Behind the Scenes - The Mill Mountain Star

When we were planning the second volume of Virginia is for Mysteries, I looked at the map in the front of the book and realized most of the stories in the first volume centered around Coastal and Central Virginia. The requirement for stories in the mystery anthology was to feature a historic or popular landmark from the Commonwealth of Virginia. I wanted to set my story in the western part of the state.

My mother grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and I remember her and my grandmother talking about the star on the mountain top. I finally got to see it when I was in the third grade and later as an adult when we did a book signing in the downtown area.

The neon star beautiful and big enough to be seen from miles around. I did some research on the history, and it became the setting of my story, “Spring Cleaning.” In the story, it's a symbol for Douglas Weimer, who is having issues at work. He laments that he’s been demoted and forced to give up his office with a view of the neon star that’s been atop the mountain since 1949. Douglas, a medical records manager, 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.

Check out Visit the Blue Ridge for more information on the star that started out a Christmas decoration commissioned by the local Merchants’ Association. The City of Roanoke’s website also has some history on the star and its lighting over the decades. At one time, the town used the color of the star to indicate fatal traffic accidents in the valley. The star can be lit red, white, and/or blue.

Volume three of Virginia is for Mysteries is slated for publication this fall. Look for my story, “Derailed,” about the Church Hill Tunnel disaster in Richmond, VA.

Check out Virginia is for Mysteries and Virginia is for Mysteries Volume 2 at your favorite book retailer.

Plotters, and Pantsers, and Hybrids, Oh My!

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

What is your writing style? There has always been an age-old discussion among writers. And you will find diehard fans on both sides.

Quick Definitions

Plotter - One who is a detailed outliner. He/she plans the entire book before writing.

Pantser - One who writes by the seat of her/his pants. The writer goes where the story leads.

Hybrid - This is a combination of the two styles. There’s some planning and some freewheeling.

I have been in IT for the last twenty-one years, and before that I was involved with business analysis, project management, and technical writing. Planning and outlining have always been a part of my work processes. I am also a list maker and planner of everything from vacations to potlucks. So it was a natural fit for me to plot.

My style has changed over the years. As I dove deeper into the writing process, sometimes a subplot or a character took over, and the structure changed from my plan. In an effort to speed up my writing, I “pantsed” several books. They no longer took five years to write, but I tended to get stuck in the middle. I struggled with where the story was going. It wasn’t really writer’s block, but I was mired in what should come next. With the rewrites and the revisions, I probably spent more time than if I had outlined the book in the first place.

And sometimes the characters or plot did take over. In my Delanie Fitzgerald series, Chaz Wellington Smith, III, the sleazy strip club owner was only supposed to be a minor character in book one. My critique group liked his character, and he is fun to write. I just finished book four in that series, and Chaz is still around. He grew on Delanie and me.

In your writing, use whatever style works for you. I describe myself as a hybrid now. I’m rigid enough to start with a plan and flexible enough to change if it suits the story. My chapter outlines also save time when I put a synopsis together for querying.

There is no right way. Look for ideas or hacks that will help you improve your writing. If something doesn’t work, jettison it for something else.

Happy writing, whether you plot and plan, or write whatever comes to mind.

#ThisorThatAuthor Interview with Terry Shepherd

I’d like to welcome author, Terry Shepherd, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: 

My beautiful granddaughter jumping into my arms when she sees me. Watching my kids parenting their kids and animals. The smile on my wife’s face when I first see her every morning. 

Things you need for your writing sessions:

I write in Vellum and then, run my daily word count through Pro Writing Aid. The last step is narrating it to mp3 audio. It’s always surprising what you find when you read your writing aloud.

Things you love about writing:

I love the characters best. I try to populate my tales with highly diverse casts. Researching the culture and talking to people about their life experiences is a treasure trove. It builds empathy and has given me a unique perspective on the rich variety that makes up humanity. The highest compliment you can get is to hear someone say, “Hey! You told my story!”

Things you never want to run out of:

New people to meet. Kindness. The desire to create.

Words that describe you:

Optimistic to a fault. Impatient with myself. Driven. Passionate.

Favorite music or song:

I’m a sixties guy. Anything from 1963 until 1974 is my wheelhouse. I favor Motown and early Beatles but also love Earth, Wind & Fire and the Manhattan Transfer. I was a rock drummer as a kid and still can’t listen to Buddy Rich’s West Side Story Medley without getting chills.

Something you’re really bad at:

Handwriting. Learning to type in 9th grade was a life changing experience.

Things to say to an author:

“Here’s what I enjoy about your storytelling…”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

“Your book was terrible and I won’t tell you why.”

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):

The famous: Authors David McCullough & Megan Abbott, Record Producer Bones Howe, Barack and Michelle Obama

The important: My closest college radio friends

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

“You made me believe I could be a heroine, too.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

“Your LGBTQ character is exactly like me and we’ve never even met. Have you been stalking me?”

