Confessions of a Playwright-Turned-‘Quozy’ Mystery Author

By Frank Anthony Polito 

Since I’m new to “Writers Who Kill” – and probably new to you, dear reader – I thought I’d begin with some backstory. My journey as an author began in the spring of 2004. (“20 years ago!” he says to himself, totally freaking out.) I was working as a freelance book publicist at Kensington Publishing in New York City, but I was about to call it quits and head off to Pittsburgh to study Dramatic Writing (plays and screenplays) at Carnegie Mellon University.

Little did I know, a casual conversation with Editor-in-Chief, John Scognamiglio, would set me on a path I hadn’t even considered…

John, a fellow gay man and mutual Days of our Lives fan, pulled me aside one
day. “I didn’t know you wrote plays!” I hesitated. “Um…I've written one play.” “Oh! What’s it about?” I gave him the premise: two teenage best friends growing up in the ’80s come out to each other as gay…and mayhem ensues. “Sounds like fun! I’d love to read it.” So, I passed along the script. A few days later, John posed me a question that would change the trajectory of my life: “Have you ever thought about turning your play into a novel?”

My debut, Band Fags! was released in June 2008. The book received some nice reviews from credible LGBTQ publications. It was even named “Best Fiction” by the InsightOut Book Club. The follow-up, Drama Queers!, came out a year later and received the Lambda Literary Award for “Best Gay Romance.” But, despite these early successes, things started to slow down.

Throughout my publishing journey, I remained unrepresented by a literary agent. After all, why would I need one? I had a contract offer directly from an editor, and the idea of giving away 15% of my advance and future royalties seemed unnecessary. Then, in 2011, I did connect with an agent who’d heard good things about my writing, and we began working together. Sadly, the partnership didn’t unfold as I’d hoped. For two long years, my agent struggled to secure a publishing deal for my new work. I wrote proposals, crafted sample chapters, and even completed two entire novels, which I eventually self-published. And, when the contract came to an end, we parted ways, and I pretty much gave up novel-writing altogether.

Fast forward to 2020…As the Great Pandemic was beginning to reshape the world, I received an unexpected email from John Scognamiglio at Kensington: “Have you ever thought about writing a cozy mystery?” 

My debut “quozy” (queer cozy), Renovated to Death was released in May 2022. The series focuses on a queer millennial couple, writer Peter “PJ” Penwell and his domestic partner, actor JP Broadway (PJ & JP, confusing perhaps, but cozy-cute!), who renovate old houses on an HGTV-like show called (what else?) “Domestic Partners,” while helping to solve a few murders.  In book 2, Rehearsed to Death, the partners are on hiatus from their TV show, so they spend their time off producing a play, written by Peter and starring JP, at the local community theatre, and the pompous, and very British, director turns up dead on stage, strangled by his own extra-long cashmere scarf.

Now here it is, August 2024, and the third novel in my Domestic Partners in Crime series, the Halloween-themed Haunted to Death, has just been released. Still without a literary agent, I’ve been plugging away, doing my best to connect with readers (hence this post you’re reading!) post on social media, and create reels showing off my expertise as a home renovator. Based on all the Bookstagram posts and likes, you’d think I was killing it, but…

 Recently I learned that Domestic Partners in Crime is on the verge of cancellation due to low sales of the book 2. And the kicker? This news arrived even before the third book had gone on sale! Suffice to say, this has been a sobering experience. When I was initially approached to write the series, I hadn’t considered the possibility that it might not continue beyond the first few installments. In my naivete, I believed that cozy mystery series would naturally extend indefinitely, sustained by a loyal readership and so long as I kept coming up with new plots. However, the reality of publishing is far less predictable. Market performance and sales figures wield significant influence over a series’ lifespan, regardless of the author’s plans or the potential of the storyline.

The unexpected news is particularly disheartening, since I’ve already completed writing the fourth book in the series, Dragged in Death, in which the partners are drawn into the vibrant world of drag culture, after being asked to participate in a charity Extravaganza drag show, where the young drag queen known as Melody Mansion is found dead backstage, smothered by her own bouffant wig.

The looming cancellation of Domestic Partners in Crime is a stark reminder that storytelling is as much about connecting with readers as it is about crafting engaging plots. Despite the current uncertainty, I remain hopeful that Haunted to Death will find its audience, and Dragged to Death will see the light of publication. Ultimately, whether or not the series continues, I’m proud of the stories I’ve told and the characters I’ve brought to life, and I’m grateful for every reader who has joined me along the way.

All this said…If you’ve already read and enjoyed the adventures of PJ Penwell and JP Broadway in Domestic Partners in Crime, I hope you’ll tell all your friends to do the same­—please! Every recommendation and book sold helps immensely in making a case for the continuation of the series. I offer my heartfelt appreciation for any help you can provide in saving the series.

Frank Anthony Polito is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and playwright. He holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon and a BFA in Theatre from Wayne State. His latest “quozy” mystery Haunted to Death is now on sale. Readers can visit Frank online at www.frankanthonypolito.com

 

Football Starts! by Nancy L. Eady

This weekend marks a special occasion.  No, I’m not talking about Labor Day, but about football.  This weekend is the first weekend for college football, cleverly known as “Week One.”  The less obvious weekend was last weekend, dubbed “Week Zero,” where a few teams got a jump on the rest of the nation.  In an exciting game, Florida State played Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland – and Georgia Tech won.  Delaware State played Hawaii.  When I was researching (okay, Googling) Week Zero, I learned that Hawaii often gets to play during Week Zero because of the difference in time zones.  Playing the early week helps them (or the teams traveling to play them) in some way.  

