10/31 Candy and kids

Munching on candy while I wait for my great-nieces and great-nephews to come to the house. Gus is waiting at the door, hoping kids will come soon.

Something unusual happened today. I didn't write.

It feels funny. I've been writing at least 1,000 words a day for a while, but haven't touched the keyboard until now. (My FB posts were done on my iPad. Now I'm typing on my Mac Air.)

But tomorrow NaNoWriMo starts. It's National Novel Writing Month and it comes around every November. The idea is to commit to write 50,000 words during the month of November, which averages 1667 words per day, a little more than I'm used to doing.

But I've exercised my fingers and am raring to go. During November I'll finish the first draft of Who's the Rogue? (Sam Darling Mystery #6) and will begin #7. Thinking about the concept of #7 now.

Hope you have a great Halloween and hope you are reading and enjoying my books. By the way, if you are, please write a review on Amazon. Writers live and die by their reviews. Thanks.

10/25/15 Faces

The older I get the more I believe there are only a certain number of faces in the world. Everywhere I go I see people I know. Unfortunately, sometimes they aren't people I know. Perhaps they're clones. That would explain it.

Or perhaps as one ages, the planes and lines on a person's face blur so that the things that make us look special are no longer so evident.

I mean, it really could be a high school chum I saw on the Eiffel Tower. I was there, so he could have been there too. Except he looked as he looked in high school. And I...didn't. Not fair.

I was with my sister on Oahu in the 70s when she saw a classmate from Illinois. It does happen.

I've seen others I recognize and then discover it's someone's child and not the person I know. Some day it might be a grandchild I mistake for a friend. Time hurries and hurries and pushes forward and we're swept up in the wave.

Much of the time I blame my imagination. The same thing that allows me to write books also helps me make things up when I'm trying to identify someone.

This is true--I saw the same woman twice in one day and they were different people. I even asked the second one if she had a sister or daughter that looked like her. She said she had no female relatives.

Clones.

It's the only answer.

Unless I'm making this all up.

10/6/15 Book news and book signing

Am taking a break from writing Who's the Rogue? in order to get all the other books ready to be printed. Then every single book will be available in both ebook and paperback. I'm going to be so happy when that's done. The only book (from 1 through 5) that needs to be checked is number four, Will You Marry Me? One and two are printed, and three and five are at the formatters.

This is a huge deal for me because I've wanted the ebook and print book to come out virtually simultaneously for a long time. Many of my readers prefer a book in their hands, so that's my goal.

Be on the lookout for the books to show up in print form.

In the meantime, I'm having a book signing for the first two books--Who Killed My Boss? and Any Meat in That Soup? It will take place at Panera Bread Company in Quincy, IL on Saturday October 10 at 10 AM. Hope to see you there!

The plot thickens...

In Who's the Rogue? I now know who gets murdered. I'm still not sure who the murderer is. I'm like a reader as I write; I have to get into the book before I know who killed the person(s). Right now I'm making educated guesses, just as readers do. It could be so-and-so because of a checkered history with the victim or it could be so-and-so because of a jealous rage or even...

You see. I don't know much at all yet. :) I do have ideas though, and have narrowed the field of potential murderers.

I've reached the 5,000 word mark which means I'm definitely in it! And I'm loving the premise. Hope you will too.

And Where Is Henderson? should be out soon. It's with my publisher and I expect to get her suggestions back at any time. Then some quick edits and off to the formatter. Getting excited.

Not much

I've been writing at least 500 words per day. It doesn't seem like much, but with the rehearsals for Mary Poppins, plus learning my lines, 500 words is plenty.

I do think there will be a day when all I do is write. As soon as the characters tell me who gets murdered, and who did the deed, the words will just flow. Until then, I write some "filler" scenes, waiting for the action to happen.

Some people think it's funny that I don't have an outline or don't know what really is going to happen in the book. I have the idea of where the book will take place and who the characters are, but that's about it. As the characters become more and more "real" to me, they let me know who is going to die and finally who the murderer is. I get quite excited when that happens.

I'll let you know when I know. Nope, won't tell you who, but will tell you that I have it figured out.

Writing and singing, a nice combination

Book #5, Where Is Henderson?, is with my publisher. I expect it back soon with some (many?) suggested edits. It should be published as an e-book by mid-June. I'm currently writing #6, Who's the Rogue?, which takes place entirely in Quincy, IL. Back to my roots, as suggested by some readers. See, I do pay attention!