About Terry:

Terry Shepherd writes thrillers for grown-ups and detective stories for kids. His first published fiction, the Jessica Ramirez Thriller “Chasing Vega” is a 5-Star hit in both English and Spanish. Book two, “Chasing The Captain” is due out in May. He’s the author of the Waterford Detective series for children and the forthcoming kids time-travel history series "Students In Time." In 2020 he and his wife, Colleen co-wrote the "Juliette and the Mystery Bug" series, teaching kids how to protect themselves from Covid-19 and other “mystery bugs." Terry hosts the Authors on the Air podcast, is co-chair of the Sisters in Crime / Capitol Crimes 2021 Anthology committee and watches the sun come up on the ocean from his home in Jacksonville, Florida.

Let’s Be Social:

TerryShepherd.com

twitter.com/TheTShepherd

facebook.com/TerryShepherdWrites 

instagram.com/the.terry.shepherd 

Behind the Scenes - The Poe Statue in Richmond, VA

Yes, there is an Edgar Allan Poe statue in RVA (Richmond, VA), but I made up the one in GLITTER, GLAM AND CONTRABAND.

In my Delanie Fitzgerald series, Chaz Wellington Smith, III’s infamous strip club, the Treasure Chest, is located on the corner where The Southern Literary Messenger once stood (15th and Main Street). While Poe was an assistant editor at the magazine at that location, the Treasure Chest is made up. Parts of the real building were preserved and are part of the Shrine at the Poe Museum in RVA. This is a must-see spot if you’re in Richmond. The collection of artifacts is vast, and the staff are so knowledgeable on the author’s life and works. My favorites are the “Unhappy Hours” held in the Enchanted Garden in the warmer months. They also offer walking tours of Poe’s Richmond. And if you visit, you must meet Edgar and Pluto, the museum cats.

I am fascinated with the Poe sites around Richmond, including his mother’s grave at the historic St. John’s Church (where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech).

Years ago, I read an article in the newspaper about time capsules in some of the monuments. I thought it would be interesting to have Delanie investigate, so I put a Poe Statue on the corner near Chaz’s business. He asks her to look into why someone is trying to dig around the statue. It turns out that there’s an online rumor of valuables hidden in the time capsule.

The real statue of Poe is located on the grounds of the state Capitol. The Father of the American Mystery is seated in a chair, and it was relocated to the other side of Capitol Square in 2017.

If you’re not able to visit, check out the Poe Museum’s website. There’s a wealth of information online. There are also lots of good blogs and podcasts about Poe’s time in RVA. One with lots of pictures is J.W. Ocker’s OTIS (Odd Things I’ve Seen). Gretchen Kelly’s “RavenTrekking” is also a good overview of the Poe sites.

Check out the adventures of Delanie, Duncan, Margaret, and Chaz in the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries wherever you buy your books.

The Social Part of Social Media - Tips for Authors

Authors and workshop presenters will advise their audiences to be authentic or genuine on social media. It sounds simple, but I’m not sure everyone understands what that really means. Here are some ideas to help.

Buy My Book - Your 5,000 followers are not going to translate into 5,000 book sales. These sites are great ways (free or low cost through ads) to promote your books, celebrate with others, and interact with readers. They help you expand your audience. Limit the number of “Buy my Book” posts. If someone finds you and sees a string of hard sells, they lose interest.

Be a Good Citizen - Being real or authentic means to be a good citizen of the site. You like, comment, and share on others’ posts regularly. Join groups and contribute.

Celebrate Others - Make sure that you celebrate with others (whether it’s birthdays, shout outs, announcements, etc.). And don’t make their announcement about you. (We’ve all seen that one author who posts a comment to someone’s announcement. “Hey, if you like this type of book, check out mine. That’s a leech.)

No Hit and Runs - Don’t post something and never return to comment on the responses. You need to interact with the folks who comment. The more interaction your posts have, the more the platform will show it. Popular, active content rises in the algorithms.

It’s All in the Numbers - Each platform has its own way of displaying posts. There are algorithms for how often and what is shown to your followers. These change often, and you never quite know how they work. Posts with videos or graphics tend to get more attention.

Invite Participation - When you create a post, look for ways to ask a question or invite comments. Occasionally, I’ll post what I’m reading and ask what everyone else is reading. This sparks good discussions, and I find more books to add to my TBR list. You can always find a related meme or picture for the question you pose.

Share - Your readers want to know about you. Decide what you are comfortable sharing about yourself. If you have a hobby or pets, they are always good content and photo topics.

The social part is key to building and expanding your platforms on social media sites.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Linda Norlander

I’d like to welcome Linda Norlander to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

Favorite Things: Books, Running Shoes (not that I run), Potted annuals

Things to throw out: Old running shoes, socks with holes in them, old manuscript drafts

Things you love about writing: Characters popping in when least expected, figuring out the ending

Things you hate about writing: Not knowing where the commas go

Things you never want to run out of: Gas—ever see the opening of “Night of the Living Dead?”