Except for those teams that have played Week Zero, and for Arkansas and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who are playing tonight (Thursday, August 29), this is one of the best times for college fans.  At this moment, every team is undefeated, and every fan can dream, however unrealistically, of championships and accolades for their team. 

In the South, football and insanity travel together.  Otherwise mild-mannered, rational people are gearing up to shout encouragement and advice to their team of choice while watching the game on television, convinced that by sheer force of will, via the magic of the airways, they will help their team win. The same people are also pulling out lucky shirts from their closet or performing rituals they believe will tip the balance of a close game for their team. Weddings, birthday parties, and yes, even funerals, are scheduled around various games.  

For those people who eschew college football for the more glamorous NFL, your season is also fast approaching.  Your first game for the 2024-2025 season will be on Thursday, September 5 on NBC between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens.   The NFL has no need for a Week Zero; it has an entire pre-season where teams play each other to help the coaches decide who will make the team.  It’s a good thing I’m not a coach, either for the NFL or a college team.  I don’t think I’d be able to cut anyone from the team, since they all seem to want to play.  

No matter which team or league is yours, enjoy the dreams of championships dancing in your head before cruel reality snatches them away. I know I’m looking forward to my dreams, at least until my team plays on Saturday night.  And should your football dreams fail, remember the sports cry that follows every season - “There’s always next year!”

Mysteries and Autism Spectrum Disorder

 By Ryan Hoffman

My name is Ryan Hoffman and l am a writer with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I place on the spectrum with what used to be known as Aspergers, but is now called high-functioning Autism. Thank you for letting me post on Writers Who Kill. I have loved mysteries since l was a kid. Encyclopedia Brown, the Hardy Boys, and Sherlock Holmes introduced me to mysteries growing up. I am convinced by Sherlock’s traits that he had a Victorian version of Asperger/high functioning autism. Following my introduction to mysteries, I graduated to Agatha Christie and cozy/traditional mysteries

The spark that Sherlock Holmes books started continued when I read the Asperger’s Mysteries by E.J. Copperman (aka Jeff Cohen). A quick description. Imagine if you crossed Sherlock Holmes with Adrian Monk but set the action in suburban New Jersey and added in an overbearing but supportive mother and a female assistant/love interest. The resulting character would be Samuel Hoenig, my first taste of an autistic male detective.

Christopher John Francis Moore in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon provided me with an amateur sleuth role model. Unlike Samuel or Molly Gray in Nita Prose’s books The Maid and The Mystery Guest, or Jo Jones in Brandy Shillace’s mystery The Framed Women of Ardmore House, Christopher is a 15-year-old boy that has autistic traits but isn’t labeled as autistic.

I didn’t think about becoming a writer until after Covid hit. Nor did I think about writing autistic characters when I started. I knew I wanted to get into cozy or detective mystery fiction somehow. Originally, since I had a criminal justice degree, I considered working as a civilian at an entry level police job, security guard, or detective.

That changed when l chose to become a mystery writer while working part time in retail. My high school English teacher, Mrs. Laura Jacobs, (Canton High School in the progressive burg of Canton, South Dakota), liked the creativity I displayed when I wrote short stories for class. She suggested l become a writer. I brushed it off until now. I’ve published four books in my Riley Morgan Mystery series, with a fifth release planned in December.

Riley has a tween/teen nephew Kyle who is also on the spectrum but not diagnosed. The book that releases on September 18, The Geek is Up, will have an autistic sleuth lead, Casey Schmitt. He has his own Watson in his best friend and college roommate turned detective partner Myle Wilson. He also has a beagle, named Scout. I took some inspiration from contemporary Sherlock Holmes sleuths like Jonny Lee Miller in Elementary and Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock. My main inspiration was Dr. Shaun Murphy, Freddie Highmore's character in The Good Doctor.

Ryan Hoffman has an interest in criminal justice and writing. He’s loved mystery novels since childhood, and hi autism gives him a creative mind. He writes mystery novels set in his home state of South Dakota. He’s a member of many groups on Facebook and the national organization Sisters in Crime. He lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

www.ryanhoffmanmysteries.com

Check out amazon

Follow him on facebook, goodreads , and bookbub

 

 

 

 

An Interview With Laura Jensen Walker

by Grace Topping

 

Throughout my writing journey, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many wonderful writers, both online and in person. Laura Jensen Walker, an online friend, has inspired me through both her fiction and memoirs. Today, Laura tells us about her writing journey and her pleasure writing about unsung heroes. Be on the lookout for Laura’s latest book, Death of a Flying Nightingale.

 

 

Death of a Flying Nightingale

 

Three very different young women serve as air ambulance nurses bravely flying into WWII combat zones risking their lives to evacuate the wounded. Irish Maeve joined the RAF after her fiancé was killed; streetwise Etta fled London’s slums in search of a better life, and farm girl Betty enlisted to prevent the wounded from dying like her brother.

Newspapers have given these women a romantic nickname: “The Flying Nightingales.” Not that there’s anything romantic about what they do. The horrific injuries they encounter on a daily basis take their toll, so when one of the Nightingales is found dead, they wonder: Was it an accident? Suicide? Or something else?

 

After another nursing orderly dies mysteriously, they think: Someone’s killing Nightingales. The friends grapple with their loss all while keeping a stiff upper lip and continuing to care for casualties as they’re being strafed by the Luftwaffe.   www.laurajensenwalker.com

 

 

Welcome, Laura, to Writers Who Kill.

 

Death of a Flying Nightingale is about three air ambulance nurses who served during WWII? What inspired you to write their story?

