Believe in your Story and Never Give Up

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By Donnell Ann Bell

I do not consider myself a vain person. Uncertainty follows me on a daily basis. And like most authors insecurity has me on speed dial. But if I write something that corresponds with the vision in my head, then I develop a strong belief in my project. It doesn’t happen with every manuscript. I have a drawerful of attempted projects that haven’t quite measured up.

My debut book, however, the unpublished title Walk Away Joe, earned me a Golden Heart nod and agent representation. Afterward, I set to work on book two. Based on the plot, the title Deadly Recall came to me almost immediately. The story was a romantic suspense spinning off from my elementary Catholic school days and my court reporting legal experience.

The characters in Deadly Recall came to me equally fast. I was so confident in that book, I almost ignored the advice offered by Donald Maass, renowned literary agent and author of Writing the Breakout Novel. I attended a seminar in which Maass warned writers that if they knew who the killer was throughout the book, the reader would too.

What did he know? I remained steadfast in my belief I’d chosen the right antagonist for my story. Yet as my page count increased, reality intruded on my pipedream. I was a brand-new author; Donald Maass was an expert. I remember the precise moment I flipped the script and changed my killer’s identity. It was near the end of the book. To this day, I credit Donald Maass’s advice. Thanks to him Deadly Recall became a more cohesive and suspenseful story.

After I finished the novel, I entered writing contests but didn’t send it to my agent just yet. She hadn’t sold Walk Away Joe, and if Deadly Recall did well, I hoped to convince her I wasn’t a “one-book wonder.” Deadly Recall won several contests, one of which included agents and editors as the final round judges. I confess my head was the size of a pinata when one contest coordinator wrote, “This is so good. Can’t wait to see it in print.”

I was still flying high until weeks later I opened my entry to learn I’d received an honorable mention. Obviously, my writing peer judges liked the story, New York professionals, not so much. Needless to say, I was disheartened. Still, I believed in that book. So, when a well-known editor from a respected house announced she was accepting on-line pitches, I participated. Her response to my pitch? “Nice idea. But Catholic stories don’t sell. Put it under your bed and never get it out again.”

I don’t have to tell you that left a mark! At the same time, I was smarting from that rejection, my agent wrote me about Deadly Recall. She said she’d shared the book with her team, and they all agreed with her that it “wasn’t my best work.” At that, I sent her a 30-day termination notice and cancelled our agency agreement.

Along with the Deadly Recall rejections I was receiving, I was still hopeful for Walk Away Joe. At a writer’s conference, I pitched the book to an acquiring editor of a major house, and she asked me to send it. I sent it, knowing I was engaging in a proverbial longshot as New York publishers rarely, if ever, accepted unagented submissions.

About this time, RWA’s 2010 Golden Heart calls went out, and I was both happy and stunned to learn that Deadly Recall was a finalist in the organization’s largest and most respected contest. This was my second Golden Heart final, so some (not all) of my confidence was restored as I felt it gave me some street creds.

A short time later, I queried BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books about Walk Away Joe and Vice President Deborah Smith wrote me back saying, “Send it. Send Deadly Recall while you’re at it.” I’ll never forget when BelleBooks sent me an offer letter for both books. I had huge respect for Debra Dixon and Deborah Smith, both legends in publishing, and decided to accept. As a courtesy I wrote the New York editor with whom I’d submitted Walk Away Joe. All my rejection bruises seemed to fade when she wrote back, “Congratulations. This is our loss. I love Melanie and Joe.” FYI, Melanie and Joe are characters from the WAJ manuscript that BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books subsequently renamed The Past Came Hunting.

In the early days of my publishing career, Amazon, had a marketing tool called Deal of the Day on Kindle. Both The Past Came Hunting and Deadly Recall hit the top ten of the overall paid deals. I was on my way to Santa Fe when Deborah Smith messaged me to tell me Deadly Recall had hit #1 in the overall paid category! For a brief time, my book was listed alongside John Grisham and Clive Custler. Typically, I couldn’t get a signal to capture a screen shot but did manage one a couple days later in which the book still held the #1 spot in three genre categories.

I tell you this long drawn-out story to remind you that while others may not believe in your work, if you’re passionate about it, never give up. Deadly Recall remains my bestselling book. Imagine if I had done what that editor suggested and put it under my bed. Deadly Recall is one of the books in The Stiletto Gang’s Summer Bonanza. The log line is: A terrifying memory is locked deep inside her. A Killer wants to keep it that way. https://donnellannbell.net/books/romantic-suspense-thrillers/deadly-recall/   Now that you know its history, I hope you’ll give it a try. And remember this business is subjective. Whatever you’re passionate about, it’s important to believe!  Happy Reading!

