Here’s the truth: Good book covers help to sell books. Not-so-good book covers don’t.
Of course, what constitutes a good or not-so-good book cover is largely dependent on the genre, and in the case of mystery, the sub-genre. With my upcoming release, A FATAL AFFAIR: THE MURDER OF HELEN GRIER, I was faced with more than one challenge: it was my first true crime book AND it was the first time I’d been a co-author. Which meant the decision was not entirely up to me.
Amanda Capper (my co-author) and I were lucky. The graphic artist recommended to us by another local author was Cassie Amond of Diamond Creative Studio. Cassie insisted that we spend some time on Amazon to familiarize ourselves with true crime book covers.
Helen Grier
I’ll admit I was resistant. I had a firm idea in my head. A photo of Helen Grier to the right side of the cover was a must and no amount of time spent looking at other authors’ book covers was about to change my mind.
Except it did. Turns out my “unique” cover art idea was as common in the true crime lane as a white picket fence and a floppy-eared dog is in the cozy mystery world. Who knew? (Well, Cassie, probably.)
Amanda didn’t do much better. Her vision had started with a leaf-covered trail in the woods leading up to a remote cabin. The problem was, the cabin where Helen Grier had been murdered in 1937, while still standing, now had a lovely green metal roof. And using another cabin, or worse, trying to photoshop the one in existence, just didn’t feel authentic.
We kept searching. And then I stumbled upon this cover of BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS by Mandy Matney. The moment I saw it, I was reminded of a vintage black and white photograph, shared by the current camp owner, taken from the other side of Long Lake sometime in the 1930s.
I ran the idea by Amanda, willing her to love it too.
She did. The question was this: Could Cassie Amond make it work?
Cassie immediately saw our vision. She asked for photos of trees that surrounded the camp (supplied) and got to work on the cover.
So (drumroll please): here are the covers!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
On October 28, 1937, at a remote cabin in the Algoma District of Northern Ontario, the body of 28-year-old Helen Grier was discovered by her lover, Vernon Spencer. The cause of death was a bullet to the brain.
A married father of two, Spencer, 43, was held as a material witness for 71 days before being charged with Helen’s murder. A gruelling six-day trial in Sault Ste. Marie followed. Vernon Spencer was acquitted after a scant three hours of jury deliberation.
Was the jury wrong? Did Vernon Spencer, former professional baseball player and Michigan dairy farmer, get away with murder? Could it have been someone local who dropped in to visit and found the pretty young brunette alone and vulnerable? Or is it possible, as was suggested by Spencer’s defence team, that it was Helen Grier who fired the fatal bullet?
You be the judge.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
A lifelong resident of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Amanda Capper is the author of A Bother of Bodies (as A. J. Capper), the first in her Maybe Mystery series. The second, A Devotion of Dads, as well as the re-release of A Bother of Bodies, is in progress for upcoming publication.
A prolific writer of short fiction, Amanda’s work can be found in Every Day Fiction, The Algomian,Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers, and Crimeucopia presents Canadian Chronicles. Amanda is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and enjoys volunteering at The Royal Canadian Legion.
A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the multiple award-winning author of seven bestselling mystery novels, two books on publishing, and several short stories. She is also the founder and owner of Superior Shores Press, which she established in February 2018.
Judy is a member of International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors, most recently as Chair. A native Torontonian, Judy now splits her time between Goulais River and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
A FATAL AFFAIR: THE MURDER OF HELEN GRIER will be published in trade paperback and e-book on October 28 2026, the 89th anniversary of Helen’s death. E-book pre-order available in select markets at www.books2read.com/afatalaffair. Print pre-order coming soon!
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
/in Author Life, How-to, Inspiration, Kathleen Kaska, letter writing, Sydney Lockhart Historic Hotel Mystery Series, words, writing life/by Kathleen KaskaThe Lost Art of Letter Writing: When was the last time you wrote a letter, or received one?
With texting, email, and Facebook messaging as popular (and expedient) forms of communication, people rarely write letters today. Why bother, you might ask? I was fortunate to have had a friend who preferred to communicate this old-fashioned way. We met several years ago when I interviewed her for a book I was writing about her father. Although she used email, she did so mainly for business. We chatted on the phone, but we also wrote letters to one another. I have kept every letter she wrote me, as well as copies of those I wrote to her.
