Special Guest Judy Penz Sheluk, has Skeletons in the Attic!

I'm very pleased to host Judy Penz Sheluk, author and Sister and Crime Writers of Canada colleague.  For everyone, this blog will be a fabulous insight into how an idea grows into a book. For those of you who haven't read Judy's books/short stories, this will also serve as a great introduction.

- Cathy

Judy Penz Sheluk: Skeletons in the Attic 

Leith Hampton placed the will in front of him, smoothing an invisible crease with a well-manicured hand, the nails showing evidence of a vigorous buffing. I wondered what kind of man went in for a mani-pedi—I was surmising on the pedi—and decided it was the kind of man who billed his services out for five hundred dollars an hour.

He cleared his throat and stared at me with those intense blue eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready, Calamity? I know how close you were to your father.”

I flinched at the Calamity. Folks called me Callie or they didn’t call me at all. Only my dad had been allowed to call me Calamity, and even then only when he was seriously annoyed with me, and never in public. It was a deal we’d made back in elementary school. Kids can be cruel enough without the added incentive of a name like Calamity.

As for being ready, I’d been ready for the past ninety-plus minutes. I’d been ready since I first got the call telling me my father had been involved in an unfortunate occupational accident. That’s how the detached voice on the other end of the phone had put it. An unfortunate occupational accident.

I knew at some point I’d have to face the fact that my dad wasn’t coming back, that we’d never again argue over politics or share a laugh while watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Knew that one day I’d sit down and have a good long cry, but right now wasn’t the time, and this certainly wasn’t the place. I’d long ago learned to store my feelings into carefully constructed compartments. I leveled Leith with a dry-eyed stare and nodded.

“I’m ready.”

What would eventually become Skeletons in the Attic started life at the food court in the Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. I was sitting with my friends, Larry and Charlotte, having lunch and catching up on life in general. Inevitably, the conversation turned to writing.

Charlotte and I had met at a creative writing workshop a decade ago, and Larry is a retired criminal prosecutor working on his first novel, a legal thriller set in the 1950s. The conversation went something like this:

“I’ve been thinking about starting a new series.”

“Why not write the sequel to The Hanged Man’s Noose?” Larry asked. Larry’s always the practical one.

Because I hadn’t found a publisher yet. Because I couldn’t bear to write a second book when the first one in the series hadn’t sold. Because if I didn’t start writing another book, maybe I never would, and that scared me more than I was willing to admit.

“I thought I’d try something different. Write this book in first person, from the protagonist’s point of view.” [For those of you who haven’t read it, The Hanged Man’s Noose is written in third person with multiple (though primarily two) POVs.]

“Do you have a title yet?” Charlotte, this time.

“No, but I’m thinking of calling my protagonist Calamity Barnstable. Callie for short.”

Charlotte frowned. “I like Calamity and Callie. I don’t think I like Barnstable. Makes me think of a barn and a stable. Maybe Barnes would be better.”

“Maybe,” I said, although I knew it was already too late.

Calamity (Callie) Barnstable had just started living inside my head. She’d be thirty-six, the only child of two only children. Her father had raised her, because her mom had walked out on them thirty years before. She had black-rimmed hazel eyes and a virtually uncontrollable mass of curly brown hair. And she was single, having inherited the Barnstable loser radar when it came to relationships.

I had dated a guy one summer, a triathlete with a fantastic body but not much else to offer. We’d spent more than a few days at that beach while he practiced open water swimming and I admired his form. Unfortunately, I discovered the only thing he was faithful to was training.

“What’s the premise?” Larry asked, interrupting the work-in-progress going on inside my head.

“Her father dies in an at-work accident and leaves Callie everything.” I explain the backstory about her mom leaving.

“Is the father’s death suspicious?” Larry again.

“Hmmm. That’s a good question. I’m not sure yet. The premise is that Callie inherits a house she didn’t know existed, under a very interesting condition.”

“Which is?” Both of them, now. I lean back and smile. I’ve piqued their interest.

“She has to move into the house and find out who murdered her mother.”

“I thought you said her mother left Callie and her father,” Larry said. Did I mention he was a retired prosecuting attorney? Nothing slips by Larry.

“That’s just what Callie’s been told. I still have to flesh out the details.”

“It sounds interesting,” Charlotte said, always the peacemaker. “Where does the story take place?”

“In Marketville. It’s a fictional commuter town about an hour north of Toronto.”

“Marketville, eh?” Larry grinned. “Sounds a lot like Newmarket.”

“Doesn’t it just?”

Judy Penz Sheluk’s debut mystery, The Hanged Man’s Noose was published in July 2015 by Barking Rain Press.