 

Steps In A Journey

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The creative side of writing is a joy, but, as we all know, the business of getting your novel into the world can be daunting. As I’ve learned, it takes a village and a support network along with a healthy dose of determination to birth a book.

I started my publication journey by joining Sisters in Crime. It was during one of their book clubs that I had the good fortune to meet Stiletto Gang member Donnell Ann Bell. She took an interest in my legal thriller featuring a former Miami prosecutor, which I hadn’t shared with anyone other than my husband, critique partners, and a few close friends. I nervously let Donnell, an award winning published author, read my first chapters. As a result, she demanded (and if you know Donnell, that is not an exaggeration) I enter writing competitions.

That was three years ago. Despite winning or finaling every writing competition I entered, my novel couldn’t find a publishing home. I kept writing my legal thriller series and faithfully scoured Manuscript Wish List and Query Tracker for agents representing my genre. No one was looking for a legal thriller. I began to doubt myself. Was there no market for anyone outside of the big three — Grisham, Connelly, and Turow?

Time for my own market research. An Amazon search on “legal thriller” turned up many authors with hundreds and even thousands of four-star and higher reviews. This confirmed that there was a huge number of readers and buyers out there, hungry for legal thrillers. An even bigger surprise was that outside of the big three, almost all were self-published, with only a couple of exceptions.

One of the exceptions caught my attention: Severn River Publishing. Curious, I researched the company. What I saw resonated with me. Relatively new, the company “was founded by military veterans and family members who shared a love of story.” When I saw they focused on thriller and mystery genres including — I held my breath—legal thrillers, I submitted my first novel to them.

Fast forward three months. I signed with Severn River for a four book series and couldn’t be happier working with a publisher that exceeds expectations. I’m excited to share their announcement in Publisher’s Marketplace with you.

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

– Harriet Beecher Stowe, author

Are Men More Romantic Than Women?

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Valentine’s Day can bring on a variety of emotions, from high-stakes excitement to blasé indifference, or even outright dread. But, ready or not, it’s barreling into our lives this week. Who loves romance more, men or women?

Romantic Love

Before we get into how we feel about it, a little history may shed some light on this red-letter date.

(Spoiler alert: The earliest celebrations were fraught with unpleasantness, to put it mildly.)

According to History.com the red-letter day began as an ancient pagan fertility ritual in which a goat was usually sacrificed. The poor animal’s hide was sliced into strips that were soaked in blood, which then got slapped (lovingly?) against young village women and nearby crop fields to insure successful procreation. Allegedly, that festival was so popular, it was observed for over a thousand years until, in the 3rd century, a February date was adopted to commemorate an entirely new horror: the martyrdom of Valentinus, an early church priest who advocated for marriage, a rite the emperor at the time apparently frowned upon.

Whew!

We can thank the Victorians for turning the date into an occasion for the  more humane ritual of exchanging cards and tokens of affection with people we liked.

Things remained in that pleasant mode for well over a century, until modern life took a more ironic turn. Nowadays, not all women pine for a Prince Charming. The old obligatory box of chocolates and bouquet of roses can fall short of making a woman swoon. Instead of hearts and flowers, it’s common to find restaurants that tout “Galentine” or “Palentine” specials to include a wider audience.

In my favorite new twist, even a well-respected institutions like the Museum of Natural Science is offering a chance to dedicate a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in honor of your favorite person.

Could this be another sign that Romantic Love is dying?

Not so fast, because hope sometimes comes from where you might least expect it.

According to an article in the New York Post, men outnumber women as fans of romance novels, at least in the world of publishing. A recent survey of 2,000 American romance readers revealed that more men in the survey consider themselves die-hard romance enthusiasts compared to women. And men spent more of their leisure time reading romance: 364 hours per year for men; 312 hours for women.

The survey also uncovered the mental images romance junkies think of while they’re reading. Seventeen percent of married readers picture their spouse as the love interest in a book, 21% conjure up a celebrity crush, and 7% confessed that they envision their ex. Awww…

For the writers among us, take note: regardless of gender, those same readers also mentioned their least-favorite romance tropes: love triangles, office romance, and fake dating (whatever that is).

Best loved? Forbidden romance, friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers. What seemed most important to those readers: good character development, realistic dialog, and ample romantic moments. Not a bad checklist.

And speaking of romance, my award-winning Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery Series has just been named a Semifinalist at Chanticleer for their Best Series Award! That’s a Valentine I heartily welcome.

How about you, friends and readers, how do you feel about Romantic Love on this Valentine’s Day?

Gay Yellen’s award-winning writing career began in magazine journalism.