 

My husband and I were watching an old episode of Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages where she visited the Cotswolds village of Down Ampney. There she interviewed an elderly woman named Lilian West who thought she might be the last remaining “Flying Nightingale.” Lilian revealed that she was a mere seventeen when she volunteered to become a nursing orderly (air ambulance “nurse”) with the RAF—actual nurses had to be officers—and that she and her fellow nursing orderlies were given only six weeks of training before risking their lives flying into combat zones to bring back the wounded. When I learned that the planes they flew in could not bear the Red Cross insignia since they carried supplies and munitions, and as a result the Nightingales were shot at by the Germans, I was gobsmacked. I was further gobsmacked to learn that these nursing orderlies (dubbed “Flying Nightingales” by the newspapers) were not allowed to wear parachutes on the flights home—if the plane was shot down or crashed, they were expected to remain with their patients. 

I turned to my husband and said, “Why have I never heard of these amazing women before? This needs to be a book!”

 

 

Are the characters in your book fictional or based on actual air ambulance nurses?

 

Most of the characters are fictional—including the main three: Maeve, Betty, and Etta—but some of the things they experienced are based on anecdotes from real-life women who served on the planes. Edith “Titch” (Lord) Joyce, was a real woman who gave me permission to include bits and pieces of her story in the book. Some of the other real-life Nightingales also make cameo appearances—including one of the women who died when her plane was shot down by the Germans.

 

I understand that you had the privilege of interviewing the last remaining Flying Nightingale. Up to that point, I imagine most of your knowledge about them had been based on second-hand sources. What was it like talking to one of the actual nurses. Did she shed any light on something that you hadn’t known before?

 

It was a great honor and the privilege of my life to “talk” (via email through her daughter in Australia) to Edith about her experiences as a Flying Nightingale. Edith told me about caring with another nursing orderly for a group of “bomb-happy” (shellshocked) men one night and how many of them cried out for their mothers and she comforted them. One of those bomb-happy lads sent her a thank-you letter afterwards. Edith also told me of the time she ironed a uniform for one of the wounded men in the hospital and he asked if she’d found something in the pocket. She handed him the packet containing his “French letter” (condom) and said she’d never seen a man blush so much. Edith shared many wonderful anecdotes with me that made it into the book that I wouldn’t have been privy to otherwise, for which I will always be grateful. 

 

 

Did serving in the U. S. Air Force and being stationed in England influence your interest in writing a book set in the U. K.?

 

Definitely! As an airman (formerly called a WAF—Women’s Air Force) who’d been stationed at an RAF base not far from the RAF base where these WWII WAAFs (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) were posted, I felt a strong connection to them. (Although I could never have done what they did since I’m squeamish and can’t stand the sight of blood. They saw some horrific injuries—missing limbs, eyes, ears, mouths, terrible burns from bomb blasts, etc. It’s unimaginable.)

 

 

In addition to writing fiction, you’ve written three books very personal to you, Good Girl, Thanks for the Mammogram, and Mentalpause. What prompted you to write your life stories?

Thanks for the Mammogram, the first of the three books you mentioned, was written to encourage other women going through breast cancer and to give them hope for the journey. To show them that someone else had walked this journey before them and to hold their hand through it. (The subtitle was: Fighting Cancer with Faith, Hope, and a Healthy Dose of Laughter.) 

Good Girl started out as a spiritual memoir about leaving evangelical, fundamentalist churches I’d been active in and finding my spiritual home in the Episcopal Church. It became so much more than that. In my first draft, I briefly mentioned being raped when I was nineteen. When a dear editor friend read that first draft, she encouraged me to go deeper and examine how that assault impacted me and colored my life going forward. I resisted at first, not wanting to relive that awful event, but the #MeToo movement gave me the courage to speak up and share my story as well. That wound up being a healing, cathartic journey for me. As for Mentalpause, I had no plans to write that book after going into early menopause after chemotherapy for breast cancer, but both my editor and then-agent said it would be a good follow-up to Thanks for the Mammogram. I figured it wasn’t a bad idea to give women going through menopause some laughs, and voila.

 

Early in your writing career, you started writing Chick Lit. After writing seven of them, what prompted the switch to writing mysteries?

 

After writing my last chick lit, Becca by the Book, my 17^th book in 12 years, I was burned out and felt like I never wanted to write another book again. I wound up taking a decade-long writing sabbatical, during which time I went to work for the State of California to earn a much-needed, steady paycheck, health benefits, and a (modest) pension. Then the writing itch returned. I knew I wanted to write fiction again, but I didn’t want to do chick lit. I was talking to my dear friend Lonnie (the editor who encouraged me to go deeper with my memoir), and she suggested I write cozy mysteries. Having known me for years, she knew what an Anglophile I was and how much I loved cozy cottages, gardens, and tea, and thought that would be a perfect genre for me. 

 

 

Your debut mystery, Murder Most Sweet, the first book in your Bookish Baker Mystery Series, was nominated for an Agatha Award in the Best First Novel category. It was also featured in Woman’s World Magazine and appeared in their list of Best New Books for 2020. Did this recognition put stress on you for mysteries you wrote after that?

 

Not really. I was already contracted for two more cozies, and my journalism background had taught me to write fast and not miss a deadline, so I just put my head down and forged ahead.

 

 

You followed with Hope, Faith & a Corpse, about a female pastor in a small-town church in California, and then, Deadly Delights, the second book in your Bookish Baker Mystery Series. Can we look forward to any more books in those series?

 

I’d hoped to continue with at least one more Bookish Baker title, to complete the series, and also do a second Faith Chapel mystery. Unfortunately, my book sales weren’t high enough for my publisher to offer me another contract. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll wrap those up. Not anytime soon though as I have several other projects percolating.

