Tag Archive for: Killer Run

Summer Romance Turns to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

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So I just got back from RWA Nat’ls, held in NYC. What’s a mystery writer doing at a Romance conference?

There were a lot of us there. Maybe we were the secret recruiters… Come to the dark side, we have cookies…


Seriously, there’s a lot of cross over with romantic suspense and mystery. I moderated a panel with five women who write for Intrigue as they talked about the mystery side of their writing and how it melds with the romance. Helen Kay Diamond got to talk about the villains, which is the best part of writing the story.

All it all, it was a great conference. I was inspired by the constant litany of Never give up, Never surrender. Well, at least I kept hearing the tune. It’s my favorite quote and I’m sure I heard a version of it from each of the keynote speakers.

I ate too much, laughed a lot, learned more, and came home inspired and with at least one bright and shiny idea.

Next month it’s New Orleans and the Writer’s for New Orleans conference. Now where did I put my Hermione costume?

Killer Run releases August 18th – Have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books,
and More—has somehow been talked into sponsoring a 5k race along the beautiful
California coast. The race is a fundraiser for the local preservation
society—but not everyone is feeling so charitable…

 The day of the race, everyone hits the ground
running…until a local business owner stumbles over a very stationary body. The
deceased is the vicious wife of the husband-and-wife team hired to promote the
event—and the husband turns to Jill for help in clearing his name. But did he
do it? Jill will have to be very careful, because this killer is ready to put
her out of the running…forever!

Finding time to write

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Hi gang,

It’s been a busy spring for me, not only am I finishing writing Tourist Trap #6, I had edits and page proofs for Dressed to Kill (Tourist Trap #4) and Killer Run (Tourist Trap #5). I love revisiting South Cove and making sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed.

I’ve also been juggling some serious family health issues.  The good news is the bulk of the appointments and worries are crossed off the lists. The bad news is I’m worn out.

So it’s been a struggle to find the energy to dive into the work in progress and find my creative spark that makes the stories fun for me to write and, hopefully, fun for the reader as well.

As a new author, I heard my peers complain about not having enough time to write. Like the universe would just stop the world for a day, let us get 3000 – 5000 words and then restart the rest of life. Kind of like having our own Samantha from Bewitched. Remember when she wanted to have a private conversation with her mother? If I had a superpower or knew witchcraft, that’s the one spell I’d want to perfect.

I might even use the time to take a long, hot bath and catch up on some reading. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have the power. 🙂

Instead, I’ve been going back to basics. I’ve made a writing plan, set out weekly and daily word goals, and have been turning off the internet while I write. When I reach the first 1000 words, I take a break. Then, and this is the important step, I come back and write for 1000 more. Writing 3000 words a day and having a full time job is doable, just maybe not sustainable for the long haul.

Good news? I only need 20000 more to finish. And, for me, the last part of the book flies while I tie up loose ends and put my main character in jeopardy. I just have to remember she needs to save herself rather than wait for help to arrive.

I’ll let you know how it goes next month when I return.

The Idea Store by Lynn Cahoon

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Last summer, before my life turned upside down, I committed to joining Toastmasters at my workplace. Since August, I’ve given one speech.

This month, I’ll be giving two, one in a competition. Crazy, right?

The good news is I’ve been speaking in public since my first job where I was the radio girl who listed off the new, hot job opportunities available at your local unemployment office.  Then I spent over ten years training the regional staff at Idaho’s Health and Welfare department. Want to know how to deal with computer issues, or what assets count against Medicaid? I’m your girl.

But the speeches I’m giving this month are more personal. And I’m hoping I can keep my emotions in check while I’m talking. The first speech talks about where the ideas come from for my books. My mother asked me the same question. “How do you come up with all these ideas?”

The answer I gave her was kind of broad, but I’ll tell you the true writer secret. We’re magpies. We take bits and pieces of everything we’ve ever did, seen, or heard for our stories.  We’re taught to write what we know, so my first published book was The Bull Rider’s Brother.

No, I’m not a bull rider expert. But I love cowboys. Especially those in tight fitting jeans and a pearl snap western shirt? Add in a hat and boots, and I’m gone. The book’s first line tells you a lot about my main character Lizzie, but also, a lot about the author – me.

Cowboys aren’t easy to love, but they sure are easy on the eyes.

Then I mixed three or four of my favorites sites in the Idaho mountains and imagined the new town of Shawnee Idaho. I added in two brothers, the older being way too protective of the younger, to the point it affected his own happiness, threw in a too cute kid and a main character who’s been burned by love, one too many times.

All things I know about.

There’s a saying that authors pass around that says use your life history to season your writing. If  the people you know wanted to be painted in a positive light, they should have been nicer to you on the way.

I love this.

So where is your idea store?

 
If you’re interested in starting the Tourist Trap series before Dressed to Kill launches in June and Killer Run, in August, eKensington has Guidebook to Murder on sale for the month of March – digital $1.99. Check out the story that started it all….