Skeletons in the Attic, the first book in her Marketville Mystery Series, was published by Imajin Books in August 2016. 

Judy’s short crime fiction appears in World Enough and Crime, The Whole She-Bang 2, Flash and Bang and Live Free or Tri.

Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, International Thriller Writers and the Short Mystery Fiction Society. She lives in Alliston, Ontario, with her husband, Mike, and their Golden Retriever, Gibbs. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com, where she interviews other authors and blogs about the writing life.

Skeletons in the Attic will be released on August 21st in trade paperback and Kindle formats. It is now available for pre-order on Kindle for the special introductory price of .99 (regular $4.99) Find it here: http://getbook.at/SkeletonsintheAttic



Connect with Judy here:
http://www.judypenzsheluk.com/
and here:
https://www.facebook.com/JudyPenzSheluk

On Fire! Kristina Stanley on Researching Arson

Thank you, Catherine, for hosting me.

Are you kidding? Thank you for being here! I am always happy to host a hot writer.

Pardon?

I mean, a writer who's hot. You know, popular.

Oh. Okay.

Also, it was a little play on words...you know, your research on fire...hot...right?

Oh, I see. You're funny.

Is that funny ha ha or funny strange...?

Kristina actually only said that first sentence. The rest I made up. Surprise! Seriously, I am THRILLED to have Kristina Stanley do a return post on research for her second novel. The scenarios are so different, from snow and cold to fire and heat. Her first novel was terrific! I'm looking forward to reading the second.

She also gives a little teaser for her third novel and by the sounds of it, we'll all want to hear about THAT research too!

 Now, here's the real Kristina Stanley.

 

Every novel has a unique subject, giving an author an opportunity to research and learn about something new. I write the Stone Mountain Mystery series that takes place in the remote mountains of British Columbia.

For DESCENT (1^st in the series), the majority of my research focused on ski racing and ski tuning. For BLAZE (2^nd in the series), arson is the crime, so fire fighting was the research topic.

The idea for BLAZE came to me while I was the director of security at a ski resort. Late one night, my phone rang. A set of condos was on fire. My role for the night was to manage the scene surrounding the fire. This included calling for ambulance and RCMP backup, finding rooms for guests who had been displaced, arranging crowd control, and ensuring the firefighters had food and water during the night. The firefighters did all the hard work and saved many condos from burning to the ground.

By morning, I had an idea for a story and had just been given first hand research.

By being on the site of a major fire, my senses and thoughts were filled with:

-       Smell and sounds. Alarms, floors crashing, commands being shouted, burning debris…

-       Water, water everywhere. This is where I learned how much water damage occurs while trying to put out a fire.

-       Fear of people being hurt. I knew many of the firefighters personally, and watching them inside a burning building is stressful.

-       Worry about pets. Luckily no pets were hurt.

-       Desperation of a person whose home is burning.  Standing beside some who is losing their home fills one with a variety of emotions.

These senses and emotions were incorporated into BLAZE. The trick was to turn the experience into a story. With my imagination triggered, I decided arson was the crime, Kalin Thompson was the suspected victim, and I needed to add a forest fire to heighten the danger.

The next step in the research process was to interview firefighters.

-       This was more valuable than reading about events. A firefighter can tell you what they would wear for different fires. I learned about gear for a forest fire versus a structural fire, what a man-down alarm sounds like, and what a firefighter would think and feel while working in a burning building.

After the interviews, I expanded my knowledge with online research.

-       I read news about fires.

-       I watched videos – there is always a video. A little aside about researching for my novel AVALANCHE, if you want to scare yourself google “what does it feel like to be caught in an avalanche," watch one of the go pro videos of a person being buried. I did this and had to go for a walk just to calm down. Now that’s exciting research.

The final step in my research process was to have a firefighter read the fire scenes for accuracy and believability. My thought was if a firefighter believed the scene, then others would too.

Research can be an exciting part of the novel-writing adventure. Just be sure you don’t get so involved in the research that you forget to write.

My Facebook launch party for BLAZE (https://www.facebook.com/events/1630121803934943/) is this coming Sunday, October 25th from 4 to 6 PM EST. I would love to see you there.

For added Facebook excitement, Catherine will be giving away a copy of LEGACY at the BLAZE Facebook launch party. If you’re not familiar with a launch party, drop on by and chat with authors, maybe win a book, and socialize online. I’ve met some fun online friends this way.

Kristina’s Bio

Kristina Stanley is the author of the Stone Mountain Mystery Series. Her books have garnered the attention of prestigious crime writing organizations in Canada and England. Crime Writers of Canada nominated DESCENT for the Unhanged Arthur award. The Crime Writers’ Association nominated BLAZE for the Debut Dagger. She is published in the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

Before writing her series, Kristina was the director of security, human resources and guest services at a resort in the depths of the British Columbian mountains. The job and lifestyle captured her heart, and she decided to write mysteries about life in an isolated resort. While writing the first four novels, she spent five years living aboard a sailboat in the US and the Bahamas.

