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Posts Tagged ‘Massachusetts’

hands on laptopTo all the writers out there… whether you write fiction or non-fiction, regardless of your genre…  have you been more productive during our self-isolation?

I know I have!  With outside activities pared down to a bare minimum, the page numbers in my WIP swell on a daily basis.

Chapters have been flying back and forth with my writers group via email. Critiques are returned much faster. Because I plan to publish this summer, Riverhaven Books has placed me in the queue for mid-June. A looming deadline provides incentive.

So forge ahead, writers! Follow your characters from your self-isolation into the world you’ve created for them!

 

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book club at tableAs I settle into my third year of snow-birding in Florida, I continue to work with my writing group back in Massachusetts by emailing chapters back and forth, soliciting comments and suggestions. Our system seems to work very well, and in fact, I think we’re more productive!

The comedic light bulb above my head blinked on that I shouldn’t sacrifice face to face critiquing sessions simply because I’m 1500 miles from home, and so I googled writing groups in Pinellas County. I was pleasantly surprised to learn several exist within a few miles of me:

Pinellas Writers, Largo … Saturday mornings

Gulf Beaches Library Writers Group, Madeira Beach … Monday mornings

Clearwater Writers Meet-up Group, Clearwater … Monday evenings

Now that I’m penning the 4th story in my mystery series, other pairs of eyes reading my words would ensure that this story can stand alone if a reader delves into the adventures of my amateur sleuth out of sequence.

And so, I need to choose one of these groups and make the commitment to close down my tablet, walk out my door, get into the SUV, and drive to a meeting!

 

 

 

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imagesThis Wednesday afternoon, I’m returning to Upton, MA, to participate in a follow-up interview with Jan Lewis, hostess of the Upton local cable show ‘Be My Guest’. We’ll be talking about the 3rd story in my Gwen Andrews mystery series ‘Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail’.

All you writers who follow my blog should actively pursue the local cable shows in your town and surrounding towns. You never know if you’ll find an outlet to spread the news about your latest story!

As soon as the station advises that editing is completed, I’ll provide the link to the interview on their website.

So exciting!

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I recently participated in an interview with a local radio host in Attleboro, MA. That interview has now been uploaded to the stations’ website. If you’d like to have a listen, here is the link: http://www.wararadio.com/?powerpress_pinw=4388-podcast

The path to this interview was a winding road!  You may not be aware that in addition to writing mysteries, I sing in a female barbershop quartet called ‘Serendipity’. On occasion, we perform with a larger chorus Notable Blend. Last year, the chorus came on the local radio show to publicize their upcoming Christmas show, and I tagged along with them.

After the show ended, I approached the host Dominic and asked if he ever interviews authors. He said he did, so I jumped right in and explained my efforts as a mystery writer. He was very interested, but we experienced delays scheduling me for an interview. After many calendar conflicts, he was able to squeeze me into his morning show at the end of July.

Here’s my challenge to other writers who follow my blog… call your local radio station and ask if you can be scheduled for an interview. Dominic advised that many of his loyal listeners are avid readers, and very interested in authors.

To use an old cliche ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’

Enjoy the interview!

Debi

 

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BB&B front cover croppedI’m thrilled to announce that the 3rd story in the Gwen Andrews series is finally published!

In ‘Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail’, Gwen arrives at the Harbor Falls B&B expecting an evening of food and fun at the garden club’s Christmas party. What she learns is that their resident ghost is wreaking havoc. Next she overhears a blackmail threat. And then one of the prickly club members falls down the back servant steps. Gwen is enlisted to determine whether mortal or spectral hands were responsible, all the while juggling her personal life as one man exits and another enters.

A parallel cold case, a detective besotted with Gwen, and the spirit of her deceased husband intensify the hunt. As Gwen moves ever closer toward the culprit, her biggest challenge may be her own survival.

‘Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail’ is available on Amazon as both softcover and eBook.

Happy reading!

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BB&B front cover croppedSo excited to open my inbox yesterday and find an email from my editor/publisher Stephanie Blackman, owner of Riverhaven Books in Whitman, MA! As scheduled in our contract, yesterday was the due date for her to provide me with suggestions to fine-tune ‘Bed, Breakfast,  & Blackmail’.

So far, her suggestions have been small adjustments, with no major changes to plot, characters, or basic writing technique. My plan is to continue the review process through the weekend, and zip this file back to her bright and early on Monday morning.

After she finalizes the adjustments, she’ll request the galley copy which I will need to review with the proverbial fine-toothed comb before advising any final changes. Steph will then upload to Amazon and order printed copies from the local print shop on my behalf.

