Tuesday, January 18, 2022

The Twenty-Second Issue

 



December got away from me.  Between wrapping up the end of the semester teaching, an author’s event, the holidays and other commitments, there was no opportunity to put together the newsletter. Many of you can relate to that.

Now as we move into 2022, it’s a chance for a fresh start.  I’ve never been one to make resolutions. But I occasionally will set some short-term goals.  Often achieving those will lead to more progress. Add in the rude arrival of winter weather and that might lead to more time working on stories.

Time for a glimpse at writing, my latest work in progress, a character interview and music.

 

Writing

          Last month I participated in an author’s event at the local library.  There was a decent number who turned out and it provided the opportunity to chat with quite a few people about my novels.  One older woman asked me where I get the ideas for my stories. 

 




          That’s rarely an easy question to answer. I explained that just about anything can trigger a story for me.  It could be a comment overheard. Or perhaps it was observing the way a couple interacts. Or a blurb on the news.  Or a simple situation of ‘what if’.

          She wasn’t satisfied with that response.  Then she picked up “Stealing Haven” and waved it at me.  “What about this one?”

          “That’s where Jamie and her best friend go on vacation.  What’s supposed to be just a relaxing week on the shore of Lake Michigan turns into a little romantic fling. Jamie’s curiosity is also triggered by a string of home invasions,” I said.

          “But where did the idea come from?” she insisted.

          I could sense she wasn’t giving up.  “While visiting South Haven, I saw two young women relaxing on the beach.  The next day I was reading an article online about an increase in home break-ins.  The two plots fit together.”

          She considered it for a moment, then bought the book. 

          I’d be willing to bet five authors could be standing around the scene of a car accident and each would come up with a different idea for a story. Everyone reacts differently. What strikes me about that situation could be unlike that of anyone else. That’s part of the intrigue.  No two people are the same.  Story ideas can be magical.  The basis for a story may be a trigger to start writing, but it may not even faintly resemble the finished product.

          I’ll continue to work on an acceptable response to that question. But it’s one that may never be answered.

 

Work in Progress.

 

          Just before the holidays I received the galleys for “The Wayward Path” from the editor.  This is the next step in the process.  Once again, I had the opportunity to review the manuscript and make any corrections or suggestions to the story.  You’d think that having written it and read it four or five times now, that everything should be perfect.  That would be wishful thinking on my part.

          I found a few goofs here and there, but the one that cracked me up was when two characters are discussing recent events and one mentions Chene and his team might just end up with ‘accommodations’.  What I meant was ‘a commendation’.   Not only did I miss this on earlier reads, but so did my team of beta readers and the editor!




          With that file completed and returned to the editor, I was able to spend some time with the next Jamie Richmond story.  This morning I noticed that just over 30,000 words have been written.  I’ve got several subplots brewing.  It’s looking promising.  And since Jamie enjoys unravelling complications, I’m leaning toward two different mysteries that she gets tangled up in.

          Recently I stumbled upon this picture, which could easily be Jamie encouraging me to get back to work.



Interview

          Characters drive the story.  There are some books that I’ve picked up and couldn’t get past the first 20 pages.  Sometimes it’s the writing. Others it’s the storyline. Others the characters are so bland and boring that I didn’t care what happened to them.  With my own work, I’m committed to make memorable characters. Each one should have an interesting background and their actions and interactions with others are a key to building a good (and hopefully great) story.

          With that in mind, it’s time to meet one of my favorite creations. Captain Prescott ‘Pappy’ Cantrell is the boss of Squad Six. His team of detectives, including Jefferson Chene, oversees the major case investigations throughout the metropolitan Detroit area.

Here's what Pappy may look like.

 


Welcome, Pappy. Tell us a little about yourself.

 (takes a drag on his ever present cigarette) Ah’m from the deep south of Tennessee.  After my hitch in the army, Ah moved to Michigan. Ah met a girl from Detroit when on leave. So Ah came here and started workin’ as a policeman for the state.  Ain’t never been married.  Ah’m too restless for it.

How does your background tie in with the Chene series?  

More than twenty-five years chasin’ crooks mayhap somethin’ to do with it.  Me and my squad close cases. Keeps da Governor happy.

What’s your greatest strength?   And of course, we want to know the opposite, your greatest weakness.  

(another puff on the cigarette) Ah’m good at pickin’ the best cops for my squad. They all different. But they git it done.  And it bothers me to admit, but Ah’m good at politics. Ah know how the systems works.  Weakness?  Southern cookin’ and pretty women. Though not always in that order.

 What is it about this squad that sets them apart from others?

We cross the lines. Sumtimes a crime happens in one city, but the victims live in nother. There’s more’n 2,000 square miles in them three counties we cover. Sumtimes there ain’t no simple connections tween crimes. Like ah said, we cross dem lines. Like in that ‘Why 319?’ case, with dat message on the bathroom mirror. Only my team had a chance to figger it out an catch the killer.

Tell us something about your background that may or may not be revealed in the book?

(chuckles) Y'all sure Chene ain’t gonna see this?  Ah read a lot of legal stuff. Court cases, lawsuits, government shit, stuff y’all might find borin’. Ah won a boxin’ tourney back in the Army. It weren’t pretty, but it was a win. Ah’m also a pretty good dancer, if it’s real music.

 What do you do to relax after a day of fighting crime?

A thick steak, cooked rare, some fine Tennessee whiskey and… (chuckles) well, y’all figger out the rest.

 What’s it like working with Jefferson Chene?

(hesitates and exhales a plume of cigarette smoke, watching it drift toward the ceiling) Chene’s awright. He’s stubborn.  But my daddy learned me long ago, y’all do better havin’ good people doin’ the heavy liftin’.  Chene’s smart. He kinda sees around the corners, diggin’ out the answers. He’s awright…for a Yankee.

 


Buy links for "Why 319?" 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/150921450X

https://books.apple.com/us/book/why-319/id1222126642

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/why-319-2


Buy links for  "Your Turn to Die"  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MPPYY31/

https://books.apple.com/us/book/your-turn-to-die/id1449415728

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/your-turn-to-die-1

 

Music

 


          English poet William Cowper (that's his photo above) wrote “Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour’.   Although I’m not much for poetry, I absolutely agree with that statement.  In this space, I usually focus on one musician or group that has been cropping up in my audio cycle, this time variety is taking charge.

          Some of these selections are unusual.  A bit different from what you’d grow to expect. 

          Here’s five favorites that popped up lately.

 Bruce Springsteen. Pay Me My Money Down. https://youtu.be/XiMYqDD9kXw

 Postmodern Juke Box.  All About That Bass. https://youtu.be/aLnZ1NQm2uk

 Smokey Robinson w/ Ayra.  Ooo Baby Baby

https://youtu.be/DTX6slXs32E

 Jeff Daniels: How I Got to Memphis

https://youtu.be/b7oPm-FQsj4

The 5 Browns: Rhapsody in Blue

https://youtu.be/AWsjRK-yQvk