My Fan Girl Moment...And What I Learned about Writing from Dashiell Hammett's Granddaughter and Biographer

I had the great pleasure of meeting Julie Rivett (Dashiell Hammett's granddaughter) and Richard Layman (a Hammett biographer) recently at Bouchercon. Their talk of on one of my favorite mystery authors was a dream come true for mystery fans. I loved getting the business/historical perspective of his life juxtaposed to the family memories and stories.

Here are some tidbits of interest from their presentation...

1. Dashiell Hammett was a master of dialogue and his novels were cinematically structured. This made an easy transition for him when started writing for the movies.

2. Rivett and Layman have a new electronic book coming out in 2016 of Hammett's short stories. They appear in order of original publication. One story even has the original author's character and plot notes included.

3. Hammett also wrote many stories that weren't in the detective genre.

4. Hammett's writing style was compact and concise, and that influenced the style and genre for novels that came after his.

5. Hammett's philosophy was to get out of the way of the story. He believed that the characters told the story. Good advice for writers.

6. The family donated Hammett's papers and documents to the University of South Carolina. This is a huge opportunity for literary research. And it preserves the legacy of Dashiell Hammett for years to come.

What I Learned from Publicist, Joan Schulhafer

Joan Schulhafer skyped with our Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia chapter recently and provided great information about publicizing yourself as a writer and your book. Here are nine things I learned from her presentation:

1. Authors need to balance their online and in-person presences. You need a mix of both.

2. You can't do everything, but get out and get involved.

3. Attend conferences and network with everyone.

4. Build your email list. It's valuable for authors.

5. Blogging is important. It's a way to keep your website fresh. Blog posts do not have to be deep, witty, or perfect.

6. Pictures are important. Take lots of pictures. Post pictures with your content.

7. Make sure that your biographies and other information are current on all the social media sites where you have accounts.

8. Authors needs to be on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest. If your readers are younger, you need to be on Snap Chat.

9. Be polite on social media. Don't forget to thank those who help you.

Murder at the Library - October 30

I've had so much fun this summer working with Maggie King, Fiona Quinn, Margaret Howard, Thaddeus Huff, and Ginger Gutting on the planning and plotting for the "Murder at the Library" on October 30. It's a fundraiser for the Clover Hill Friends of the Library. We wrote the murder mystery for the Friends. There will also be a silent auction, a panel discussion about publishing mysteries, and book signings. Join us for some fun on Halloween weekend!

Sisters in Crime authors Fiona Quinn, Mary Miley, Rosemary Shomaker, Vivian Lawry, Mary Burton, Tina Glasneck, Kristin Kisska, LynDee Walker, and I will be there. Come and see us!

The Edits Came Today...

The edits for Virginia is for More Mysteries arrived today. We are getting closer to having book two in print.

We also had a wonderful day yesterday at the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival. The group signed lots of books and presented two workshops to standing room only crowds.

l-r: Heather Weidner, Jayne Ormerod, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, and Vivian Lawry

Finding and Scheduling Book Signings

I am part of the team marketing the anthology, Virginia is for Mysteries. Since January 2014, we have had over 43 signings and events and more are scheduled for this summer and fall. We are fortunate that there are 14 authors involved in the project (and 19 for the next version), so we can have lots of signings in lots of places.

Here are some tips for finding and booking signings...

1. Always ask about the logistics when planning an event. I scheduled one in January and didn't think to ask about where we would be sitting. It was outside under a tent. Brrrrrrrr!

2. Many book stores will only order books that can be returned. If yours do not come through a distributor, you may have to ask if the seller will accept books on consignment. It is also a good practice to call the book store a week or so before the event to confirm all details.

3. Have a book signing bag for the event. Bring everything you'll need: pens, book stands, tape, scissors, and bookmarks.

4. Always have candy at your table. Chocolate is a hit.

5. Don't sign by yourself. It can be lonely. Partner with several other authors. With 14 of us, it's a party wherever we go.

6. Always keep a box or two of books in the car. We have sold out at several events.

7. Don't depend on the venue to market the event. If they do, make sure you tweet, share, and post it. You need to send invitations to your fans, friends, and family.

8. Be creative with locations. We have had signings at art galleries, museums, gift shops, libraries, and restaurants. We have also hosted countless panels and workshops for the opportunity to sell books.

9.  Take lots of pictures and post them after the event.

10. Always send a thank you note or email to the host.

11. Every book signing is good. Don't be disappointed if you didn't sell as many books as you wanted. You get to meet people and share what you love to do. (But you do need to be practical. Try venues once. If they don't work, avoid scheduling any follow up events there.)

11 Things I Learned about Verbal Judo

George J. Thompson and Jerry B. Jenkins' Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion was originally written for police officers who have to deal with difficult and deadly situations, but its lessons work for all careers, especially writers who encounter their share of criticism. Hey, there's a chapter entitled, "Taking Crap with Dignity...and Style."

Here are my key take-aways for writers/bloggers:

1. Empathy is the "single most powerful concept in the English language" (53).

2. "Your presence and your words when skillfully combined are knowledge and power in action" (93).

3. "Your first goal should be to win the person over" (130).

4. When you deal will difficult situations, apply LEAPS - Listen, Empathize, Ask, Paraphrase, and Summarize (153).

5. "If you disagree with the criticism, hold your tongue for the time being" (178). The authors also recommend that you ignore your inner voice in tense situations because it is usually negative.

6. "Anything decided in the moment will likely be counterproductive" (181). "Use adrenaline; never be ruled by it" (197).

7. "Train yourself to do the opposite of what you feel. If you feel like shouting, whisper" (182).

8. "Always maintain your professional face" (195).

9. "Always treat the other person as you would want to be treated" (195). It's the Golden Rule.

10. "Flexibility requires strength; rigidity equals weakness" (197).

11. "Use positive feedback when you least feel like it" (198).

If you deal with people face-to-face or in the digital world, you'll come across criticism or disputes. Thompson and Jenkins' book offers some good advice and techniques for taking the high road.

Happy reading!

"Spring Cleaning"

My short story, "Spring Cleaning" is going to be a part of Virginia is for More Mysteries, and our publication date is February 2016.

In the story, medical records manager, Douglas Weimer, gets more than he bargained for when he’s moved onto a new team and receives a project with a drop-dead delivery date. His assignment in Roanoke, Virginia gives new meaning to work deadlines.

My short story, "Washed up" is in the first Virginia is for Mysteries.

Virginia is for Mysteries Buy on Amazon

8 Things I Learned from Stephen King's ON WRITING

Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is the best book about writing that I've read. Several writer friends who I served on panels with recommended it to the audiences when they were asked what books have helped them. I hadn't read it, so I ordered a copy.

The book is frank, creative, and packed with real writing experiences and examples. It doesn't matter what genre you write.

These are my major take-aways:

1. "Good writing is often about letting go of fear and affectation."

2. "The best form of dialogue attribution is 'said.'" (Don't be creative with the attributions.)

3. "The road to Hell is paved with adverbs."

4. "I'm convinced that fear is the root of most bad writing."

5. "If you want to be a writer,  you must do two things above all others. Read a lot and write a lot."

6. Turn off the TV. Get rid of the distractions.

7. Write everyday.

8. Research is "a specialized kind of back story." It belongs in the background.

If you're going to invest in books to help you improve your craft, this one needs to be in your library. And if I could only have one book about writing, this would be it.