February is Almost Over!

February 26, 2018 ~ marilynm ~ 2 Comments

It’s hard to believe we are almost done with the 2^nd month of 2018.

This has been a busy one for me.

Much of my writing time has been spent re-editing all the books in my Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series for republishing by A & K. Not only will they be re-edited, the plan is to have all new covers—covers that will be easy recognizable that this is a series.

While working on these books, though I have found errors: typos, a few inconsistencies, and ways to write things better. Overall, I’ve been pleased.

The first day of February I joined three of my fellow Sisters in Crime, San Joaquin chapter, for a panel on mysteries at the Fig Garden Branch Library in Fresno. We were all delighted with the crowd who came to hear us.

I spent four days in Ventura attending the Public Safety Writers Association’s Board Meeting. I can tell you that the annual conference in July will be great. www.policewriter.com/ This is definitely the best little conference going and mystery writers are welcome.

PSWA Board 2018

While there, we also toured the horrible devastation of the Thomas Fire. 900 homes were burned down. So sad.

Ventura Fire after

We took one of our granddaughters and her hubby out for an anniversary and Valentine celebration—their choice of restaurant, a Chinese Buffet. Good food and wonderful conversation.

And just to let folks know, I once in a while do something just for fun, I went to a paint class. Fun and so relaxing. I used to do a lot of painting, but decided I need to choose between painting and writing—I chose writing.

painting class

A big highlight to end the month was visiting a 7^th and 8^th grade class to talk about the importance of editing. What a great group of kids—so attentive and they asked great questions.

me at Marti's class.

I wonder what March will bring.

How was your February?

Marilyn

Who Saw That?

February 19, 2018 ~ janegorman ~ 6 Comments

Julia Kaminski, sister to the hero of the Adam Kaminski mystery series, is a photographer. A good one. She’s still figuring out how to make a living in her chosen profession. In an ideal world, she’d earn her money by showing and selling her photographs at galleries. But until that happens, she’s getting by by taking on gigs as a photographer at wedding or parties. And still holding out for her big break.

Julia’s photographs take on new meaning in book 5 in the series, A Pale Reflection. Julia finally gets a leading role, after appearing as a side character in the first four books, and jumps into the chance to use her photographic skills to help her brother Adam figure out whodunnit.

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The thing about photographs is they capture more than you might realize. You, the tourist, for example, sees a beautiful scene and snap a shot. It may only be later, as you go back to look through the photographs, that you notice someone or something in the picture you hadn’t previously realized was there. Or someone watching when you thought you were alone.

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In my family, my husband is the photographer. We just had the amazing opportunity to spend a glorious week in Rome. (Will Adam Kaminski be solving a murder in Rome in the near future? Stay tuned!).

Chuck, my husband, takes spectacular photographs of traditional scenes — statues, artwork, natural beauty and urban beauty. But he also finds joy in surprising details. For example, catching an unexpected eye.

For us, it’s fun. We use these photographs to share our experiences with friends and family and to refresh our own memories of the time we spent there. And if we were trying to catch a killer, the “mouth of truth” pictured here would be a huge help!

Of course, we’re not trying to solve a murder. For Julia and Adam, a photograph can mean so much more. Even the difference between life and death.

Learn more about Jane Gorman and the Adam Kaminski mystery series at janegorman.com or follow her on Facebook. For some great photographs of Rome and her other travels, check out her Instagram page!

Adam-Kaminski-Mystery-Series

Writing is My Life or My Life is My Writing by Paty Jager

February 12, 2018February 6, 2018 ~ patyjag ~ 2 Comments

Artful Murder 5x8 There’s not a writer out there who hasn’t brought something from their life into their writing. Writing whether for pleasure or for money, deals with everyday life experiences. It has to. One can’t bring the full flavor of life into a story without allowing something they have experienced to come into the writing.

Everyday happenings: the pungent aroma of coffee brewing, the dampness of mist walking on the beach, the blinding glare of light from an oncoming vehicle at night, the sweet and sour tingle on the tongue while eating candy. All of these everyday things are used when writing. The senses and what we see and feel around us are used to show the characters in the same or comparable settings.

When I started planning Artful Murder, book 10 in the Shandra Higheagle mystery series and my March release, I had to draw on past experiences. Far back experiences. LOL In Artful Murder, Shandra volunteers in a high school art department.

While figuring out who the murder victim would be and lining up suspects, I went back to memories of high school and found the one teacher who the boys made fun of and the girls found creepy. He became my murder victim.

I made the victim worse than the real life teacher. And I gave the principal a reason for ignoring the complaints of the other teachers and students. Which, of course, added more suspects and widened the net of suspects to parents and significant others of the female teachers.