Instead of exchanging vows, Kalin Thompson spends her wedding day running from a forest fire near Stone Mountain Resort, and the pregnant friend trapped with her has just gone into labor. Meanwhile, Kalin’s fiancé, Ben Timlin, hangs from the rafters of a burning building, fighting for his life. Can the situation get any hotter?

When the fire is declared as arson, finding the firebug responsible becomes Kalin’s personal mission. In the course of her investigation as Director of Security, she discovers that some people will go to extreme measures to keep her from exposing their secrets.

I love to connect with people online. I can be found at: www.KristinaStanley.com

Follow me on twitter, let me know you read this blog and I’ll follow you back. @StanleyKMS

Or comment on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KristinaStanley.Author

If you're looking for something to read and you haven’t read DESCENT yet, now is your chance before BLAZE comes out. Find it at:  http://mybook.to/Descent

And if you have read DESCENT, I’d be very excited if you pre-ordered BLAZE http://myBook.to/BLAZEbyKristinaStanley

Research Part 2: Guest Author Kristina Stanley

 

Kristina Stanley's debut novel, Descent, was an instant bestseller and continues to garner rave reviews.  She's a fellow Imajin Books author and a great addition to our Imajination team with her enthusiasm, inspiration and support. I'm thrilled to have her here as a guest to talk about research, my pet topic this summer.


Catherine has asked me to talk about researching my novel DESCENT, so let’s talk research.

We’ve all heard the saying write what you know. Well, I think it should be write what you love. If you’re not interested in something, and I mean deeply interested, how can you spend endless hours researching and writing your novel?

In order of fun and importance, my methods of research are:

• Life experience
• Interviewing experts
• Online research

Being the director of security in an isolated ski resort inspired me to write the Stone Mountain Mystery series. I lived the life for almost six years and paid attention to what happened around me. I wrote the first in the series, DESCENT, after I moved from the ski resort to a sailboat in the Bahamas.

In DESCENT, there is skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, night hikes, employee terminations, medical emergencies and interactions with RCMP. Due to my job and my lifestyle, I’ve participated in all these things. This provided the basis of facts. Then comes the imagination. One dead ski racer, many suspects: all the more believable because the underlying story is believable.

When using real life experience, I was careful not to write about actual events or people. The trick is to use an event to spark the imagination, turn it into something evil or dangerous, exaggerate it, expand it, and go from there.

Now here’s an important research tip. Keep in touch with all you work or play with. This group of people will become your experts. After I left the resort I interviewed ski technicians, RCMP constables, snowmakers, lift operators and security officers.  When I needed details, these people were there for me. I found most were happy to contribute to the process of writing a novel. In return, they get mentioned in the acknowledgement section of DESCENT.

Online research is my last resort. For DESCENT, I used the Internet to ensure I used the right language for a skier aiming to be part of the Alpine Canada ski adventure.

So why not descend into fiction and order a copy of DESCENT at amazon.com, amazon.ca or the amazon hosted in your country? To entice you, here is what DESCENT is about:

http://www.amazon.ca/Descent-Stone-Mountain-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B01053N6CA

When Kalin Thompson is promoted to Director of Security at Stone Mountain Resort, she soon becomes entangled in the high-profile murder investigation of an up-and-coming Olympic-caliber skier. There are more suspects with motives than there are gates on the super-G course, and danger mounts with every turn.

Kalin’s boss orders her to investigate. Her boyfriend wants her to stay safe and let the cops do their job. Torn between loyalty to friends and professional duty, Kalin must look within her isolated community to unearth the killer’s identity.

BLAZE (to be release this fall by www.ImajinBooks.com) is the second in the Stone Mountain Mystery series and is a tale about arson, betrayal and revenge. Heading up security was again a great asset. The security team was tightly linked to the fire department, and you guessed it, the firefighters were an awesome group to interview. A first person account of what it’s like to walk through a burning building is terrifying but makes for a good story.

The third in the series, AVALANCHE, has Kalin Thompson searching for a thief, struggling to prove her brother is innocent of a major theft. Unfortunately for Kalin, her brother disappears in an avalanche hours after the theft and is the prime suspect.

REQUEST FOR READER ASSISTANCE: I’m writing the fourth in the Stone Mountain Mystery series. A business partner of Kalin’s is murdered while driving his ATV on a mountain trail. He’s forced into a frothing river… My problem with the fourth novel is I have to stop calling it “the fourth.” I need a title. If you have any suggestions for a title that fits with DESCENT, BLAZE and AVALANCHE, please leave a comment below.