I think letter writing is rare because it takes time and effort.
Getting started is especially hard. I could begin with a comment on the weather, how I’m feeling, or what I’ve been up to, but those topics seem humdrum. What helped me get past “Dear Alice,” was a reminder to start with a quirky thought that’s been brewing in my brain—something like why I choose two olives with my martini one night and three the next. Or whine about an annoying neighbor who reads her mail in her car while parked next to my bedroom, listening to loud music. After that first paragraph, I’m off and running, pounding out three or four pages in a few minutes.
Electronic communication fosters little forethought as to what to say, or how to say it.
“I have a question; here it is.” Or, “I have some information you need; read this quickly.” I also find that when I send an email with too many questions, most go unanswered. No one seems to have the patience to read lengthy emails. I once had a publisher who consistently ignored most of what I asked. I soon learned to ask just one question per email.
Letter writing, on the other hand, takes thought, creativity, and consideration for the recipients.
You don’t want to bore your recipients with mundane information. You want to make them laugh, share the quirky thoughts going on in your head and your life. I look back on the first letters I wrote to my friend; most contained questions about her father’s activities. But after my book was published, The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story, Alice Allen and I began communicating on a more personal level, and a true friendship developed. I enjoyed reading her letters, holding them, and carrying them in my purse so I could reread them later. I knew she put time and effort into her letters to me—and that made me feel special. I hope she felt the same way when she received one of mine. When the pandemic struck six years ago, I could no longer visit a close friend because she was sequestered in the home of an elderly lady, who was also a friend, whom she was caring for. I started writing them letters to cheer them up and bring some light to their isolated world.
I’m not sure what I’ll do with all of Alice Allen’s letters, but I’m glad I kept them. My friend passed away almost three years ago, but rereading her letters allows me to feel her presence.
Kathleen Kaska writes the award-winning Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series. She also writes mystery trivia, including The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book. Her Holmes short story, “The Adventure at Old Basingstoke,” appears in Sherlock Holmes of Baking Street. She founded The Dogs in the Nighttime, a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars.
Clicking Our Heels – What is Your Favorite Game or Pastime?
/in Clicking Our Heels/by DebraEveryone needs a little fun, so we asked each member of The Stiletto Gang to tell us their favorite game or pastime:
Judy Penz Sheluk: Golf. This past summer, I belonged to four ladies leagues (two different courses). But the season here is short (May-Oct.) so in the winter my pastime is to catch up on my TBR pile! I also do some binge watching if a series grabs me. And I do enjoy watching baseball and hockey.
Lois Winston: Going to the theater.
Bethany Maines: I enjoy watercolor painting. This past summer I took a painting class in Greece and it was absolutely amazing. I’m hoping to work in more of that this year.
Debra H. Goldstein: Lately, mindless jigsaw puzzles on the computer and reading.
Mary Lee Ashford – My favorite pastime is absolutely spending time with my grandchildren and attending their activities. With six, that’s a lot so it can leave me some days not knowing whether I’m coming or going. Next in line would be reading. I love mysteries, suspense, and women’s fiction. And also, non-fiction such as biographies, cultural commentary, and business dynamics. I never feel like there’s enough time to read. I keep threatening to do a week-long retreat and just read… Who’s in?
Donalee Moulton: A friend and I play crib almost every day at lunch. I also play poker (a nickel an ante) with a group of friends every month. We’ve been doing this for more than 20 years. At present, I also seem to be hooked on some silly match three game on my phone that requires me to find and delete pesky images. I am not a fan of losing.
Donnell Ann Bell: I love cards. My husband and I play gin rummy, Spades and Golf (card game) in that order almost daily. When we have a foursome, we play bridge.
Gay Yellen: Almost every day, my husband makes a great chopped salad for us to share at lunch
while we play backgammon. It’s a great way to refresh from a morning at my computer
and share a bit of fun with him before we reconnect with whatever’s going on that day.
Kathleen Kaska: Baseball!
Saralyn Richard: Not surprisingly for a writer, I love puzzles—all kinds of puzzles, and especially word puzzles. My favorite game is Scrabble. One of my friends gifted me with a beautiful Scrabble game produced by the Franklin Mint.
