Cover Reveal for Disk of Death by Kim Smith

Disk of Death is almost here!

Hello and welcome to cover reveal day! I am very excited about this reprisal of my Shannon Wallace Mystery series. If you are a fan and have been following along since the early days, let me say thank you. I cannot wait for you to enjoy the ride all over again. It's been updated, re-edited, re-covered, and I think much better. Shannon and I have had a chance to renew our friendship as well, and I must say I am in love with writing her stories all over again.

If you are new to the series, I hope you enjoy this first book and entry point into South Lake, Mississippi - home of the SLPD, South Lake Police Department, and Tillie's Home Cookin'-- It's GOOOOD! Tillie's, Shannon's aunt and her little eatery is renown in north Mississippi. Shannon loves her hometown...well, until she begins this one week... but this is a caper mystery...so get it and find out what happens~!

Okay, just because I cannot wait another minute....

I unveil the cover for you.

Are you ready?

Here it is!

TADA!!!!!

The cover for Disk of Death, the first book in the Shannon Wallace Mysteries.

She's a woman on a mission

Shannon Wallace is having a bad hair week. She's been ditched by her job, dumped by her boyfriend, and implicated in his murder.
When she finds out her very private video collection is missing from the crime scene, it is all out war to find the disks before the cops do. The problem is--the killer has them. And he's watched them. Now Shannon's at the top of his most wanted list!

DISK OF DEATH is now out on pre-order! You can get it before it is even released, by clicking this link http://amzn.com/B01AZLRZFG GET IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How to Write has begun!

Happy Independence Day!

First, I want to wish you a very happy Independence Day this weekend. I hope your celebration is filled with love, peace, and sparkling things.


I kicked off my How to Write series yesterday on my blog. You can find it at Kim Smith, author -and if you are of the mind to, subscribe to the blog. That way you never miss a post. I have great hopes for this series. The story is going to be women's fiction, and will mostly appeal to women, but the HOW to do it stuff, will be interesting to all.

I am amazed at how easy it was to get started on this completely UNPLANNED book. It came to me after reading a great story by a favorite author. I figured out how to do a women's fiction book by reading some and this story sort of came to me. It is about something that happened at my own job, and so it just fit.

Although I am not a professional teacher, I do know a little about books and how to write them. I just wanted to share. I hope you will come along for the ride. I love to get feedback from aspiring authors-so if you are one, leave me a comment.

I have a writing group on Facebook too, called Writing Motivators, if you are interested. I post up a list (weekly )of things to use in a story. I stole the idea from Chuck Wendig. He has great ones on his blog usually on Friday.

Here is a sample of a muse tweaker for you:
A plastic DVD case
A book of US postal stamps
A purple pen
A smartphone
A canned soft drink
A doggie in your character's lap
A pair of sunglasses
The local park, with ducks and geese around a pond

No matter what, I hope you are writing this summer. I am not taking a vacation this year, instead, writing and hoping that the fall will be filled with new work from me for my readers. I am also going to Imaginarium 2015 this September, so if you are in the Louisville, KY area or planning to attend the con, LOOK ME UP!

Enjoy!

How to Write instruction series coming in July

As many of you are already aware (sickenly so) I am a writer. I write things: stories, poems, novels, blog posts (whew boy) and well, articles etc. If you are reading this - this isn't news to you.

But what you may not know is that every type of writing requires a unique skillset. Yes, it does.

Just because you can write a killer poem does not mean you can pen a full-length novel. It requires a bit more finesse, some moxie, if you will.

And so, just what exactly does a writer of short fiction and/or poetry, articles or anything else really short, do when they get the notion to write something longer?

Well, I am so glad you asked.

First off, they(you) need to understand what makes a good book. What elements are in that thing that will keep a reader turning pages, and how to achieve it. I have been writing fiction professionally since 2008, and STILL learn something new all the time, so don't think you already know. This stuff changes often.

But recently, when I asked my readers what I needed to do to help them out with their writing life, I heard a whole lot of "I need help with writing ___". Help with plot, help with characters, help with setting/description etc.