You can find out more about me at www.KristinaStanley.com. I’d love to hear from you so drop by and leave a comment or connect with me @StanleyKMS. Follow me and I follow back.

Thank you, Catherine, for hosting me. It’s a pleasure to share your blog with you.

Two More of Karoline's Godparents!

You know how you have a baby shower and everyone comes and gives best wishes? Well, I'm going to introduce you to the ones who gathered at Sweet Karoline's book baby shower to give their endorsements. Come on in, maybe you'll meet some authors who are new to you and become your faves too. 

I met Mike (Michael J. McCann) at Word on the Street Toronto last year. Although I'd met him virtually (he's also a member of Crime Writers of Canada), we hadn't been introduced face-to-face. I immediately loved his enthusiasm, friendliness and sense of humour. So I bought his book. How thrilled was I that I also loved his writing? I immediately read another and another. So when it came to an endorsement, he was one of my first picks. Even though he was massively busy, he read Karoline for me.

Here's  an intro to Michael J. McCann from his website: 
Michael J. McCann lives and writes in Oxford Station, Ontario on seven acres in the Limerick Forest south of Ottawa. 

Lucky bugger, eh? His books are fabulous. You should read them. Here's a bit about the first novel I read.

Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue is on vacation when he stops overnight in Harmony, a quiet little town where nothing ever happens. Without warning, the police kick down the door of his motel room in the middle of the night and drag him off to jail on suspicion of having strangled a woman behind a bar. Although he insists he’s a cop himself and had nothing to do with it, the local chief of police won’t listen. An eyewitness claims he saw Donaghue go behind the bar where the murder took place – and the victim was Chief Askew's wife. Donaghue calls on Detective Karen Stainer to help get him released from jail. Once he's free, he and Karen must find Marcie Askew’s killer before it’s too late! 

Go get Mike's books here: Michael J. McCann





Next up is Lisa Pell. She is one of my virtual friends, believe it or not. We hooked up on Facebook and Twitter and started conversing. Lisa lives in Washington, D.C., and I haven't had a chance to visit her there - yet.

Lisa (in the middle) and her hubby to the right

At one point, she asked me to read her book, and I was honoured to do so. Later, she actually included my review in Who's Your Daddy, Baby? Here it is:

 “The topic is certainly current, given the space age approaches to fertility. Add to that the connections through the cyber world and the story couldn’t be more contemporary or intriguing…However, what I really liked most about this book was the writing. It’s intelligent and witty, informative yet easy to read.”

   – Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries and Past President of Crime Writers of Canada

 

Here's a bit about the novel, from Lisa's website:

 

Inspired by the author’s experience, Who’s Your Daddy, Baby? is the story of Lori McGuire Pomay, a happily married career woman living in suburban Washington, D.C.  Lori undergoes genetic testing for in vitro fertilization and her world is rocked when she is told the dad she always knew could not possibly have been her biological father.  This mid-life shocker sends her into an alternately hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking search for truth about her heritage – from Appalachian Cherokees to Purple Kings on a church stage, with high-rolling gamblers, car dealers, dentists, and all manner of confused amnesiacs in their seventies along for the ride. 

 

If you think it sounds great, you're right! Lisa and I have never met in person, but we will, I just know it. Now that we're connected by being godparents of each others' books, it's inevitable.

 

And when I read about her witty, fun-loving ways, I just know it's going to be a meeting of the jovial minds. Go buy Who's Your Daddy, Baby? here at Lisa's Website. 

Oh What a Thrill!

I absolutely LOVE writing. At times, I can't even focus on the conversation I'm having because I am writing in my head. I'm the kind of author who "cooks" the story for a long time, in notes, scribbles, memory. As I age, however, I'm discovering that I can't multitask like I used to - thus the vacant stares every once in while when I'm supposed to be doing two things at once (e.g. writing and talking).

When I get the words right, it's absolutely thrilling. For instance, I love this passage from THE BRIDGEMAN because I think it describes Emily and Langford's love for one another so well.

I actually get a shiver when I read it. Every time. I think it shows why being a writer is such an obsession: when you love what you do, and when you get it "write", it hooks you forever.

THE BRIDGEMAN is free December 26-27-28 so I can get YOU hooked on the series.

FREE DECEMBER 26-28

 PS THIS EXCERPT IS FOR ADULTS ONLY.