 

Which have you found more difficult, writing fiction or writing about yourself?

 

Writing fiction. In fiction I need to create an entire world from scratch, a whole cast of characters, conflict, and a compelling, engaging story to keep readers turning the page. As someone who hates conflict, that’s always a struggle for me. Writing about myself is easy (and fast) because I already know the story.

 

After reading 103 books in the first grade and already dreaming then of become a writer, your first book wasn’t published until you were age 40. What finally got you started writing?

 

Breast cancer and confronting my own mortality. Going through an illness that could kill me reminded me that life is short and I needed to overcome my fear that I couldn’t do it (write a BOOK? Me?) and just go for it! 

 

What should we be on the lookout from you next?

 

I’m contracted for two more Nightingale mysteries (releasing in 2025 and 2026) with Level Best Books, and I’m currently writing my first women’s fiction—a story I’m really passionate about. I don’t want to say too much other than the fact that it deals with a neurodivergent woman of a certain age. Having recently discovered—in my mid-sixties—that I’m neurodivergent (which explains a lot), I wanted to explore what this is like from an older woman’s perspective. 

 

I also have another World War II novel set in England (not a mystery, although it has a mystery subplot) that I’m hoping will find a home eventually. Rabid Anglophile that I am, I love that book. 

 

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned since you started writing?

 

To never give up—even in the face of repeated and constant rejection. If one project keeps getting rejected, set it aside and move on to the next. But don’t quit. (Unless you need a break and don’t feel you have any more stories to write.) Walk away, and then come back when—and if—the passion returns. That’s what I did, and now I’m in the midst of writing a story that won’t let me go.

 

Thank you, Laura.

 

To learn more about Laura Jensen Walker and her books, visit her website: www.laurajensenwalker.com

 

 

Grace Topping is the author of the Laura Bishop Mystery Series.

 

 

Exploring a Solo Travel Myth by Martha Reed

The greatest freedom in being a writer is that it gives me free rein to be impertinent. I can go anywhere and in almost any situation I can exercise my curiosity by asking people questions. Most times folks look surprised, and then they look pleased at my interest in their subject matter expertise. When I do get an odd look, I simply explain: “I’m a writer.” And except for one insulted Chief Security Officer who I mistook for a traffic cop on the island of Naxos in Greece, that explanation usually gets me off the hook.

I’d planned on visiting Greece in 2020 with a jolly group of girlfriends when the COVID-19 epidemic hit. That plan collapsed. When we picked it back up again this year, circumstances had changed. One friend had permanently retired to Florida. Another was now hesitant about traveling to Europe on a plane. I was faced with two choices: give up the Greek adventure or go solo.

I voted for travelling solo.

A supporting corollary to my decision is that my curiosity gives me an unnatural boldness, an insistent itch to explore the world and go see the sights. Yes, I prefer to travel with a group. There is safety in numbers and travelling with a herd is definitely inside my usual comfort zone. But I discovered that travelling solo came with benefits. There’s no need to go through a group confab over which day trip tour or archaeological museum to visit. No need to discuss dinner plans and multiple options. I made my spur of the moment decision and went wherever my heart, hunger, or curiosity took me. Yes, I was a little hesitant about eating solo in a good restaurant, but I discovered that when I said, “Table for one,” I was welcomed with warm smiles, open arms, and a laminated menu wherever I went.

Fundamentally, everyone these days accepts a credit card, and VISA is a universal modern language.

So, where did I go? What was my quest?

I’m a writer. I sought out origin stories. I remembered the myths I memorized in Mrs. Zingale’s fifth grade Social Studies class in Chagrin Falls, Ohio when I was eleven. Since I was born in May, that made my star sign Taurus the Bull. It was only natural then that fifty years later I traveled to Crete to visit the Palace of Knossos seeking the fabled labyrinth and the fearsome Minotaur, the half-bull half-man monster.

Knossos was a major Bronze Age communal center of the Minoan culture. Reportedly, it’s the first site of European civilization. They’ve discovered two distant writing types associated with the Minoan palace there: Linear A and the later Linear B. Linear B has been translated. Linear A is still a complete mystery. As a mystery writer, that put this puzzling artifact, the Phaistos Disc (below) right up my alley.

It was a kick seeing these priceless and historic objects in person when I'd only seen them from art history books.

How do you feel about travelling solo? Do you need a prod, or use a justification for making a trip?

Craft Closets and Time Frames by Nancy L. Eady

In my house, I have been granted one closet in the spare bedroom that is MY craft closet. I can keep all the craft stash I wish as long as I can cram it into that closet. And yes, while I know I probably have more materials in there than I can use in my lifetime, it’s mine and it makes me happy. As long as I follow the guidelines, the rest of the family can leave it alone, thank you very much. 

However, my 22-year-old daughter has a more evolved position on possessions than I. She views most items in the house as community property, unless it’s in her room. Those items are just hers. She also periodically gets the urge to dabble in various crafts, mostly painting, crochet and jewelry making. Truth be told, I’ve never minded her using my craft stash. I just wish her efforts would “take” - I would dearly love for her to find a permanent hobby outside Tik-Tok and Twitter.  But the rule is supposed to be the same: take it out of the craft closet, put it back in the craft closet, leave it alone. 

 About a month ago, this same daughter, whose room periodically is carpeted with cast-off clothes, food wrappers, and miscellanea, decided that MY craft closet needed to be organized. Her process (and definition) of organized is unique – she pulled everything out of the closet, strowed it all over the floor of the spare room and announced that I needed to get rid of some of it. Then she promptly lost interest in the project, leaving everything scattered on the floor. 

I had to go in there the other day. When I did, I saw the box where I had stashed the Christmas cards I failed to send out last year. Then I started wondering if August was too early for my Christmas card letter, the letter I like to send out with my cards. That thought led to another - how difficult it can be to write about different time frames. In some ways, it’s easier to write about one week versus one year. First, I have to remember the events of the past year. I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast. Then, I need to decide what is important and interesting enough for inclusion in the letter. A major event in our lives this summer was the demise of our old riding mower and the acquisition of the new riding mower, but I’m not sure that’s the stuff from which holiday letters are made. 

The same issues come up when writing fiction, in slightly different form. A day in the life of my character may be important, but the reader doesn’t need to know what happened every minute of it. I want to track my character’s position in my writing. In my first drafts, the unfortunate reader gets to follow my character from the time she woke up in the morning, through the commute to work, through each time she left her office, through the grocery store stop at the way home and then finally (and probably gratefully) sink into bed with her at night. My character is not only tired by then, but I suspect the reader is too. 

The trick is to distill from that day the event that matters to the story and my character, and focus solely on that. Choosing which of the many events in a day makes up that pivotal moment is a key part of my rewrites. I can’t imagine how people who write historical novels covering sweeping periods of time manage it. 

How do you decide what time frames and events to cover in your writing? And does anyone have advice on how to re-organize a craft closet once it has been dismantled? 

Waiting For Christmas: Writers Version by Annette Dashofy

Most of us who grew up celebrating Christmas remember the feeling of anticipation as November rolled into December. We knew there were packages with our names on them, but we didn’t know what was inside. 

Unless we peeked, but that’s a topic for another time. 

Assuming we didn’t peek, we knew what we’d asked Santa to bring us. What we didn’t know was if those objects of our youthful desire were inside those colorfully wrapped boxes. 

For those of you reading this who are not authors, imagine that anticipation without knowing what day Christmas fell on. Would we be able to open our presents in mid-December? Late-December? Sometime in January perhaps? 

That, dear readers, is what we writers go through on a regular basis. 

I turned in my manuscript for the third Honeywell mystery in March. Between then and now, I’ve rewritten and revised and corrected according to my editor’s and copyeditor’s recommendations. I was informed that the updated manuscript was approved to be passed along to proofreading. For the first two Honeywell mysteries, I received my title and book cover well ahead of this stage of the process. This time, I’ve been told they’re working on it. That was about a month ago. 

For me, opening that email, clicking on that file, and seeing the image of what my new book will look like stirs all the same emotions as those long-ago Christmas mornings. I know what I’m hoping for (more or less), but I won’t know how the real thing holds up to my wishes until I get that email.

 I just don’t know when I’ll get that email. 

I would be more than a little anxious (maybe they’ve changed their minds and don’t want it), except it’s available for pre-order in the UK, which is where my publisher is located. I looked it up, which is the author equivalent of searching our parents’ favorite hiding spots to see if our gifts are there yet. And this is what I found.

So, no, they haven’t changed their minds, but I still have no clue what the cover looks like or what the title will be. 

And there’s no way to even sneak a peek. 

Fellow Writers Who Kill, do you share my cover anxiety? And readers, are you as eager as we writers to get a first glimpse at the cover of a much-anticipated new book?   

It’s Personal by Kait Carson

 Or is it?

 If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know Kait Carson doesn’t exist. It’s a pen name chosen because my first book dealt with legal issues and the law firm I worked for was concerned. I couldn’t blame them, but the book was my first foray into self-publishing and I don’t think it sold four copies. It’s undergoing a heavy re-write and if I decide I still like it when I’m done, I plan to re-release it.

Those who follow me on social media sometimes comment that I never post about political issues. That’s not a reflection of my personal beliefs. It’s because, well, Kait ain’t gonna vote and doesn’t have standing to have opinions. Frankly, I come from a generation that kept some things private. Politics was one of them. I am often gobsmacked by the things I read online. That stuff lives on forever and, as a former paralegal, I know those bytes can come back to bite you.

Over the course of the last few years, I’ve loosened my hard and fast rule of not posting personal information. I’m not sure why. Sometimes, it’s because I see a need for the information, other times I feel it’s time. The same holds true in my blog content. I’ve surprised myself several times. As the world becomes more frightening, there’s comfort in reaching out and sharing.

I was raised with the archaic axiom that a woman’s name appears in print three times in her life: when she’s born, when she marries, and when she dies. This social media thing is a brave new world for me. Readers and writers, how do you feel about it? Are you all in with all personal, or do you draw a hard line when it comes to sharing? How much is too much?

I suspect we will find different answers among different generations.

Kait Carson writes the Hayden Kent Mysteries set in the Fabulous Florida Keys and is at work on a new mystery set in her adopted state of Maine. She is a former President of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime and a member of Sisters in Crime, Guppies, and Sisters in Crime New England. Her short fiction has been nationally published in True Romance, True Confessions, True Story, and True Experience magazines, and the Falchion Finalist Seventh Guppy Anthology Hook, Line, and Sinker. Visit her website at www.kaitcarson.com. While you’re there, sign up for her newsletter.

Vocabulary Flotsam and Jetsam by Nancy L. Eady

I like to play online word games. I’m good at them. It is a point of pride that I usually accumulate thousands of “coins” – the currency these games use for hints – without having to buy them. In doing so, I come across words and variations I find curious. For example, in searching for a suitable name for this post, I considered “dips and dabs,” which I thought meant “odds and ends”, originating with the little pieces of dough that fall onto a cookie sheet when baking. However, according to various online slang dictionaries, “dab” can mean to “inhale the vapors of (a heated concentrate of cannabis)” or even less savory things. So, I moved to plan B for a title. 