She later served as the contributing editor for the international thriller, Five Minutes to Midnight (Delacorte), which debuted as a New York Times “Notable.”

The Samantha Newman Mystery Series : includes The Body Business, The Body Next Door, and The Body in the News. The books are  packed with suspense,  romance, and humor. Available on Amazon or order through your favorite bookseller.  More at GayYellen.com

 

 

My Accidental Career

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Have you ever bluffed your way into a job?

In my ongoing task of digging through the overwhelming amount of my family’s old photos and papers to form some semblance of an organized archive, I’ve recently encountered episodes of my life that I haven’t thought about in years. Including the one that turned me into a professional writer.

It started with accepting an emergency assignment for a job I knew nothing about.

One Friday morning in L.A., a friend called me at work to ask if I could fill in for a journalist who was scheduled to cover the opening of a new tennis camp in Lake Tahoe over the weekend. Apparently, the designated reporter fell ill at the last minute, and the magazine was desperate to find a replacement.

Would I take the gig?

I knew zero about the game of tennis, but the magazine didn’t know that. They hadn’t asked. That’s how desperate they were.

The job meant a few extra bucks for me, and I had no weekend plans. So, that evening, I borrowed a racket from a friend, packed a bag and boarded the next puddle jumper from L.A. to Tahoe to cover the event.

This was in pre-Internet days, so there was no way for me to access information about the game of tennis or the new camp, a reality that hadn’t sunk in until I was on the plane. I told myself that a reporter’s job was just to ask questions, which helped calm my nerves. After all, I’d written lots of reports in high school and college. What could be so hard about writing this one?

By the time I arrived, it was almost midnight. I’d already missed the welcome dinner and any chance to find out anything in advance of  tomorrow’s Opening Day’s activities.

The first thing I learned when I arrived at the courts the next morning was that the camp’s purpose was to teach tennis professionals how to teach tennis. All the attendees were accomplished players. All fifteen or so of them were there to get certified as tennis pros at various country clubs around the nation. Since they were already seasoned athletes, the training was sure to be exceedingly rigorous. And I was expected to participate.

After a long and excruciating first day on the court, I was ready for bed as soon as the sun set. When I woke the next morning, my legs were completely in spasm. I rolled off the bed onto the floor and belly-crawled to the bathroom, then hoisted myself into the bathtub. After a few minutes of soaking in warm water, the cramps relaxed just enough for me to hobble to the courts in time for a second round of torture. All the pros were already warming up, practicing their sleek forehands, twisty backhands, powerful overhead smashes, cunning lobs, and the rest of the words in my new sports vocabulary.

I returned to L.A., turned in my report, and collected the check. The next month, Tennis Illustrated  published the article. A few weeks later, they called to ask if I’d be interested in being their editor. The offer was almost twice what my job as Assistant to the Director of Production at The American Film Institute paid, so I accepted.

And then I really panicked. I wasn’t really sure what an editor did. And all I knew about the tennis world was from those two days at the resort. How could I possibly run the magazine?

Luckily, the friend who had loaned me his racket came to the rescue again. Not only did he know tennis, but he’d also been the editor of his college newspaper. He gave me his extra racket along with a manual of editorial squiggles (which I came to learn were called “proofreaders’ marks”) so I’d know how to mark copy.

That is how, while I was still in my twenties, my life as a professional writer began. After a couple of years of covering big tournaments and interviewing tennis greats, I moved on to the masthead of a lifestyle magazine, where I earned a national journalism award. And then I turned to writing novels, which also happened to me out of the blue. But that’s a story for another time.

Today, with my multi-award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series—and beloved writing colleagues all over the country—I’m thrilled to be part of the publishing community. And I’m working on another book. But that is another story for another time.

To all the aspiring writers out there, keep writing. You never know when good luck might lead you to your best life.

Gay Yellen’s award-winning writing career began in magazine journalism.  She later served as the contributing writer for the international thriller, Five Minutes to Midnight (Delacorte), which debuted as a New York Times “Notable.”

Her multi-award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series is packed with suspense and laced with touches of romance, heart, and humor. Available on Amazon or through your favorite bookseller. 

The Publishing Game

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What Are We Publishing?

Publishing is always a bit of a game, but sometimes I feel more like I’m racking up publishing “points.” This year, I’ve found myself with some unexpectedly free writing time. I wrapped up writing the series I was working on (the Valkyrie Brothers) and I didn’t have a next grand project to launch into. Which meant I found myself surfing around the author communities and checking out open submission calls. Short stories are always a unique challenge, but for some reason there have been some what I would call “long-short story” openings.  Usually short stories are under 5,000 words, but these were running 8 or 9 thousand words and then there were some novella openings at 15,000 – 20,000 words.  Which was when I decided to give myself carpal tunnel syndrome and to rack up as many publishing points as possible.

Short Stories

Short stories usually publish in magazines and anthologies and are often snapshots of a moment. Compressing an entire plot into a short story is almost impossible.  Respect to the writer’s who can accomplish it, but my view of short stories are that they are their own format and have their own rhythm and conventions.

Mid-Length

But mid-length stories?  Hmmm… This was a new challenge for me.  At 8-9k words that seemed like enough room to get an entire plot in.  So I went back to my plotting systems, worked on some outlines, and then did math. I know that doesn’t sound natural for a writer, but once I knew how many scenes/chapters I had, I could divide by the total allowed word count and figure out my allowed words per scene.  And then I could see how badly I was blowing past that word count.

Novellas

I used the same formula for the 15-20k word novellas as I did for the mid-length stories and was happy with the increased word count. The finished products seemed a bit “naked” in that I felt like if I wanted them to be full length novels they should have more description. However, even with the length requirements and fast pacing I still felt like I had a complete story and I was happy with the results.

For this experiment the openings were in spicier romance novels, which is not my usual readership.  Since I didn’t want to ambush any of my readers with extra spicy content, I decided to submit the stories with a pen name and I asked the Stiletto Gang and readers for help picking what to use. The results are now in and Vivienne Cross was the clear winner.

Results of the voting for a romance pen name to use in publishing spicier romance novels

So What’s Next?

Here’s a quick run down of stories that are in the works (or have been published already).

  • Front Desk Staff – Short Story – This crime short found a home in Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers and was released June 18 – BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/3FGfkzF
  • Carol of the Bells – Mid-Length – This Hallmark-style small town romance will be in the 12 Knights of Christmas anthology and will be out in October.
  • Love, Lefse, & Murder – Mid-Length – This Cozy Culinary Mystery is on submission and was sent off with a lingonberry jam recipe.  Fingers crossed, but if it doesn’t go to the anthology I’ll still be sure to share the recipe with all of you!
  • Bound by Desire – Novella – This incubus romance is on submission to the publisher and I’m hopeful that this sex positive tale will find a home, but it will definitely be a Vivienne Cross story.
  • Forged in Flame – Novella – Also with a publisher, this dragon shifter romance has got all the tropes and takes place in Hawaii.  It’s possible I just wanted to go to the beach when I wrote it, but it’s another Vivienne Cross novella.
  • Savage Hope – Novella – I was going to submit this story about a girl on the run from her necromancer stepdad, but I ended up loving it too much.  So I’m keeping it and will be adding it to my Supernatural series.  It’s got horror story vibes, motorcycles, and an army of undead roadkill.  One of the most fun things I’ve written recently.
  • Deja Brew – Novella – A paranormal (but clean) romance, this one features a coffee shop owner who sees the future, but only a few minutes ahead.  I’m still writing this one, and the girl just found out that the guy used to work for the corporate coffee chain that wants to buy out her store (gasp!)! Wish them (and me) luck.
  • And of course (and most important) … Emergency Exit – Novel – Release date: 9/22/25 – Book 3 of the Valkyrie Brothers series. Tech investor Asher Valkyrie hired Harper Smoak to be his fake girlfriend for stress-free social events, but the faux-relationship quickly sends real sparks flying. What began as a simple arrangement soon turns into a high-stakes game of love and survival when Ash’s lies begin to unravel. – PREORDER NOW: https://amzn.to/43ZKsT6

If all goes well, then between 2025 – 2026 then I should have 5-6 additional publishing credits beyond my usual novels.  And yes, that seems like a lot to me too.  But if I’m going to get all the publishing points and play the game, then I’m going to play to win.  I’ll keep everyone posted on how things go!

***

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mugBethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She participates in many activities including swearing, karate, art, and yelling at the news. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter, or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Find out more about the Stiletto Gang and our books: Books

 

 

Larceny & Last Chances: Behind the Scenes

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Larceny News!

Larceny & Last Chances - On Sale for .99!I received some very good news recently when I learned that Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, published by my imprint, Superior Shores Press,  had been shortlisted for the 2025 Derringer Award for Best Anthology. For those of you unfamiliar with the Derringer, it’s a bit like the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s “Oscar” but until this year, there was never a category for anthologies. On making the inaugural shortlist, I sort of felt a bit like Ruth Gordon, when she said, “I can’t tell you how encouragin’ a thing like this is.” after winning the Best Actress Award for Rosemary’s Baby.

Ruth Gordon accepting her Oscar in 1969

I’ll admit winning the Award will be a very long shot, but as they say at the Oscars, “it’s an honor just to be nominated.”