He began to rub my neck, kneading the tension in my shoulders, letting his hands play over the small soft hairs at the nape of my neck. Standing very close to me, touching me, I could feel his body begin to respond, as I snuggled into his arms. I turned as I finished the last (telephone) call, my arms around his hips, my face buried in his t-shirt. I loved the smell of him, slightly sweaty mixed with a little of the fragrance of paint and soap. He tilted my head up, smiled at me, his eyes tracing over my face with the gratitude and wonder of someone who had almost lost his love and would forever appreciate regaining it.

We kissed for a while, slowly at first and then more urgently, before he led me to our bed. Once we were undressed, he caressed me, his artist's hands exploring my body with tenderness and knowledge. I allowed my mind to drift, became aware only of the soft hairs of his body, the gentleness of his fingers, the wetness of my response... I let myself blend into him, felt the strength flowing between us, knew that whatever else happened in our lives, this was all that was really important.

LIZ BUGG and THE NEXT BIG THING

 My friend Liz tagged me recently for The Next Big Thing, but I went away and everyone I know seems to be taken! If you read this and are an author and want to participate, let me know.

I really, really like both Liz's and Robin's series, so I have copied (with permission) all of Liz's blog. Check out the authors listed at the end!

 

LIZ BUGG and THE NEXT BIG THING

Every day there seem to be new promotional ideas for authors.  Some aren’t worth the time, effort and money involved. One opportunity, however, recently tapped me on the shoulder, and I felt it was too good to ignore. Robin Spano, author of the Clare Vengel Undercover Novels, asked if she could tag me in The Next Big Thing. I agreed. A reciprocal tag then occurred with writer and artist Uvi Poznansky, http://uviart.blogspot.ca/.

Here’s how it works:  It’s kind of like a chain letter with interview questions. Once you have been tagged by an author, you find five other authors who agree to be tagged by you. Then you write a blog entry in which you answer the questions about your next book and give links to the sites of the people you tagged. It’s that simple.

This is my first opportunity to talk about my new novel, so it should be fun. I wish I had a cover design to show you, but it’s not yet available.

Questions & Answers:

1. What is the working title of your book?
I’m now on my third working title, Yellow Vengeance. Only time will tell if it sticks.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
Since the novel is part of a series, the main characters are continuing along with their personal lives, based on what was introduced in previous books. As far as the mystery goes, I’ve always had an interest in the past and in cold cases, and this seemed to be the time to explore those areas in a novel.

3. What genre does your book fall under?
It is technically a mystery, but as always, I hope it goes beyond the solving of the crime to examine particular aspects of the society in which it is set as well as the human condition in more general terms.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
For me, this is the hardest question.  I have always been able to visualize my characters, but they have ever been based on particular actors or people I know.  I actually had to do research for this – kind of a virtual casting call. In the end,  I managed to narrow it down to a couple of possibilities for each.  I’m still not totally happy with my Calli options; that’s why I’ve included three names.  The casting of June was by far the easiest, and I would be happy with either actor.
Calli:                 Chloe Sivegny, Jodie Foster, Keeley Hawes
Jess:                 Michelle Krusiec, Sandrine Holt
Dewey:             Darryl Stephens, Jeffrey D. Sams
June:                Jessica Capshaw, Amy Carlson
Sashi:               Sarita Choudhury, Veena Sood

5.  What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When someone steps out of Calli’s past and hires her to solve a cold case that even the police have abandoned, it leads to personal tragedy, just at the moment her life seems to be coming together.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
My book will be represented by P.S. Literary Agency and published by Insomniac Press in April of 2013.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I wrote the first draft on a part-time basis over about six months.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
As far as the ‘story’ goes, I’m not aware of other books to which I could compare it. Looking at the book as a whole, one could, of course, draw comparisons to the first two novels in the series: Red Rover and Oranges and Lemons. Aside from those, one might find similarities to some of the novels of writers like Ellen Hart, Sara Paretsky or Sandra Scoppettone. I do try, however, to achieve something a little different from other books in the genre through my treatment of current issues, character development and tone.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The most important inspiration, if you can call it that, was my commitment to write a third novel in the Calli Barnow Series. Other than that, I wanted to explore areas of life to which I have a personal connection on some level. I won’t go into detail, because I don’t want to give away too much.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
If you like a mystery story narrated by a very human character, incorporating comedy, danger and personal tragedy, you will probably enjoy Yellow Vengeance.