T.K. Thorne: I play one game of Wordscape at night after I go to bed, followed by one game of sudoku and one of solitaire. Then my body/mind knows it is time to sleep. Kind of strange, actually, but it keeps my mind from wandering and worrying about stuff.
A Fatal Affair Cover Reveal (and the inspiration)
/in Mystery, A Fatal Affair, Helen Grier, Historical Mystery, Judy Penz Sheluk, True Crime/by Judy Penz ShelukHere’s the truth: Good book covers help to sell books. Not-so-good book covers don’t.
Of course, what constitutes a good or not-so-good book cover is largely dependent on the genre, and in the case of mystery, the sub-genre. With my upcoming release, A FATAL AFFAIR: THE MURDER OF HELEN GRIER, I was faced with more than one challenge: it was my first true crime book AND it was the first time I’d been a co-author. Which meant the decision was not entirely up to me.
Amanda Capper (my co-author) and I were lucky. The graphic artist recommended to us by another local author was Cassie Amond of Diamond Creative Studio. Cassie insisted that we spend some time on Amazon to familiarize ourselves with true crime book covers.
Helen Grier
I’ll admit I was resistant. I had a firm idea in my head. A photo of Helen Grier to the right side of the cover was a must and no amount of time spent looking at other authors’ book covers was about to change my mind.
Except it did. Turns out my “unique” cover art idea was as common in the true crime lane as a white picket fence and a floppy-eared dog is in the cozy mystery world. Who knew? (Well, Cassie, probably.)
Amanda didn’t do much better. Her vision had started with a leaf-covered trail in the woods leading up to a remote cabin. The problem was, the cabin where Helen Grier had been murdered in 1937, while still standing, now had a lovely green metal roof. And using another cabin, or worse, trying to photoshop the one in existence, just didn’t feel authentic.
I ran the idea by Amanda, willing her to love it too.
She did. The question was this: Could Cassie Amond make it work?
Cassie immediately saw our vision. She asked for photos of trees that surrounded the camp (supplied) and got to work on the cover.
So (drumroll please): here are the covers!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
On October 28, 1937, at a remote cabin in the Algoma District of Northern Ontario, the body of 28-year-old Helen Grier was discovered by her lover, Vernon Spencer. The cause of death was a bullet to the brain.
A married father of two, Spencer, 43, was held as a material witness for 71 days before being charged with Helen’s murder. A gruelling six-day trial in Sault Ste. Marie followed. Vernon Spencer was acquitted after a scant three hours of jury deliberation.
Was the jury wrong? Did Vernon Spencer, former professional baseball player and Michigan dairy farmer, get away with murder? Could it have been someone local who dropped in to visit and found the pretty young brunette alone and vulnerable? Or is it possible, as was suggested by Spencer’s defence team, that it was Helen Grier who fired the fatal bullet?
You be the judge.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
A lifelong resident of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Amanda Capper is the author of A Bother of Bodies (as A. J. Capper), the first in her Maybe Mystery series. The second, A Devotion of Dads, as well as the re-release of A Bother of Bodies, is in progress for upcoming publication.
A prolific writer of short fiction, Amanda’s work can be found in Every Day Fiction, The Algomian,Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers, and Crimeucopia presents Canadian Chronicles. Amanda is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and enjoys volunteering at The Royal Canadian Legion.
A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the multiple award-winning author of seven bestselling mystery novels, two books on publishing, and several short stories. She is also the founder and owner of Superior Shores Press, which she established in February 2018.
Judy is a member of International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors, most recently as Chair. A native Torontonian, Judy now splits her time between Goulais River and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
A FATAL AFFAIR: THE MURDER OF HELEN GRIER will be published in trade paperback and e-book on October 28 2026, the 89th anniversary of Helen’s death. E-book pre-order available in select markets at www.books2read.com/afatalaffair. Print pre-order coming soon!
Mystery in the Midlands Goes Short 2026!
/in Uncategorized/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
Michael Bracken helped to organize this program that features some outstanding short story authors and editors. Please take the time to register. You won’t want to miss it!