Students are more savvy to what is going on in their schools than teachers think. I used this and a person with a grudge to add even more fuel to the ffire that was about to explode at the school.

I can honestly say that I have more fun fleshing out my mystery books than I do the other genre I write. There is something therapeutic about putting the people or events that I’ve come across through my life into books and find my own justice.

SH Mug Art

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, Indiana

February 5, 2018January 26, 2018 ~ sandyfairfax ~ 8 Comments

by Sally Carpenter

In finding a setting for my new series, I wanted to use a small town, as is typical in most cozies. But I didn’t want a generic town or the same city as every other cozy. What could I do that was unique enough to stand out?

I recalled a town I’d visited as a kid: Santa Claus, Indiana. Being a Christmas junkie myself, it just made sense to model my fictitious cozy town after this one.

The tiny burg of about 1,000 residents sits among the rolling, wooded hills of south central Indiana, just a few miles north of the Ohio River, the state’s southern border. The town was settled as early as 1846.

According to local legend, in 1852 the good townsfolk were gathered around a potbelly stove after the Christmas Eve service to try and pick a name for their burg. A wind blew open the church door and revealed a charming scene of falling snowflakes and the sound of sleigh bells. The children ran to the door shouting, “Santa Claus!”

Industrialist Louis J. Koch, who had retired from his business in the nearby big city of Evansville, decided to take advantage of the town’s name. He set up the world’s first theme park—even older than Disneyland. Santa Claus Land opened its gates in 1946.

The park had wooden roller coasters, kiddie rides, live reindeer, a doll museum, artists making glassware, magic and puppet shows, performing animals (this was long before PETA), the Christmas Room restaurant, and a live, year-round Santa Claus, played for many years by Jim Yellig.

Over the years the theme park expanded into the current Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari water park. The park added sections related to other holidays: Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and a non-scary Halloween. Despite the growth, the park is still owned and operated by the Koch family, giving it a non-commercial, hometown appeal.

But the Christmas spirit doesn’t stop with the park. A giant Santa Claus statue stands at the town’s border. The streets have such names as Elf Lane, Fir Tree Circle, Jingle Bell Lane, Madonna Drive, Mistletoe Drive, Ornament Circle and Rudolph Lane.

The local Catholic parish is, of course, St. Nicolas Church.

Each year the town post office receives thousands of letters addressed to Santa. Many people send their Christmas cards through the post office just to receive a special postmark.

As a kid, I was familiar the town, about an hour’s drive from my home, because of the Santa Claus Campground where I attended the summer church camp (the camp is still in operation today with the same buildings). One year, mom picked me up at the end of camp and we visited Santa Claus Land. Unfortunately, we didn’t take any photos nd I don’t remember much about the park.

For my book I recreated my own theme park, the Country Christmas Family Fun Park, where my heroine performs in one of the musical shows. I’ve borrowed a few features from the real Santa Claus Land, but also added new elements of my own. I also had a blast thinking up such establishments for the town as the North Pole Café (a restaurant) and Lollipop Lanes bowling alley.

Many years ago I met a man named Noel. He was born on Dec. 25. I though that was a great name, so naturally I named my heroine Noelle, using the French spelling that I think looks more feminine.

I’m hoping readers will find Yuletide, Indiana as much fun to visit as the real-life Santa Claus, Ind.

How My Rocky Bluff P.D. Series Has Changed

January 23, 2018 ~ marilynm ~ 8 Comments

Because the entire Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series is now being re-published by a new house, I’ve been re-editing each book. In the process I’ve found some interesting tidbits and errors, besides the usual typos and repeated words.

(My new publisher’s logo)

The overuse of ellipses: I could have been called the Queen of ellipses. Why one of many editors didn’t call me on this I have no idea.

Because the first book, Final Respects, was written long ago, most of police officer characters sport mustaches. They don’t come off until about the 5^th book in the series. In the first two books, there’s a lot of smoking, even in the police department. In California, is it no longer legal to smoke in a public building. My new publisher wants this to stay as is.

One big error I found was that in No Sanctuary one of the lead female character is made a Vice-Detective, which she still is in the next book—but not in the one after that or any of the later ones. I figured out how to correct it.

I’ve found that I’ve changed the hair color of at least one of the characters—but that will be an easy fix.

Actually, though I am making changes along the way, I’m pleased with the writing and the plots.

One big thing that influenced how I wrote these books was having my cop son-in-law tell me that the police never work on one case at a time. Because of that, there are many things going on in every book..

I’m sure as I continue to work my way through the editing of the rest of the novels, I’ll find other errors. This has been an interesting process.

Though the first book, Final Respects, has the same cover used when it was first published, the subsequent books will have a new look.

Final Respects. best