That’s all I have to say about my upcoming novel, but if you’d like to find out about other future releases, please visit these great writers and see what they have for you:
Glynis Smy Glynis is the author of the historical romance, Ripper My Love,and writes for newspapers in Cyprus and the U.K. She also runs the wonderful New Book Blogger website.
Catherine Astolfo Catherine is the author of the Emily Taylor Series of mystery novels. In 2012 she won the Arthur Ellis Best Crime Short Story and the Derrick Murdoch Award for outstanding contribution to Crime Writers of Canada.
Suzanne Sutherland Suzanne’s short fiction has appeared in magazines such as Descant, Dragnet and Steel Bananas. Her first novel, When We Were Good, will be published by Sumach Press in 2013.
Bev Prescott Bev is an environmental attorney, previously enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Her debut novel, My Soldier Too, was published by Blue Feather Books in 2011.
Uvi Poznansky Besides being an accomplished architect, Uvi is an artist and a writer with a diverse body of work. Her most recent publication, Home, is a tribute to her father and cannot be adequately described in this limited space.

A Mysterious Night in Cleveland

There were so many reasons to go to Cleveland for Bouchercon. First of all, it’s the biggest mystery conference in North America, and I am a mystery author. Author Page

 

Secondly, my aunt and my cousins live there and I haven’t seen them for a long time.(OK, maybe not as long as the pic to the left might suggest.)

On Saturday, Vince and I take off from the conference and drive to my cousin Kathleen’s lovely home in a beautiful neighbourhood just outside the city. I am a little dazed as I walk in the front door. I know I’m often blond headed, but tonight I have a couple of really good excuses.

I mean, I have spent two and a half days in the presence of best selling mystery authors. Some of whom I have worshipped for many years. I have listened to panels on justice: the roles that wealth, race and influence play on verdicts in the courts; comparisons and contrasts among justice systems throughout the world. How a writer can realistically portray the opposite gender in his/her novels. Sitting beside Elizabeth George’s husband. How authors can make a morally challenged character likeable. Meet the Canucks. Creating suspense, giving out clues without tipping your hand. A chain of reveals about the character and the plot while heading for the crescendo. The thought that ordinary people can be evil. How can the villain be the hero of a novel? Listening to Sara Paretsky, Mary Higgins Clark, Rhys Bowen, Robin Cook, Charlaine Harris, Derrick Haas… and trying to behave like a moderately known or at least well dressed and polite Canadian author. O Canada, Anthony Bidulka, Linwood Barclay, Howard Shrier, Vicki Delany, Mary Jane Maffini – I can’t list them all so go to www.crimewriterscanada.com when we’re done here: must we really set our books in the US to obtain an audience (our American friends in the audience say NO). Our own Lou Allin getting a ride to the liquor store in a Cleveland police officer’s patrol car. Talking on a panel of my own and forgetting what I was saying in the middle of my convoluted statement (at least they laughed). Sitting beside Elizabeth George’s husband.

Linda as Bud and Kathleen as Otto.

If that’s not reason enough to be dazed, when I walk into Kathleen’s front door, her sister Linda greets me in a rather odd outfit (see picture). At first I don’t recognize her, and when I do, I figure she’s either come out of the closet or has gone a little dotty. Either way, I don’t think I should mention it until she does.

Sean is dressed rather jauntily, but he often is, so I think nothing of that. Suddenly, our hostess comes downstairs in lieder hosen and a mustache. Now I’m pretty sure something is up.

The mystery is explained once I get my costume and my script. My amazing family is putting on a murder mystery dinner for me and Vince! Can you imagine having such creative, thoughtful, brilliant people as cousins? Am I not a lucky lucky bastard (said in a British, Monty Python accent)?

John and Bonnie Lassie

We get into our roles pretty easily (scarily so, really). I am Hedy Shablee. I perfect my accent of British-Irish-Canadian mash so well it almost gets stuck.

Tiny Bubbles and her mom ( I mean Bud Wiser)

 Carolyn is a Bonnie Lassie in her kilt and John is her lines coach (he doesn’t do a great job which leads to more frivolity); Rachel is a smartly-dressed Tiny Bubbles and Sean is Ralph Rottingrape. Aunty Betty is the dead body, just so she doesn’t have many lines. She acts it out very nicely. And finally Linda’s outfit is explained; she’s the detective, Bud Wiser. If you are doing some detecting of your own and notice a theme of alcohol in this mystery play, heavy on the wine, you would be correct. Which tells you once again how well my cousins know me!

Kathleen must have rehearsed that German accent for Herr Otto: it’s pitch perfect. 

Tracy, in a slinky red dress that highlights her gorgeous blond hair and figure, is, of course, Marilyn Merlot.

Vince is a natural for Papa Vito, with his Guido Sarducci accent.He looks pretty naughty, don't you think?

 We have a ball. I don’t guess the correct murderer – it’s Papa Vito, not Herr Otto – but I blame that on Vince. After all, who would guess their own husband? (See, I can rationalize anything.)

I write down two phrases from our fun: “the familiar-looking dwarf” and the “opera-singing Nazi Vampire”. Those are two lines that must end up in one of my stories somewhere.