DATE: Saturday, October 10
TIME: From 11:15 am ET (10:15 CT/9:15 MT/8:15 PT) to 2:30 pm ET(1:30 CT/12:30 MT/11:30 PT)
PRESENTED BY: the Southeast Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and Michael Bracken
COST: FREE just register at the link below
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/H7AkECfcQB-9Ej98_UX2DQ
Yes, if you can’t attend in person, the program will be recorded.
Program
11:15 am Welcome—Michael Bracken and Paula Gail Benson
11:30 am -12:25 pm Some Loose Thoughts on Tight Structures—Joseph S. Walker (President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and author of Crime Scenes, published by Level Best Books, March 2026).
12:30 – 1:25 pm Short Stories as Building Blocks
Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier (Agatha award winner and author of The Bush Tea Murder, published by Crooked Lane Books in 2026); Carla Damron (award winning novelist and short story writer); Art Taylor (Edgar award winning author whose On the Road with Del & Louise won the Agatha Award for best first novel); and moderator, Paula Gail Benson
1:30 – 2:25 pm Editors Reveal All
Alex Mattingly (editor of Cold Caller Magazine); Katy Munger (the co-editor of the neo noir literary journal Dark Yonder); Roger Nokes (Editor-in-Chief at Rock and a Hard Place Press); and moderator, Michael Bracken
2:25 – 2:30 pm Final Questions and Comments
We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, October 10.
Author Life, Summer Style
/in Author Life, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery/by Lois WinstonBy Lois Winston
I would have titled this blog post “What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” but I didn’t take a summer vacation. Hence, “Author Life, Summer Style.” Because, let’s face it, authors never really go on vacation. We’re always working because we view everything in our lives as fodder for the next book. Wherever we go, we’re pondering how the setting or the people we meet along the way might make it into a future novel.
Being someone who much prefers autumn and spring over winter and summer, I spent much of the summer cossetted in my air-conditioned office, writing the next Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. In the evenings, thanks to the modern-day marvel of streaming, I finally had a chance to watch various TV shows I never got around to watching when they first came out.
Author Life: Mysteries day and night
During the day, I typed away. Aside from catching Jeopardy! every night, evenings were mostly filled with mysteries. Those I can recommend include The Law According to Lydia Poet, a 3-season biographical series about the first woman lawyer in Italy. Although this was an Italian production, AI has improved dubbing to the point that if you didn’t know the series was dubbed, you’d never realize it.
Another historical series I watched was the first three seasons of Grantchester, originally on PBS and now on Netflix. I’m hoping the remaining four seasons will eventually show up on Netflix now that the series has ended. All seasons are available on PBS Passport, but my husband will balk at paying for another streaming service!
Other series I watched were The Closer (on Netflix); the first season of Dept. Q (on Netflix), which has been greenlit for a second season; Mare of Easttown (on HBO Max); and Broadchurch (on Netflix).
Author Life: A slight detour from mysteries
I took a side trip into non-mystery drama with Olive Kitteridge (on HBO Max.) I’d read the book years ago. If you’re looking for a depressing drama, Olive Kitteridge is it. I’m not sure why I watched it. I knew going in it would be a real downer, but it was an outstanding production with an amazing performance by Frances McDormand. Definitely worth a few hours of depressive TV.
Balancing the downer of Olive Kitteridge, I watched Wicked for Good, which I’d seen in the theater when it first came out. (I won’t admit to how many times I’ve seen it on Broadway!)
Author Life: Stepping out of my writer’s cave
Other than spending my summer writing and binge-watching, I did leave my writer’s cave for three days last month to attend Killer Nashville. This was the 21st anniversary of the writers’ conference, and now that I’m living outside of Nashville, it’s held in my backyard. Well, not literally, but if August wasn’t so hot and humid in middle Tennessee, I could walk to the event.
In addition to catching up with old friends, making new ones, and meeting in person other writers I’ve known online for years, I was on four panels, listened to pitches from unpublished authors, took part in an ask-the-author round-robin, and gave a solo PowerPoint presentation on “Goal, Motivation, & Conflict: The Three Essential Building Blocks of Every Novel, Synopsis, Pitch & Back Cover Copy.”
The highlight of this year’s conference was what happened during the awards ceremony. For the third year in a row, I won the Silver Falchion Award for Best Comedy, this time for Seams Like the Perfect Crime. And the cherry on the top? The book was also named 2nd Runner-up for Best Book by an Attending Author!
All in all, not a bad summer.
What did you do this summer? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of any Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery or Empty Nest Mystery.
~*~
USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mystery.
Finding a Short Mystery Fiction Writing Community
/in Anthologies, Conferences, Paula Gail Benson, Short Stories/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
Crime or mystery writing conferences often have panels that discuss short fiction. Annually, the Malice Domestic schedule always showcases the authors whose shorts were nominated for an Agatha. This year at Killer Nashville, there were presentations about writing the novella as well as the short story.
Michael Bracken has established ShortCon, a one day, in-person, limited attendance conference that meets in June in Alexandria, Virginia. The program is held at Elaine’s Restaurant and offers presentations by significant authors, editors, and publishers who provide insight for craft, submissions, and business as well as the opportunity to network closely with professionals in the short mystery fiction community.
On Friday, September 19, Joseph S. Walker, current President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and author of a story collection Crime Scenes, announced that he and Josh Pachter had signed with Shawn Simmons of Level Best Books to coedit six SMFS anthologies, with one being published each year, beginning in 2027. (This year, Josh edited Hot Shots: Celebrating Thirty Years of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, that containing one Derringer-winning story for every year from 1998, when the award was first presented, through 2025. Note: the Derringer is awarded by the SMFS for best (1) flash, (2) short short stories, (3) long short stories, (4) novelettes, and (5) anthologies. In addition, the annual Golden Derringer recognizes a career of excellence.) The plan is for anthologies published in odd-numbered years to collect the most recent two years of Derringer winners plus contributions from the two Golden Derringer winners. The anthologies published in even-numbered years will contain original stories by SMFS members, based on themes to be determined.
Check back here next Monday for more news about a free half day online program on writing the short mystery story. It’s an exciting time to be writing short fiction!
Watch out!
/in Uncategorized/by donalee Moultonby donalee Moulton
Lotus Detective Series #1
I’ve been doing readings from the two books in my Lotus Detective Agency series, Bind and Melt. I’ve discovered one of the fun things about book readings is drawing participants into the subject matter—with a quiz.
The Bind quiz has 11 questions that focus on two of the book’s main topics: watches and theft. Below are the questions about watches. They’re timely. Scroll down for the answers. Next month I’ll share the final questions, and answers
1. When were the first portable timekeeping devices — the world’s first watches — first invented?
A. 16th century (the Early Modern Age)
B. 18th century (the Age of Enlightenment)
C. 20th century (the Age when Bind’s characters were born)
2. Who were wristwatches originally designed for?
A. Men, because men get everything first
B. Women, because they are the smarter sex
C. Police officers, because they carry guns
3. When did wristwatches gain popularity among men?
A. During the Roaring Twenties
B. During the Industrial Revolution
C. During World War 1
4. Which old Hollywood movie star’s watch shattered records when it sold at auction in 2017?
A. Clark Gable, The King of Hollywood
B. Archibald Alexander Leach (you probably know him as Cary Grant)
C. Paul Newman aka Cool Hand Luke
5. From 2021 to 2022, luxury watch thefts rose by 65% in London. What happened as a result?
A. A petition to ban the sale of machetes
B. An ordinance prohibiting anyone wearing of a luxury watch in public
C. A law forbidding anyone to take a photo of the Crown’s wristwatch
And the answers are…
#1. Answer =A. 16th century (the Early Modern Age)
German clockmaker Peter Henlein is credited with inventing the first watch around 1510. Because of its size (about 3 inches), it was best suited to be worn on a pendant or attached to a belt.
#2. Answer = B. Women, because they are the smarter sex
Wristwatches were originally created for women. They were seen as both elegant pieces of jewelry and functional timepieces. According to the Guinness World Records, Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe made the first wristwatch in 1868 for a Hungarian Countess. Men preferred pocket watches at that time.
#3. Answer = C. During World War 1
During World War I, wristwatches became a necessity because soldiers needed to tell time quickly and easily. This translated to civilian life after the war. By the 1930s, wristwatch sales had surpassed pocket watch sales.
#4. Answer = C. Paul Newman aka Cool Hand Luke
Movie star and race car driver Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona sold at auction for $17.8 million in 2017. The watch had been a gift from his wife actress Joanne Woodward—engraved with the words “Drive Carefully, Me.”
#5. Answer = A. A petition to ban the sale of machetes
A London councillor launched a petition to ban the sale of machetes after having his watch stolen by a machete-wielding thief in 2022. The petition got almost 140,000 signatures.
Listening is Also Research by Saralyn Richard
/in audiobooks, Book Clubs, History, Research/by Saralyn RichardI first started researching the 1900 Storm, the deadliest natural disaster ever to hit American soil, when I was 15 years old. In those pre-Internet days, research meant going to the library, reading books and other primary source materials (some of which was on microfilm and microfiche), and taking copious notes in spiral notebooks.
At the time I was burning to write about a family secret that I knew would be book-worthy, and I would be the best person to tell it. I thought of the premise as MY STORY, and I nursed and nurtured it over the years. In the 1980’s when I got my first computer (a tiny-screened Mackintosh), I began writing, but 100 pages into the manuscript, the computer died, taking the story with it.
Fast forwarded past a very busy career in education and eight books written and published, and I decided it was time to return to this story. By now, so many wonderful books were written about the 1900 Storm, that I decided to set the novel five years later. Turned out that the Galveston of 1905 was an exciting time, filled with optimism and state-of-the-art science and engineering, and a wave of immigration that brought energetic, clean-living workers to the island to help with rebuilding.
I spent time in person and online with the Galveston and Texas History Center at the Rosenberg Library, and I read lots of books and journals about the building of the seawall, digging of canals, raising of the grade, and building of boardwalks to give people access to the houses being raised.
I happened to include something in my monthly newsletter, asking subscribers to send me names of family members who lived in 1905, as well as any storm survivor stories they knew. The response was incredible! Within days I had more than fifty vignettes and names of real people to go with them.
Often, when I went to a restaurant in town or a public event, people would stop me to tell me another storm survivor story, and I realized I had opened a channel for people to share. The stories were tragic and uplifting at the same time. The grief and loss were excruciating, but the rebound extraordinary. A friend’s grandparents had two babies swept from their arms in the rushing tidewater, never to be seen again. But the babies’ parents went on to rebuild their lives and have three more children.
I found that listening to the stories immersed me in the time and place in a way that “book research” never could. And I included a lot of the stories in the manuscript of PORT OF DESTINY: A Victorian History, Mystery, & Romance.
The book was released on September 1, and I realized that, rather than being my book, it is OUR book. The story of three immigrants could be the story of every family in America, unless it is descended from indigenous people. The book’s little stories add more than local color to the story. They tell the tales of resilient and brave people, and the forward-thinking island that wouldn’t be destroyed.
Listening to stories made our book much more authentic. I’m really glad I did it!
Do you have a storm survivor story to share? It’s not too late to add to the collection. Sign up for my newsletter at https://saralynrichard.com, and I promise I’ll listen.
Three immigrants. Two disappearances. One murder. And a love story that defines them all.
When Rosa’s brother vanishes from hurricane-ravaged Galveston, she turns to his best friend, Nathan, to help her uncover the truth. Together they are swept into the mystery that swirls around her immigrant family in a city rebuilding after the devastating 1900 storm. Just as Nathan’s feelings for Rosa blossom, Chana enters the picture. Bold, resilient, and with a conflicting love interest of her own, she forces them to make the most important decisions of their lives.
My Solution to Information Overload
/in Artificial Intelligence, Donnell Ann Bell, Internet/by Donnell Ann BellA few days ago, I was listening to syndicated radio talk show host and IT professional Kim Komando talk about algorithms and the importance of discoverability. Naturally, I paid attention because as we creatives know, algorithms and key words are our products’ lifeblood.
Not only is Ms. Komando syndicated nationally, she has a Youtube channel, and puts out an IT newsletter daily. During the episode, she asked listeners to push the subscribe button, and if they were so inclined, to leave a review, which will help boost her program among the myriad algorithm competitors.
Her comments got me thinking so I did some research. From what I learned not only is Ms. Komando extremely busy, the world’s algorithms must be exhausted!