Fortunately, the colloquial meanings of “flotsam and jetsam” are more innocuous, and in this case, I am using the phrase in the sense of “jumbled sundry items.” The true meaning of “flotsam” and “jetsam” comes from maritime law – “flotsam” is “wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has sunk” and “jetsam” means “goods thrown overboard from a ship in danger of sinking to give it more buoyancy.” 

Two words I came across that interested me are the words “hurdle” and “hurtle.” Silly me; I assumed one was the English spelling and one the American spelling of the same word. Not so; they have distinctive meanings. 

“Hurdle” is both a noun and a verb. The most modern definitions as a noun are “an artificial barrier over which racers must leap,” and “barrier; obstacle.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurdle. As a verb, “hurdle” can mean either “to leap over especially while running (as in a sporting competition)” and “overcome, surmount.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurdle. By contrast, “hurtle” is solely a verb. As an intransitive verb, it means “to move rapidly or forcefully.” As a transitive verb, it means “hurl, fling.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurtle. I’ll save the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs for another post, which is another way of saying I can’t (yet) explain the difference between the two. 

The two words don’t even have the same derivation. “Hurdle” comes from the Middle English “hurdel” from the Old English “hyrdel”, which referred to a frame or netting of intertwined twigs. In fact, one of the modern definitions of “hurdle” is “a portable panel usually of wattled withes and stakes used especially for enclosing land or livestock.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurdle.  The fence in the picture below is an example of “hurdle” fencing. 

Photo by Lucekbb, 5/1/2008.  Wikipedia Commons.

“Hurtle,” however, is derived from the Middle English “hurtlen,” which meant to collide. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurtle.

Is it any wonder people say English is a confusing language?

Would Jane Austen Be Published Today? by Connie Berry

 

This summer I’ve been rereading all the Jane Austen novels—actually listening to them on Audible, which is a slightly different experience. The narrator is all-important. Fortunately, with dear Jane, lots of alternatives are available.

I’ve really enjoyed this Austen binge, and it has occurred to me that this time through that I’m approaching these famous novels from the perspective of a writer rather than a reader. Which begs the question: Would the Austen novels be published today? Here’s my (purely personal) take:

* Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion (probably in this order) have captured the hearts of readers from the Regency until today, more than two hundred years. I fell in love with them in high school and haven’t changed my mind one bit. In fact, now that I write novels myself, I appreciate them even more for their memorable characters, sparkling wit, fast-paced plotting, and realistic (if historical) dialogue.

* Mansfield Park not so much. I don’t remember disliking it when I read it first, but this time, I found myself irritated by the two main characters. Fanny Price, in my opinion, is weak, insipid, and colorless. Miss Austen feared readers wouldn’t like Emma Woodhouse, but for all her faults, Emma has spirit. And who doesn’t love a flawed character who learns and grows with experience? Miss Price learns nothing and falls into her good fortune through no qualities of her own, except perhaps patience. Her love interest, Edmund Bertram, is a pompous, self-righteous prig—second only to the infamous Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. And that vague, unsatisfying ending? Any editor worth her salt would have insisted on a bit more drama.

* Northanger Abbey is another disappointment. Usually billed as a satire on the popular Gothic novels of Austen’s day, the Gothic elements are mostly confined to a relatively small section of the novel and seem to me silly and wholly unjustified. The heroine, Catherine Moreland, is another irritating character, jumping to ridiculous conclusions, which she then just as precipitously drops. Even more irritating are the author’s frequent intrusions into the fictional world, which serve only to make the story less compelling and more contrived.

I have one more story to go, one I’ve never read—Lady Susan, an epistolary novella, written in 1794. Called Austen’s “most scandalous novel,” it wasn’t published until 1871, fifty-four years after Austen’s death. Maybe I’ll find out why.

Okay, I’ve had my say. Now how about you Austen fans out there, both readers and writers—what are your thoughts?

Killer Questions - Who in Your Latest Book Surprised You Most ... Why?

Killer Questions – Who in Your Latest Book Surprised You Most ... Why?

Part of writing a book is creating characters. No matter what an author plans, there are times that the writers is surprised by a character. We thought it would be fun to tell you about which character in our latest book surprised each of us most – and why. 

Teresa Inge - How quickly my protagonist, Lainey Gentry defends herself against the killer in “Main of Murder.” I love creating strong, female characters.  

Korina Moss - In Case of the Bleus, how Detective Heath reacted to my protagonist, Willa, at the end of the book surprised me. He’s always begrudgingly accepted her doing things her own way, but as I was writing the outcome this time, I realized this wasn’t something he could brush off. This time, her choices would come with consequences for their relationship.

K.M. Rockwood - I’ve been writing mostly short stories lately. In the one on which I am working now I was pleasantly surprised that the “villain,” the nephew of an elderly woman who had used the barn on her rural property as a meth lab, was fond of her and brought her fresh fish back when he was out in a small fishing boat on the Atlantic picking up shipments of drugs brought up from South America. He knew she liked the fish, and had a limited income, so he took the opportunity to actually fish and bring her some.

Shari Randall - Brandon Terwilliger, teenage ice cream creator and aspiring rock guitarist, started out as a rather shy guy, but now he has a girlfriend, Lucretia. Let's just say she's not the typical teenager. (No spoilers here!)

Nancy Eady - Several of my characters have surprised me by being problem children that require me to keep working with them until we both are happy with the result! 

Kait Carson - Mallory. She’s Hayden’s best friend and Hayden’s change of career created surprising conflict between the two.