I am tired (I’m old, which explains the brain fart in the middle of my panel) as we drive home Sunday, but I am pumped too.
The conference was a source of nourishment, but the evening with my cousins was phenomenal. I love those amazing, smart, loving, creative, inspired people. They were my childhood best friends. They are a part of who I am. Lucky lucky bastard me. 

Freeby Versus Freebee

 

My ebook, The Bridgeman, is free for the next three days. The jargon is “freeby” or “freebee”. I’ve been mulling over which one to use.

At first glance, freeby would seem to entice a little better. The “by” at the end might make the potential reader think of “buy”. Quickly followed by the realization that they can buy this one for FREE. (Buy can mean purchase for money but can also mean acquire a stake in or believe in wholeheartedly. I really like that last one.) Will potential fans think: hey, I can buy into that freeby?

However, could the word “by” make the readers think of “bye” instead? Could they think: hey, you get what you pay for, which means something that costs nothing can’t be good? (Missing the point about getting readers hooked on my series?) Maybe I should use freebee instead.

Perhaps this spelling would put readers in a really good mood. It could make them think of the birds and the bees. Of soft beds or pastoral scenes or verdant hillsides. They might like the idea of having a freebee.

However, could the word remind them of little buzzing insects that sting? I have to admit, The Bridgeman does sting a little: it’s a controversial topic that hits the reader between the eyes with its ferocity. But it’s such a great mystery and ends with hope, so I’m very proud of it.

The other question I am mulling is: where on earth did freeby or freebee come from? Are they akin to newby, wannabe, passersby, hushaby, hereby, thereby, whereby, bribee, frizbee?

I am so confused. But then, there’s always freebie: “An article or service given free.”

Like THE BRIDGEMAN! BUT, I continue to mull over: shouldn’t freebie actually be the plural of freeby, as in freebies? And where did the word mulling come from, anyway? Mulling wine perhaps?

 

Oh well, as I often say, “Belly up to the book bar. The first round’s on me.”

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

When I was 12, my bedroom walls were covered in magazine pictures and posters of Marlon Brando and Mickey Rooney. (Yes, really, Mickey Rooney.) I used to spend hours imagining that I was a reporter. I was eventually invited over to M & M's houses for dinner. I became their friend, their confidante, and I was the one who got the big stories.

When I was 17, I tried to leave high school at Grade 12 and go to Ryerson College to study journalism. Marlon and Mickey were no longer on my bedroom wall, but they were still waiting for me to come and interview them. That idea got shot down by my parents based on advice from my school counselor. 

As a result, Marlon and Mickey never met me. 

These days, I have different idols. They are writers. Mainly female, because I not only love their novels, I love their personalities. They are feisty, attractive, thin, well spoken, smart, and confident. Their books are instant best sellers. They write mystery, the genre I love, the genre I write. I adore their characters. They take their plots into very dark territory sometimes – another technique I admire (and write).

So attending a conference like Bouchercon transports me back to the days of posters all over my walls. Back to a time when I believed I would become friends with my heroes (in this case, heroines; goddesses of creativity). As a writer, with a panel listing of my own, I must, however, remain dignified. I must remember that half a century has gone by since I was twelve.

I arrive early at the panel for Elizabeth George and sit not too close, but not too far away. Very quickly, the room fills up. A woman sits to my right, but suddenly gets a text from her sister, and has to leave. By then most of the seats are taken, so a fit, good-looking gentleman in glasses asks if he can take her place. Of course I nod and smile.

He has an uncapped coffee cup in his hand and says, “I hope I don’t spill this on you. I almost spilled it on Elizabeth George and she got really mad at me.”

“Oh my god,” I respond with a laugh, thinking, but you were that close to her, you lucky...

“But it’s okay,” he continues, “I’m her husband.”

I try not to throw myself at him, but I do gush, and we end up having a fabulous conversation about the creative process. He’s not a writer, but he watches carefully as his wife goes through book after book. He’s friendly, has a great sense of humour, and is obviously an admirer of both his wife and writers in general. He takes one of my bookmarks. I think I love him.

I don’t wanna grow up.  My Author's Page

Cleveland ROCKS

Bouchercon is a huge mystery conference held every year in North America. This year it happens to be located in Cleveland: the home of some of my American Family. So I am doubly excited.

I have a funny way of packing. (Just like Burl Ives had a funny way of laughing. I have that, too.) I make lists.

Huge lists. Something like this:

- the black skirt makes me look fat, so don't forget the lyrcra body wrap thing

- this t-shirt doesn't really fit any more, so don't forget the vest

- if I meet Sara and Elizabeth, I will need a tissue, so I won't make a complete fool of myself, so pack something with pockets for this day

- make sure the camera is charged just in case I stalk Sara and Elizabeth long enough to get my picture taken with them (even if I'm seated in the audience, and they're at the panel table)

- this outfit makes me look sophisticated. I do not resemble the 62-year-old teenager inside, the one who will cry with joy upon meeting certain authors. I will wear this to my own panel.

