Interview with Stiletto Gang Member Lois Winston

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 When Stiletto Gang Blog
members suggested interviewing fellow blog members, it only made sense for me
to partner with author Lois Winston. After all, as
critique partners, we know where 

Author Lois Winston

the bodies are buried (so to speak).  I feel fortunate to have Lois as a
critique partner. She has an outstanding brain, is well read, and knows the
publishing industry. Do I take everything she suggests? Absolutely not, and vice
versa. But the fact that we brainstorm, mull over plots, word choice, grammar,
goal, motivation, and conflict is worth all the gold in Fort Knox.  (All right, maybe not ALL the gold).

With that, let’s get to know author
Lois Winston better.

 Donnell:  Lois, you recently moved to Tennessee from
New Jersey to be closer to family.  How
many months has it been and how has the New Jersey girl transitioned to living
in the South?  What is your favorite
thing so far about Tennessee? And what do you miss most about New Jersey?


 Lois: We’ve been here since
the end of June but in our new home since the middle of July. It’s been a
difficult transition for me. Up until now I had lived my entire life in either
metro New York City or metro Philadelphia—and I don’t mean Philadelphia,
Mississippi! Moving during a pandemic has made the transition even more
difficult. However, I do like the milder winters.

 What I miss most about
New Jersey is no longer being within a short train ride into Manhattan. I’m
going through massive theater and museum withdrawal, and it isn’t pretty! Just
ask my husband!


Manhattan skyline


Donnell:  The beauty of writing the Anastasia Pollack
series is that you can visit New Jersey any time you wish. How many books have
you written now surrounding Westfield and the state of New Jersey?


 Lois: Getting back to New
Jersey isn’t that easy. It requires me to either hop on a plane or drive
thirteen hours, which I can’t do in one day. Would you believe there are no
trains that go from Nashville to New York?


No trains, so a plane will have to do…

Both my Anastasia
Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, of which there are currently ten novels and
three novellas, and my two Empty Nest Mysteries are set in Westfield. In
addition, Westfield is part of the setting for Moms in Black, the first
Mom Squad Caper; my contemporary romance, Finding Hope; and my middle
school novel, The Magic Paintbrush. My other books have been set in two
other New Jersey towns, New York, and Philadelphia.

Donnell:  Reviewers have compared your protagonist
Anastasia Pollack to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. Did you have that in
mind when you started writing the series? Do you feel your protagonist after 10
books and 3 novellas has formed an identity of her own? How many more books do
you plan for this series?

 Lois: I didn’t consciously
have the Stephanie Plum books in mind when I wrote the first Anastasia book,
but I’ve always enjoyed Evanovich’s humor. Kirkus Reviews called Anastasia
“North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum,” and I think that’s true.
Stephanie doesn’t have to worry about anyone but herself. Anastasia is a more
realistic character. She’s juggling widowhood while raising two teenagers and
dealing with the debt her husband left her. She’s also permanently stuck with
her communist mother-in-law. Stephanie works in a profession that has her
dealing with criminals daily. Anastasia is the crafts editor at a women’s
magazine. Murder and mayhem aren’t part of her job description, yet circumstances
beyond her control force her into becoming a reluctant amateur sleuth.

As for how many more
books I’ll write in the series, I’ll keep writing about Anastasia as long as
she’ll let me.

Donnell: As a graphic artist and
former craft editor, you and your protagonist are closely related. At the back
of your books, you always have craft projects and ideas for readers. Do you
find that an advantage of writing this series? Do you have an avid “craft”
following?

Lois: When I was asked to
write the series, it was understood that craft projects would be included, just
as recipes are included in culinary mysteries. The difference, though, is that
I’m limited in the type of projects I can feature. I can’t include patterns,
only written directions or tips, due to the limitations of size in a printed
book and the fact that there would be no way for someone reading an ebook to
print or download a pattern.

 Back when I was a
full-time designer, I had a sizable following. This was before the Internet
really took off, but I still hear from crafters from time to time. In 1996 I
designed a 3-D cross stitched Nativity set that was featured in Women’s
World. I still receive emails from a few crafters each year, usually
because they want to stitch another set and have lost the patterns.

Donnell:  At one time, you wrote romantic suspense, do
you think you’ll ever write another romantic suspense?

Lois: I’ve learned never to
say never, but it won’t happen anytime soon. My romantic suspense novels were
quite dark. With everything going on in the world, I’d rather write humorous
cozy mysteries. We all need to laugh more these days.