So, on my blog we are going to begin a series in July called "Writing a book: What I need to know" -- yes, I am going to teach how to write a book start to finish. I am going to actually WRITE a book and post everything on the blog. Uh huh. You heard me. Everything you will need to know about what it is that I am doing, and how you, too, can do it.

WHEW. I think I have lost my mind.

Well, if you think so too, be sure to follow my Kim Smith, Author blog. Get that notice in your inbox that tells you when I have posted something new! You don't want to miss out! AND PLEASE comment. This will be a question and answer sort of deal. I want and invite and beg for input.

Coming Home, original flash fiction

Well, I know I know. I have been missing on the blog AGAIN. But I promise it is for a good reason. I am writing, you see. It is imperative that a writer writes, or they lose the right to call themselves a writer. Okay, that was a lot of right/write stuff, but you get my meaning. So, because I made you wait so long for a post from me, I am going to treat you with a flash fiction I wrote as an exercise. It is not complete, but writers sometimes keep adding bits and pieces to their work to make it better. I suspect this one will be that way. Maybe you'd like to help me finish it? What do you see happening next?

by Kim Smith, copyright 2015

Coming Home
by Kim Smith

Coming home is like breathing in a dust storm. You can do it, but you might die, and if you don’t do it, you will certainly die.

My return pulled at me like so many hands plucking my sleeve. Memories engulfed me. Surviving this visit would be hard, but that didn’t stop me from climbing off the train in Memphis. The familiar scenery hit me like a blues song. Coming home, being alone, feeling gone, all done.

The acrid scent of hot pavement, and roses wafted up. Crepe myrtles in fiery array all down Riverside Drive greeted me, and I looked up to see people on the bluffs enjoying the sights and sun. I joined them for a little while, sitting and waiting for that glimmer of hope that happened at the end of every day when you live near water. The hope called sunset, hope of a better tomorrow.

Sunsets over the Mississippi River is all gold and red and orange, and when the shadows fall and darkness swamps the whole area, a sojourner could feel lost. Loss of bearings, loss of self-lost forever in what might have been, not what had been, for what had been had done its worst and moved on. I moved on too, down the cobblestones slanting down to the river and my past.

Beale Street was the same as ever. Music spilled out of each doorway like a private concert being played just for me as I passed. The sounds of broken conversations, the tinkle of beer mugs being passed about, all created a symphony of sound that made me want to go inside.

But I didn’t. I kept moving. My heartbreak like a guitar strung around my neck, hanging useless waiting to be picked up and turned into life again.

When I arrived at Meemaw’s house, I knew coming home was just the period at the end of a sentence with no meaning. I had to come here. The old place brought tears to my eyes and washed away some of the misery inside my heart. The ramshackle building hosted a long well-used porch, complete with porch swing, now aloof and lonely. Maybe being here would fill the emptiness that traveling had not. Maybe my loss would find company here.

Out back, I could hear Pappy scraping food from a plate into the dog’s pan. The old flea-ridden Beagle shook her whole body as she waited happily, anticipating the morsels he’d put there. He straightened and saw me.

I greeted him and was embraced with a toothless smile. A welcome home. A “so sorry it has to be this way”. He didn’t have to tell me. He felt the loss as much as I did. No matter how far away I’d roam, I’d never forget the tears filling his eyes as he spoke of her.

We went into the living room where the worn out flowered sofa sat looking forlorn as if it wanted Meemaw to come and lie on it again. I knew I did. Pappy did. The place was never going to be the same without her.

Coming home was as bittersweet as missing the last piece of Meemaw’s best chocolate pie. But being home was as twice as welcome. I was home. Home was where life began.

______
Kim Smith has more freebies for you on her website, http://www.kimsmithauthor.com

Merry Christmas from South Lake

It's been a long time since I wrote any new Shannon and Dwayne stories. Get ready my murderers, there are NEW TALES COMING!!!

