Last week I was talking with a friend about writing and she
asked how I decide what characters are good for each story. She was referring
to my primary protagonists, Jefferson Chene and Jamie Malone. Both have a
tendency to grab my attention and demand inclusion in whatever is in
development.
While working on the second Chene book, I wanted to include
a pesky reporter, someone who had crossed Chene’s path before and was receptive
to a little give and take, the sharing of information that could benefit both parties.
As I was mulling this over, it dawned on me that Jamie fit the bill perfectly. This had a sense of symmetry, because Chene
makes his first appearance in “Vanishing Act” the second Jamie Richmond
mystery.
About the time that I had this idea, I was at a book event with
Melissa Keir, whose Inkspell Publishing house is the home for Jamie’s
adventures. I mentioned this in passing to Melissa and she was very
supportive. She referred to it as a crossover, using characters from one series
to appear in another.
Once I got into the process, I realized Jamie was too
good (and too stubborn) to appear in just one or two scenes. As the story
evolved, she took on a greater role. When it was all said and done, I was
pleased with her assistance. (This could be a photo of Jamie.)
It wouldn’t surprise me if Jamie
appears in the next book as well.
I was notified this week that “Your Turn to Die” is a
candidate in the March competition on All Authors. The cover art was by RJ Morris. Anyone can
vote. Just follow the link below.
Since Jamie appears in the new book, here’s a scene where
she and Chene are bantering about Kyle Morrissey, the victim of the homicide.
“Chene, it’s a
good thing Malone isn’t the jealous type,” she said as a form of greeting. “Tell
me you’re onto something.”
“It may not solve
the murder, but it’s a lead on the money. Your research gave me some direction.”
I could hear the
excitement building in her voice. “Don’t keep me in suspense. What did you
find?”
I laid it out for
her. In the background I could hear the clacking of a computer keyboard. She
was determined to be right in the thick of it. Quickly I explained the efforts
of the others and my expectations.
“I’m not sitting
on the sidelines, Chene. You wouldn’t have this without me. There’s gotta be
something I can do.”
It was a long
shot, but there was a chance she could deliver. “See if you can find any of the
remaining family. I think they’re scattered across the country. But they might
remember the old place. And there could be stories.”
She hesitated. “Why
dump this on me?”
“I’m not dumping.
You’re a successful author. People would be more willing to talk with you if
they think it’s research for another book. There may be some legends handed
down from the earlier generations. Maybe one of those stories is true.”
“What kind of
legends?”
“Buried treasure.”
There was another
hesitation. “Oh, what the hell. I’ll be in touch one way or the other. But if
there are family legends about buried treasure, I’m using it in a novel.”
“Done.”
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There was a lot of variety on the music front this week. Here's a favorite from the great Michael Jackson.
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