April! The time of taxes. The time for Spring to arrive. The end of teaching the Winter semester. Time for baseball. Sunshine and warmer temperatures (depending on what part of the globe you’re in). Of course, it’s that day when I share my thoughts about writing related subjects, a peek behind the curtain at current projects, upcoming events, an interview with an incredibly talented author, and music. Must. Have. Music. Ready? Let’s roll. Writing While I don’t teach creative writing courses at the college, it’s not uncommon for some of my students to express interest in my efforts writing mysteries. A conversation last week centered around the issue of outlines. Both students were surprised that I never used them. To me, outlines tend to stifle creativity. It works better for me to start with a story idea, a main character or two and just writing a scene. Often my subconscious kicks in, and one idea triggers another. And another. And another. It’s not uncommon for me to have an inspiration that hits, where a particular scene or an exchange of dialogue comes to mind. I’ll write that and figure out later where it will actually fit into the story. One student asked how long I’ve worked this way. I related a memory from elementary school. The sister who was teaching English gave us an assignment. Write an outline for a story and submit that on Wednesday. Then write the story and turn it in on Thursday. I tried to explain to the nun that there was no way I could do this. She calmly listened to my argument, shook her head and wouldn’t budge. So, I did the only thing that made sense to me. I went home and wrote the story. When it was done, I went back and wrote the outline. Both assignments were turned in on the appropriate days. The good sister caught me after class on Thursday and beamed a smile. “See, you can write an outline!” I didn’t have the heart to admit my misdirection. The main thing was the work was done and she was satisfied. Outlines aren’t for everybody. Some people find them necessary to keep their story in line. But many authors I know prefer to use the ‘seat of the pants’ approach. That’s not to say we don’t do a lot of research for our work. It’s just a different approach to the creative process. Work in Progress There’s a line from an old rock song: ‘What a long, strange trip it’s been,’ that keeps running through my mind. After far too long, I’ve finally been able to get back to work on the crime novel, featuring Leo Agonasti. Some of you may recognize Leo from his appearances in the second and third Jefferson Chene novels. I received so many comments about this character that it made sense to focus on Leo’s story. When he encounters Chene, he’s a retired mobster, living a quiet life. But to get a real understanding for the character, I took him back to 1992, where he’s still actively working. Reading over the early draft has brought Leo and his best friend, Max, back into the spotlight. Not only have I been able to edit and clean up the earlier work, but new scenes are surfacing rapidly. One of my challenges is to keep the timeline accurate. With luck, more progress will be made soon. Events My calendar is filling up nicely. I’ve already participated in three events since March. Interacting with readers, discussing my books and the characters is always appealing. Up next will be the Maple Syrup Festival in Vermontville on April 27 and 28. With the arrival of May, I’ll start participating in outdoor events. Hopefully Mother Nature will be kind on those days. On May 11, I’ll be in Niles for the Spring Market. The following week, May 18 and 19, I’ll be at Cornwell’s in Marshall for the Craft Show. The Interview It is surprising to admit that Deb Reed and I have yet to meet in person. We’ve been involved in a couple of virtual events over the years and frequently connect on social media sites. Deb is another talented Michigan author who has a sharp wit and a wicked sense of humor. Let’s learn a bit more about her. Tell us about yourself and how you became an author. I love stories in any format. Stories pull me in until the real world around me fades away. Because I become so invested in the characters and story, my emotions are pulled into play as well. I began writing because I wanted make others feel the same way I did when reading a story – whether that is happy, sad, afraid, hopeful…you get the idea! I wrote my first suspense novel at 14 years old, but it wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that I revamped it and published it under the pseudonym D.A. Reed. What followed was a seven-book series (sorry, they are no longer in print!). Anyone who knows me well knows that I love action and suspense: explosions, a good fistfight, etc. I have researched ways to commit the perfect murder to such an extent I am probably on every law enforcement watchlist known to man, though they have not yet shown up at my door (knock on wood…). My first young adult novel came about because I was inspired by a teenager with a physical disability. I wanted to write something that would show her how special she is. The response I received from that novel showed me that I could help others with my writing – and I never looked back! I publish one YA realistic fiction novel a year (to date, seven are in print), and often publish a thriller each year as well, but YA is my priority. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? The answer to this is a resounding yes! I believe my books in both genres would make fantastic films. Sadly, I have not yet been approached with a movie deal (insert heavy sigh). Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? Well, I have to say that Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Ryan Reynolds are hands-down my favorite male actors and would be at the top of my list. Female actresses would be Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson, and Sandra Bullock. As I write this, I am realizing these most of these actors are of an age that would make it difficult to cast them in any YA roles, which could pose a problem…and which is making me contemplate how old I am… What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence?My writing process involves getting up at 4:45 a.m., grabbing a cup of coffee, and then sitting down to write before everyone else in the house wakes up and chaos ensues. I tried writing an outline once…I stared at a wall for 2.5 hours without writing down one word and have never tried that again. I am a “pantser” through and through – meaning, I fly by the seat of my pants. The chapters are written in sequence because if I didn’t, I would get lost in my own manuscript and quite possibly never find my way out. Tell us a little bit about the characters in your latest book. My latest YA novel is titled Flameout. Chase Hanson has just graduated high school with his friends and has dreams of playing in the NFL – dreams that are no longer possible and have left him unsure of his future. Cora is literally the “girl next door,” and has been there for Chase through hard times. But she has her future planned out and doesn’t understand why Chase can’t seem to get his present or his future together. Chase’s best friend Ash is loyal to a fault. He’s also a playboy with his eye on the new girl who just moved into the neighborhood. Sloane, the aforementioned “new girl,” is fighting her own demons and doesn’t have the patience to be politically correct – she will say whatever is on her mind and doesn’t care if she offends you. Jeri is top-model gorgeous with a brain to match. Those who underestimate her often find themselves regretting it. Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? I usually have my characters planned out but—without fail—one tends to show up without any forewarning in each book. The most notable for me personally is Jaz from All the Things We Didn’t See. I was happily writing out the first chapter—with a definite idea of how it should unfold—when Jaz dropped in from out of nowhere and inserted herself (rather aggressively) into the story. Though I was a bit surprised to meet her (to say the least…), I have to say that Jaz is a driving force in making that story what it is. What is your latest book about? Flameout: Chase Hannon has everything he ever wanted: friends, a girlfriend, a college football scholarship, and a promising future in the NFL. All that changes when one crippling tackle threatens Chase’s football career forever. While Chase tries to come to grips with his new reality, uncertain goals, demanding jobs, new friends, and family secrets cause Chase to feel like his life is spinning wildly out of control. Friendship, love, and drugs collide in an epic standoff that forces Chase to make hard decisions – and that has devastating consequences. How about an excerpt? CHAPTER 1 It wasn’t supposed to be like this. But of course it was exactly like this. The rest of the year had sucked, might as well end it that way too. “Ugh, I just can’t even.” Cora cranked up the air in my truck, turning all the vents toward her as they blew at full blast. Never mind that I was just as hot as she was. “All those pictures are going to be gross.” I didn’t disagree, but there was no way I would ever tell my girlfriend that she looked less than stellar at the moment. I’d tried the whole honesty-is-the-best-policy tactic before. For the record, it’s not the best policy. And telling Cora that she resembled something limp and sweaty on one of the most important days of our lives would not be the wisest move. It was graduation day, and it was hot. Like, ninety degrees hot. The Madison High grads who chose not to wear anything but their skivvies under the thin robes laughed at the rest of us. The rest of us exuded stagnant misery. Running makeup, limp sweaty hair, and sweat stains under the arms of the blue robes were only half the problem. Due to an impending rainstorm—which had yet to appear—the ceremony was held in the unairconditioned gym. Ninety degrees, four hundred students, and over two thousand family and friends crammed into one gymnasium. After twenty minutes, the smell was enough to make you wish you were dead. Or buy stock in deodorant. Anything that didn’t involve enduring the stench of almost two thousand bodies packed together. And if I heard “It’s the first day of the rest of your lives” one more time, I wasn’t going to be responsible for my actions. Some of us didn’t want to be reminded that our lives stretched out before us in pointless, endless days. Some of us didn’t have dreams to reach for anymore. “Can you believe Ash flashed the entire school?” Cora rolled her eyes, but a smirk tilted the corners of her mouth. “Uh, yeah.” I grinned despite the heat and the persistent pain radiating up my left leg and into my hip. “Have you met Asher?” “Well, he could have at least gone to the tanner before showing off his private bathing suit parts. I mean, how blindingly white can skin be?” Cora shook out her hair, then combed the damp strands back with her fingers, trapping the blond strands with a hair tie. “I think Jeri was in on it—I caught her putting her sunglasses on when they called his name.” “Sunglasses would have been helpful,” I agreed, slowing down as I came up on a rusted-out car going five miles under the speed limit. Cora glanced at the car, then at me, but didn’t say a word. I could tell she wanted me to pass but wouldn’t push it. Which was good, since I wasn’t in the mood to go there. Not today. My hands tightened painfully on the wheel at the mere thought of moving into the opposite lane to go around the car. Nope. Not going there today. Cora had bent forward to rummage around in the bag at her feet, probably to hide her irritation. I couldn’t get too upset with her; less than a year ago I had been just like her, moving at full speed all the time. It was what drew us together sophomore year, that drive to seize life and wring out everything we could. We were fearless. Seeing that in Cora attracted me in a way I never felt with other girls, and I knew I wanted her. She fascinated me. Still did, but we weren’t on the same playing field anymore, and I kept wondering how that would play out when she disappeared to Dannon University in the fall. I tried not to think about it, but it wasn’t easy. Popping upright again, Cora held up a fifth of vodka, a grin stretching her full lips. “We’re meeting at the Pit, right? Tell me we’re still meeting at the Pit.” “We’re meeting at the Pit,” I confirmed, shooting her another grin. There was something about Cora tonight, an infectious energy that radiated off her, making her even hotter than normal—despite the sweat issue. “Good. I need to let loose for a while.” I laughed. “When do you not let loose, Cor?” My girlfriend shrugged, unrepentant, and grinned coyly. “I can’t think of a time…” she drawled, letting the words fade out. “Your