Tag Archive for: Mundania Press

August is a Busy Month

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We have lots of family events to celebrate in August.

First one of come up is my eldest daughter’s wedding anniversary. She married her high school sweetheart who was going into the Army right away. (As it turned out, the Army discharged him honorable after discovering all his old motorcycle racing injuries.) They were married in the chapel on the Seabee base (Hubby was still active in the Seabees). Daughter made her wedding dress and some of the bridesmaids dresses. We had the reception in our family room and backyard and I prepared all the food. (Something I went on to do for all of my kids’ weddings.)

Next is the daughter’s birthday. She is now a grandmother of five. (Can’t believe it.)

My granddaughter’s hubby celebrated his 27th birhday a few days ago by going to the river (just up the hill where there’s a natural water slide) with his family to play, then back to our house for dinner and cake.

Next up is that granddaughter’s youngest turning one. The party was in the grands’ backyard–and yes, we went.

My birthday is this month too. No, I’m not going to tell you which one–I have trouble remembering which it is anyway. Don’t have anything special planned–they come around too quickly.

I’m also going to have the birth of a new book at the end of the month.

Not as it Seems is the latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. It’s set on the Central Coast of California–Morro Bay, Los Osos, San Luis Obispo, Pismo, Nipomo, Tempe and her husband have gone to celebrat their son Blair’s wedding. Yes, there is a murder, and spirits, or course. It wouldn’t be a Tempe Crabtree mystery if spirits didn’t make an appearance.

Marilyn Meredith

When Will I Stop Writing? by Marilyn Meredith

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This question has been discussed recently on the DorothyL list. And to be perfectly honest, I’ve had people ask me that question too. Probably because I am old.

Yes, I’m the ancient one of this group. I’ve been around since the beginning of this blog. I’ve been writing nearly all my life, but didn’t get published until 1982 and yes, I was already a grandmother then.

So, now, onto the answer of my question. I can’t imagine not writing. As long as I’m able to sit in front of my computer and new ideas pop into my head I’ll be writing.

One of the reasons I keep on is because the only way for me to find out what is happening to the characters I’ve created is to write the next book.

In the case of Deputy Tempe Crabtree, who is also getting older–though certainly at a slower rate than I am–I want to know when she might consider retiring from the sheriff’s department. And when she does, what will she do next? Will she remain in the small mountain community of Bear Creek or move somewhere else? If she moves, will that mean the end of her interacting with the Indians on the Bear Creek Reservation?

I’d also like to know more about her son, Blair, now that he’s working for the Morro Bay Fire Department. And of course there’s her husband, Pastor Hutch. Moving would mean Hutch giving up his church. Would there be another in his future.

And I’ve got a whole other series about the Rocky Bluff P.D. Those characters are aging much slower than I am, though there have been major changes in nearly everyone’s lives. Am I ready to quit writing about them? Not in the near future, in fact I’m nearing the end of the next book.

I also enjoy the other things that go along with writing. I like interacting with my readers. I enjoy some of the promoting that’s expected. I have cut down a bit on some of the in-person events that I do. I only participate in book and craft fairs where I don’t have to put up a tent and haul a table and chairs. I’ve cut down on the mystery and writers cons if they are too difficult for me to get to–and frankly, I miss seeing the people who attend.

For me writing is a part of who I am, so while I’m still of sound mind I’ll continue.

My latest, of course is in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series: River Spirits.

It’s available in all formats from the publisher at http://mundania.com/  and all the usual places.

Marilyn

Home from Epicon and Video for No Sanctuary

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It was certainly a whirlwind time!

We left home early Wednesday a.m. headed for Las Vegas. It’s about a 6 hour drive through the mountains and then the desert. First stop, my sis’s. As usual, we had a great time gabbing.

Thursday afternoon hubby and I headed for Henderson NV, more or less a suburb of Vegas. Our destination, Epicon which was being held in the Montelongo Resort. What a glorious setting–like an Italian village overlooking Lake Las Vegas. Our room had a balcony–which we never used, because it was chilly most of the time.