Behind the Scenes

For my post today I thought I’d share a behind-the-scenes look at my process when it comes to putting together an anthology:

November 15, 2023: Call for submissions. I set a deadline of February 15 or 80 submissions, whichever came first. There’s good reason for the cap. Authors invariably will tinkle with putting one comma in and taking one comma out until the last minute. Having a cap ensures that they are mindful that they may have a story with nowhere to submit it if the cap is met before the deadline.

February 10, 2024: Submissions close (80 reached).

February 15 to March 13, 2024: Read/reread all stories (I tend to read as they come in and slot as “maybe” or “no.” If it’s a no, I let the author know so they can submit the story elsewhere. I also have a second (and sometimes third) reader for stories which make my long list (maybes).

March 17, 2024: Final selections, authors notified, contracts sent out.

March 20, 2024: Author list announced. Potential reviewers contacted.

March 20 to April 15, 2024: Editing using track changes in Word. This is a collaborative process between author and editor (me) to make the story the best it can be.

April 20, 2024: ARCs (Advance Review Copies in PDF or EPUB format) sent to confirmed reviewers.

May 2024: Finalize cover art (with a nod to my graphic artist, Hunter Martin).

June 2024: A flurry of promotion: blogs, radio spots, podcasts. Authors are paid.

June 18, 2024: Release day (e-book and paperback)

And here’s a bit about the book:

Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.

PS: It’s on sale from $5.99 USD / $6.99 CAD to .99 on Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and B&N in U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Find it at www.books2read.com/larceny

Trust

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Our stories are our children. We nurture them, worry about them, and entrust them to others on their journey into the world. As writers, we trust our beta readers, critique partners, agents, and most of all, our publishers to care for and not share our work inappropriately.

Imagine, after years of working with an agent and a publisher, you’re told your story won’t sell. Then, to your horror, you walk into a bookstore, pick up a bestselling novel, and discover it’s almost exactly like your story that wouldn’t sell.

Author Lynne Freeman claims this happened to her. She alleges her former agent worked with a publisher to find another author to write the YA paranormal fantasy romance Crave that infringes her unpublished YA paranormal fantasy romance Blue Moon Rising. In 2022, Freeman brought a copyright infringement lawsuit (1:22-cv-024350), naming her agent and publisher among others as defendants. Her complaint consists of 87 pages detailing the similarities she alleges between CRAVE and her manuscripts and notes.

In an order on the defendants’ motion for summary judgment, the judge summarized the factual background as follows. (Internal citations are omitted for ease of reading.)

Freeman and Kim started working together in December 2010, when they executed a contract for Kim and Prospect to serve as Freeman’s literary agent. Freeman’s book, Blue Moon Rising (“BMR”), is about Anna, a 16-year-old girl living in Anchorage, Alaska. Anna falls in love with a boy, Ash. She learns that Ash is a werewolf-like creature, that she is half-witch, half-werewolf, and that forces of good and evil have waged supernatural war since the beginning of time. Upon turning 17, Anna will hold the key to maintaining the balance of good and evil.

For more than three years, Freeman and Kim worked together to publish BMR. During that period, Freeman sent Kim at least 10-15 different versions of BMR, as well as many sets of notes. Kim provided Freeman with edits and sent BMR to various publishers. During rounds of revisions, Freeman changed her novel’s title to Masqued. Kim sent that iteration to Stacy Abrams, Entangled’s Executive Editorial Director, in 2013. Ultimately, Kim and Freeman were unable to secure a publishing deal. In March 2014, Kim and Freeman terminated their contract and amicably parted. ways. BMR remains unpublished.

Kim has represented Wolff since 2007. In 2019, Elizabeth Pelletier, Entangled’s Chief Executive Officer, decided that Entangled should publish a young adult novel with a “fish out of water trope” or an “ordinary girl in a super rarified world” plot. Pelletier instructed Abrams and other Entangled editors “to find an author to write a book in the paranormal genre for Entangled’s teen line.” Abrams reached out to Wolff directly to see if she could quickly write that book for Entangled. Wolff expressed interest and sent five plot ideas to Abrams, including a plot about a warlock or vampire boarding school. In May 2019, Entangled and Wolff officially decided to work together on that project, which would become Crave.

The protagonist in Crave is Grace, a 17-year-old girl who moves from San Diego to remote Alaska following the death of her parents. Grace attends a magical Hogwarts-like boarding school and falls in love with Jaxon, a vampire. Grace learns that she is half-witch, half gargoyle and participates in supernatural battles. She ends up in a love triangle with Jaxon and his believed-dead brother, Hudson. After hitting major commercial success, Crave became a four-book series, with Crush, Covet, and Court following the first book. All four books have been published by Entangled and distributed by Macmillan. Universal Studios is planning a movie based on Crave.

