relationship with her ex, an elderly gambler and his
children… Well, it’s complicated.

What about you? Do you like your relationships stress-free
or complicated? Real life vs. stories?

Cathy Perkins is currently working on an as-yet-untitled story in the So About… series.  She started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting daydreams.  Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories.  When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure.  Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd. 

Retreating

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Retreating by Cathy Perkins


What
is it about a writing retreat that makes us so productive?


Is it the creative energy in the house? 

Knowing other people are writing away (and you should be too)? 

Or is it because you left behind ____ (fill in your own blank) and you better
make use of the time?

Way back in 2008, a group of
women from the Pacific Northwest finalled in the Golden Heart—and formed a bond
based first on writing and then on friendship. Every year since then, we’re
gotten together over the long Martin Luther King weekend for a writing retreat.
While there’s tons of writing, there’s also laughter and stories, Courtney
Milan’s lessons on branding, Rebecca Clark’s yoga sessions and Rachel Grant’s
chocolate martinis.


I’m halfway through a new
story, with most of the remaining scenes blocked out. I haven’t a clue about
the title or cover. Hmm… wonder what the women are doing this weekend?


Have you ever been on a
writing retreat? What do you think is the best part?

Cathy
Perkins is currently working on an as-yet-untitled story in the So About…
series.  She started writing when
recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting daydreams.  Fortunately, that first novel lives under the
bed, but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories.  When not writing, she can be found doing
battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel
adventure.  Born and raised in South
Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs
and the resident deer herd. 


See Ya, 2016

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December is traditionally the month
of reflection—a time to look back at the year to assess goals and accomplishments.  My husband and I were talking last night, not
so much about which goals we met, but rather about 2016 events that made us happy. While
engagements, new jobs and houses for our kids top the list, I’m very happy to
report we finally finished our house without killing our builder.

My mom would’ve loved this
house—the setting, the birds and animals, the river and pond, and especially
the snow at Christmas. 

I miss Mom a lot
at the holidays. One of my favorite holiday memories is Mom making cookies with
the kids. While unpacking, I found the cookie cutters in one of the boxes
marked “Christmas. ” I think I’ll head into my new kitchen, whip up a batch of
gingerbread dough, and invite the neighbor’s kids over.


What’s on your list
of “good things” for 2016?



Cathy Perkins started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting daydreams. Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories. When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd. 

You can also visit her online at the following places:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Grateful – With or Without (Horrors!) Wine

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We’ve been talking (off and on) about gratitude this month.
I poked around to some of the sites I routinely follow and have loved all the
recognition this month that as individuals, as a community, (and totally avoiding politics
here, but I’m gonna say it anyway) and as a nation, there’s a lot to celebrate.
There’s so much good going on, but it’s easy to focus on the Not So Good (or
the absolutely abysmal).
Tonight as I sip a glass of wine (always grateful to the
people who make wine), I keep thinking about a challenge I read. The challenge
is to focusing on the good things. Okay, admit it. Do you beat
yourself up over the fumbles, the thing you might could’ve done better, and
bring yourself down in the process? (Yeah, I might’ve done that.) Or do you
quietly (or loudly if that’s your style 😉 ) give thanks for the good things in
your life?
I’m choosing to focus on the good. That we can reach out to
each other within the writing community — and beyond it to our local town or
whatever sphere you can touch — and make things better.
I’ll save talk about community service for another post. Tonight,
rather than wallow in the Not So Good, I’m celebrating the Good Things.
This week I’m savoring that after a year and a half in a
tiny apartment (which was also my day job office), we moved into our new house!
I walk through the rooms and revel in the space. (I have a dining table again.
A place to have friends over where they can actually sit down.) And art that’s been in storage for
too long is slowly finding a new place in our home.  
I’m grateful for family. My daughter asked if she and her
fiancé could have their engagement pictures taken at our house. I’m so happy
for the two of them, that they found each other and that they want to include us
as they forge a life together.
I’m grateful for friends on so many levels. Old friends who
are helping me out professionally and new friends who are easing the transition
into a new home and new options for the future.
What are you savoring
this week? What are you grateful for?

And because it’s So
About The Money’s book birthday, I’m putting together a present for my
readers, because I’m always grateful when people choose to spend their time
with my characters. 

Watch my Facebook page for details or sign up for the newsletter that I swear I’m finally going to send out. 





Cathy Perkins
started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting
daydreams. Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was
hooked on the joy of creating stories. When not writing, she can be found doing
battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel
adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with
her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

You can also visit her online at the following places:
 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads