People in background with text Better Together

Thankful for Connections

/in , , , , , /by

by Sparkle Abbey
People in background with text Better TogetherAs we come to the end of summer and head into fall there are so many things happening in our lives and in the world. And so much going on in the publishing world. It’s hard to keep up with everything.

A new series is still in development but with happenings in our personal lives – family things, medical things, and life – things shift.

And wow, where do we even begin with changes in publishing? For us, a major change is that our original publisher is closing its doors at the end of the year. Which on the personal side makes us very sad and on the professional side means that we will soon own the rights to those first ten Sparkle Abbey books. Needless to say, we have a lot of decisions to make about what’s next for the Pampered Pets. It’s a different place than when we started and so many options to explore. And options that are preferable today may not be so attractive at the end of the year. Which is only three months away. Yikes!

In addition to the actual writing and the publishing part of things, it’s also a different world in terms of connecting with readers. Conferences are fewer but book signings seem to have picked up again. On the socials side, Facebook remains popular with our readers, Instagram has grown, Twitter is out, BlueSky is in. And BookTok, it depends on the day. Video is big, live is even bigger. And podcasts remain popular. Right now.

And then there’s AI and it’s impact on, well, everything.

There’s a lot of be sorted out. And while the ease of researching and gathering intel on the publishing world has become fast and easy, the reliability of the information you gather is harder to determine. Which is why we are so thankful for writing friends and the connections that being a part of the writing community brings.

We have each other here on The Stiletto Gang blog to rely on for advice and intel sharing. There are also a slew of connections via Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and people we’ve met there. As well as our local chapter and our long-time writing group. A wealth of information, education, and support that is truly priceless.

We’re not sure what the future holds but we know one thing for certain. There will always be change.

As we adapt to the latest trends, try new things, and keep telling our stories, we are tremendously thankful for the connections that make this rocky road easier and so much more fun!

 

sparkle and abbey

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.)

If you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

/in , /by

Dogs as Characters

by Saralyn Richard

 

Those of us who love dogs as much or more than we love people, understand that dogs possess all the qualities of fictional characters. They are intelligent, communicative, emotive, comforting, resourceful, energetic, hard-working, friendly, and sometimes heroic. Less often, some dogs are irritable, withdrawn, mean-spirited, selfish, and sometimes villainous.

Most of the time in fiction, dogs have positive traits, and, as characters, they help to move the story along by their actions and relationships with the other characters. We can all think of dog books that have stimulated our thoughts and tugged our heartstrings over the years. Old Yeller, Sounder, Clifford, Marley & Me, and Rin Tin Tin are examples. Other stories, like A Dog’s Purpose, promote dogs to main characters whose arcs are the focus of the plots.

Two of my favorite mystery authors with recurring canine characters are Margaret Mizushima and Laurie Bucanan.

Margaret’s Timber Creek K-9 mysteries feature a police dog named Robo, who sometimes steals the show from heroine, Mattie Cobb. The first of this series is Killing Trail, which is available at https://bookshop.org/a/65584/9781639103867 at a discounted price.*

Laurie’s Sean McPherson series is set at a writers’ retreat in the Pacific Northwest, where the owners’ dog, Hemingway, helps solve murders. The first in the series, Indelible, is also discounted at https://bookshop.org/a/65584/9781684630714 *

Both authors are avid dog owners and dog lovers, just like me. I love reading their descriptions of Robo and Hemingway. I feel like I know the dogs, even though they are fictional.

I also enjoy memorializing my dogs by including them in my fiction. While my series character, Detective Parrott, doesn’t have a dog (his cockatiel Horace serves as primary pet), all of my other protagonists do. Quinn McFarland from Bad Blood Sisters has a West Highland white terrier, Calvin. Sally Pearce in A Murder of Principal has a bichon named Archie. One of the secondary characters in Murder Outside the Box has a golden retriever named Lucy. Coincidentally or not, I have or have had the same three dogs.

Then there’s Nana, the Old English sheepdog pup, who narrates Naughty Nana, a children’s picture book. Nana’s story borders on nonfiction, with its tale of mischief and pandemonium from the puppy who just wants to have fun. (Naughty Nana is available autographed, pawtographed, and with optional literacy activities at https://palmcirclepress.com on the bookstore page.)

What is your favorite doggie character in a work of fiction?

 

*Your purchase from one of these affiliate links will result in a tiny commission for me, at no cost to you or the author. Another small commission will go to a collective account that benefits bookstores throughout the United States.