Lisa Malice - Lest She Forget is a psychological thriller, which also meant I had to get into the mind of Felix, my narcissistic hitman out to kill my heroine. Making him a real, multidimensional character with a not-so-evil past, a treacherous present borne out of past mistakes, and a future beyond working for a boss he hates was challenging and fun.

Martha Reed - In “Up Jumped the Devil,” a character suddenly appeared on the page when I thought they were imaginary. 

Susan Van Kirk - In Death in a Bygone Hue, Jill Madison’s mentor, a man she revered, has a secret, a dark one that concerns Jill’s deceased mother. I was shocked when I realized this, and so was Jill. Since this mentor dies in chapter one, she’s going to have a heck of a time finding out if she misplaced her trust.

Mary Dutta - My latest short story centered on a bridesmaid. I was surprised by the lengths she would go to to give her friend a perfect wedding.

Marilyn Levinson - A teenager who just graduated high school named Albi Valdez surprised me. Albi asks Carrie, my sleuth, to help his troubled brother Tino, who is suspected of having murdered his two friends. Though Albi is the younger brother, he has been doing his best to look after his older brother. His taking care of Tino almost at the expense of his own future was a surprise to me. 

Margaret S. Hamilton - The victim, Joe Pye. Joe left clues in his sketchbooks and garden mural identifying the campus predator.

Heather Weidner - I’m a plotter, so I had outlined the killer and all the motivations before I started. However, when I got going on this one, the characters took over, and another killer with a much stronger motive appeared.

Annette Dashofy - In my latest release, Keep Your Family Close, I would have to say Eric, Emma’s friend from back home. I never intended for him to take over and be so funny.

Grace Topping - In Upstaged by Murder, Laura Bishop, my main character, receives a visit from someone presumed to be dead.

Sarah Burr - The killer! In two of the books I wrote this past year, I ended up changing the killer at the end. That’s never happened to me before, so I was completely taken aback by how the story evolved away from my outline.

Molly MacRae - Even though I dreamed him up, Emrys the ghost surprised me the most. I had no idea what a full “life” he’d made for himself after he died back in 1750.

Lori Roberts Herbst - Monika Schiff, the young rookie reporter who starts work at the Rock Creek Gazette. When I started with her, I expected her to play a small role, but she moved in and made herself a vital character, so much so that she'll be back in subsequent books.

Connie Berry - The killer—because it wasn’t at all the person I’d planned to pin it on.

James M. Jackson - Seamus's half-sister Colleen Carpetti, who, I now realize, could be a stone-cold killer if she weren't such a nice person.

Debra H. Goldstein – In Five Belles Too Many, I was surprised that two characters, who had become estranged, tentatively found each other again.

Travel with Benefits

by Paula Gail Benson

[Note: many thanks to K.M. Rockwood’s suggestion for the title!]  

From: https://clipartix.com/travel-clipart-image-21712/

I’ve often heard that the most important thing a writer can do is finish the draft. Whether it’s a novel or short story, it can only be improved and perfected if you have a whole product on the table. Besides, by pressing forward, even if you’re not certain where you’re going, you sometimes encounter the unexpected.

Recently, I’ve been trying to observe this recommendation. I took a few days off to focus on a brief vacation and writing. During the day, I would write by hand, starting at the beginning of the story and advancing steadily. If I reached a point where I didn’t know the specifics of the action or a character’s response, I just noted what I thought happened and kept going.

So far, it’s been working well. (BTW, during breaks, I enjoyed time with friends and exploring new restaurants and locations—also very enjoyable! It’s important to encourage progress with rewards!)

I’ve always discovered ideas during travel. There is something about the mind being free to speculate while the body moves toward a destination that somehow leads to inspiration. In 2013, I wrote a post for Writers Who Kill about How Travel Benefits Writing. In that message, I mentioned how Robert Louis Stevenson was able to finish Treasure Island after traveling with his wife and stepson to Switzerland. I also listed three things travel makes you do: (1) face your fears by determining to go somewhere and actually starting on the journey; (2) leave your comfort zone and set off with the minimal required items packed; and (3) move. To humbly quote myself: “Motion provides its own momentum.”

Because I’ve kept my pen writing the next scene in my story, I’ve found unexpected developments. I’ve become very cognizant of pacing and the need to vary the types of action taking place. My characters have revealed themselves as they faced the next hurdle. I’ve been able to forget that the prose isn’t perfect. I know I’ll fix it in the editing process.

I’ve kept track of my story’s word count because the anthology to which I’ll submit has a limitation. Even so, expansions and contractions are what comes with revision. For now, I’m letting the story grow on its own, without restrictions or worries about holes.

Now that I’ve returned from the trip, I’ve continued the practice. When I take a break from the handwritten work, I type up the previous portions. That reminds me about details and gives me a chance to do some beginning editing, but I don’t dwell on major fixes. I don’t want anything to stop the momentum.

This past week, I sought some feedback on the rough product from a writing group. I did this with trepidation, hoping it would not stall my progress or inhibit my beliefs about the story. While I was surprised about some of the comments I received, I did not let them divert me from the forward propulsion. Onward! The end is in sight! I’m still moving ahead.

What’s your process? Does travel provide inspiration? What keeps you going until you reach the end?

“Off the Page” with Elmo Simpson by The Wren (Sarah E. Burr)

A Note from Sarah: For this month’s post, I’m handing the blogging reins to Winnie Lark, the main character in my Book Blogger Mysteries. Winnie runs a popular bookish website called What Spine is Yours (think Metacritic for the literary world). However, she manages it anonymously, and the online community only knows her as “The Wren.” She often interviews guest authors through their characters, and that’s the focus of today’s feature. Enjoy!