house or mine?” I asked as I steered the truck into the entrance to our subdivision. “Yours. Definitely yours.” There was a bitterness tinging Cora’s words, and I wished I could make Mr. and Mrs. Marks understand what they were doing to their daughter. But I couldn’t even fix my own problems, much less solve anyone else’s. Still, I felt like I needed to do something to wipe away the frown now marring Cora’s face. “They’ll come around, you know. Your parents won’t let this ruin your relationship; they love you too much.” Cora’s lips twisted. “Want to tell them that? I think they missed the memo.” My jaw set. “I will. If it comes to that.” Silence fell inside the cab, the only sound the cold air rushing from the vents. The celebratory mood had vanished, and I knew I needed to get it back fast or Cora would fall down a rabbit hole of dejection. And that fifth of vodka wouldn’t last long. The tires of Journey—the name Cora had dubbed my truck when I first got it and that now wouldn’t shake loose—crunched over chalk my visiting cousins had left out in the driveway. I winced, knowing I’d hear about it when they noticed. Cora sighed. “Sorry to be a downer. I don’t want to think about that now, okay? I just want to have fun.” I reached over and squeezed her hand. “So let’s go have some fun. After, ah, we say hi to my family…” “We just saw them at graduation,” Cora laughed, already getting out of the truck. I followed suit, wincing a little as my leg hit the ground harder than I intended. Slamming the door harder than necessary as a way to relieve the frustration coursing through me, I forced my face into a neutral expression as I met Cora in front of the truck. “Yeah, well. You know my parents. They wanted to take us out to dinner and have a long, drawn-out celebration with the fam from out of town. It took some fast talking to get them to understand this was our night—and we wanted to hang out with friends after.” “How long are your grandparents and everyone in town?” I shrugged, holding the front door for Cora. “They’re leaving tomorrow, I think. We’re doing a big family breakfast and then they’re heading back to Utah.” Cora shook her head. “I still can’t believe they drove all the way to Michigan for your graduation.” It sounded rude, how she said it, but I knew Cora didn’t mean it that way. She was just jealous that my family cared enough to make the trek. Her own parents barely made it to the ceremony on time. I dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head as she passed me and stepped over the threshold of my house. She shot me a quick smile before she was swarmed by a horde of Hannons. My parents were the only Hannon family to have only two kids. Both grandparents on each side of the family came from big families and had five kids of their own. My aunts and uncles continued the tradition, my parents did not. The large family made reunions fun. And chaotic. And loud. And sometimes not so fun, depending on what current family drama was underway at the time. Thankfully, as graduation rolled around, there didn’t seem to be any crises on the horizon. Or everyone was hiding it really well. I didn’t care so long as I didn’t have to deal with it. “Chase!” The squealed chorus was followed by three small bodies as Molli, Brennan, and Avery launched themselves down the hall and at my legs. I didn’t have time to step out of the way or hold out my arms to slow their advance before the five-year-old triplets smashed into me. Cora’s hand flew out to support me as my body was slammed back into the—thankfully—closed front door. She missed. Pain sliced up my left leg and into my hip. I felt my face twist into a grimace I couldn’t mask even as I reveled in the feel of the three small bodies pressed in close, pinning me to the door. Then Brennan squeezed my bad leg with his thin arms and flashes of light bounced across my vision. “Kids. Get off Chase right now. Give him some space.” My vision cleared to see Aunt Monica rushing toward the foyer, her gaze seeking mine in apology. “I’m so sorry, Chase. They still—they don’t understand—" “It’s okay,” I said, even though it wasn’t. Even though my body was on fire with pain as Aunt Monica pulled the triplets off me and back into the living room. “Are you okay?” Cora whispered, her hand now finding my arm, her breath fanning across my face as she looked up at me with concern. I didn’t have time to answer before my mom came barreling into the foyer. “There you are.” Mom latched onto Cora, her usual attentiveness to every change in my face and body hindered by her excitement. Which was fine, considering I wasn’t in the mood to answer the standard Fifty Questions that followed every facial tic—whether it was related to my leg or not. “You have to see your cake, Cora.” Mom was already pulling my girlfriend away and in the direction of the kitchen. “My…cake?” Cora shot a confused look in my direction, but I was still trying not to collapse onto the floor. “We got you your own cake, sweetheart, of course we did! Come see it.” And they were gone, the confusion on Cora’s face morphing into excitement as Mom dragged her away. While I was glad Mom had gone all out for Cora—we all knew her parents wouldn’t have a cake or anything else special for their daughter—I had to fight off irritation at my girlfriend leaving me in the dust while I was still struggling to stay upright. “Chase, my man. Congratulations on the diploma.” A meaty hand clapped down on my shoulder, almost sending me to the ground. I smiled weakly at Uncle Gary, my dad’s youngest brother. He was the same height as my six-foot-two-inch frame but was twice my size in width. He worked in construction and, already built like a tank, was made even more solid by all the muscle built up by his job. “Thanks, Uncle Gary.” I tried not to sound as strained as I felt. “That girl of yours around here somewhere? Your Aunt Rachel has a gift for her.” “In the kitchen, I think,” I said as I shifted back to both feet, gritting my teeth with the effort. After all the months of physical therapy, you’d think my body wouldn’t hurt so badly, but no. Even better? The doc said the pain would never fully go away. “So what’s the plan now? Goin’ to college someplace?” The dreaded question. The one everyone asked while not stopping to think that maybe, just maybe, the person in question didn’t want to divulge their future plans—or lack of them—to the world. I shrugged noncommittally. “Not sure yet. Got some time left to figure it out.” Uncle Gary nodded, but I could tell he was trying not to look down at my leg. Like everyone else tried not to look at my leg. It must be draining, constantly ignoring the elephant in the room. In my case, shattered dreams to go along with my broken body. I knew it exhausted me. “Yes, well,” he cleared his throat. “No rush. You’re young yet, no need to hurry into the rest of your life.” I smiled thinly, hoping I didn’t look as annoyed as I felt. I couldn’t hurry anywhere, but I bit down hard on my tongue so I wouldn’t say it. “I should probably find Cora.” I tilted my head in the direction of the kitchen, hoping Uncle Gary would take the not-so-subtle hint. “Yeah, sure, sure. We’ll catch up later.” That meaty hand fell onto my shoulder again, a weight to match the one in my chest. I gave a short nod, though I had no intention of seeking my uncle out if it meant having a conversation about my future. I also tried to ignore the look of relief on Uncle Gary’s face at the out I’d given him. Was that what the rest of my life would be like? Everyone dancing around the elephant—or leg—in the room and looking relieved when I let them escape before things got too uncomfortable? That thought, like so many other things in my life, exhausted me just thinking about it. What’s the next project you’ll be working on? I am currently working on my first YA fantasy novel! The world-building required in fantasy has always intimidated me, but it is my teenage daughter’s favorite genre – and she finally convinced me to give it a try. I can honestly say that I am enjoying writing it. I am also thankful my daughter is full of ideas when I am thinking too realistically and not “fantastical” enough. She has been a big help whenever I get stumped and am not sure where to go next or how to get my characters out of a particular predicament! *Website: dareedauthor.com Music
David Bowie’s songs are often cycling through my collection of tunes on the streaming services. With a career that spanned more than fifty years, Bowie is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century. He sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, won 6 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here’s my top five favorites. Golden Years https://youtu.be/HRD0ghlFSgk?si=G7072iQbiNljLMiM Young Americans https://youtu.be/iO6OvHxD_m8?si=RweB0uxrvKpIf4vo The Jean Genie: https://youtu.be/kMYg_Ra4cr8?si=hZHgAgENUP9zf6hg Modern Love https://youtu.be/HivQqTtiHVw?si=KtGOOEgSjhB5xH-a Under Pressure (with Queen): https://youtu.be/HglA72ogPCE?si=QOyc_auzGrAzKo1K
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Meet Mark Love | Author & Teacher We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Love and we’ve shared our conversation below. Hi Mark, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business? I worked in many industries, in a variety of roles for years. In some cases, I realized the owners or managers in charge didn’t have the best standards when it came to ethics or integrity. The way they ran their businesses showed a lot of errors and faults. It wasn’t difficult to think I could do it better. About ten years ago, I began teaching a small business management class at the local college. I learned quite a bit from the various textbooks and business journals while developing my lesson plans. It was at this point that starting my own business began to make more sense. I wanted it to be related to something I enjoy. At one point I had a side hustle, working as a freelance reporter for one of the major newspapers in the Detroit area. That helped sharpen my writing skills, which carried over into every job I’ve ever had. I’ve always been a mystery junkie, so it was time to start writing them. When my novels were accepted and published, it was a golden opportunity to start my business. I began with a small budget and just the essentials, finding art festivals and shows where my work could be displayed. From the beginning, I ran it professionally. That meant keeping track of all my expenses, sales and promotions. I’m constantly looking at ways to improve it, to reach more people. Let’s talk shop. Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community? My art comes my experience as a storyteller. I have written 5 Jamie Richmond mysteries, 3 Jefferson Chene mysteries, and a number of short stories. All of my books take place in Michigan, primarily in the metropolitan Detroit area. I’ve always been an avid reader. In college I took a couple of creative writing courses in addition to journalism and business classes. Writing fiction allows me the freedom to run with a crazy story idea, or let the characters loose and see where they take me. It’s not easy. In the beginning there was plenty of rejection. But creative people must be born with thick skin. We learn to roll with being turned down. Some authors prefer the self-publish approach. But they will never know the adrenalin rush you get from seeing a letter or email from a publisher when they accept your work. I’ve learned that the first draft is never perfect. But there will be plenty of time to edit it later. First, you have to write it. Get the story down. I have also learned that ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere, at any time. It’s important to become objective about your work and take feedback from readers and editors into consideration. I’m not perfect. It takes help to craft a great story. My books are contemporary and I use real locations people may be able to identify with. My characters are distinctive, but they are far from perfect. Jefferson Chene was an orphan who became a cop. He does well in that role, but he’s awkward at dating and relationships. Jamie Richmond is a stubborn redheaded female who wants to see the bad guys caught. Both series are written in the first person point of view, from either Chene’s or Jamie’s perspective. Some people are surprised that I’ve captured the complicated nuances with both characters. But that’s a big part of what makes these books stand out. If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to? Well, that might depend on the time of year. If it’s summer, we’re definitely grabbing a boat and heading out to Lake St. Clair for a cruise. Then we’ll have to check out Comerica Park for a Tiger’s game and head over to the Elwood Bar & Grill. Belle Isle Park is in the middle of the Detroit River. It’s also an ideal setting for watching the hydroplane races, which take place in August. If it’s autumn, we’ll catch either a hockey game with the Red Wings or a Lions football game. Afterwards, we must stop at Lafayette Coney Island for one of their legendary dogs. There is plenty to see and experience in the Detroit area. Pegasus Taverna in Greektown, right in the heart of downtown, has the best Greek fare I’ve ever tasted. We could check out a show at the historic Fox Theater, which was built in 1928 and refurbished in the 1990s. There are also outdoor venues for concerts. A trip to nearby Dearborn would include a tour through the Ford Motor Company’s Rouge Plant, where the F-150 trucks are made. Greenfield Village is nearby, so we could check that out as well. Right across the Detroit River is Windsor, Canada. We can take a tour at the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery, which includes a sampling of the product. Detroit is a melting pot. So if there’s a particular culture or type of food you’re looking for, chances are we can find it. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am fortunate to work with two publishing houses. Let’s start with them. Inkspell Publishing, which handles my Jamie Richmond series, is led by Melissa Keir. Melissa does an outstanding job supporting the authors in her house. She goes above and beyond the norm to promote our work. Melissa is also a great one to brainstorm with. She is quick to offer support, guidance and encouragement. Rhonda Penders and R.J. Morris run the show at The Wild Rose Press, which publishes the Jefferson Chene mystery series. Both Rhonda and R.J. deserve recognition for all their efforts to support authors. R.J. even designed the cover art for two of my books! There are a couple of fantastic groups that share information and offer support here. One is led by fellow author Ingar Rudholm and it’s called Written in the Mitten. This is a fountain of information about events, contests, open mic shows, coffee shops and more within Michigan. The other is Diana K. Penn’s Pages Promotions. Diana offers a number of services for authors. She also hosts the “Indie Reads Aloud” podcast, where indie and small press authors can share a bit of their background and read scenes from their work. It’s that time again. A chance to catch up a little about my efforts writing, my current work in progress, some upcoming events, an interview with another great author and of course, music. But there is something special about today’s news. After all, it’s March 19, or numerically, it’s 319. Which happens to be part of the title of one of my most popular books. When I began this newsletter, having it appear on the nineteenth each month was a way to set it apart from others. Time to get started! Writing Recently I was chatting with a couple of my students who are interested in writing. One brought up the topic of dialogue. Turns out this is something she struggles with. It reminded me of a conversation I once had with the late great Elmore Leonard. We met at a small bookstore in downtown Detroit, where he was autographing his latest release. There was a lull in customer traffic and Leonard was kind enough to chat with me for a while. When the topic turned to dialogue, he gave me a sly grin. Leonard explained that not everyone speaks in complete sentences, using proper English. This is absolutely the case, especially if you’re writing contemporary stories. He encouraged me to simply listen to how people talk and learn from that. I took his advice and have run with it ever since. Perhaps that helps all my characters be so relatable to readers. Speech patterns and dialogue make the difference. Dialogue is critical to a good tale. It helps to move the story forward. Too much narration and description can tend to bog down the action. And it can result in a reader losing interest. I related this to my students. Both seem surprised at the idea of characters not speaking in complete sentences. I encouraged them to give it a try with their own stories. Work In Progress Leo Agonasti is a patient man. Yes, he’s one of my characters, but that’s also one of his traits. I know this because despite my best intentions, work on his story has been put on hold. My writing time has been focused on finalizing the revisions on “Rules of Desperation” the novel I wrote a long time ago. The plan is to finish this draft and ship it off to my editor, Diana K. Penn at Pages Promotions. Diana will weave her magic and make it pretty. It will be self-published in time for the festival season. Meanwhile, I’ll get back to Leo’s story. He’s far more patient than I ever claimed to be. Here's a picture of what Leo might look like. Events Yes, it’s that time of year! I’ve been looking for new venues to display my books and talk to readers. This month I’ll be at the Portage District Library on Friday, the 22nd and the Delta Marriott on Saturday, the 30th. If you’re in the western Michigan area, be sure to stop by and say hello. I’ll have plenty of copies of the books available. Spotlight Each month it’s my pleasure to feature another author I’ve connected with. Kristoffer Gair and I met about a year ago. We were both part of a monthlong virtual book festival with Diana at Pages Promotions. Kristoffer has a quick wit and is a talented writer. Time to get to know him. Tell us about yourself and how you became an author. My mother was a huge reader, and she got me started reading at a very early age. I loved how stories could take you somewhere else, how they played to your imagination, could make you laugh (Judy Blume), or make you cry (Wilson Rawls). Mom had an affinity for The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries, so I used to read those before graduating to an adult favorite of hers, Sydney Sheldon. Watching Salem's Lot on TV started me on Stephen King, and a friend later turned me on to Anne Rice. It didn't feel like a stretch for me back in the day to want to write a story of my own, mostly to see if I could elicit the kind of reactions I experienced from reading, or the reactions my classmates experienced. I loved movies and I loved reading, so why not combine the two passions and tell the kind of stories I wanted to watch? That's what started me on my way. Honestly, I'd have been happy being a B-movie horror director. Instead, I continue to write the kinds of stories I wish had been around when I was a teenager, or what I would have liked to have watched on a Friday or Saturday night with a giant tub of hot buttered popcorn. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? I think the majority of my novels could easily translate to the screen. That's how I think when I'm writing anyway; cinematically. One of my degrees is in Film, and the other is in Creative Writing. Unfortunately, with the political climate the way it currently is with anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, constant accusations of grooming and so many other toxic elements, I would never expect there to be any interest in my work becoming a film. Or, if there was interest, I fear they would either want to eliminate or downplay the orientations of the characters, or diverge from the stories entirely, all in order to appease the studio. That’s unfortunate. But if it were to happen, are there any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? Nothing comes to mind for this one. Previous books? Sure. But this one? The characters have been unique for me to write because the story was never planned, yet two of them carried over from the previous book. So, however I thought they looked as minor characters in the last one has carried over into this one. That makes sense. What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence? My writing process is fairly haphazard due to my day job schedule. It almost feels like I piecemeal a story together based on when I am able to write, and what scene I'm inspired to tackle at that moment. In beginning a new book, however, I always write the prologue and first chapter, then the last chapter and epilogue. I don't know why. It's just the way it happens because I know how I want the story to begin and how I want it to end. I also have an idea of where the middle of the story to be, but how we get there, and then from there is what comes together during the writing itself. My preference is to write in order after the beginning and end are written. However, if I'm inspired by a scene or bit of dialogue, I will write ahead and sketch that scene out, then see how it fits in when I get to the part where it naturally belongs within the story. I'm not a fan of outlines and never have been. They feel restrictive and even though they can be changed, my first response to an outline is to completely go against it. I also create a playlist of music over the course of the book. I'll hear a song that fits a scene, or I'll have something in mind for it already, and I'll put the songs in order according to how they fit in the story. Then, whenever I need have something that helps me slip right back into writing that particular book, I can listen to its soundtrack. I like that approach. Outlines are too restrictive for me as well. I like the playlist idea. Tell us about the characters in your latest book. There were a couple of characters in my previous novel, Butterflies I Have Known, who readers started asking me if they would see more of. I never had any plans of doing anything else with them—I had no plans for a sequel—and I didn't feel they had their own stories. Well, I was wrong. A very, very secondary character in Butterflies, Cristian Orr, is front and center in Snow Angels in the Dust. The thirty-two-year-old former administrative assistant to a famous WWII photographer, Milton Glass, is known to be cool as steel in the face of adversity, is an amazing researcher, extremely articulate, and possesses admirable instincts. His past, however, remains unknown. Sending Cristian halfway around the world to a country where he is totally out of his element will bring his past to the surface in what amounts to a personal journey he never could have seen coming. Nhất is in his early 40s, and acts as a guide and translator for Cristian in Vietnam. He also has a past that is shrouded in mystery and is the reason he may be an alcoholic. Nhất is far more carefree in how he deals with people, especially Cristian, but doesn't mince words when it comes to getting the job done. He and Cristian don't trust each other, and what trust does come between them is earned the hard way. There is also a connection between Nhất and a previous novel, Falling Awake III: Requiem, that allows for his own personal journey in this story as well. That’s a great approach to utilize minor characters from earlier works. Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? I generally know who my main players are going to be. In the case of Snow Angels in the Dust, I knew I wanted to explore Cristian's life, and that Milton Glass would also be a presence in the story despite his having passed in Butterflies. Beyond that, when I needed a character, the first thing that goes through my mind is "What is going to make this character interesting for me to write? What are their quirks? How am I not going to get bored with them?" Every character needs their quirks. Can you share an excerpt? I would love to. However, I'm officially in the editing stage where the entire story is being ripped apart and put back together again, and I don't want to share something that's not quite ready yet. What’s the next project you’ll be working on? Once Snow Angels in the Dust is ready to go (hopefully in time for a June release), I'll be back to finishing my first Young Adult novel. It'll be an experiment of sorts. My lead characters happen to be gay, only I won't be using that word in this one, and we'll see if it still gets banned in Florida. You can learn more about Kristoffer at the links below. https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JP0C8U Website: www.kristoffergair.com Music
I stumbled upon some tracks from an old favorite last week. Joe Walsh has been performing for more than fifty years, with bands such as The James Gang and The Eagles, in addition to a solo career. With the Eagles he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The group also received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017. Here’s my top five favorites from Joe Walsh. Funk 49: https://youtu.be/AbyKhl4N6G4?si=oW2nbqz_xAhA9DaK Rocky Mountain Way: https://youtu.be/4Fz-mHGXgzs?si=3uwHEXZdlxMrPft3 Life’s Been Good: https://youtu.be/T204WpZSbLw?si=IMJoYLjKdP9AyV4Z In the City: https://youtu.be/xUDFMl-TsaA?si=rZ8ORDw3c2Q59Ycl All Night Long: https://youtu.be/C4OHClAv5IQ?si=k3PUT0yoxr-0h_h9 I had the pleasure of being interviewed recently by Bold Journey magazine.