My second book--Any Meat in That Soup?--has been printed in paperback form and is available at Amazon and I believe Barnes and Noble. Excited about this.

I'm rehearsing nightly for Mary Poppins, in which I play the Bird Woman and Miss Andres. I love that I get to play both a hero and a villain. Because of my renewed love for local theater, via Quincy Community Theatre, WTR? takes place at a community theatre. In the book it's Gem City Community Theatre. For the uninitiated, Quincy's nickname is the Gem City, given to us by none other than Mark Twain. I believe his exact words were, "Quincy is a gem of a city." No, I'm not quite old enough to have heard his words myself.

I'm hopeful that my fellow castmates won't mind that I stare at them and occasionally take notes. I'm still deciding who's going to die in the book and who's going to do the murdering, so everyone better be nice to me.

Fair warning.

Writing is therapeutic

For me, writing is therapeutic. If I'm in a bad mood I just have to turn to my characters to cheer me up. I laugh at Sam's efforts to be a sleuth, and how she normally bungles things. I chuckle at the new characters in each book and come to care about them. Will You Marry Me? was published October 1, and contains some of the more memorable supporting characters. Perhaps some of them will appear in a later work. Never can tell.

Right now I'm working on number five--Where Is Henderson? It takes place in both Quincy, Illinois and Henderson, Kentucky. The title applies to the town and a person as well, and promises more murder and mayhem.

My publisher informed me that the print versions of the first books are with a formatter. I'm so looking forward to seeing them in print. It will be a totally new experience, and I can imagine my joy. I think when the first box arrives I will emulate one of my favorite writers--Hugh Howey--and will film the official "box opening." I only hope I'll remember to do it. I'll probably be so excited that I'll rip the box open! Not very mature behavior for someone my age, but that's the way I am.

Well, back to work. There's a murder to be solved.

I need noise to write

I'm an extrovert. (I can just hear people say, "Ya think?") I get energy from people, plus I think out loud. That's why I write my books primarily at Panera, and sometimes at Starbucks. 

So now, my dog Gus and I are in a little cottage at a retreat center--from Friday morning until Monday morning. I love the peace. I love the location. And sometimes I even love the quiet. But not when I'm trying to write. So book number five, titled Where Is Henderson? still just has two chapters complete.

I should have known that quiet wasn't conducive to my creative writing.

I do love it here, though. Gus and I will definitely return. I found Windridge Solitude by Googling "solo retreat with pet." Et voila--it appeared. And just 2 1/2 hours from my home. Check out windridgesolitude.org and you'll see how lovely this place is. And reasonable. The cottages are small and new, with everything you'd need. You bring your own food. There's no wifi of course, but I turned my phone into a mobile hotspot and am able to post. However, I'm not "hanging out" on the internet like I usually do. Just a few times a day.

I've been reading some spiritual books, and the entire place and process has had a calming influence on me.

Gus is bored when we stay in the cottage, I think. However, there are 93 acres to roam around on, and we've been doing a lot of that. This may sound strange but my favorite place is their pet cemetary. The nuns rescue dogs and cat, and most of the animals are old and their time here is short. I met the current three dogs, but didn't meet the cats. One of the big dogs has huge scars across her skull. She's had a rough life, but here she's pampered and loved and will be here until she passes.

They do good work here.

Writing Process Blog Tour

At the request of author Kimberly Shursen (kimberlyshursen.com), I'm answering questions about my writing process. Then I'll "tag" two other authors to respond.

What am I working on now?

Currently I'm writing book number four in the Sam Darling Mystery Series, Will You Marry Me? I know it sounds more like a romance than a mystery, but trust me, it's a mystery. Sam's dog finds a bone that turns out to be a human femur, and off our heroine goes--creating more trouble than you'd expect from a social worker-wannabe-sleuth.

The above picture, from Tiger Imagery, is going to be turned into cover art by Keri Knutson.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

First of all it takes place in my hometown of Quincy, IL. A town that normally doesn't have as many murders as my mystery series would imply. Also, Sam Darling has a psychic connection with her dog, Clancy. Clancy herself is a big help in solving crimes. Additionally Sam is one of six kids. They're close, but all of them are irritated by Sam's nosiness and her inability to stop butting in where she's not wanted.