Merry Christmas from South Lake is just a snippet of a tale that I dreamed up this morning. I hope you will make plans to get the reissue of the first Shannon Wallace Mystery re-titled Deadly Array coming in 2015.

And Merry Christmas to you and yours this holiday season. I hope it is a good one

_________________________________________________


Merry Christmas from South Lake by Kim Smith

"What is that on your head?" I asked. A gust of wind from the front door disturbed papers on the front desk.

"It's a hat, Wall-ass," Dwayne answered, tapping the black monstrosity. It sat on his head like it would fall if he did anything close to a tilt of his neck. "I found it."

"Well, you better take it back to whatever homeless shelter you found it at."

He took it off and brushed at the brim. "It's made of silk, I think. Probably really expensive. I found it just sitting in the middle of the path around the lake at the park. It needed me to pick it up. It kinda called to me."

I shook my head. "And you had to answer? Ugh."

"I get that you don't like it. But I do. It's Christmas, and my head is cold. I need this hat." And he plopped it back onto his head and turned into his office.

I followed him, not really wanting to continue this tirade but curious over his choice of park in the early morning. "What were you doing at South Lake Park so early?"

He shrugged. "Getting some fitness in. You'd do well to do that too, Ms. I-eat-at-buffets."

I sniffed. "I am not getting fat, Dee. I have to jog after you. Let me see that hat."

He handed it to me, and I looked at it closely. It was a stovepipe style, like Abe Lincoln wore. It had the remains of a red feather in the hatband. "Not bad." I handed it back to him. "But don't wear it indoors. It's bad manners."

He snatched it from me and growled. I turned and walked out. My buddy, Dwayne Brown, the hat aficionado. Who woulda thunk it?

We worked at Video Angels, a video production company that had been Dwayne's brainchild. In the last few months we'd kept ourselves alive by shooting plays, but with summer coming, I longed to do a wedding. I booted up my laptop and scoured sites where other people had their webpages filled with wedding images.

Dwayne interrupted my drooling. He stood in my doorway, his silly hat in hand. "Hey, I'm going downtown to get something to eat. You wanna come with?"

My stomach growled. The oatmeal I'd consumed was long gone. "Do I have to sit with you wearing that hat?"

He stuck it on his head and grinned.

I sighed. "Fine. But if anyone calls you Frosty the Snowman, I'm going to laugh."

I pulled on my hooded coat. He wrapped a Christmas red scarf around his neck. If he'd stuck a pipe in his mouth, he really would look like a black version of the jolly snowman.

He held the door open for me as we left. "Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas."

I grinned. "That's what I love about you Dee, you say the sweetest things."

Podcasting again

Our Dora had a great series about podcasting earlier here on the blog and you should go and read it if you want excellent info about how to prepare for one.

But for now, I am going to post about a new podcast. Mine.

I moved my Writer Groupie show from Blogtalkradio over to my blog, and I think it is going to be a great addition. If you are looking for a new audio show to listen to, go on over and have a listen. Writer Groupie Podcast Link

Why did I do that?

I moved the show because I want to be able to do video and audio for my guests. It is kind of fun for authors to be visible (as in video on Youtube) to the readers. It makes them feel like they know the author on a personal level. Of course, for the guests who simply cannot stand the thought of anyone seeing what they REALLY look like, the podcast is still an audio file after all. Now I can provide both.

And I can also record the interview at times that are more convenient for me and for the guest. Blogtalkradio serves a great need but the times they make the podcaster record if they are not premium members is ridiculous. 10 PM on a Friday night? Really? So there's that too.

Most of all, I would really like to see the listenership for WG grow. I hope it will be a good show. I enjoy doing them a lot. I also record an excerpt from a book by Marcia Hylander Black on Thursdays called One Time: The Adventures of Sarah, so if you want to check out an audio book via me, try that as well. All the episodes of that are on the site under the tab for it.