Hi, everyone. The Wren, here. I’m delighted to be guest blogging for Writers Who Kill about a new mystery series debuting this fall. From best-selling author J.C. Kenney, Panic in the Panhandle arrives September 26 and is the first book in the Elmo Simpson Mysteries. For today’s feature, I’ve invited Elmo Simpson, the man himself, to participate in one of my “Off the Page” interviews. You’re going to have so much fun getting to know him!

Elmo, thanks so much for being here for “Off the Page.” Tell us about Paradise Springs. How did you find yourself in this little slice of panhandle paradise?

First off, thanks for inviting me to chat with you, Wren! Paradise Springs is a funky little coastal town on the Florida Panhandle. I tell people looking for it to take a right at Panama City, and if you get to Pensacola, you’ve gone too far. The town’s filled with more oddballs, ne’er-do-wells, and misfits than any place I’ve ever heard of. And that’s a good thing! I arrived in the Springs a little over a decade ago. In my former life, I worked in software design. It was a good career until I ended up in the hospital because of all the stress that came with it. In response, I quit my job, sold my house and belongings, and took off in my truck to find a new life where the good times were numerous and the stressors were few. That place turned out to be Paradise Springs, Florida, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.

That’s amazing! Good for you, Elmo. Putting your passions and interests first is such an important life lesson—definitely one I can relate to. So, what led you to become an animal removal specialist? That’s a pretty unique career!

It was totally by accident. A friend of mine, Seven Banderas, knew someone who was being bothered by chipmunks burrowing under their house. I love animals and I’d had some experience dealing with the little critters in my old life, so I volunteered to trap and then release them back into the wild. Well, I got the rodents corralled and moved with a minimum of fuss, and one thing led to another. Before I knew it, I was getting calls from people who needed help from Elmo, the critter guy. I rolled with it, and Elmo’s Critter Removal Service was born.

Number one, I love the name Seven. I can’t wait to learn more about them! Number two, it shows how much the people of Paradise Springs have come to rely on you. Do you have a favorite animal to work with?

Bats. A lot of people are freaked out by them, but I love them. I mean, come on, they eat mosquitoes. How great is that? Like pretty much all wild animals, they can be tricky to catch and rehome safely, but it’s always a thrill watching them fly away when I’ve released them.

I’ll admit I’m one of those folks who gets queasy around bats, but after you’ve described them so kindly, I need to reevaluate my opinions! It’s clear from your line of work that you have to be pretty brave going into unknown situations against unknown opponents. So, how did you end up involved in a murder investigation?

I owed a buddy, Rambo Quigley, a favor and he told me it was time to pay up. Seriously, he showed me a kindness my first night in Paradise Springs. When I asked how I could repay him, he laughed and said I could return the favor someday. Well, that day arrived when an alligator was found at the scene of Fran Cohen’s murder. Rambo’s a gator rancher, you see. One thing led to another, and since he and Cohen had gotten into a heated argument about a land development scheme, Rambo was accused of committing the murder. That’s when he called me. I’ve got some amazing friends in the Springs that I’d do pretty much anything for. Rambo’s one of them, so when he said he needed my help, I jumped into action. Well, that’s not quite true. First, I panicked and said I knew nothing about conducting a murder investigation. Then, I remembered that I’d made a promise and got to work.

I didn’t even know a “gator rancher” existed before meeting you and your friends. You learn something new every day, right? You’ve already mentioned a few folks readers will meet in Paradise Springs. Who else do we get the pleasure of meeting? Are you a solo investigator, or do you have a crime-solving crew?

I’m happy to say that I do, in fact, have a crew. First, there’s my girlfriend, Nicola Beecham. She’s fearless and loves an adventure, so when I needed to talk to a suspect who I was afraid of because he might be a vampire, Nic rode shotgun with me. She’s the ultimate partner-in-crime-solving. There’s also Wendell Banderas, who runs the Rip Tide Bar and Grill. Wendell’s been around the block and is always ready with good advice. Earlier, I mentioned Wendell’s daughter, Seven (that’s her nickname, by the way). She’s another part of my crew. She tells it like it is, whether I like what she has to say or not. She’s in her twenties, so she knows the younger crowd in the area. That comes in handy when talking about suspects. Then there’s Rambo, of course. He can get a little emotional at times, but the guy knows everyone within a hundred miles. If anyone’s tuned to the Springs Signal, our version of the rumor mill, it’s him.  

I appreciate how you casually mentioned you interviewed a vampire. Paradise Springs truly sounds like a happening kind of place. Can you share one exciting adventure you had while investigating?

You know how I told you Nic is fearless? There was one night she and I kind of broke into the condo where Fran Cohen was murdered. And by broke into, I mean that I had a keycard to enter the place thanks to my critter removal business, but we still weren’t supposed to be there. Anyway, we were busy looking for clues when we were confronted by a guy pointing an automatic rifle at us. Thanks to some fast talking, we got out of there unscathed. I’d rather not be on the business end of one of those things ever again, though.

Yikes! Does this mean your crime-fighting days are over?

While I hope so, I can’t make any promises. In a town filled with as many eccentrics and people running from their pasts, you never know what the next day will bring. I can promise you that if a friend ever finds themselves in need, I’ll be there to answer the call. That goes for both removing critters and for solving murders.

It sounds like you’re the guy to call! It’s been a blast getting to learn more about you and your new mystery-solving adventure, Elmo. Thanks so much for taking the time to come “Off the Page” with me. Happy Sleuthing! ~ The Wren

 

Panic in the Panhandle debuts on September 26 at your favorite online retailer. Preorder here to join Elmo Simpson in his first mystery.

Learn more about The Wren, Winnie, and the Book Blogger Mysteries at www.saraheburr.com.