#TBRTuesday - Ellen Byron's PLANTATION SHUDDERS

What I’ve Been Reading…

I told you I read series out of order, but I’m finally caught up on Ellen Byron’s Cajun Country Mysteries, and I’m ready for the new one that comes out later this year. You have to check out Ellen Bryon/Maria DiRico. She is one of the funniest, entertaining cozy mystery writers. Her stories have so many good twists and turns, and they’re full of great characters.

My favorites are of course, Maggie, her amateur sleuth/artist who has returned home after a string of bad luck to help her family run a B&B in a restored plantation in Pelican, LA. I love the southern charm, the quirky characters, and the way Bryon juxtaposes the history of the area with problems and concerns of the modern era. I love Gran and Gopher (the Basset Hound).

Add this (and the rest of her series) to your beach bag and summer reading list.

What’s up Next

I’m reading WARSAW PROTOCOL by Steve Berry. It’s the latest in his Cotton Malone series.

For more book ideas, follow me on Goodreads and BookBub.

What are you reading on #TBRTuesday?

Things New Writers Need to Know

I had coffee this weekend with a twenty-something who wanted to talk about writing. Here are some of the things we talked about and some of the lessons I’ve learned along my writing journey (that I wish I had known at the beginning).

1. You may be very fortunate, and your book is the next international best seller that takes the world by storm. But for every one that tops the charts, there are thousands or millions of other books that don’t. Dream big, but be realistic in your planning.

2. If you are going to go the traditional route of publishing (querying an agent, submitting to publishers,…), you will find that it is a slow process with a lot of waiting. Use your time wisely and write your next book in the down time.

3. Writing is a business. It’s work. If you want to be an author, you need to put in the time to learn/hone your craft and market your book. But don’t get too bogged down in reading “learn to write” books that you never actually start writing. I have found two books that have been really helpful, Stephen King’s ON WRITING and Janet Evanovich’s HOW I WRITE. (I donated all the other ones that I bought to the Friends of the Library.)

4. Rejection, bad reviews, and negative comments are part of the process. They stink. Nobody likes them, but you need to be able to learn from mistakes and keep trying if you believe in your work.

5. Your book needs to be the best that it can be before you start querying agents/publishers. It is rare that you get more than one shot at an idea.

6. Read everything you can get your hands on. Read books in the genre that you want to write. Make sure you know the conventions (rules/traditions) and word/page counts for your genre. Follow readers that you like on social media and watch what they do.

7. Self-publishing and book marketing (even if you are traditionally published) can be expensive. You need to set your budget and plan your strategy and spending.

8. Publishing is a business. Make sure you have a statement of work or a contract if you hire someone to do work for you (e.g. editing, formatting a book, designing a cover, planning a marketing promotion).

9. Agents/Editors/Publishers receive a lot of queries. They are looking for fresh ideas that will sell. Your manuscript needs to stand out in a pile of others. You need a unique hook that draws readers in. They are also looking or quality work. If you don’t follow submission guidelines, have something that’s riddled with typos, or doesn’t follow the conventions of the genre, you make it easy for them to move it to the reject file.

10. Make sure you read all of your contracts and royalty statements and understand them.

11. There is no other feeling like typing, “the end” on your manuscript. Celebrate. But this is really just the beginning. You need to make this work the best it can be. Editors, proofreaders, critique partners, and beta readers are invaluable. It is a rarity that anyone’s first draft is in a state ready to be published.

12. Watch out for scams on social media. You will be bombarded with offers. If they seem too good to be true, they probably are.

13. Find a writers’ group, preferably in your genre. You need a network who can help with ideas and advice and celebrate your victories. My membership in Sisters in Crime, Guppies, and James River Writers has been invaluable.

I Have News!

My agent received three offers on my new series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries. And over the Independence Day weekend, I signed a three-book deal. The first one launches October 2021.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Libby McNamee

I’d like to welcome author Libby McNamee to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Reading, Traveling, Visiting Historic Sites, My Friends, Comfort Food, Swimming and Biking

Things you need to throw out: Clothes that no longer fit me, but I hope they will someday; sentimental chotchkies; and random papers that I plan to refer back to someday

Things you need for your writing sessions: QUIET!

Things that hamper your writing: Constant distractions

Things you love about writing: Creating a labor of love from a blank page

Things you hate about writing: It often feels pointless

Hardest thing about being a writer: Believing in yourself enough to keep going when things aren’t coming together

Easiest thing about being a writer: Flexible hours!