We were lucky to catch up with Mark Love recently and have shared our conversation below. Mark, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive? I am always working on a new story (or two) and ideas for characters, dialogue and scenes are frequently coming to mind. This can be triggered by an action I witness or a conversation overhead. When this happens, I’ll jot down the idea in a notebook if I’m not close to a computer. Part of this can also stem from my writing process. I don’t use an outline. They are too restrictive. So I’ll start with a main character and an idea or two to get the story rolling. Once that’s written, it may trigger another scene. Since I’m not writing sequentially, it’s similar to working on a jigsaw puzzle. I’ll write the scenes or the dialogue as they hit me. Later, I’ll go back and put them into some semblance of order. At that stage, I’ll read everything and determine whatever needs to be written to connect the pieces. It’s not a logical approach, but no one ever said creativity had to be logical. Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on? I’m a mystery writer. That genre captured my attention from a very young age. As a storyteller, I focus on creating realistic characters and situations that the readers can identify with. None of my characters are perfect. They all have flaws, to go with their strengths and weaknesses. All my stories take place in Michigan, mostly centered around Detroit and the suburbs. The locations are a major part of each book. I love it when readers contact me and say “I’ve been here! I know this restaurant”. Before starting on mysteries, I worked for five years as a freelance reporter for a couple of newspapers around Detroit. Not only did that provide me with great experience, but it also served as the inspiration for my two main characters. I write two different mystery series. The Jefferson Chene novels are about a squad of detectives working for the Michigan State Police, investigating major cases in the metro Detroit area. Most of these are homicides and the investigations cross several city and county boundaries. The Jamie Richmond books are about a young woman who was an investigative journalist for ten years before deciding to take her skills, experience and contacts and pursue her passion of writing mysteries. Each time Jamie is working on a new book, she stumbles upon an actual crime. She can’t let it rest until she figures it out. In the first book, she also begins a romantic relationship with a guy who is a police officer. So there’s a bit of romance in these stories. With a last name of Love, an editor told me that’s expected. Love really is my name. Both series are written in the first person. While it can be a challenge writing the Jamie stories, I’ve had many compliments for how well I’ve captured the character and portrayed her. Writing is one of my passions. When I create a story that can entertain the reader, capturing their interest and offering an escape from their day, that’s my motivation to keep writing. One of my favorite opportunities is participating in festivals where I can sell my books. Interacting with readers and pitching my stories can be a lot of work, but it’s also fun. At times, it’s like being on stage, ready to perform. I try to find a way to connect with shoppers. In the Jamie Richmond series, Jamie is a redhead. If a young lady with red hair passes my table, I’ve been known to ask if she modeled for one of the book covers. That usually leads to a smile and often, a sale. I also teach business courses at a local college. As a storyteller, I use my creative writing skills to engage the students, drawing them into the material. Often, I include some escapades from my own work experience to keep the discussions going. There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on? As a writer, you have to be observant. That means paying attention to details that can make or break your story. I’ve watched people interacting at restaurants and social gatherings. You can learn a lot about characters by observing their body language alone. If you’re close enough to overhear the conversation, that can open many possibilities for your characters. If you’re writing a contemporary story, like I do, you’ll discover that few people speak in perfect sentences. Realistic dialogue can really move your story along. A thirst for knowledge is essential. I don’t know everything. But I don’t hesitate to reach out to people with different experiences and interview them. I’ve talked to police officers, doctors, lawyers, aerobics instructors, criminologists, teachers and a Civil War buff. One of my favorite interviews was with a woman who trained human remains dogs. The details she shared worked out perfectly for the beginning of “The Wayward Path” . I discovered early on that outlines are too restrictive for me. Some people insist on plotting everything out with an outline. You need to determine what method works best for you. Don’t try to get the story perfect the first time. You’ll drive yourself crazy. Just write! There will be plenty of time later to edit the work. Nobody gets it right the first time. The main thing is to write. Whether it’s on the computer, a voice recording or in a notebook, just write. I highly recommend joining a writer’s group. It’s been my good fortune to be part of a couple over the years. The feedback can be reassuring and helpful. My current group has about twenty people in it. We meet each month and anyone who wants to share a bit from their latest project can read aloud for up to seven minutes. The others share their reactions and offer suggestions. It’s all constructive criticism. There are people writing from different genres, including poetry. As a writer, you need to develop a thick skin. Rejections happen. But one publisher or magazine’s rejection can be another one’s gold. Keep writing. What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge? Marketing and promotion are my greatest challenge. It’s an important task for any writer. You could have written the greatest story ever, but it will never get off the shelves if you can’t get the attention of potential readers. Like many authors, I don’t have an extensive budget for marketing. So you do the best you can with what you have to work with. I try to post on different social media sites, such as Instagram, Twitter (X) and Facebook with some frequency. The personal appearances at local libraries and festivals helps too. There are a few different services I’ve tried too. There are so many out there, it’s difficult to find the best ones. Measuring the return on your investment is never easy. Your marketing efforts should lead to sales. I have also appeared on several podcasts. That’s another avenue I need to explore further. Being interviewed or reading scenes from one of the books can be a great way to connect with readers February! How the days keep marching by. But the sun is arriving a little earlier and hanging around a bit later each day, so I’ll take that as an encouraging sign. Here in the Mitten State, we had temperatures in the sixties to start the month. What is up with that? Time to catch up on writing, events, an interview with another author and music. Let’s go! Writing Inspiration can strike anywhere, at any time. Often when I least expect it, an idea will hit me. I may jot down a note or open a new file on the computer and write the basics. With any luck, that will be sufficient and when I’m ready to incorporate that idea into a story, it will be patiently awaiting my return. Or not. Recently I had an idea that would work perfectly in the fourth Chene novel. I kicked this around in my head for a while and tried to move past it. Nope. Not happening. So I opened a new file, intending to just type in a few words. I ended up writing five pages of a scene. It wasn’t about a homicide or an investigation. It will become a subplot. Only after writing this was I able to set it aside. Of course, you know what happened next. Another scene sprung to mind. This was about the homicide and how Chene and his team get involved in the investigation. A quick sketch was added to the existing file and saved away. For now. It doesn’t matter that I’m currently working on two other projects unrelated to Chene. Sometimes my characters have a way of demanding my attention like a young child, as if I’m going to forget about them. I’m sure many authors get involved in multiple projects simultaneously. Perhaps it’s just the way our brains work. Events One of my favorite activities is participating in festivals and events where I can set up my table and display my books. It’s a great way to interact with readers. Over the years I’ve had some people return to buy additional copies of one of the series. That’s a magical connection. With the start of the year, I began researching new venues to visit. Right now I’ve already got two scheduled for March and several others. I’m also participating in a virtual festival with Diana Penn at Pages Promotions. Each night in February, two authors will read a short scene from one of their books. Later in the evening, autographed copies are given away. Following the reading, there’s twenty minutes of mayhem as the group tries to solve a murder mystery. I’m featured twice on the show. On February 15th, I read a scene from “Chasing Favors”. Then on the 21st, I’ll share a scene from “Your Turn to Die”. Anyone can register to join the fun. The sessions are held on Zoom and recorded, then aired the next day on YouTube. You can also watch earlier recordings. Here’s a link to the schedule. This is a great way to discover new authors and sample their stories. You might even win a prize too! https://www.pagespromotions.com/2024-author-reading-schedule.html#/ Spotlight I always enjoy discovering new authors. Sometimes it’s in person, where we’re both attending an event. Other times it can be through the powers of technology. This month’s guest is Jennifer Raines. Jennifer is part of the Inkspell Publishing family. She is also participating in the virtual event described above. Jennifer hails from Australia. Tell something about yourself and how you became an author. Books have been my happy place for as long as I can remember. I love the way authors play with words and the images and emotions they evoke. I wanted to do that myself. As the daughter of a single parent, financial independence was an early lesson, and so after school, I got the kind of job that puts a roof over your head and food on the table. I created vignettes and short stories in my head, and occasionally wrote them down. As time passed, I wrote more. My writing doesn’t support me, but I can balance the competing needs better now. Romance was always going to be my genre, although I toyed with writing for children and non-fiction, but I’m a realist who’s a sucker for happily ever afters. Being published is a joy. It was also a joy to place second in the 2023 Romance Writers of New Zealand Koru Award for Best First Book for Taylor’s Law, my first published book. Congratulations on the award. That’s quite an achievement. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? I’m the sort of person who thinks books and movies are two different beasts. They might start off telling the same story, but it’s always different. Books and movies tap into different parts of our brain. I read more than I watch. If I had to choose a book that might be suitable for a movie, I’d say Lela’s Choice because it’s set in Malta, a videographer’s delight. An alternative would be Planting Hope, which is about a healing garden, another option for a visual extravaganza. Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? I’m being naughty here, but the lead in Planting Hope is considered by some to be a dangerous character. He’d have some of the sexy, wild, dark good looks of a young Ola Rapace, the Swedish actor in series 1 of Wallander. What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence? I do a rough plan, where I outline where my characters are going, although I can completely upend a scene, change the point of view character, even motivation and outcome as the book cooks. Having said that, I write the setup scene first. I find the beginning of the book is the hardest part for me and results in numerous rewrites. My ideas are tumbling over each other and I need to sort them so I provide the right amount of information to the reader clearly at the right time. I don’t write sequential chapters. I tend to write snatches of dialogue as a way of getting to know my characters. I’ll expand those conversations into scenes, and then I slot them in where they fit in the working manuscript. I’ll go back and layer them repeatedly with narrative to provide deeper insight into the character’s thinking or to paint a picture of where they are and any action that’s part of the conversation. I’ve learned that when I get to about 30-40,000 words I need to set the manuscript aside for a minimum of six weeks. It’s nowhere near finished. Key scenes are missing, insight into the characters is missing, but the absence improves my perspective and understanding of my characters and enables me to write a better book. Tell us a little bit about the characters in your latest book. I like strong characters by which I mean characters who respect themselves and who respect others. Lela’s Choice was released in December 2023. Lela Vella has been a dutiful daughter and aunt who’s preparing to break loose. Then her niece flees Australia for Malta. Lela follows, knowing she has one final responsibility to her dead sister—solve the riddle of her flight. Hamish McGregor is an internationally recognized Australian child-protection lawyer specializing in the kidnapping of minors across borders. He’s battle- scarred—his pregnant wife was murdered by the husband of a client—and determined not to risk his heart again. Do the characters all come to you at the same time? I work outwards from the lead characters. I start with them and think about who they are now, their pasts, their goals and dreams, and why they are the perfect match. Then I look for other characters who fit into their lives. These secondary characters can start as incidental actors then gain in significance as they tell me what they can do and how they can help the story move along. Some readers have told me it’s those minor characters that appeal to them most. What is your latest book about? My latest book is Masquerade-Choosing Families Book1 Fool me once… Money won’t bring LIAM QUINN’S father back, but it’ll save his mother’s home. A high-paying law partnership is in his sights. To win it, he needs to successfully land a project. Problem is the project requires absolute confidentiality, and he’s just discovered his estranged identical twin is appearing life size on a billboard across the city. The second catch is a return to environmental law. His earlier career imploded after his lover was revealed as a mining company spy. Researcher and soon-to-be-published romance author KATE TURNER needs a disguise. Maybe more than one. Her famous playwright father despises ‘trashy’ novels. Her ex-boyfriend mocked her ‘dirty little secret’, then stalked her when she left him. Her identical twin coaxes her into appearing on a billboard to prove she can be notorious and anonymous at the same time. No one connects the billboard model to the dowdy researcher Kate has become, and no one knows about her author pseudonym and second disguise as Ms. Sexy Romance. Kate and Liam’s lives collide when she’s hired as Liam’s research assistant. Liam’s boss laughs off the billboard. Having doubles is the perfect cover for confidential field work. A masquerade, a road trip, a steamy attraction, the sudden appearance of Liam’s old lover, and Ms. Sexy Romance’s unexpected arrival in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Liam and Kate discover the steps they took to protect their hearts might break them. Here's an excerpt Chapter One Kate Turner plastered a confident smile on her face as George Clelland, founding partner of Clelland and Associates, led her towards his boardroom to meet his “four best people”. Suits—any gender—were her least favourite people. She told herself that was a prejudice she should be over by now. But she’d met too many who were wedded to the idea that charcoal-grey wool cut in severe lines guaranteed they were always right. Her misgivings were her business, and George’s steady patter of encouragement was a palliative to the tension roiling in her gut. Halting inside the doorway, Kate scanned the room. The three suits present weighed her up and found her wanting. Her bland, off-the-rack clothes were a jarring contrast to their designer suits. To the lawyers, her drab outfit signalled she had no permanent place in their company; to her, being instantly forgettable represented success. Ms. Dowdy Researcher could hide in plain sight. “Glad you could make it, Liam.” George turned back towards the door, his body blocking her view of the fourth suit. “Problems with the flight from Canberra?” “A bit of traffic from the airport.” An alarm sounded in Kate’s head. The Irish lilt was fainter, but the mellow baritone was ominously familiar. The newcomer moved to join the other three strangers. When her gaze met his, her stomach knotted while his polite smile faded. George began introductions. Kate shook hands, as if she’d been programmed to meet and greet on command while her heart raced like a runaway bride, and her brain scrambled for purchase. Please, God, no! “Kate Turner meet Liam Quinn.” George made the final introduction. The man’s name provided the absolute confirmation Kate didn’t need. Inhaling deeply, she met his gaze. “Hello, Ms. Turner.” He held her hand longer than necessary, the living embodiment of all her least favourite stereotypes. An austere, charcoal-suited, silk-tied, face-chiselled-from-marble legal eagle who regarded her with the irritation of someone who’d found a worm in his perfect apple. The man packed speculation and suspicion into a simple handshake. “Do I know you?” Have you ID’d me? Memo to self: you will not—repeat not—hyperventilate. Kate concentrated on simple inhalation and exhalation. In two-three; out two-three. Nice and steady. “I don’t think so.” “You look familiar.” “I have that kind of face.” She’d let her guard down, allowed herself to believe the gods were finally on her side—that she could work, write and live again free of shadows. “I don’t think so.” He was persistent. “Maybe I’ve seen a photo? “Unlikely.” In two-three; out two-three-four-five. There was a Genosearch billboard on the route from the airport to Sydney’s central business district. The public story was that Kate’s identical twin, Anna, was the model featured in glorious colour on the billboard. Instead, Kate was the real billboard model, having abandoned her Ms. Dowdy Researcher disguise for the length of the photo shoot. “Call me Kate.” Had Liam seen through the costume granting her anonymity from every other observer? The possibility was a body blow. No one had made the link between Ms. Dowdy Researcher Kate and the woman on the billboard. She’d gambled that no one ever would. She lifted a hand to make sure her fake glasses sat firmly on her nose. With her lack of makeup, very different hair colour, clothes and body language, it shouldn’t be possible for anyone to pick her likeness to the woman on the billboard. Even after Liam Quinn released her hand, he studied her with a fierce intensity Kate struggled to ignore. The advertising company was doing a slow reveal. Kate’s face had been in jigsaw pieces but was now complete. Ultimately, two faces would appear on the billboard. In the last twenty-four hours, they’d added the outline of a male head and a pair of penetrating grey eyes. Had Liam recognised his identical twin, Niall, in the eyes of the male model on the billboard? Easily—probably—definitely—damn. What’s the next project you’ll be working on? I’m working on a series related to the Choosing Family Series. My publisher, Inkspell Publishing, and I are toying with the idea of calling it Extending Families. It is about friends and family members we encountered in the Choosing Family series and just want to know a bit more about. Thanks for being in the spotlight. Here are some links to learn more about Jennifer. https://jenniferrainesauthor.com/ AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRLN6XBH KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/masquerade-220 BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144567121 APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/masquerade/id6475606710 Music
I’m a firm believer that music is essential to life. How boring things would be without it. This month I’ve been listening to a lot of tunes by The Police. This English rock trio started in the late 1970s and performed together until 1986. Together they sold more than 75 million records and collected 6 Grammy Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here’s my top five songs. (The last is a solo by Sting) Don’t Stand So Close to Me: https://youtu.be/KNIZofPB8ZM?si=0HaCIwfj4rPxiN4j Every Breath You Take: https://youtu.be/aSATTrwW0xs?si=d6xxV04kmV3i3ULm Every Little Thing She Does: https://youtu.be/OMOGaugKpzs?si=AZ7C49zsqX6AW_bF De Do Do Do: https://youtu.be/I584PnQ3xpI?si=o6GYCu7Rq8_wBEIu Know Nothing ‘bout Me: https://youtu.be/mNPh2z3W_WY?si=nPC-u0urx2LOMJZA Welcome to 2024! Time to start another trip around the sun. To get back to writing, picking up wherever we left off. Here in Michigan, we’re getting a frozen gift from Mother Nature that is bound to keep on giving for several weeks now. I’m sure the skiers, snowboarders and snowplow drivers will be happy. The rest of us…not so much. Time to get started with an update on writing, current projects, an interview with another author and music. Must. Have. Music. Writing In the past I’ve participated in a few competitions where authors submit their work for consideration and the hopes of receiving accolades. A couple were recommended by other writers. Sadly, some of these organizations don’t even bother informing you as to who won. They just accept your entry fee and wave good-bye. With so many books written each year, even being named a finalist, let alone winning, is no easy feat. The mystery category is gigantic. So no matter what program it was, there was sure to be a lot of competition with the books I write. In late December, I learned that “Chasing Favors” was selected as the best mystery of 2023 by N.N. Light’s Book Heaven. This company had more than 1,200 books in consideration. Winning this award is quite an achievement. It also gives me the motivation to keep writing. I’ve got many stories to share. Work In Progress. There’s a great old line from the legendary Mel Brooks. “Man plans and God laughs.” My crime novel, featuring Leo Agonasti continues to move slowly toward the finish line. Getting that first draft done is a big goal for me this year. Yet Mel’s words ring loud and clear. Hidden in the archives of my files and computer is an old manuscript titled “Rules of Desperation”. I wrote this one about fifteen years ago with the idea that someday I’d dust it off, give it a fast read and go looking for a publisher. This has been waiting patiently for my attention. During a conversation with Diana K. Penn last fall, I mentioned this book. Her eyes widened and she began to do a little happy dance. Diana offered to edit and format the book for me and then I could go the indie route and just publish it myself. This would also give me a new book to add to the display for the festival season. Who could turn down such an offer? Now I’m about halfway through the 80,000-word manuscript, updating it and cleaning up some of the dialogue before sending it to Diana. Which of course means Leo is quietly waiting in the wings. Once I ship her the manuscript, I’ll be able to turn my attention back to the crime story. But that doesn’t stop me from writing something else. Like a scene that will become part of Chene’s fourth novel. When an idea struck, I knew the only way to get behind it was to write it down. With that done, I can get back to “Rules” and finish that project. Makes me wonder if all writers are crazy, working on multiple projects simultaneously. The Spotlight About a year ago, I crossed paths with Jacob Bullen for the first time. We were both participating in last February’s virtual book event. There was a lot of laughter and antics with that show. As luck would have it, we both attended a different event later in the year. I thought Jacob would be a great addition to the news. Tell us something about yourself and how you became an author. I've been writing since I was 8 years old and was fascinated with storytelling at the age of 3. Even in my earliest memories, I had a tale to tell, so I suppose it's easy to say that I've always been chasing one story or another. I can say that the thought of publishing never took flight until my daughter, Ashlynne, came around. While my wife, Kristian, had long advised that I write my stories down, it took a promise to Ash before I decided to pursue publishing. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? Yes. I have imagined how my books might translate into such formats. Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? I've always wanted Daniel Craig to play a villain. I would cast him as the fallen angel, Lucien Grey from the Blood in the Rain series. Back when the series was first published, I had considered Austin Butler to play the role of Alec from The Legends of Valoria. What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence? I tend to be a "plantser." Generally, I start with a basic idea, be it a dream of some rabbit I've decided to chase down a hole. Once I have the idea, visualization is the first step. What do the world and my characters look like? What drives them? What trials do they face? By the time I've answered the second and third question, I've typically figured out more than enough to begin writing. So far, by the time I've finished writing the first draft, I have an overall concept for the entire series. (Feel free to ask me about upcoming entries in a series. Chances are, it's in my brain somewhere. Tell us a little bit about the characters in your latest book. The latest book I've finished writing is Avenger, the 3rd book in my Unbound series. The main character, Vali, is a young, Viking warrior who unlike the rest of his brethren, has long sought to end the century's old war between his people and the Kresh, seeking a way for the two races to coexist within the Isles of Vala. He's insecure of himself and of his victories thus far, constantly questioning whether he is up to the task the old gods have left for him. His companion, Aya, has similar worries of her own as she tries to keep Vali safe from his own recklessness, her past feelings of abandonment, and the uncertainty that comes with trying to unite warring clans to face off against the remnants of the old gods and the beings who brought their reign to an end. Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? Typically, I have most of them per book before I've begun to write. I may not have all the faces in order for book 3 while I'm working on book 1. However, as an example, I've known how the Legends of Valoria will end since I penned the first book. What is your latest book about? Avenger marks the conclusion of the Viking Civil War Arc and the beginning of the Sword of Asgard arc. Can you share an excerpt? “I believe he received the idea from the same woman who convinced Gram to stay behind.” Lym continued, the weight of her words growing far more severe and tense with each passing syllable. “He spoke of a blade of sorts, but not the weapon he entrusted to you. No, he spoke of a metaphoric blade, an agent of Asgard’s vengeance. Someone to return and serve as their avenger. Whatever unspeakable thing that guides these Masked Ones, has found a way to work against the grand design. Somehow, it has found a way to supplant what was intended for it. There are other agents out in the world that are working to unmake the world, possibly all of the realms as we know it. However, Stromholdt believed that this sword, this avenger would somehow know of their purpose. Would have their hand guided to it as if they had always known of it." What’s the next project you’ll be working on? I wish for my world's to be every part as complex as the real one. Love, Crime, Fantasy and Horror can all exist within our world anywhere and at any given moment. I am currently plantsing (we make our own words) several off genre entries into my current series. Currently that means writing a Horror novel set in The Tales of Anon series. You can learn more about Jacob and his books on his website. www.meetthebullens.com Music
When it comes to music, variety keeps me going. That includes songs from jazz, blues, rock, classics and more. One of the artists that has been on my airwaves a lot lately is Kenny Loggins. Known to many as The King of Movie Soundtracks, Loggins career has covered more than 50 years. Whether part of a group or as a solo act, Loggins music continues to entertain people. He completed his final tour in 2023. Here are my top five favorites. Celebrate Me Home: https://youtu.be/Kbcro30GBtU?si=dCgDiYBIgqwbD479 Mama Don’t Dance: https://youtu.be/VTu4yQH8KBs?si=PUjuxgwFvq-lBskI I’m Alright: https://youtu.be/1rmPckNvD3E?si=l6pTccrC_ywC1RIP Footloose: https://youtu.be/ltrMfT4Qz5Y?si=3zSdqxeqJXkJaLm4 Angry Eyes: https://youtu.be/lFM-VaUO_CE?si=nelxsgZMt8ZRFfQF December. Everyone is busy with holiday activities, including shopping, parties and all kinds of events as another calendar year draws to a close. I have a couple of weeks between teaching assignments at the college. With any luck, I’ll get a little writing done. Time will tell. So let’s catch up on some things related to writing, an interview with another author and music from an old favorite band. There’s also a holiday surprise too! Writing This year I participated in more book events than ever before. Many of these were outdoor festivals. Some were one day. Others were two. A few I’d been to before. Like anything else, it was a period of trial and error. But it was educational, to say the least. Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve learned. The best shows for me, which resulted in sales, were those that offered multiple options to the customers. Some had artists, photographers, custom made jewelry and crafters. In a few of these, my booth was the only one with books. It was beneficial for me to share my space with another author, such as Samantha Moran or Cecilia A. Garcia. They write in different genres from mysteries, which may have helped to draw customers in for all of us. One event that was solely focused on books, a multi-author event, did not attract many people into the venue. The location may have played a role in this. The building was almost a quarter of a mile back from the main road, behind another business. There was little signage to attract people driving by at fifty miles per hour (or more). Despite the social media efforts of the forty participants, few people showed up. While I did make a few sales, these primarily went to other authors. It was an opportunity to network with other authors, which can always be helpful. Another venue was reasonably priced, but it was a first-time event, set way back on a country road that saw little traffic. Once again, without any means to bring people in, there were few sales. I consider these festivals a great opportunity to connect with potential readers and build relationships. Several times this year I had customers return to buy another book in one of the series. When someone goes out of their way to follow me and purchase another one of my books, that makes all the efforts worthwhile. During the summer I didn’t hesitate to sign up for outdoor events. Usually the weather cooperated, which helped to bring the patrons out. I did push the envelope a bit and participated in one outdoor festival in the middle of October. That resulted in a cold, rainy miserable day. Going forward, I’ll pick indoor shows after the end of September. Location and the mixture of vendors is a factor I’ll be considering seriously for next year’s schedule. Work in Progress The crime novel featuring Leo Agonasti continues to slowly come together. My plan is to return to this tale as much as possible during the break between semesters. With 42,000 words written, that’s about half of the story. My target is 80,000. It may go a bit longer, depending on whatever antics Leo and his buddy Max get into. Ideas for new scenes and another subplot need more development, but that’s part of my process. It’s not unusual to be writing one scene and have another one jump from my brain to my fingertips with little consideration. From conversations with other authors, this is not uncommon. Nice to know I have company in that process. Author Interview Whenever multiple authors congregate in one place, I like to take a few minutes to get to know some of the talented people in attendance. That happened again in November when I was able to meet Jamie Samland. Here’s a chance to get to know him a little better. Tell something about yourself and how you became an author. I credit my 4th grade teacher for why I wanted to be an author. I always enjoyed writing but she told me, “You can only use pen once you publish a book.” That was 30 years ago, so who knows if she actually said it, but I took it as a life goal. Note, I used a pen plenty of times before I published my first book. I wrote something like a book in late high school, then again in college. Fast forward to 2020, when I was about to test for my first degree black belt in taekwondo. I saw that as an old goal I was finally meeting, so I picked up writing again. My first book came out within a few weeks of testing for my third degree. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? I’m sure every author does. Before I really started on any of the books, I was planning one with my partner and casting who would play all the roles. Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? Judy Dench. I want Judy Dench to play Venica. If I could have her, I couldn’t be happier. I don’t care who plays anything else. What is your writing process? For instance, do you create an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence? I used to be a 100% pantser. It wasn’t until Arcanym, my 5th novel, that I really stopped to plan out every chapter, scene, and character arc. I had a good amount of the book in mind before I did, though. Now with Grave Mistakes, I planned everything before I started drafting. That still left tons of space to pants. There was a scene that ended with Gabriela snapping her fingers, saying, “That gives me an idea!” …and I had no idea what the plan was. I had to go for a long walk to think about it. Tell us a little bit about the characters in your latest book. Gabriela only knows life through the books in her mother’s library. Having only three others to talk to, she’s invented the lives for all her skeleton and ghost friends in town. Venica is her mother, a powerful mage that doesn’t talk about her past. She’s instilled a “mother knows best” frame of mind into her daughter. Lord Sebastian has become my favorite character that I’ve created, which is saying a lot, because of Aiden in Trials of Throk’tar. Sebastian is wise cracking, ultra protective, but also exists as only a suit of animated armor. Brynmor is an entitled noble that, I hope, learns by the end that he isn’t as great as he believes. Eleanor hates her job cleaning up Brynmor’s messes, but it pays well and gives her lots of downtime between town to work on designing magical devices. Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? A bit of both. Sometimes I’ll alter a character within the span of a 3,000 word chapter and need to go back to their profiles to update. Sometimes I’ll make up a character on the fly, perhaps a barmaid or flute-playing satyr, and they totally take over the scene. Others I have firmly in mind, but they still surprise me by how they react to the setting. What is your latest book about? It’s a standard boy meets girl, boy touches girl without consent, girl shoves boy down a flight of steps, breaking his neck. Grave Mistakes is a dark fantasy comedy following Gabriela in her race to resurrect Viscount Brynmor before his uncle finds out and starts a war. She’s joined by her quirky knight protectorate, Lord Sebastian, and annoying poltergeist, Aura. But of course, Brynmor’s uncle already has agents in play. Eleanor Lane is a magical researcher tasked with cleaning up Brynmor’s messes and paying off bar tabs, and it is she that discovers he might have died at the bottom of the stairs. The uncle sends Commander Valoria Ravell to accompany and return Brynmor’s body at all costs. Dead would be just as good for his needs. Let’s see an excerpt! “Ghosts!” said Brynmor. “They do exist!” Lord Sebastian chuckled down from the horse. “I have some terrible news for you, good sir.” “Best to be over-prepared.” Lord Sebastian reached into his coffin, taking his left hand in both of his gloves. He turned, offering it to Gabriela, who quickly fumbled a bag from her belt. “That was my second favorite hand. I don’t think I like the marquess quite enough to give him my best.” Not until her mother allowed her to attempt the resurrection, knowing it would be Aura’s end. Queen Venica quietly put that decision into Gabriela’s hands without warning. Though, she never expected it to come to this point. “Gabs…” Gabriela parted her lips to speak but could only manage a quaking breath. She breathed in slowly, squeezing her eyes tight. “I’ll never forget you, Aura.” “I wish we could have grown up together.” “We did.” If she didn’t act now, she never would. Gabriela ripped the ghostly tethers from her chest, feeling a spreading chill where they connected. Once free, they came apart easily. Brynmor’s felt like a brittle, rusted chain, but Aura’s… Hers faded, dissolving like sugar in water, slipping through Gabriela’s fingers. Just like that. There was no chance for a last word or to wave as her ghostly frame dimmed. What’s the next project you’ll be working on? Faebound is portal fantasy, where a modern-day couple from somewhere-Michigan get a letter that their dog will be conscripted into the fae army. They think it’s a hoax, until it happens. They rush after to save their dog, but getting home requires they play the games set by the fae royals. Here are the links for Jamie’s books. Grave Mistakes - https://books2read.com/u/496Wv8 Arcanym - https://books2read.com/u/bP7WZR Ooo Shiny! Volume 2, Holiday Edition 1 - https://books2read.com/u/3Goa5Q (great stocking stuffer) Music Whether on the road or at my desk, where there is always music playing. One of the bands that keeps coming up is The Cars. The band began in the Boston area in 1976 and went on to record a series of hits that grew in popularity. While the original group disbanded in the late 1980s, their music remains popular today. You Might Think: https://youtu.be/3dOx510kyOs?si=8iAygZePPbyieVrt Good Times Roll: https://youtu.be/Ki6xHnDAwHw?si=VJoG-gm2VlfHnBI- Shake it Up: https://youtu.be/K3SA5Z-cbC8?si=TxdbDQaH3K-5ohy8 Since You’re Gone: https://youtu.be/1JnQfKIFERU?si=0mY8jUjiOOSmU4o_ Just What I Needed: https://youtu.be/gvy2yqUHLLg?si=yHNVnYGh8hIrQ1ik . The Bonus
This time of year, there are many movies with holiday theme that people admire and enjoy. I’m not the kind of guy who likes sappy Christmas movies. If it’s a comedy or something with a little twist on the usual storyline, it’s more likely that I’ll enjoy it. With that being said, here are my top 5 favorite Christmas movies. Die Hard Christmas with the Kranks The Christmas Chronicles The Santa Clause Jingle All the Way Seedlings is a fantastic organization. Utilizing a small team of employees and a sizeable crew of dedicated volunteers, Seedlings continues to put books and articles in the hands of children who are visually impaired.