Donnell:  Speaking of romance, you have one in your
Anastasia Pollack series. After being widowed from the louse of a spouse,
Anastasia has found happiness with photojournalist Zack Barnes. In a recent
book Anastasia and Zack became engaged. Have readers commented on their
engagement—are they excited about their upcoming nuptials? Any hints at whether
this will be a long engagement or a sudden elopement?

Lois: I’ve heard from many
readers who want to know when Anastasia and Zack will marry. Zack proposed in Handmade
Ho-Ho Homicide, the eight book in the series. I didn’t want the wedding to
occur in the next book, and it didn’t work for the plot I wanted to write for
the last book. I’m currently working on the eleventh book in the series, and
I’m thinking this might be the book that will include a wedding. We’ll see…

Donnell:  One thing, I don’t think readers and writers
know about you is that you’re a former literary agent and are extremely generous
with your industry colleagues, published and unpublished alike. I have
benefitted firsthand by knowing you for so many years. If you were the Dear
Abby of Publishing, what advice would you give to published authors? Then, turn
this, what advice would you give to aspiring authors?


Lois: The best writing advice
I ever received was from the owner of the agency that represented me and
employed me for ten years. He said that every scene in a book and all dialogue
needs to do one of two things—either advance the plot or tell the reader
something he or she needs to know about the point of view character at that
moment. If it doesn’t, it’s filler and should be cut. This advice applies
to both published and unpublished writers.

As for aspiring
authors, my best advice is to remember that the road to publication is a
marathon, not a sprint. Take the time to learn your craft and grow a thick skin
to deal with the inevitable rejections you’ll receive along the way. Very few
authors have ever sold their first attempt immediately after completion—if
ever. There are thousands of first manuscripts cavorting with the dust bunnies
under beds throughout the world. Those who have been lucky enough to sell their
first book usually did so only after many revisions over several years.

Donnell: Thanks, Lois! To say
I’m grateful for your friendship is putting it mildly. Thank you for always
picking up the phone.

Lois: Ditto, Donnell!

Want to learn more about prolific author Lois Winston? Check out her website at: 

http://www.loiswinston.com

Untitled Post

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Reflections on Today – My
Birthday by Debra H. Goldstein

Today is my birthday. It isn’t a special birthday, but it
is another notch in my belt of life. Another year around the sun. And a
reminder that the years seem to each be moving faster than the one before.

 

When I was a child, I devoured books. If it was hot
outside, I preferred to be indoors, where it was cooler, reading. My mother
felt that I needed to get out of the house and play for at least an hour on
those hot days. I specifically remember once, when there were no neighborhood
children to play with (which always took care of the hour plus), I was forced
to entertain myself outside for the hour. I sat on our front stoop periodically
checking my watch only to be dismayed at how slowly time moved. That hour was
an eternity. Today, an hour goes by so fast that it melds into other hours and
the entire day passes before I know it.

 

One other thing I’ve noticed is that I no longer am the
young hotshot. I’ve reached the age where people say “ma’am,” offer me senior
drinks before I ask for them, and at club and organization meetings, I am
respected for my institutional knowledge. The honors coming my way aren’t
titled “Top women under thirty” or “Rising Star.” Instead, they are more like
“Fifty Over Fifty.”

 

Being seasoned has its benefits – seeing my children happy
in marriages and careers; having grandchildren; AARP and other discounts; and
being able to use Rhett Butler’s “I don’t give a damn” line whenever I want.
The sad part is knowing that there are less years left than have passed so
there are things I would like to see or experience that I may not.

 

The latter thought is sad, but I’m not going to dwell on
it. For now, I’m going to happy dance and celebrate this birthday!  (By the way, I’m not Poppy, but I loved this picture of one of granddogs wishing my husband a happy birthday) How do you feel about birthdays?

Author Goals

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 by Bethany Maines

Each writer has their own reason for putting cursor to word doc, but in general it’s because we have a story to tell. And as we develop the story, writers have to live outside the moment and wrap their heads around the entire plot. This goes double when it comes to writing a series.  An author has to keep all the little threads in mind as they write through the books. I’ve developed spreadsheets to track my characters and keep chapter by chapter synopsis’ of each book for easy reference.  All of this means that when it comes to our books and characters we’re like the annoying friend who binged a TV series while the reader is watching one episode a week.  