Favorite foods: Chocolate, Twizzlers, Sushi, Anything Asian

Things that make you want to gag: Meatloaf, Stewed Tomatoes, Cooked Carrots

Something you like to do: Finding bargains

Something you wish you’d never done: Gone to law school

Last best thing you ate: Homemade Thai Lettuce Wraps

Last thing you regret eating: The frosted cookie for breakfast Things you’d walk a mile for: A bookstore!

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Someone chewing with their mouth open

Things to say to an author: “Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment!”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “Why haven’t you finished another one by now? Shouldn’t the second one be easy?”

Favorite places you’ve been: Mount Rushmore; Sedona, Arizona; Paris; Hawaii; Everywhere in Washington State; Vail, Colorado

Places you never want to go to again: Camp Bedrock in Tuzla, Bosnia, where I lived for six months as the only female officer when serving in the US Army JAG Corps

Best thing you’ve ever done: Publishing “Susanna’s Midnight Ride”

Biggest mistake: Not publishing it sooner!

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Joining the Army

Something you chickened out from doing: Joining the State Department

About Libby

Libby McNamee is an author, lawyer, and veteran. She loves exploring America’s many historical sites. When a descendant told her the TRUE story of Susanna Bolling from Hopewell, Virginia, and her heroism during the Revolutionary War, Libby was determined to share it with the world. “Susanna’s Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War” is her first published novel, geared to upper middle grade readers through old age. "Susanna's Midnight Ride" was named #1 in Juvenile Fiction by the 2020 Independent Publisher Book "IPPY" Awards. In 2021, she will release "Dolley Madison & the War of 1812: America's First Lady."

Libby served as a US Army JAG Officer in Korea, Bosnia, Germany, and Washington State. A native of Boston, Libby graduated from Georgetown University cum laude and Catholic University Law School. She has lived in Richmond since 2000.

Let’s Be Social

Website

Facebook: LibbyMcNameeAuthor

Instagram: libby_mcnamee_author

Twitter: @LibbyMcNamee

Goodreads: Libby McNamee

#TBRTuesday - Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

I love history almost as much as I love mysteries. I enjoyed Brad Meltzer’s show “Decoded,” and I have been a fan of his books for years. He always has interesting tales and twists on things we think we know.

What I’ve Been Reading…

I enjoyed Meltzer/Mensch’s THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s 16th President - And Why It Failed. He has a knack for making stories and history interesting. I love the detail in this about Kate Warne, America’s first female detective and the Pinkerton Agency. He and Mensch researched a lot of Baltimore history ahead of Lincoln’s first inauguration. It’s a fast read, and even though we know most of the players and the story, it’s a page turner to see how a small group prevented Lincoln’s assassination in 1861.

What’s up Next

I’m reading PLANTATION SHUDDERS by Ellen Bryon. Now I’ll be caught up on her Cajun Country Mysteries and ready for her next one.

For more book ideas, follow me on Goodreads and BookBub.

What are you reading on #TBRTuesday?

Remember Staples's Easy Button? Authors Need One Too

Years back, Staples offered an Easy button, and I had a boss who used this as his mantra. Whatever the request, his directive was to make it easy for the user. Authors need an easy button. We are always asking for followers, subscribers to our newsletter, reviews, and blurbs. If you’re asking for something, make it streamlined for the person to comply.

Links: If you want someone to follow you or sign up for something, always provide the link. (And make sure it works.)

Blurbs: If you’re asking for a blurb, and the person agrees, provide your short biography and synopsis of the work, along with the ARC (Advanced Review Copy). It takes time to come up with quotes. It always helps if you provide all the information for the person.

Reviews: The same is true for reviews, provide all the links, biography, and synopsis to help make the process smoother.

Photo Sizing: Make sure to send the correct size photo/book cover. Keep a collection of your headshots/covers in different sizes. There is nothing worse than getting an 8x10 scanned photo for a blog post. I have to take time to resize it to fit a webpage. A high resolution print version is too big (dimensions and file size) for a web posting. The majority of people are viewing web content on a mobile device. Loading speed and proportionate graphics are important for optimal viewing.

Organize Your Requests: Put the “ask” (what you want) in the first paragraph. People get hundreds of emails a day, and they often skim. This is a basic rule of journalism. Put the most important facts first in case someone doesn’t read the whole document. Chunk similar information together and use paragraphs or formatting to create subtitles. Be specific if there is a deadline.

Keep Copies: If you send a request or provide something, keep a copy of it. You never know when there is an email hiccup, and you’re asked to resend. Make it easy on yourself.

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Author Janis Wilson

I’d like to welcome author, Janis Wilson, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

A few of your favorite things: Cats, books, travel and wine.  If I can combine these things, I’m as happy as anyone can be.
Things you need to throw out:  Dresses that no longer fit but hope springs far into the future.

Things you love about writing:  I love researching the Victorian era in which I set my books.  I love learning about Brits from that time period. As a result, I have an entire bookcase filled with Victoriana. I like finding ways to torture my protagonist, who really doesn’t deserve what I put her through. I also love fellow writers and researchers whom I’ve found to be generous and helpful.
Things you hate about writing:  I hate it when my plot refuses to thicken, even after I add cornstarch.

Favorite foods:  Pasta and seafood and any combination of them.  I was born in the south, so my favorite confections are always a combination of brown sugar and pecans.
Things that make you want to gag:  I have a real aversion to wet bread.  Simply grosses me out.  Makes it difficult for me even to eat sandwiches taken from cold storage because the bread always feels damp.

Favorite beverage:  Pimm’s No. 1 cocktail.  I’ve had Pimm’s 1 through 6, but No. 1 is my favorite.
Something that gives you a sour face:  I know single malt whiskey is highly prized, but I detest the taste of scotch.  Always reminds me of cough medicine, which I loathe.

Something you’re really good at:  My critique group says I write convincing dialog and I appreciate that tremendously.  I’m also a pretty good researcher, which is essential if I’m going to keep Lady Sarah Grey credible.
Something you’re really bad at:  Anything involving technology.  I keep Geek Squad at full employment.

Things you always put in your books:  The feminist perspective.  Lady Sarah is a progressive and I can’t write her any other way.  My readers should also expect Sarah always to have a cat or two living with her in the castle.
Things you never put in your books:  Animal cruelty.  Can’t bear to even think of it, much less write about it.

Favorite place you’ve been:  London.  I love everything about it.  The bookstores are old and musty.  The people are polite.  Fragrant pots of tea are readily available alongside cute little sandwiches and cakes covered in pastel frostings.
Places you never want to go to again:  This is a tough one.  Even a problematic visit makes for an interesting experience and often results in entertaining stories to relay at a dinner party. So, I wouldn’t disparage any locality.  There are places where most of the residents disagree with my politics and that would make me uncomfortable.

Favorite books (or genre):  The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.  It is a cool mystery set in the Victorian era.  I’d read anything by Collins or Charles Dickens.  They were close friends and I can see why.  Both were smart and talented.
Books you wouldn’t buy:  I would refuse to read anything where animals are harmed.  I also wouldn’t buy a book by an odious person because I wouldn’t want to give financial support to that author.

Favorite things to do:  I love going to the theater.  Even a sad play is immensely fulfilling.
Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Being subjected to mansplaining.

Most embarrassing moment:  Pick any day from when I was 12 to 18 years old.  You’re bound to come up with something I did that was humiliating.
Proudest moment:  The launch of my first novel, Goulston Street.  I loved being surrounded by people who like to read and celebrate those who go to the trouble of writing.  Plus, the launch party was a lot of fun.

Best thing you’ve ever done:  I learned to read.  I don’t say marrying my husband was the best thing because if I’d never learned to read, I wouldn’t have been able to attract a smart man like him.
Biggest mistake: Not paying attention in math class.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “I really love Sarah. I like how you allowed her to make mistakes but to go on and solve the crime.”  If she likes mistakes, she’s going to love the future adventures of Lady Sarah Grey.
The craziest thing a reader said to you: “I thought it was cool that you left it up to the reader to decide who the killer was.”  This really threw me, so I went about asking lots of readers if they knew whodunnit.  Happily, all of them correctly identified the killer I had indicated.  I don’t know how anyone could have misunderstood this, as there was a pretty dramatic scene in which the killer was captured.

About Janis:

Janis Wilson is a writer, retired trial lawyer, television commentator and lecturer. As a kid, she was inspired by Rosalind Russell, who played reporter Hildy Johnson in His Girl Friday. Janis loved the idea of digging up news about corrupt officials and putting it on the front page. Consequently, she attended the University of Memphis, graduating with a degree in journalism. As a reporter, she wrote award-winning articles about the failure of local governments to address inner city problems, life in a women’s prison and the challenges of providing quality education. She returned to the University of Memphis and obtained a Master of Arts in Political Science. Hoping to combine her love of journalism and politics, Janis moved to Pennsylvania’s capital, Harrisburg, and resumed her newspaper career. In Harrisburg, her reporting included articles on the murder of school teacher Susan Reinert and on police corruption.
Janis spent countless hours in state and federal courts, covering trials and grand jury proceedings while investigating local government. In court, Janis observed the best and worst trial lawyers. One lawyer was so bad she decided, “If he could get through from law school, so can I.” And she was right; she graduated from the Temple University School of Law and went on to try cases in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. As a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, she chaired the Civil Litigation Section and edited its quarterly magazine, Update. She also served on the Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility and the Women in the Profession Committees. Janis has taught continuing legal education courses on trial strategy, effective brief writing and professional liability. She even portrayed Mary Surratt in the mock appeal of Surratt’s death sentence before an appeals court and performed the role of defense attorney in a recreation of the Lindberg kidnapping trial. Her cross-examination and closing argument led the mock jury to acquit Bruno Richard Hauptmann.