The parties hold different views about who wrote Crave. According to the Defendants, Wolff wrote the series, Pelletier provided substantive edits, Abrams provided copy edits, and Kim provided moral support. Additionally, Kim suggested some chapter titles and contributed to the Crave series “bible,” an internal guide detailing Crave’s many subplots and characters. Freeman suggests a different truth. Freeman asserts that Pelletier, Abrams, and Kim all helped write the Crave series.

While some of Freeman’s state law claims were dismissed, the case is currently headed to a jury trial. You can read more in Did a Best-Selling Romantasy Novelist Steal Another Author’s Story? by Katie Waldman in the January 6, 2025 edition of The New Yorker. This is definitely a case to watch.

Unfortunately, this sort of dispute isn’t new to the publishing world. Over the years, there have been other notable cases. Think back to when Nora Roberts sued Janet Dailey. And don’t forget Tess Gerritsen’s Gravity Lawsuit.

Trust, like an ancient Ming dynasty vase, is priceless. And like a Ming vase, once broken, can never be fully restored. Has this every happened to someone you know?

Writing Life and Inspiration: Strangers + “What if?” = Plots and Characters in Fiction

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By Lois Winston

Whenever I hear a writer complain that she can’t come up with an idea for a plot or character, I offer this advice: “Get off your phone and keep your eyes and ears open.” No matter where I go—from the supermarket to a doctor’s appointment to the line at the DMV—I see people with their noses buried in their phones. I’m the outlier. As an author, part of my writing life is spent eavesdropping on conversations and observing the behaviors of those around me. That’s where I get much of my writing inspiration. For me, strangers + “what if?” = plots and characters in many of my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.

Ideas for plots and characters are all around us if we just take the time to look and listen. Neighbors, friends, relatives, strangers, and the daily news provide constant sources of ideas for plots and characters. All you need to do is channel your inner snoop gene while pretending not to pay attention.

I’ve been privy to the most sensitive of conversations while sitting on a commuter train, in a department store dressing room, and even while doing the necessary in a mall ladies’ room stall. Sometimes, I’ve even heard both ends of the conversation, thanks to the person on the train or in the dressing room or lavatory having placed the call on speaker. Those lavatory experiences became the source of a scene in Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series.

The world is full of interesting and odd individuals, and I came across some of the oddest back in 1998 when my husband and I moved to a new house. These people and their strange habits have stuck with me over the years. With the encouragement of some of my readers to whom I told about these former neighbors, I incorporated them into my latest Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. To my knowledge, none of the real people were ever murdered or committed murder, but the traits I observed did make their way into Seams Like the Perfect Crime, the fourteenth book in my series, currently up for preorder with a release date of February 2, 2025.

Seams Like the Perfect Crime

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 14

When staffing shortages continue to hamper the Union County homicide squad, Detective Sam Spader once again turns to his secret weapon, reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack. How can she and husband Zack Barnes refuse when the victim is their new neighbor?

Revolutionary War reenactor Barry Sumner had the odd habit of spending hours mowing a small patch of packed dirt and weeds until his mower ran out of gas. He’d then guzzle beer on his front porch until he passed out. That’s where Anastasia’s son Nick discovers his body three days after the victim and his family moved into the newly built mini-McMansion across the street.

After a melee breaks out at the viewing, Spader zeroes in on the widow as his prime suspect. However, Anastasia has her doubts. There are other possible suspects, including a woman who’d had an affair with the victim, his ex-wife, the man overseeing the widow’s trust fund, a drug dealer, and the reenactors who were blackmailing the widow and victim.

When another reenactor is murdered, Spader suspects they’re dealing with a serial killer, but Anastasia wonders if the killer is attempting to misdirect the investigation. As she narrows down the suspects, will she jeopardize her own life to learn the truth?

Craft projects included.

Preorder now. Available 2/4/25

P.S.: On Monday evening, January 27th at 7pm ET (6pm CT, 5pm MT, and 4pm PT), I’ll be the guest of the Cozy Mystery Party Facebook Group, hosted by Heather Harrisson and Shawn Stevens. If you’d like to join in for a fun hour + of all things murder, mayhem, and cozy mysteries (there will be prizes and surprises!), join the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/cozymysteryparty. 

Hope to see you there! 

~*~

USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, and children’s chapter books. 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 where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.

donalee Moulton

In summary

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by donalee Moulton
 

When I completed my first mystery novel, Hung Out to Die, I quickly discovered that the novel would not stand alone. A synopsis was required.

As a freelance journalist and communications specialist, I’ve put together a lifetime of pitches and proposals. Still, I spent some time reading up on what makes a successful synopsis. Then I wrote my own.