Since their inception in 1984, they have created more than 680,000 braille books. Over 60% of those are free to kids! This is accomplished through the generosity of supporters. Currently the online auction is underway. You can bid on a variety of prizes. But there's one in particular that might catch your eye. This prize includes a $20 gift card for a local bookstore, an autographed copy of "Chasing Favors" AND the opportunity to name a character in one of my upcoming books. Imagine the booklover in your family opening a package on Christmas morning to discover not only the signed copy of Jamie's latest adventure and the gift card, but to learn their name will be part of my next book. That will make these holidays memorable. Just click on the link below to enter your bid. www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=342811031 Nothing seems to slow down in October. Classes are running full tilt, I had one last outdoor festival, writing and promoting demanding my attention, and of course, football. There is something special about my favorite season. So here’s my latest thoughts about writing, events, promotions, a surprise or two and an interview with one of my favorite authors. Let’s rock. Writing During a recent festival, a young man stopped by my booth with a few questions about writing. I’m always happy to talk with fellow writers, at whatever stage they may be in their journey. He was surprised to learn that both of my series are with traditional publishers. “Why don’t you just self-publish? It’s easy and there are no hassles,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “There may be some benefits to that path, but I’ve been working with both houses for several years. They provide a great deal of support, such as editing, the artwork for the covers, promotional opportunities and more.” “But they take a percentage of your sales!” “It’s part of the business. I agreed to the contracts when they accepted the manuscripts.” We talked for a bit more, but he wouldn’t be swayed. Which is fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But before he walked away, I gave him one more aspect to consider. “When I submit a manuscript to the publisher, there is no guarantee they will accept it. Even though I have several books already published with each house. There is a definite thrill when I get the letter of acceptance and the contract. That’s verification that someone else, someone with experience in the publishing industry, finds value in my books. You don’t get that when you simply upload the story to Amazon and publish it yourself.” He gave me a ‘who cares’ shrug and walked away. But not before buying a copy of one of my books. Every writer needs to make their own choices. Going the self-published route may lead you to hire someone to do the artwork for the cover. You could spend money on an editor and hopefully, get one who is experienced and can help polish your manuscript. Or maybe you can do it all yourself, assuming potential readers won’t care about a mistake here, an inconsistency there. But readers are savvy. They will hold your feet to the fire if you change a character’s name in the middle of a story. Or have errors sprinkled throughout. Or maybe they don’t even finish your book, let alone leave you a review. Perhaps they’ll never buy another book from you. These are all the things you need to take into consideration. Because readers who enjoy your books will come back for more. Here’s an example of that. During my last outdoor event of the season, I returned to Dowagiac, a small city in West Michigan. I was there for a festival earlier this summer and met a lot of great people. On Friday, I received a message from Laura, who had become captivated with the Jamie Richmond series. Laura had bought the first book from me at another event. She then bought the rest and wanted to bring them to me for autographing. Not a problem! While I was signing these, she read the back cover of “Why 319?” the first book in the Chene series. Laura picked up a copy of that one too! An hour later, Joann approached. She’d bought “Stealing Haven” and “Why 319?” at the summer event. Now she was back for more. She grabbed copies of “Your Turn to Die” and “Chasing Favors”. While I take credit for writing these stories, the support of Inkspell Publishing and Wild Rose Press is important to me. It’s a team effort. A Special Feature For a couple of years now, I’ve been doing podcasts related to my books. It’s a great way to talk about my stories, sharing details about my characters and the writing process. I have become a frequent voice on the Indie Reads Aloud podcast. So far, I’ve read scenes from all three Jefferson Chene mysteries and all the Jamie Richmond mysteries with the exception of “Fleeing Beauty”. This podcast is fun. Diana, who hosts the show, enjoys chatting briefly with the authors, then sitting back and hearing them read. I’ve encouraged other authors to come join the party. But stepping up in front of the camera or microphone isn’t for everybody. Tammy Mannersly writes wonderful stories set in Australia. I’ve had the pleasure of reading several of her tales. Despite my encouragement, Tammy begged off, insisting she is too shy for such efforts. There had to be a way to let more people know about her books. That’s when inspiration struck. It took less than a minute to convince Diana. I would read a couple of scenes from one of Tammy’s stories. It was just that easy. Tammy was thrilled at the idea. When I asked her to pick out a couple of specific passages from her book “Drawn to Him”, she quickly declined. Tammy felt comfortable letting me choose what to read. Which was a problem. Because I only had twenty minutes of airtime. There were just too many good parts to choose from. Eventually, I got it worked out. Diana did her usual excellent job with the recording and making me sound good. Tammy’s book did the rest. Interested? You can give the show a listen or watch it on YouTube by following one of these links. Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/mumn8b7f YouTube: https://youtu.be/VOKo8XXg04U Events While the outdoor festival season has drawn to a close here in Michigan, there are still a few indoor events on the horizon for me. The biggest one I’m looking forward to will be held on Small Business Saturday, just two days after Thanksgiving. This one looks especially promising. There will be 40 authors gathered, covering a multitude of genres. Books make excellent gifts, especially around the holidays. Here’s your chance to get autographed copies of your next favorites. I have no doubt there will be an abundance of swag and giveaways. Mark your calendars and come join the party. You'll have plenty of books to choose from. Author interview It was at a book festival years ago when Don Levin and I met for the first time. It must have been inevitable. We both write mysteries set in the metropolitan Detroit area. With our shared passion for creating engaging stories, distinctive memorable protagonists and a peek behind the curtain at some of the dark passages of Motown, it’s no wonder we immediately connected. Recently Don’s shifted his focus to historical fiction. It’s definitely time to shine the spotlight on him. Tell us something about yourself and how you became an author. I’m a retired professor of English and dean of faculty, now writing full-time. Before I joined academia, I was a professional writer and editor. I always wanted to be a writer. When I came of age in the sixties, the ones whom I thought were doing the heavy lifting in literature were the novelists . . . Tolstoy, Joyce, Bellow, Malamud, Austen, Twain, George Eliot, the Brontes. So I wanted to write books; that’s the conversation I wanted to join. I had nothing against poetry, but I always saw myself working in the long form. And that’s what I’ve done. I made several detours along the way (at several points I gave up entirely, thinking this fiction writing business isn’t for me) (or more accurately, this fiction writing business doesn’t want me). Even in the depths of my despair over ever being a novelist, I always wrote for a living—speeches, grants, video scripts, and so on—so I was always polishing my craft and learning good work habits. Finally, I figured out that my so-called success (or lack thereof) as a novelist didn’t matter . . . I enjoyed writing—more: I needed to write, felt compelled to create fiction—and dammit I was going to do it even if nobody read a word I wrote. It hasn’t been easy or smooth, but to paraphrase a certain politician: nevertheless, I persisted. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? The short answer is: no, but if Spielberg’s people call my people about a miniseries, I’d take the call. The longer answer is: I’m perfectly content having these stories exist just as they are, as books. My father was in the movie business as a film distributor (the middleman between the producers, the people who make the movies, and the exhibitors, the theatre owners who show the movies). I saw up close what a backstabbing, crapshoot, bottom-line business it all is, and I have no desire to be a part of it. As the screenwriter William Goldman said, in the entire motion picture business, nobody knows anything. I’ll stick to novel writing, where at least I can keep some control over my work and I can be certain it will be published. Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? Even though I just said I don’t want to be part of the movie business, it’s still fun and sometimes useful to visualize real actors as my characters. I was at a book club talking about one of the Martin Preuss books, and this question came up. Someone suggested Ethan Hawke as detective Martin Preuss, and that struck me as a good call. For the Detroit history series, I was casting the roles in my mind so I could have a physical model for the characters. For Clarence Brown, a young Ernie Hudson would be perfect; for Elizabeth Waters in Savage City, Saoirse Ronan (though she’s a bit young), and in The Arsenal of Deceit, Keri Russell; for Ben Rubin I imagined Andrew Garfield; for Denny Rankin, I had Michael Shannon in mind; and for Eva Szabo, a young Mila Kunis. It may seem like I’ve done a lot of thinking about casting for someone who doesn’t want his books filmed, but visualizing the outward appearance of the characters helps me to fill in their interior life. I’m usually careful not to describe characters too much so readers can imagine how they want the characters to look. What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence? When I wrote the first Preuss book, Crimes of Love, I began with an outline. I figured out what would happen where and when. I was very organized, and seemed like it would generate an interesting book. I deviated from it almost immediately. By the end of the first week of writing, I had thrown the outline out entirely. At that point I learned that the only way I could stay interested in the book—and therefore the reader would also have a chance of staying interested—would be to make it up as I went along. I pretty much have the process figured out by now (for me, that is; we all have our own methods). With a general sense of a possible narrative arc and possible cast of characters, I write scene-by-scene, from beginning to end. As the book develops, I start to look ahead three or four or more chapters, but I always keep it flexible so I can go wherever the plot and the characters take me. My one rule (aside from no outlines) is something I learned from Hemingway: always stop your day’s writing at a point where you know what will happen next so you don’t have to start with a blank page the next day. So my final day’s writing is always NEXT: and then a brief description of what will happen next. I don’t edit as I go along, though I do read the previous day’s work to get back into the flow. My goal in the first draft is to get it written. After that, everything’s up for grabs. I work on my laptop; once I write through to the end of the draft (usually a four-month-long process), I print it out and then begin the rewrites. I’ll do that four or five times; each rewrite takes about a month. I’m always amazed by people who tell me they never rewrite because they get it right the first time. I’m constantly rewriting and revising; by the end of the process, when I’m ready to send it to my editor, I will have revised every sentence in the book at least once and usually several times. ell us a little bit about the characters in your latest book. The new book, The Arsenal of Deceit, follows four characters who unite against the treachery that threatens Detroit, America's "arsenal of democracy," on the brink of WWII. Of the main characters, two are new and two return from Savage City: Eva Szabó is a young Jewish immigrant from Hungary who goes undercover at the Ford Rouge Assembly plant to expose the company's campaign of anti-union violence. Her boss, private investigator Elizabeth Waters, infiltrates Detroit's pro-Nazi, Christian nationalist fifth column groups. Elizabeth appears in Savage City. Detroit police detective Clarence Brown, part of a segregated squad of Black officers, uncovers a conspiracy to ignite racial violence across the city. Clarence also appears in Savage City. And Detroit police detective sergeant Denny Rankin seeks the links between them all to atone for his part in Detroit's widespread corruption scandals. Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? I usually start out with a general sense of the main characters, and a possible narrative arc. Then as I write, and the book “unfolds” itself to me (that is, I start to understand what the book is about—which sometimes doesn’t happen until the second or third drafts), the characters, too, unfold themselves to me . . . I figure out who they are, where they’ve been, where they’re going, what they’re going to do in the book, and so on. Everything is fluid while I’m writing; I sometimes wind-up deleting characters, combining them, creating new ones, and constantly naming and renaming them What is your latest book about? The Arsenal of Deceit is the second novel in my projected Detroit Quartet series, a follow-on to the first book, Savage City. Set in the City of Detroit in 1941, the new novel takes on home-grown fascism, Christian nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, and political corruption--all actual problems of the time, as well as critical concerns we face today. Indeed, the novel aims to recreate a rich historical period with chilling parallels to our own time: violence and bloodshed in the name of race and class, governmental corruption, corporate greed—much of it related to or caused by the deeply rooted fascism which is alive and well in today’s time as well. Can you share an excerpt too? With pleasure. Here’s the opening section of Chapter 1. One after another they come, limping in or carried, as regular as the cars turned out by the great American industrial giant. Eva Szabó registers them in the order they arrive: The operator who smashed his hand in the Foundry Machine Shop. The electrician from the Motor Building who collapsed after a twelve-hour shift. Two men who were hit by debris from an explosion in Blast Furnace C. Several others with burns from the blast. The carpenter who fell off a scaffold in the Administration Building. The man brought in when a swinging crane caught him in the back near the Sand Storage area. And now, the latest case, the man who hops in, his right foot wrapped in a bloody apron. Another man props him up. “What happened?” Eva asks him. The guy with the bad foot can’t speak; he’s dazed, like he’s in shock. The other guy says, “A sheet of glass fell on his foot.” Nadine Denton pushes a wheelchair behind the injured man. “You,” she says, tapping his shoulder, “sit.” He falls into the chair. Nadine says, “See this young lady?” She points at Eva. “She’ll check you in. Then we’ll see what’s what.” Eva records the date (March 31, 1941), the worker’s name (Chester Kowalski), his department (Glass Plant), badge number, description of the injury, and how it happened. Nadine wheels him back to an examination room. “You can get back to work,” she lobs over her shoulder at the injured man’s helper. Who tosses a wink at Eva and leaves. Before the next injured worker comes in, the phone rings. “After you get that,” Nadine calls, “find one of the Marys to give me a hand.” “Will do.” Nadine Denton, the head nurse. Two other nurses are both named Mary. Nadine calls them One and Two. Nadine’s not the most pleasant cupcake, but she’s tough and she knows what she’s doing. Eva is the receptionist of the Ford Rouge Assembly plant hospital’s First Aide Clinic. She’s new, barely three weeks in. The plant has its own on-site hospital to care for the injuries plant workers sustain. It’s convenient for non-severe injuries so a worker can return to the job and complete the shift. On the phone is a secretary from the Administration Building. One of the other secretaries fainted. They want a nurse to come over and check her out. Eva looks for the Marys but they’re both tied up with patients. She goes to tell Nadine about the phone call. Nadine and a doctor are working on the man from the glass plant. Nadine has cut his boot and sock off. The foot‘s a bloody mess. “We can’t spare nobody,” she says. “I can do it,” Eva says. Nadine looks at Eva like, You?! “You have your hands full here,” Eva says. “The desk is quiet. I’ll run over, see how she’s doing. If it looks serious, I’ll come back and get you.” Nadine mulls it over. “Suppose it’s not a good idea to keep the bosses waiting,” she decides. “I think so, too.” “Fine. But make it snappy. She’s probably pregnant and missed her breakfast. Just needs to lie down for a while.” “Got it.” “Before you go, call a meat wagon for this guy. We can’t do nothing for him here. Foot’s like ground chuck. He needs to go downtown.” Whoever needs more medical attention than the plant hospital can provide goes to Sidney Sunby Memorial Hospital in River Rouge, or, if they are really bad, like this guy, downtown to Henry Ford Hospital or Receiving Hospital. What’s the next project you’ll be working on? Next up is the third book in the series, to be set in the 1950s. I’m just at the beginning of the process of research and thinking about that book. Where can readers find your books? Readers can buy the book through my website, www.donaldlevin.com; through Amazon in both paperback and Kindle, https://www.amazon.com/Arsenal-Deceit-Donald-Levin-ebook/dp/B0C9P2J14W?ref_=ast_author_dp; online at Barnes and Nobel https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-arsenal-of-deceit-donald-levin/1143620552?ean=9780997294194; or ordered through your favorite bookstore. MUSIC
In addition to his talents as a writer, I know that Don is also an accomplished guitarist. One of my favorites who keeps cropping up on my sound system is Eric Clapton. Clapton has been performing since 1962. A mixture of rock and blues styles, he has been a part of multiple bands and has a distinguished solo career as well. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, once as a solo artist and twice as a member of The Yardbirds and the band Cream. Clapton has been called one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Here are my top five favorites Motherless Children: https://youtu.be/h9d2ZeAvBgA?si=vOc5K1wgUqcoT8rY Tulsa Time: https://youtu.be/hsGAA3cDSlo?si=pZZjCkMx1K0aa8RQ Pretending: https://youtu.be/zm2PvnM7Vds?si=PoLWZN8T__909W-b Change the World: https://youtu.be/x11NA63gLDM?si=yOB_MXyZIrRS4lMM Tears in Heaven: https://youtu.be/fvVqPi92CcY?si=hWp8vkLbSEQbam_r September! That magical month when students return to school, the weather takes on a crispness (at least here in the Mitten State), Halloween is just around the corner and the official start of football! Gotta admit that Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Time to catch up on writing, projects, events, an interview with another great author, and of course, music. Let’s go! Writing Last weekend I participated in another event. This was a two-day gathering in Paw Paw, MI, celebrating a wine and harvest festival. The weather was picture perfect, drawing a large crowd who attended multiple events and strolled through the arts section where my booth was set up. Author Cecila A. Garcia joined me, so we had plenty of books available in different genres. The weekend was a hit. We both sold a lot and had the opportunity to speak with plenty of readers. I had two memorable conversations. One was from a young man interested in writing. Looking at the arrangement of our books, he shook his head and told me he could never do something like this, talking to people about his stories in the hopes of making a sale. I explained that marketing should be part of the job description for any author. Writing a good story is extremely important. Getting it published, either through a traditional publisher or independently, is the next step. But if you think that’s all you have to do and the sales will automatically pour in, you’re sadly mistaken. Even bestselling authors do some events to connect with readers and promote their books. John Sandford and James Rollins are just a couple who come to mind that routinely will schedule appearances in different cities whenever a new book is released. Many other authors will utilize social media sites, employ promotional companies and advertising to attract readers. Putting forth a good promo effort is as important as writing a good book. In my youth, I would have never expected to be comfortable, standing at the table, engaging people in conversations about my stories. But that’s like anything else. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. I wished the young man well with his own efforts. My second memorable conversation was at the end of Sunday, as we were about to pack everything up. A lovely young lady, who just so happened to be a redhead, was looking over the Jamie Richmond series, drawn in by the incredible artwork on the covers. I told her if she bought a copy, she could always tell her friends that not only did she model for the cover, but that she was in fact the inspiration for the character. Her personality was a perfect match for Jamie. She beamed a smile and said, “I do have some very gullible friends.” She bought a copy of “Chasing Favors” and went on her way. I have no doubt she’ll convince her friends that it’s true. Events Next up on the circuit is the Creative Arts Festival on September 30th in Otsego, MI. There will be a lot going on at this venue and I’m really looking forward to it. Once again, Cecilia A. Garcia will be joining me. Let’s hope Mother Nature continues to smile upon us. Work In Progress I have been diligently working on the crime novel. New scenes have been devised, a couple of new characters added and a bit of rearrangement with the manuscript is underway. Since I don’t work with an outline, I write the scenes as inspiration strikes. Often when that particular scene is done, it will trigger the idea for several more. These can be sequential or occurring at an earlier or later date in the story. I’m close to the midpoint now. Just over 40,000 words have been written. Rearranging the manuscript allows me to work on the flow, see what scenes are necessary to be moved around and what needs to be added. When I have it blocked out, then it’s time to consider what is missing and what scenes can tie this all together. Sounds confusing, right? Maybe so, but that’s the method that works best for me. And as long as it’s moving the story forward, I consider that progress. Author Interview It’s always a pleasure for me to meet other authors. There are so many talented people out there. Sometimes we connect through the magic of social media or the internet. Others it can be where we attend an art festival. I first met Mandy Jo when we both were participating in last February’s monthlong mystery event. We shared quite a few laughs during those evening Zoom calls. Earlier this summer, we met in person for the first time. Tell us something about yourself and how you became an author. My name is Mandy Jo. Growing up, I always enjoyed writing. I even went to a creative writing summer camp. While going through my parents’ basement, I did come across some of my early writings. You know the ones that were “printed” and bound with cardboard and a fancy covering. I’ve always been an avid writer and reader. Fast forward to 2017 when I decided to answer the questions of my walkers in a book. I didn’t want it to be just a training manual. I changed it up into a fictional easy read story format. I have kept moving forward with more and more stories, some have made their way into a published book. Non-writing things about me: I love to cook, travel, and spend time with friends and family. My favorite color is purple. Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? I would love for my Stormy Travel Thru Time to be a movie. It’d be such fun with the time travel. Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles? I would say any of the Hallmark or Great American Media stars, I would be happy with. What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you write the chapters in sequence? I did an outline for my first book, because part of it is a training program for walkers. I don’t typically do outlines. I start out with a few paragraphs and go from there. Tell us a little bit about the characters in your latest book. Heinrich Rindhage is my great-grandfather and the main character of A Stormy Travel Thru Time with his brother Gustav Rindhage. Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? They appear as I write. Sometimes I don’t even have names for them. A Stormy Travel Thru Time is about two brothers that head off on the SS Kroonland for America in 1903. As they start their journey out into the ocean, a storm crops up and sends them forward in time and to a different location. Each time a storm comes along, the process repeats itself - multiple times. There are familiar locations and events to Michiganders in the story. Can you share an excerpt? The clouds go from a light gray to a dark black color as they are tumbling in faster and faster. There are streaks of lightning and crashes of thunder. The waves are getting higher and higher on the ship. Heinrich looks at Gustav and says, “Wow, these waves are getting big. I am sure we’ll be getting wet very soon.” “Yeah, maybe we should go inside,” he replies while looking around seeing the other men heading for cover. “Let’s stay outside for a bit longer. I love the adventure. So what if we get a bit wet.” The ship moves closer to the dark clouds. The lightning is appearing more frequent along with the thunder following each streak. As Heinrich looks around the deck of the boat he is seeing everyone has taken cover. They are alone. “Ok, let’s go inside,” he says to Gustav. A wave comes up and gets the deck wet, missing them by inches. They change their walking to running. Lightning is striking all around the ship when the entire sky lights up blinding them, a loud thunder cracks deafening them, and the next moment everything goes dark and silent. Opening their eyes, blinking a few times and scanning the area around them, something is dramatically different. “This does not look like the same ship. This is much bigger,” Heinrich says. “So, what ship are we on?” “I have no idea. Let’s go find out.” Standing up, getting their balance and then stretching, they slowly walk towards the flags on the boat and turn to see what else is around them. There’s writing on the ship and it says, What’s the next project you’ll be working on? I have a few writing projects that I am working on: mystery, paranormal, and a Hallmark type story. I am simultaneously working on the Creative Slingers of Ink writing group where we have multi-author book signing events, writing sessions, and our brand-new Small Business Saturday Book Sale. This book sale is taking place on Saturday, November 23, 2023 with up to 40 authors! You can find all the writing group details and events at https://creativeslingersofink.com/ You can purchase a copy of Mandy’s book here. https://www.mandyjo.us/time-travel/ Music
I am quick to admit that it’s impossible for me to work in silence. There must be music. While I like a wide variety of artists, I noticed a pattern this last month, where strong female vocalists would distract me. Maybe it was dancing in my seat or singing along. I couldn’t nail down any one in particular, so it seems fitting to shine the spotlight on some of my favorites. Bonnie Raitt: Something to Talk About: https://youtu.be/mJ58TVYNFro?si=N8E54lmfI7g9wcoa Linda Ronstadt: Blue Bayou: https://youtu.be/Kp9G0zkorio?si=K_Z-d_iwISO3i-2Q Ella Fitzgerald: At Last https://youtu.be/1qJU8G7gR_g?si=h_7isiH7B-R_pt19 Aretha Franklin: Until You Come Back to Me: https://youtu.be/Nbokg0KM-n8?si=1FmJqSampAKA2_Am Lizz Wright: Singing in My Soul https://youtu.be/PrHNp4TlNQY?si=NSMtbytCjXyhcH1D |
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