Her first short story, The Devil’s Triangle, appears in Death Knell V, available on Amazon. Janis is a commentator for various true crime programs, including Nightmare Next Door, Deadly Affairs and Scorned, all of which appear on the Investigation Discovery (ID) network. She has also appeared on the Oxygen network’s program, Snapped: Killer Couples. An Anglophile, she has been an avid fan of British mysteries, in print, on television and the big screen.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://janiswilson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Janis-Wilson-Author-551132135369232/

#WriterWednesday Interview with Author Liz Butcher

I’d like to welcome author, Liz Butcher to the blog for #WriterWednesday. Liz hails from Australia.

A few of your favorite things: I love rainy days, music and wine.
Things you need to throw out: An old iPod I’ve had sitting in a draw for the past decade, and some old clothes that I need to accept I’ll never fit into again!

Things you need for your writing sessions: My laptop, my headphones, a bottle of water and oils burning in my diffuser.
Things that hamper your writing: External noise, procrastination, my phone.

Things you love about writing: I love creating people and places and losing myself in their lives. It’s total escapism. I love when you get in the zone and hit that stride where all the words just flow out of you.
Things you hate about writing: When your characters won’t play nice and something about your plot isn’t working.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Avoiding procrastination. I have to work at this every damn day.
Easiest thing about being a writer: You can do it anywhere and everywhere.

Things you never want to run out of: Time.
Things you wish you’d never bought: Any number of clothing items I’ve bought online that looked amazing in the picture and totally didn’t once it was on. I’ll learn, one of these days… (maybe!)

Words that describe you: Intelligent, insightful, creative, optimistic, curious.
Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Fickle, pensive, aloof, self-conscious.

Favorite music or song: I have a very eclectic taste in music, but I’m a metal head at heart.
Music that drives you crazy: Country music *shudders*

Favorite beverage: I actually love water! I drink a lot of it. Probably to counteract my love of coffee and wine… love kombucha too! 
Something that gives you a sour face: Cherry cola/Dr Pepper. My husband loves it and I can’t understand why. Also stout.

Last best thing you ate: A crazy indulgent caramel cupcake for my birthday over the weekend.
Last thing you regret eating: A crazy indulgent caramel cupcake for my birthday over the weekend. Ha ha!

Things you’d walk a mile for: My family. An amazing view.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Indecision and mess—both do my head in!

Things to say to an author: “Of course I’d love to leave a review!”
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “What do you actually do?” or “Writing books for a living sounds easy!”

Best thing you’ve ever done: Five rounds of IVF to finally become a mother.
Biggest mistake: Giving someone more chances than they deserved.

About Liz:

Liz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their two cats. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz has published a number of short stories in anthologies and has released her own collection, After Dark, in 2018. Her debut novel, Fates’ Fury released September 2019, soon followed with LeRoux Manor in September 2020.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://lizbutcherauthor.wixsite.com/lizbutcher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lunaloveliz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunaloveliz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Liz-Butcher-1394868604152823/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13845425.Liz_Butcher
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/lizbutcherauthor/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00X6XN5O6

#TBRTuesday Lori Rader-Day's THE LUCKY ONE

What I’ve Been Reading…

I finished Lori Rader-Day’s THE LUCKY ONE recently. She is a master of suspense. You need to add this one to your reading list.

I had the pleasure of being on a panel with Lori last year at Malice Domestic, and she is also one of the funniest writers I have met.

THE LUCKY ONE is chocked with lots of twists and turns, and just when I thought I had it figured out, there was another twist. Rader-Day is a wonderful story teller who weaves seemingly different storylines together for a wonderful novel.

What’s up Next

Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch’s THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY (The Plot to Kill America’s 16th President - and Why it Failed).

For more book ideas, follow me on Goodreads and BookBub.

What are you reading on #TBRTuesday?