THE PROBLEM

But this style of writing also means that sometimes characters the author knows are going to be awesome later aren’t so beloved in the initial books.  Which is why when I set out to write book 2 of the 3 Colors Trilogy – A Deeper Blue – I crossed my fingers.  Azure Lucas says some fairly harsh things to her younger sister Scarlet, in book 1 – A Little Red – and I knew that readers that loved Scarlet wouldn’t be thrilled with Azure going into book 2.  Which is necessary for book one, but my challenge is then… Can I make my readers love her in book 2?

So when I send out my book to Advance Readers, I nervously chew my nails and wait for the reviews to come back.  And then, earlier this week, I got this…

AUTHOR GOAL?

Whew! Wiping the sweat off my brow.  My reviewer complete took the journey with Scarlet and Azure.  If I can make my readers love them both then I have met my challenge as a writer. Author goal… achieved! Now I just need to see if they stick around for book 3 – A Brighter Yellow.  Author worries are never completely gone. 

A Deeper Blue releases March 18 and I can’t wait for more readers to fall in love with Azure too.

LEARN MORE

PreOrder – https://amzn.to/3DZQHbf

Goodreads Giveaway – https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/342167

Learn more about the series – https://bethanymaines.com/supernaturals/

**

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous
short stories. When she’s not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some
serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her
daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Gay Yellen: Spotlight on Kathryn Lane

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Today, I interview our own Stiletto Gang-sister, Kathryn Lane, award-winning author of the Nikki Garcia Mysteries. Missing in Miami, her fourth book in the series, has just been released.

Kathryn is a woman of many parts: artist, writer, and former international corporate executive, all of which provides rich background for her stories. What is it like to be a world traveler who solves crimes? Read on…

Gay: Kathryn, when your series begins, Nikki Garcia is a crackerjack forensic accountant, a rather nontraditional kind of sleuth. And yet, you managed to turn the investigation into a riveting read. As the series progresses, Nikki picks up other skills, and by the time we get to the new book, which takes place in Cuba as well as Florida—she’s almost a full-blown spy. Did you plan this character progression from the start?

Kathryn: I’d love to answer with a resounding, “Yes, of course I planned it that way!” But when I wrote the first book, I did not know I’d be writing a series until my publisher insisted I create other books with Nikki as protagonist. Being a pantser (a writer who doesn’t pre-outline) I developed her into a sleuth, thinking it would otherwise get boring if she was always investigating corporate fraud around the world.

Gay: I see similarities between you and Nikki: a love for travel and good food, and a background in corporate finance. How is she different from you?

Kathryn: I’m not nearly as brave as Nikki!

Gay: The character of Eduardo, a Colombian physician, is a dreamboat: romantic, wealthy, and kind. Did you pattern him after a real person, or is he simply a dream?

Kathryn: I was single when I wrote the first book, so maybe Eduardo represents my dream man. He is purely fictional, as are all my characters, except for some mentions of real or historical persons. After completing the first book, I met Bob, who is now my husband and who shares three of Eduardo’s characteristics: he is immensely supportive of my work, he’s kind, and he has a romantic streak—he lights a candle for our dinner every night we eat at home. The one trait he’s missing is that he’s not wealthy, doggone it! 

Gay: In the new book, you mention a novel I happen to be reading right now: Klara and the Sun, by Kazuro Ishiguro. What was behind that choice?

Kathryn: In every mystery I’ve written, I’ve mentioned another author or visual artist whose work I admire. As I was writing Missing in Miami, I read Klara. In that story, a girl named Josie suffers from an illness that is never fully defined. I mentioned the book because Andrea, the missing girl in my novel, also has an illness. I don’t expect many readers to catch the comparison, but the connection sparks my own creative juices.

Gay: I’m fascinated by your world travels to… is it over ninety countries? Each of your books is set in a different location, and they each seem to offer a bit of a traveler’s guide for the area. Having been to so many places, how do you decide where Nikki Garcia will go next?

Kathryn Lane
Kathryn: I’ve traveled to ninety-four countries. As a child, one of my dreams was to travel. I have accomplished that by working for Johnson & Johnson, even though I had also traveled before my corporate job. For my novels, I pick locations that I like, and more importantly, that fit the story. I like to think that the reader is walking the streets of a location with Nikki as she carries out her investigation.


Gay: Thank you, Kathryn, for giving us a peek behind the scenes! Readers, you can find out more about the Nikki Garcia Series on Amazon, on BookBub, or at Kathryn’s website.

Wow, the places Kathryn has traveled! What about you, readers? What foreign lands have you visited?

*****

GAY YELLEN writes the award-winning Samantha Newman Mysteries, including The Body Business, The Body Next Door, and the soon to be released Body in the News. Gay would love to hear from you in the comments below, on Facebook, or BookBub, or via her website.

*****



 

 

Writer and Paper Organization

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by Debra Sennefelder

 


We’re three months
into the new year, and I’m reviewing the yearly goals I set in 2021. One has a check mark next to it – all done! And what a relief it is because it’s the
manuscript due to my editor in May. The other goals are either in progress or
haven’t been started yet. So today, I thought I’d share one of my in-progress
goals with you. Who’s up for a chat about paper organization?

I know. I hear the
groaning. But it’s an important chat.

Back in the day, when
I worked at Macy’s as a buyer’s assistant in the cosmetics department, the only
staff who computers worked in the order processing department. That was in the
early 80s. Fast forward a decade, and my husband surprised me one day with a
computer. We set up in a spare room. The machine was big, clunky, and not very
aesthetically appealing. There was buzz about how with computers becoming
mainstream, everything would go digital. Everything. The mantra had been go
paperless.

Well, how has that
worked out for us? 

According to Lisa
Woodruff, founder of Organize 365, “More than seventy percent (72%) surveyed
believe they will never be truly paperless. And now, as more are working from
home – these piles of paper may be stacking up even more, leaving many feeling
overwhelmed and stressed by all of the clutter.”

I’m guessing I wasn’t
alone in choosing to organize all the %$* paper as a goal for this year.

So, how has wrangling,
decluttering, and organizing all the paper gone so far?

Meh.

January and
twenty-five days of February have been consumed with dealing with issues of
elderly parents and writing the first draft of a manuscript due in June (yeah,
two books due back-to-back. Note to self: don’t ever do that again!). However,
one day after I gathered all my papers for the accountant, I realized how much
I hated how my desk file drawer was set up. How could hanging folders illicit
such a strong reaction?

Well, for starters I
didn’t like the placement of the file tabs or the mismatched colors of the file
folders or the labels. Ahh. The labels. They were the catalyst to jumpstarting
my paper organizing journey.

I found our big mama
label maker while looking for my smaller label maker (which is still MIA), and
I started printing.

I made a list of file
names. There were some I re-named and some new ones I created. Then I gathered
all my hanging file folders and organized the three sections of the drawer –
personal files, business files, and writing files (for current projects). I
assigned each section a color. Before going any further, I ordered a new set of
file folder tabs with inserts. What I’d been using was a mismatched collection
I’d gathered over the years. I also purchased a new printing cartridge in
clear. I’ll be using this cartridge for my other files that need to be
decluttered.

When I had my new tabs
and inserts, I set up two sections in my desk file drawer. The third, which is
writing-related (synopses, outlines, etc., from my two current series), will
get revamped this month. And then, I’ll move onto another file drawer and then
to the filing cabinet. 

I’ve had to accept that
this process of decluttering paper and organizing it into a way that makes
sense to me (and looks pretty) will take time. Baby steps. And that’s
okay. 

There are a few things
that I’ve learned about paper organization and here they are:

Have a paper
organizing procedure.

Once you decide to
tackle your paper clutter, you should have a strategy of how you will do it in
place. This was something I didn’t do before, but this time, I know that I will
move from the desk file drawer to the file container under my desk to the
rolling cart file drawer. I will decide what papers get stored where and have
all the supplies I will need. After these three spaces are done, I will move to
other paper storage areas.

 Plan where you’ll
gather and sort your papers.

With your plan in
place, you’ll need a space where you’ll do the work. Professional organizers
may tell you to gather ALL your papers into a bin and then have three boxes for
keep, recycle and shred. I’ve done this and failed. This time, I’m taking it
one drawer at a time. You do you. Whatever you decide, you will need a space to
work, and I suggest using a timer to keep you sorting.

Manage your
expectations.

You didn’t collect all
those papers in a weekend, so it may take more than a weekend to sort,
declutter and organize. I’m finding that this process is more of a sprint than
a marathon. For this first round of organizing, I took my files to the living
room, turned on YouTube, and binged on my favorite channels while I sorted and
kept our Shih Tzu, Connie, from eating my papers. Fun times! And it was. 

 

Did you set any goals
for 2022? If so, how are they going? Have you tackled paper organization? Or,
is it something that you are planning to do? Let’s keep the conversation going.
Comment below.

 

 

 

 Debra Sennefelder is the
author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking,
exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch
with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

Whose Story Is It?

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 by Sparkle Abbey

At our most recent Sisters in Crime meeting the discussion topic was “Point of View.” An easy technique for some writers, a more difficult one for others. 