Podcasting is not a new thing, y'all. I am not trying to make out like it is. But it is new to my website, and I am getting a kick out of doing them. Remember, there are hundreds at iTunes. If you haven't checked them out, go on over and do that. You will be amazed. And yes, WG will be there as well. If you have an iTunes account, won't you consider adding Writer Groupie to it?

Get a DEAL on An Unexpected Performance~!

I just checked the calendar, and An Unexpected Performance will be on Kindle Countdown Deals THIS WEEK. You do NOT want to miss it!!

Starting on Friday April 18 and going through April 25, my time travel YA fantasy will be out there for all you Kindle readers who have been waiting to get it.

Be a part of this promotion for my book. And check out the reviews on my Books page. I have gotten some new ones that I am pretty darn proud of.

and...since tomorrow is Good Friday and Easter follows that...have a blessed weekend! I hope it is warm and sunny where ever you are and that you have a chance to enjoy it.

Designing a book

copyright Kim Smith

Designing a book has been called by many names. Some people plan a book, some people brainstorm a book, some people (like myself) design a book. And 80 % of that creation happens in my head. I haven't ever even put a word into written form and a lot of the story has already been written in my head.

Some aspiring authors, and some avid readers, have asked

HOW DO YOU DESIGN A BOOK?

and here is a little tidbit to chew on...

Most writers do their design work through outlining, blogs, and social media site posts.
SCREECH! What?????

Yes.

They start thinking about what they want to write and the next thing you know they are posting about it online somewhere. They are talking about the idea guts. I do this myself. I will decide to write about a displaced ant family in a fantasy story and what do you think I am discussing on my blog? Ants. Especially if I am a Myrmecologist and know a lot about them. Reader beware, this is how you can tell what an author is going to tackle next. What are they blabbering on about everywhere???

Outliners will build the story in their outline by thinking about who, what, where, when and how. Most big projects are outlined.

Some things for authors who are in this stage to think about:
1. get the basics down on paper(on screen)-theme, characters, ending so you don't forget them
2. carry a notebook-crucial when designing your work

In summary,
1. 80% of creation phase happens in our head
2. most of that thought process ends up on screen on blogs, social media sites, etc. while we are still designing
3. there are a few tools that a writer can remember to help when they are designing, such as carrying a notebook

Hope this helps you!

Thanksgiving then and now

I was going over my list of things I am thankful for, and one of the top most often prayed over is this site. I love this site and am so thankful for it and the great friendships it has brought. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all those things that you received from the hands of others, and all the ways life has been a blessing to you. As you ponder, don't forget the Cyber Pals you have gained.

When I chose Thursdays as my day to post, I never anticipated being the "turkey" for this time of the year. But there ya have it. I get the Thanksgiving post.

I have celebrated a lot of stuff over the years, like this post (click to read) Thanksgiving 2008 and it has been like a kickoff to the year to come.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Soon, I will be bringing you a new book, (Click for more info) Loran Rudder and the Secret Key is on its final round, and over the last few days has even gotten a cover. (no, I am not revealing yet!) -- so that is something to look forward to in the weeks to come.

I will do this time as I did back in 2008- and bring you tidbits and tasties about the making of the book over the next few weeks. SO don't eat too much this holiday--save room for dessert!

God bless you and keep you.

Happy Thanksgiving -Murderers!

Writer Groupie Welcomes Aaron Lazar!

Tomorrow my good pal, and your favorite Mb4 co-host, Aaron Lazar will be with me on the radio show, Writer Groupie. I hope you will make plans to join us at 5:30 PM Central Daylight Time.

Aaron will be discussing his latest book, Don't Let the Wind Catch You. It is the sequel to his very popular Gus LeGarde book, Tremolo: cry of the loon. And personally, one of my favorites. I am very excited to have Aaron on the show, and look forward to learning about this book.

You can catch us live at the time and address above, and please call in! We love callers on Writer Groupie.

If you cannot make the show live, there will be an archive of the show here on the widget for WG in the sidebar soon afterwards.

Either way, I hope you will catch this episode, and be sure to leave our Aaron a comment in the comments below letting him know what you think.

Click here for the podcast!