My synopsis does not follow the traditional pattern, but most of the required elements are there. I wondered if this would pass muster. Overall, the people I shared the synopsis with liked it. One person didn’t like it at all and said it would never pass muster with publishers. I took a long hard look and, respectfully, disagreed.

This was nerve-wracking. I knew it would be easier to simply follow the path well taken, but I felt I needed to branch out. I entered a shorter version of my synopsis in the Synopsis Skirmish contest – and won. The judge (one of my favorite people) had this to say: The author’s handling of voice in this synopsis is so powerful, it made me want to read the novel right away. The synopsis is unusual and intriguing—a winning combination.

When the acquisitions editor at BWL (another of my favorite people) reached out to me requesting a full copy of my manuscript, she noted, “We were quite taken with your synopsis.”

The synopsis issue has driven home to me the need to listen to yourself, that inner voice that knows you better than anyone. At the same time, it has taught me more about flexibility and being open to feedback. There is nothing as helpful as constructive criticism (whether accepted or not) and editors are worth their weight in gold.

I thought I’d share my synopsis – my very first – with you. I’d love to know what you think.

Synopsis

Hung Out to Die: A Riel Brava Mystery
By donalee Moulton

Hung Out To Die Book CoverLet’s start with the obvious.

Meet Riel Brava. Attractive. Razor-sharp. Ambitious.

Riel, born and bred in Santa Barbara, California, has been transplanted to Nova Scotia where he is CEO of the Canadian Cannabis Corporation (CCC). It’s business as usual until Riel finds the company’s comptroller hanging by a thread. Actually, several threads. It doesn’t take the police long to determine all is not as it appears.

Let’s dive beneath the surface.

Meet Riel Brava. Observant. Cautious. Psychopathic.

Not the Dexter-Hannibal Lecter-Norman Bates kind of psychopath. The kind who live and work among us, mostly unnoticed, often successful, always on full alert their differences will be uncovered. Riel is personable, even charming. He’s keen to understand how the human mind works, so he’ll blend in. After all, his goal is to be president of the United States. (An aspiration that will feature in future books.)

Let’s talk plot.

So Norm Bedwell has apparently hanged himself in his office at CCC. Emphasis on apparently. It takes Detective Lin Raynes mere minutes to suspect the obvious is deceiving and what appears to be death by suicide is actually a murder. Over the course of 13 chapters (there is also an introductory chapter), he works to uncover and discover who would want Bedwell dead and how they could have pulled the murder off.

He’s not alone. In an unusual pairing, Raynes and Riel work together to chase down leads – the bully who tortured Bedwell’s son at school, the mysterious orange truck that belongs to no CCC employee but was parked in the company lot the night Bedwell was murdered, the employee, who despite stringent security measures, has managed to steal weed from CCC and start a healthy little illegal business.

Raynes manages to engage Riel, albeit reluctantly, in the hunt for Bedwell’s killer, and in the process, the seeds of an unexpected and unusual friendship are sown. (These seeds will blossom in subsequent books.)

Various motives are explored through a number of suspects – revenge, fear, greed – but ultimately, it’s love that becomes the reason Norm Bedwell no longer lives. Unfortunately, the evidence is circumstantial. Raynes and Riel concoct a scheme to draw a confession out of the killer, but that plan is never put into place. Instead, Riel finds himself on the receiving end of a rifle in the ribs and a long drive to the middle of Nowhere, Nova Scotia.

Let’s look at the core cast of returning characters. You’ll like them all.

Tiffany Brava. Riel’s wife and loyal supporter. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, Tiffany knows Riel is not quite like everyone else – and why. For now, that door is closed. What’s openly obvious is her affection for her husband, her loyalty, and her acumen. Don’t count Tiffany out as the dumb blonde. Oh yes, she’s vegan.

Franklin Raynes. The Halifax Police Department’s lead detective on this case is Black, quintessentially Nova Scotian, and a consummate charmer. He can read the room and respond accordingly. He takes a shine to Riel, and also realizes how helpful the psychopath can be in solving this case. (Yes, Lin Raynes is privy to Riel’s deepest secret, but he doesn’t admit it to his new friend – just yet.) Oh yeah, Raynes also does this thing with his left eyebrow.

Senator John Williams. Tiffany’s dad | Riel’s father-in-law is the Democratic Senator for District 19. A seasoned and senior politician, Williams is a co-owner of CCC, although it’s not an asset he talks about with constituents. He’s brusque, except where his daughter is concerned, and well connected, even in Canada.

Zahra Bashir. A practising Muslim and savvy TV reporter who’s always on the lookout for the inside scoop. Bashir makes many of the other characters very nervous despite her friendly demeanor.