Why do I write what I do?

I am from Quincy originally, but was a nomad in the middle part of my life. While living in hotels when I traveled weekly, I found myself homesick for the little city I loved. So one night I just started writing. This was nearly 20 years ago. I was unable to find an agent because my first manuscript was like many from novice writers--it wasn't well-written and was full of rookie mistakes. So I put the manuscript away. However, it kept surfacing in my brain. I really liked the characters, and they haunted me. So I edited, edited, and edited it some more. And finally an indie publisher thought it was good enough. By the way, she was the first person I sent it to after I'd re-written it.

How does my writing process work?

Well, as I said--the first book was born from boredom and homesickness. The second idea followed soon after, and the third and so on. Now I only work part-time at my other jobs--as a mental health therapist and a university instructor. I view writing as a job as well. Three or four days a week I go to my favorite writing spot, Panera Bread, and write for three or four hours in the morning. I also write by my sister's pool during the summer. The only place I don't write is at home in my nice little office. For some reason, writing at home is too distracting. I keep thinking of laundry and all the TV shows I've taped but haven't watched yet. When the weather's nice, my dog Gus accompanies me to the Panera patio and definitely to my sister's pool. I find him calming and sometimes an inspiration for Clancy in the books.

Ideas aren't hard for me to come by. Discipline is.

What are my writing plans for the future?

As I said, I'm working on book four and I have ideas for several more in the Sam Darling series. I'm also considering branching out with some stand-alone novels--maybe a little edgier, or maybe a different genre.

I would like to retire from my other jobs some day, but hope to never have to retire from writing. Not only does writing keep my mind active, the characters continually make me laugh. I think I'm my own best audience.

Currently my books are available on amazon.com in electronic format. They'll be in print by summer.

Tagging: I'm tagging Nikki Shields and Lynnette Spratley to blog about their writing, using the above questions.

Writing continues...

I've had a trip to LA which fed my soul. Spending time with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids is a great way to rejuvenate me and energize my writing.

Number 3, Can You Picture This? is out and doing well. Currently I'm working on number 4, with the title, Will You Marry Me? All is not as it seems in the idyllic Ozarks town of Crackertown, MO. So small, it's not on any maps, even though it's the "Ritz of the Ozarks." Sam and George "accidentally" end up there on their way to a Grand Canyon vacation. Clancy is in tow, of course, and she unearths the reason they have to stay in Crackertown, even though their vacation is calling.

Am having fun with this one. I love the Ozark Mountains and the people I met the several times I visited.

More writing news

Last night I turned in the manuscript to my publisher. Can You Picture This? is well on its way to publication. However, I fear there's a little work to do. We'll see, after she reads it today or tomorrow.

It's funny to not have that book to work on. I'm going to grade some papers for my other job, and then read a little, but I really need to get to work on #4. I'll tell you the name of it as soon as I know it. :)

Keep reading!

Merry Christmas Eve

Today is a wonderful and exciting day for me. Of course the first reason is because it's Christmas Eve and my huge family gathers together to share food, gifts, and merriment. I love Christmas Eve.

Also, what makes this time extra special for me is that my second book is finally out. It was published a few days ago and I announced it yesterday. It's such a thrill to have it on amazon.com. The name is Any Meat in That Soup? and I'm trying to get the word out.

From December 25 through December 29, the first book in the series is FREE. Yep, to celebrate the publication of #2, #1 (Who Killed My Boss?) will be free.

And the third reason I'm so darn giddy is that I lost weight. Down a total of 21 pounds since September 10.

Yeah, today is going to be a good day.

Perhaps a Christmas gift

My second book, Any Meat in That Soup, should be out in a matter of days. I'm excited certainly, but also a little nervous. So to help with the nervousness I'm going to be writing today--working on a Sci-Fi in cooperation with Patrice Fitzgerald and also working on the third in the Sam Darling series (Can You Picture This?).

If AMITS? comes out by Christmas, it will be a wonderful present for me--and maybe for someone on your Christmas list.

Writing news

I'm pleased to announce that my next book, Any Meat in That Soup?, will be coming out later this month. Hopefully it will be in time for Christmas. I'm going to have a special sale on the first book in the series--Who Killed My Boss? That way, if  you haven't read the first one you'll have a chance to get both of them.