- am I allowed to tape everything? Better pack the recorder in case.

- am I allowed to give gifts to people like - well, Sara and Elizabeth? or would that be unseemly?

- should I really wear that feather boa or were my fellow Canucks just kidding?

- I do have that Canadian cape. SuperCanuck. For sure, that's going in the suitcase.

- should I die my hair red and white?

- how many books should I bring to give away? Will there be line-ups or will I be alone like...never mind. I'll use up those tissues before the car starts.

I'm famous in Brampton, my hometown. Seriously. Not so much in Cleveland. But that's OK. I have cousins and an aunty there. I will be famous with them. They will probably stalk me. Or at least hug me. Is that allowed with you-know-who too, or would that also be unseemly? Amazon Author page

She's A Lady...NOT

Recently a friend of mine (let's call her Florence) lent my book, The Bridgeman, to a new acquaintance of hers. (Let's call her Gladys.) When Gladys was finished, she returned to Florence and asked her what kind of person I was. Gladys figured I must be a closet psychopath and how on earth could I be friends with the sweet Flo? Gladys didn't think I could possibly be a lady and depict the scary evil-doing that appears in my book.

Well, I must admit that Gladys is right about one thing. I am no lady. I am a bit of a loud mouth, I have been known to swear, I have even - on occasion - consumed too much wine. I don't feel comfortable with my ankles crossed. I can't cook and I do like calisthenics in the bedroom with my husband. I get incensed when I visit a public washroom and have to choose between "Men" and "Ladies". Why can't there be one for women? I mean, it's even one letter less. Do they think too many guys will make a mistake and miss the WO?

So I write about nasty things that happen, sometimes to good people, sometimes to innocent animals and even children. That does sound gruesome. But it's reality. It's the heart of darkness of humanity. I like to explore it because I find the human race so contradictory, fascinating, and puzzling. I want to see inside the criminal mind and try to explain it. Moreover, I want to punish the bad and reward the good.

I love dark, gritty, meaty mysteries like the kind Minette Walters writes, or sometimes P.D. James. They are women, too, I'd bet.

Summer Sizzles!

 SUMMER SIZZLES WITH MY     WONDERFUL PUBLISHER

IMAJIN BOOKS

July is "Rewards for Our Readers Month"

Great things come in threes this July!

1.             'Share the Imajin Books Buzz' contest. Share our events on Twitter and Facebook and receive entries into a draw for a KINDLE FIRE or KINDLE TOUGH 3G--winner's choice! Open to US residents (Kindle Fire) and US/UK/Canada residents (Kindle Touch 3G.) Void where prohibited. Draw will take place the first week of August. To enter, use the Rafflecopter form on our home page from July 1-31.

2.             'Ultimate Reader' contest: show us your Imajin Books! Post photos on our Facebook page of you reading one of our titles (book cover must be legible) or a photo of one of our titles on your ereader. 5 prizes of $20 Amazon or Kobo gift cards; plus "ultimate reader" prize of a $100 Amazon or Kobo gift card. Contest open from July 1-31. Photos will be judged by Imajin Books authors. Prizes to be awarded the first week of August. Open worldwide. Void where prohibited by law.

3. Free ebooks all month long. Watch our blog and check it throughout July to see which book is free.

August is "Meet Our Authors Month"

Great things come in threes this August!

1.             Meet the talented authors at Imajin Books. During August, our authors will be posting on our blog, sharing interesting tidbits about their lives, their characters and their books. Ever wanted to ask an author a question? Here's your chance. Check our blog each day to see who's up next.

2.             Twitter Party - for three days in August 15-17, we'll be holding a Twitter Party online and giving away prizes (ebooks, paperbacks and gift cards from Amazon and Kobo.) Join us by searching for #ImajinAuthors. Leave us a question or comment by including @imajinbooks and #ImajinAuthors in your tweet. The party begins each day at 10:00 AM EST and goes 'til 10:00 PM EST. Our authors will drop by when they can. Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/imajinbooks

3.             'Share the Imajin Books Buzz' contest - we're doing it again! Share our events on Twitter and Facebook and receive entries into a second draw for a KINDLE FIRE or KINDLE TOUGH 3G--winner's choice! Open to US residents (Kindle Fire) and US/UK/Canada residents (Kindle Touch 3G.) Void where prohibited. Draw will take place the first week of September. To enter, use the Rafflecopter form on our home page from August 1-31.