David Clements. The recreational cannabis sector in Canada is heavily regulated. Clements is the federal DOJ’s contact for Riel. Their relationship is one of power and powerful expectations. Clements holds that power. A minor character, Clements plays an important role. He’s the first person to use a special word.

There are other characters introduced in this book who will also return but play a smaller role in this mystery.

Let’s look at the cast of characters in the book. You won’t like them all.

–  Faye Bedwell, distraught and disrespected wife of Norm Bedwell.
–  Bran Bedwell, the Bedwell’s 12-year-old son who takes a liking to Riel. Good grief.
–  Thorne, media consultant and very protective of Riel.
–  The bully and his parents.
–  The poor sod who owns the orange truck.
–  The killer.

What’s familiar about Hung Out to Die to make mystery fans feel at home.

–  It’s fast-paced.
–  It lays out a path of breadcrumbs that lead, ultimately, to the killer. First, of course, the path branches off in several misdirections.
–  It creates suspense.
–  It builds understanding and affection for key characters.
–  It leaves readers wanting more.

What’s novel about the book to make the mystery stand apart and readers turning pages.

–  It introduces a unique character that, ironically, we empathize with
–  It’s funny as hell
–   It’s written by an award-winning journalist who knows both how to tell a story and how to use words to maximum effect

Riel Brava: Vital Statistics.

Height: 6’1
Weight: 165 pounds
Waist: 35 inches
Age: 37
Spouse: Tiffany, the vegan
Job: CEO, Canadian Cannabis Corp.
Location: Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Ambition: President of the United States of America
Favorite food: Donairs (definitely not vegan)
Top personality trait:  Psychopath
Burning question: What the hell’s a chunderf**k

 

Synopsis Workshop

If you’d like to learn how to craft a successful synopsis, sign up for donalee’s online workshop on February 11 & 18, 2025.

This workshop will explore:
* what should go in a synopsis and why
* why and how to break the rules with care (and flair)

https://donaleemoulton.com/crafting-a-synopsis 

About donalee

donalee is a professional writer from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her byline has appeared in over 100 publications across North America. Her most recent book Conflagration!  won the 2024 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Historical Mystery Suspense. Her other books include a murder mystery based in Nova Scotia and a non-fiction book about effective communications, and she has more coming out this year. She is a longtime educator and currently offers a variety of editorial services and workshops to help authors hone their writing and get it published. 

You can catch up with her on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Clicking Our Heels Featured Image

Clicking Our Heels: What is the Dream Book You Always Wanted to Write?

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Clicking Our Heels – What is the Dream Book You Always Wanted to Write?

Authors dream of the day their work will be published and hopefully, read. There is nothing as exciting as holding that first published piece, but sometimes it isn’t the writer’s dream book. In fact, the second and later published works may also not be the one the author hopes to someday write. Today, the gang talks about the dream book each always wanted to write. Maybe one response will become a New Year’s resolution.

Saralyn Richard – The story of my grandparents and the 1900 Storm.

T.K. Thorne – I’ve never obeyed the “rule” of choosing one genre and have always written whatever I’ve wanted, which has resulted in an eclectic set of books from the ancient past to the 20th Century civil rights struggles to a magical current day, to the distant future. Perhaps I could have sold more books had I obeyed the rule, but I don’t regret it. I’ve learned so much from each of them.

Barbara J. Eikmeier – I have three memoir topics I want to write. My army wife stories, my nurse stories and what I call the pie project which is about the year I baked 60 pies while teaching myself to make pies.

Lois Winston – The next NY Times bestseller.

Gay Yellen – I’ve been doing research for a historical fiction on a subject that grabbed me almost a decade ago and won’t let go. It centers on a critical point in history that has been underrepresented in literature but has affected greatly world cultures around the world.

Donnell Ann Bell – The one that is in mothballs right now. It’s so hard when it’s in my head and begging me to tell the story!

Debra H. Goldstein – A woman’s fiction book.

Debra Sennefelder – An epic fantasy.

Mary Lee Ashford – I’ve always wanted to write a big bold women’s fiction book. You know the type. Women overcoming big obstacles with grit and humor. And friends. I’ve got notes…maybe someday.

Donalee Moulton – Whatever one I am working on at the moment. Sadly (or gloriously) the moment passes, and there is another dream book waiting in the wings.

Dru Ann Love – I have none.

Anita Carter – A suspense heavy book with a complex plot. Maybe someday…

Bethany Maines – A high fantasy novel. I’ve been poking at one for several years. It’s not my genre, but it’s one that I love. Maybe one day I’ll move it to the front burner.

 

 

 

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