Looking forward to the day when I hold the actual book in my hands… nothing more satisfying for an author!

And then the marketing efforts begin!

 

 

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2018 Mansfield Craft FairThere is nothing sweeter than setting up an author table at a holiday craft fair, then waiting for the browsers to wander past, stopping to chat about my characters, the setting, the storyline.  If the two of us connect over my mystery series, another reader will  walk away with one of my books, anxious to meet my amateur sleith Gwen Andrews.

Such was the case when I purchased a table for the 4th Annual Craft Fair in Mansfield, MA, this past Saturday. Although my spot in the second room placed me away from the entrance, many shoppers made their way into my section. Young and old, male and female, mystery lovers come in all shapes and sizes.

The first story in the series ‘The Uninvited Guest’ outsold the second ‘Where There’s Smoke, There’s Trouble’, simply because readers were new to the series. Several purchased one of each as a Christmas gift set. Several accepted my bookmark as a reminder to link to my Amazon page and download the eBook version.

At the end of the day, I was pleased to realize I had placed more books in the hands of mystery lovers than in any previous single event… yea!

 

 

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aus books - smallThere is nothing more satisfying than to walk into a bookstore and see both of my mysteries displayed on the shelf in the local author section.

I’m referring to An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts. Children’s book author Jeff Kinney of Wimpy Kid story  fame, built his unique bookstore on the site of the historic Falk’s Market at the intersection of Rt.106 and Rt.1A. Some of the shelving and stairs to the second floor were built using the floor boards from the old market… truly a nod to the past.

When my debut mystery ‘The Uninvited Guest’ was published,  the Strong Women Book Group at An Unlikely Story chose it as their book of the month. I joined them at their follow-up discussion for an enjoyable question and answer session. I’ll be suggesting the second story titled ‘Where There’s Smoke, There’s Trouble’ and ask them to choose it as an upcoming monthly selection.

And it’s time to contact the venues located in the area around Largo, Florida. Last year, when I arrived in January as a first-time snow-birder, I was too late to be included in their calendars. Many suggested I touch base this fall as they’re preparing the calendar for 2019, promising they’d do their best to assign a date for my Author Talk.

About the daily writing efforts … re-sequencing is the word of every day as I continue to create story #3. ‘Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail’ takes place during the days leading up to Christmas. After attending a 3-day forensics class at the Cape Cod Writers Conference last month, and then discussing the nitty-gritty details with my local police detective, I found I had to re-shuffle many activities one day earlier than I’d written them. Doing this is not as simple as it sounds. By moving a key piece of the investigation to the previous day, it impacts conversations between characters, where they go, and what they do. My opening chapters are now interspersed with green text to signify it’s been moved, and red text to signify re-writing is required. Chapter numbers are also changing as the quantity of pages in each ebbs and flows.

And so, I chug along each morning, knowing that one day, I will type ‘The End’ … and mean it!

 

 

 

 

 

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hands on keyboardAs I’ve been penning the third story in my four-book mystery series, it occured to me that the first two stories were told strictly from the viewpoint of my amature sleuth Gwen Andrews. I wondered if transforming certain scenes to the viewpoint of another major character might add texture and depth to the story-telling.
And so I saved my WORD file under an adjusted title and gave this idea a try. The emotional impact within both main plot and sub-plot are becoming a more interesting page-turner for my readers. After all, it’s my readers that I need to satisfy!
The process of recreating those scenes from another POV will no doubt extend the time it’ll take me to reach ‘The End’, but I’m convinced this plan of action is worth the extra effort.
Which character was chosen for this second narrator? You’ll have to be patient as I fine-tune the dialogue and internal thoughts to solidify the logic and plot progression. I won’t be passing this third story to my publisher Riverhaven Books until I’ve exhausted my editing and polishing tasks.
Stay tuned!

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imagesA few months ago, I was contacted by the host of “Be My Guest”, an interview show on the Upton local cable station and scheduled for May.

The show’s host … Jan Miller … is a delightful woman who asked pertinent questions about the creation of my two published mysteries, ‘The Uninvited Guest’ and ‘Where There’s Smoke, There’s Trouble’. Jan also asked about my writing process and work in progress, which is titled ‘Bed, Breakfast, & Blackmail’. In addition, she touched on my volunteer effort as an audio book narrator for Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown.

The half hour flew by, and we said goodbye much too soon. She invited me to come back when my third story is published.

A delightful activity, and one that every author should pursue. Here is the link if you’d like to have a listen to the interview:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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