Having a hard time uploading a picture from my iPad, but when I get home I'll be able to publish the cover art.

I received some edits from my publisher and am busy going through those. At the same time I'm grading papers from the university course I teach, and also working on two other books. One is the third in the Samantha Darling series, and the second is a Silo story from Hugh Howey's world of Wool.

My publisher is awaiting Any Meat in That Soup? so she can get it to the formatters for uploading to Amazon. Additionally I've given her Reality Is Murder to look at. It's a stand-alone mystery that I absolutely love. It's not written in my first-person, cozy voice. It's third person, and I hope is a little scary.

Lots going on in my writing life. And I love it. The only bad thing about it is that it's a solitary occupation. For an extrovert like me, it's difficult to take. Part of the reason I write at Panera, I guess.

Any Meat in That Soup?

I'm about 60% finished with the second book in the Sam Darling Mystery series. Right now I'm sitting on the Panera patio, one of my two favorite places to write, the other being my sister Jan's gazebo.

Crafting the ending of a mystery isn't an easy task. you want the hero to solve the mystery but you don't want to make it too easy nor too difficult. It's hard striking the right balance. Oh, and it has to be believable. You can't take a normal human being and have them suddenly become a superhero at the last minute.

And you don't want to have the hero always being rescued by someone else. That's okay every now and then, but you want the hero to actually be a hero.

So this is one of the struggles of writing a book. I find short stories easier sometimes. You go in, do something, and go out.

In a full-length manuscript there has to be excitement throughout, but you can't have things get too exciting or the reader will expect an ending sooner than you have planned.

Actually writing a book is a bit like life. You do the best you can and hope for a good result.

Enjoying this writing stuff

Another day at my sister's gazebo and pool. She is so kind to let me write here. Plus she supplies the iced tea. I've been here writing three out of the last four days, so am feeling quite productive.

Hard at work on my third book which is the second in the Sam Darling series. This series is going to be family friendly, with the "s" word as the worst thing that happens. Well, except the death, but as with all good cozies, the death happens off screen. Guess that's not true for AMITS. The guy falls over in the first line. No gore or blood however. 

The Clarice Wilkins series is a bit more out there. There's more language in it, plus I really let my mind go, and have expanded my universe to include things that may or may not ever happen. It's a lot of fun when I can cast off the reins and just RUN...

Happy Reading! Jer

I finished it

I finished the first draft of Reality Is Murder. Hooray. Today I'll glance at it and clean up anything that needs cleaning up. Then it will go to my first readers and also my publisher. Two of my first readers are just that--readers. They are so important because they'll tell me if the story makes sense, if it's consistent, if the characters are lively and interesting, and if they would buy the book. The other first reader is a writer herself. She'll tell me the unvarnished truth, and when I'm finished crying, I'll take her advice.

To me, it's extremely important to get the readers' point of view because they're the ones who make a book a success or failure. It's not if I have every comma in place, it's whether the story carries the reader into the characters' universe.

I'm thrilled that Draft #1 is done.

YES!

I figured out the  ending!!!

Writing furiously.

Lovely writing time

This weekend has been full of family activities. I love that. But I crave time to write. So I'm sitting in the gazebo by my sister's pool and I'm going to carve out some time for fiction.

I'm struggling withe the ending of Reality Is Murder, and I want to finish it before I get back into Any Meat in That Soup? It's a good problem to have.

Who Killed My Boss? is doing better than expected. My publisher said since it's my first book and I'm unknown that I should expect to be around 200,000 on the best seller list. A few days ago I was 12,000 and was elated. I've settled around 54,000 now and my publisher and I are coming up with different marketing plans. Exciting for me.

Family time was and is fun. But it's nice when I can sneak away to write. (Wish I didn't have sweet tea. The ants are crazy about it.)

A good day

I was off work today, and it's been a great day. First I was able to announce the publication of my first book, I had a good Physical Therapy session, and then Gus and I volunteered at Blessing Hospital (Bay General in my book). We spent an hour on the Child and Adolescent Psych Unit and then 45 minutes on the Rehab Unit. As usual it was wonderful, and Gus did what he always does. He's a good therapy dog!

Who Killed My Boss?