Things you wished you never bought: A Plymouth Horizon car—small parts like door handles kept breaking off until the only way to get was through the hatchback

Words that describe you: Contemplative, good sense of humor, low key

Words that describe you but wish they didn’t: Steady

Favorite Foods: Olives, potato chips, salted caramel ice cream

Things that make you gag: Anchovies, peanut butter

Favorite Music or song: Anything by Bruce Springsteen

Music that drives you crazy: Heavy Metal (except I love AC/DC’s Highway to Hell)

Favorite Beverage: Wine, preferably a white

Things you always put in your books: A dash of humor

Things you never put in your books: Graphic violence

Favorite Places: North Shore of Lake Superior, Paris, Cuba

Place you never want to go again: Buffalo

Most embarrassing moment: Hitting the wrong note for the processional as the church organist (fired shortly thereafter.)

Proudest moment: Seeing the cover of my first published novel

About Linda:

Linda Norlander is the author of “Death of an Editor” and “Death of a Starling” from a Cabin by the Lake mystery series set in the woods of Northern Minnesota. Norlander has written award winning short fiction, non-fiction and humor. In her life before taking up the pen to write murder mysteries, she worked as a nurse in public health and end-of-life care. She resides with her husband in Tacoma, Washington.

 Let’s Be Social:

www.lindanorlander.com
www.facebook.com/authorlindanorlander

www.twitter.com/lindanorlander

Behind the Scenes - Sears Catalog Homes

I have been fascinated with the Sears Catalog homes for many years. Way before the days of Ikea and online shopping, people could pick out a house from a catalog and order it. All the pieces and parts arrived by railcar, and it was ready for assembly on your lot. It was a brilliant marketing plan for a retailer who sold household goods and appliances. They also dabbled in real estate and loans over the years. Check out the links for more information on the history of these homes, many of which are still standing in communities across America. From 1908-1940, Sears and Roebuck sold over 70,000 of these.

There are quite a few of these homes still standing in Hopewell, Virginia. We did a driving tour of the neighborhoods. The historic and nostalgic qualities of a bygone era are still apparent, while many have been refurbished for this generation. You can also find lots of groups on Facebook dedicated to preserving and showcasing these homes in a hosts of different states.

When I started my Delanie Fitzgerald series, I wanted her house to be interesting, so a Sears Catalog home, the 1939 Yates model was perfect. I needed a house for a single professional. In the novels, Delanie likes the historic details like the boards and building materials that are stamped with the model number and assembly codes. Delanie’s home is a two story, and the prominent feature on the front is the fireplace.

I took the liberty of putting Delanie’s house in the Winterpock neighborhood of Chesterfield County, Virginia. (I don’t think there are any catalog homes in the area.) A friend from church who is a retired state trooper did let me know after he read the book that there are some Sears homes in the Bon Air neighborhood of the county.

Check out the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries: Secret Lives and Private Eyes, The Tulip Shirt Murders, and Glitter, Glam, and Contraband. Delanie and her pals also appear in “Strut Your Mutt” in To Fetch a Villain.

Instagram for Book Lovers - Tips for Authors

Instagram is a haven for book lovers. Whether you’re a reader, collector, interior designer, or writer, you need to check out these amazing pictures. I love seeing all the creative ways people arrange their books. These are hashtags that you can type into the search bar to see a book lovers’ paradise.

#Bookstagram - This is a popular hashtag on the social media site. You’ll see thousands of books in beautiful settings. I am amazed at all the creative vignettes, colors, and designs. Many #Bookstagrammers are also book reviewers. Check out and follow ones you like. You can also follow the hashtag to see what’s being posted.

There are also variants of the hashtag by country, region, or preference. Type in #Bookstagram in search and scroll through the list for more options.

#Bookstack - This hashtag features stacks in any place you can imagine. Some are arranged by color, others by theme. I love looking at the photos to see if I can spot friends’ books.

#Bookshelf - This has so many great ideas for arranging shelves. Again, I am always looking to see if I can see friends’ books in the photos. My books (throughout the house) are grouped on shelves by genre. I have started theming some of the shelves (e.g. mystery, Wizard of Oz, etc.).

#Shelfie - This started out as photos with books and bookshelves, but you’ll see all kinds of designs that are tagged with this hashtag.

Other hashtags to check out on Instagram:

• AmReading

• Author

• AuthorsOfInstagram

• BookAholic

• BookCommunity

• BookFollow

• Bookish

• BookishAesthetic

• BookishFeatures

• BookLover

• BookNerd

• BookRecsByMe

• Books

• BooksAndWine

• BooksOfInstagram

• BookShivers

• BookstaPeeps

• Bookworm

• CozyReading

• CurrentRead

• IGReads

• ReaderProblems

• ReadersOfInstagram

• ThrillerStack

• TimeToRead

View, like, and comment. I think it’s important for authors to be active on Instagram. It’s a great way to meet readers, reviewers, fans, librarians, book store staff, and other writers.

I’d like to thank Sonica Soares (The Reading Beauty) for the great presentation she gave to our Sisters in Crime chapter about #Bookstagram. Many thanks for all the great advice and ideas!