Full disclosure: I googled the following:
Podcasts: 3,526,320
Blogs: 600 million
Newspapers: There are 6,000 newspapers worldwide that service diverse communities and cater to various interests.
AI Companies: 70,000 (25% or 17,500 based in the United States.) The top being: Open AI, Anthropic, and Hugging Face. (Have I been under a rock? I’ve never heard of Hugging Face.)
Streaming Services (US only)
Roku
Netflix
Hulu
Amazon Prime
Paramount
HBO Max
Apple
Youtube/Youtube TV
Social Media
Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads
X formerly Twitter
Bluesky
TikTok
Booktok
Reddit
Browser/Platforms:
Microsoft
Apple
Google
Mozilla FireFox
Remember the days when we could turn to TV Guide, which gravitated to a full-page newspaper guide when cable outlets took over? This is by no means audited for preciseness; I doubt that I got them all. By now you may wonder where I’m going with all this data. Straight for a cup of coffee and then to my Kindle. I’ve discovered that books and reading are a sure cure for Information Overload. How are you keeping up these days with entertainment/communication/technology modes?
A Barn That Won’t Sag; A Story I Can’t Hear
/in Author Life, Cozy Mysteries, crafting mystery, crafty a mystery, Sydney Lockhart Historic Hotel Mystery Series/by Kathleen KaskaA Barn That Won’t Sag; A Story I Can’t Hear
Several years ago, I enrolled in a charcoal sketching class. I loved the simplicity of creating and bringing an image to life with shades of black and gray—seeing the face of a young girl staring back at me; a black-crowned night heron perched on a creek bank, waiting for a meal to swim by; a moored rowboat bobbing in the water.
Learning to project a 3-D image onto a 2-D sketch pad was challenging.
In time, I got the hang of using light and shadow to create a 3-D effect, but in detailed sketches, it didn’t always work for me. It was as if my brain were stuck in a 2-D world and refused to budge. The good thing about sketching with charcoal is that you can erase easily with a soft, kneaded eraser. So I would sketch, erase, sketch, erase, and hope something would happen.
I shared an atelier with my art teacher and several other artists.
After a couple of hours of sketching, we’d stop to evaluate each other’s work. But on occasion, I had the studio to myself, sometimes for an entire afternoon. I loved the solitude, but I often needed the other artists in the room to push me when I was stuck.
One day I tried unsuccessfully to draw the sagging roof of an old barn from a photo I’d taken. I’d sketched and erased so many times that I’d worn a hole in the paper. Something had gotten lost between my eyes and my hand. I placed a clean sheet on the easel and sketched the barn’s framework, but still couldn’t capture its sagging roof. Then I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I relied on my sense of sound, imagining the wind blowing through the rafters, rattling the loose shingles, and creaking the old hay loft door. I drew a few lines and imagined my hand pushing into the paper as if I were pushing the roof down.
The imaginary sounds grew more intense, and when I opened my eyes, the 3-D image I’d envisioned leaped off the paper, revealing a barn with a roof about to cave in.
That’s how it is with writing sometimes. I know what I want to write, but the words don’t always come. When they do, they feel flat and forced. I need them to jump off the page and become a 3-D image, or, in this case, a visual story. So I write, delete, write, delete. When nothing happens, I realize what I’m doing wrong. I’m not listening. I’m not letting my characters tell the story. Like hearing the old barn come alive in that quiet studio, I have to be quiet to hear my characters talking to me.
I have to remember that I’m writing their story, not mine.
I have to close my eyes, let go, and surrender to these imaginary people.
I have to trust that they will keep talking.
After fifteen published books, two on the way, and three more in the works, my main characters- Sydney Lockhart, Kate Caraway, PI Ted Kendrick, Inspector Wiggy, and Police Chief Toni Hejl- never let me down.
Kathleen Kaska writes three award-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series, the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series, and the Classic Triviography Mystery Series. She wrote The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book. She founded The Dogs in the Nighttime, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Anacortes, Washington, a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars. Her blog post, “Growing Up Catholic in a Small Texas Town,” is on her website.
Her latest Sydney Lockhart mystery, Murder at the Faust, has just been released! It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local bookstore upon request.
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