Right as we stepped in the hotel lobby we saw two friends from the last Epicon who let us know what was happening and where. After unloading our stuff we returned to the lobby where we met lots more of our friends from earlier conferences. Lee Emory, Treble Heart Press publisher, was there and the three of us decided we should have dinner together–in an Italian restaurant of course!

The conference started with an Epic business meeting and breakfast. I did a class on writing a mystery series right at 9 a.m. From then on I was free for the day and took advantage of all the rest of the seminars. That evening hubby and I tried out an Irish pub.

Saturday morning I joined some other authors to present information to three young writers. That was great! Epic always has a New Voices contest for young people. In the afternoon there was a publisher’s panel.

That evening was the wonderful Awards banquet–always great. Dan Reitz, publisher of Mundania Press, m.c.’d. The women looked terrific in their dressy clothes and some of the men even had on tuxedos–one Scotch publisher wore his kilt. I was the presenter for the Mystery category–fun because it’s done like the Academy Awards.

Sunday morning was a great breakfast, lots of networking and of course, finally goodbye. We headed back to my sister’s for the rest of the day and to spend the night.

Came home to piles of mail and email–rather daunting to go through.

Did have this new video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_du3UtWAYXw for No Sanctuary.

Marilyn

Now It’s My Turn to Prepare for a Conference

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I’ll be heading off to Las Vegas (actually Henderson) for the EpiCon tomorrow. Epic is the organization for electronically published writers. http://www.epicauthors.com

Our first stop though, will be to see my sister who lives in Las Vegas. I love going to Vegas for conferences as I can visit my sis and write the trip off. We don’t get to see each other often enough and we’re the only two left in our immediate family.

I’m going to be giving a presentation on writing mystery series–good topic for me since I write two, the Rocky Bluff PD series and the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. I’m also on two panels that are going to be for young writers: one is about putting it all together and the other is on World Building or settings.

There will be lots of good presentations to go to also as this conference is really geared for e-publishing and promotion. The publisher of my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, Dan Reitz of Mundania Press, will be there and it’s always good to be able to touch base with your publisher in person.

Like so many cons, I’ve gone to enough of them that I’ve made good friends that I’m eager to see again. Lee Emory, Treble Hear Books publisher, is a special friend and we’ve enjoyed each other at several Epicon. She bravely published my Christian horror novels. Of course there are many others I’m looking forward to seeing.

The conference is located at the Montelongo Resort and it looks like a fun place to explore. I’m not a gambler so that part of Las Vegas never appeals to me.

My books are already packed to the bookstore. Next, it’s deciding what clothes to pack–always a major decision. I’ll give my sis a call and find out what the weather’s like–it’ll surely be warmer than it is here.

The next conference for me after this one is Mayhem in the Midlands in May. I’ve already been contacted as to what kind of panels I’d like to be on. Mayhem is where I first met Susan McBride.

Now, back to packing.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Time to Celebrate (for a few short moments)

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I typed The End on my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery. Of course now I have to do the most important part and that is editing. I’ll wait a couple of days to get started with that.

One thing many readers don’t realize, it’ll be about two years before this one is in print.

The next offering in this series is called Kindred Spirits from Mundania Press. It will be out in September. The following September I expect the following Tempe book to make it’s debut, Dispel the Mist.

While writing, every author is busy planning how they will market each book. Like most everyone else, I have events going on all the time.

The places I’m going this month are listeed on the website. What that doesn’t tell you is for the park gig on the Fourth of July, it not only means hauling my books, but also an EZ-up (tent without sides, 2 tables and 2 chairs) probably half way through the park–and that depends upon how easily we find a parking spot near te park.

The West Coast Author Premier is a bit easier becauase all I have to haul is my books and handouts for my presentation. (Of course I must remember to print them out.) My presentation is at 10:30 a.m., which is good, then I’ll be all done.

The first night in Ventura we’re staying in a haunted room in a Bed and Breakfast at our request, the second night in my youngest daughter’s brand new home. Will blog about both.

For the writers’ group, of course I have handouts.

With a schedule like this, sometimes it difficult to find a time to breathe, much less write.

This is what I’m doing for the books I already have–and I’m also working on the schedule for the new book due in September.

Slight confession, I love it, just wish I were younger.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com