Whether using first-person point of view as we do in our books, or third person which is very common in fiction writing, the choice of point of view is an important choice that a writer makes when beginning to tell a story. It will impact every other choice you make along the way. 

First person point of view is narrated by a character in the story. In our case, Caro or Mel, depending on the book. So you never get the story from anyone else’s perspective. First person sounds like this, “I don’t normally break into people’s homes, but today I was making an exception.” 

Second person, puts the reader into the story as a character. This isn’t one we’ve used very much. It sounds like this, “You went to work that morning and first thing, you decide you need more coffee.” 

Third person limited only lets the reader know what one character at a time thinks and sees. This one is pretty common and can be a very effective way to add suspense to a story. It sounds like this, “He had played this same game before and had anticipated this time out it would be something of a let down.” That’s from the brilliant Mary Higgins Clark’s “You Belong to Me.” Certainly a master of suspense writing!

With third person omniscient point of view anything can be revealed about anyone. It’s often used at the beginning of a story and then the writer shifts to other POVs to move the reader closer. Many times it reads like this, “Little did they know that…” It’s the wide shot and can be an intriguing method to get a readers attention. 

In our opinion, the bottom line is that the very best point of view is the one that goes unnoticed. It’s a matter of  – whose story is it? Who can best tell the story in such a way that we don’t even think about it. We’re just along for the ride!

So readers, do you notice point of view when you read? And do you have a preference for a particular POV? 

Sparkle Abbey’s latest story (written in first person) is a short but fun one. If you’ve not yet checked out PROJECT DOGWAY, this is a great time to do that. 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two
people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter,
who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are
friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit
murder. (But don’t tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from
readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social
media sites. Also, if you want to
make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

Writing and Selling Fiction in the Metaverse

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 By Kathryn
Lane

In the near future, when a reader purchases a book, that reader can also receive additional
3-D experiences depicting the author’s world, how the author researched,
created, and wrote that particular book.


Interacting with the metaverse.

As
readers, we will be able to interact through virtual reality (VR) with our
favorite authors. Though I don’t write in his genre, I can imagine a VR encounter
with JRR Tolkien where I’d walk beside him in the scenes while he described his
imaginative process in writing Lord of the Rings. Music, as in the films,
should run too. But then I’d turn it off to better understand Tolkien’s
creativity before the scenes were set to music. Tolkien is no longer living, but artists, writers, historians, script writers, photographers, and
cinematographers would create the immersive where I’d be in the middle of the
narrative.

Distortion in the metaverse.

Writers will
have a variety of options for selling their works in the Metaverse. Unique codes,
think of ISBNs currently used, will identify the digital asset that is linked
to blockchain to secure its authenticity and uniqueness. This process creates a
non-fungible token (NFT). For example, limited editions of digital works can then
be sold as NFTs. Book covers and draft manuscripts also offer the possibility
of NFT sales.

Blockchain
provides a secure means for storing intellectual property like copyrights and
patents, and includes smart contracts where author royalties can be collected every
time an NFT book cover, limited edition, or a first draft manuscript is
re-sold.


Visual representation of blockchain.

Big name
authors with staff to do research, design, and marketing will have the
advantage over lesser-known authors. They might turn their books into complete immersive
experiences where readers don’t read but merely step into the story.

VR and
the Metaverse will be used extensively in other areas, especially education. By
combining topics such as math and science; language, geography, and history,
among other subjects, learning can become more integrated. 

Student using the metaverse.

However,
it’s not all panacea here either. Richer countries will have the advantage over
poorer ones.

If you feel
concerned about the Metaverse, you are not alone. If we think of it as the next
level of the Internet, it becomes less intimidating. Though I remember how reluctant
people felt in the early to mid-nineteen-nineties about using the Internet.

Are you
ready to enter the brave new world of NTF books?

***

Kathryn’s latest Nikki Garcia Mystery Thriller: Missing in Miami (available on Amazon)

About
Kathryn

Kathryn
Lane started out painting in oils and quickly became a starving artist. To earn a living, she became a certified
public accountant and embarked on a career in international finance with a
major multinational corporation. After two decades, she left the corporate
world to plunge into writing mystery and suspense thrillers. In her stories,
Kathryn draws deeply from her Mexican background as well
as her travels in over ninety countries.

Visit my
website at https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com

Photo credits:

All photographs are used in an editorial and/or educational manner

Augmented reality from Pinterest

Dreaming of distortion in the metaverse by Dean Terry is licensed under CC

Photo by Terry on Unsplash

AugustMan – Malaysia