Merry Christmas from our family to yours

Due to the absolute RUSH of the holidays, I will not be posting on my regular day. But my partners in crime here at MB4 and I want to let you know that we wish you a very Merry Christmas! I hope it is the best you've ever had. If you are up for a little story, go on over to my website, and check out the Christmas story I have put up for free. Shannon and Dwayne are up to their necks in Christmas shenanigans and you don't wanna miss it!

Here is a little poem that says best what some of us are going through!
I hope this isn't you!!

Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Kitchen
author unknown

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the kitchen
I was cooking and baking and moanin' and bitchin'
I've been here for hours, I can't stop to rest.
This room's a disaster, just LOOK at this mess!

Tomorrow I've got thirty people to feed.
They expect all the trimmings. Who CARES what I need?
My feet are both blistered; I've got cramps in my legs,
And the cat's just knocked over my bowl full of eggs!

There's a knock on the door and the telephone's ringing;
frosting drips on the counter as the microwave's dinging!
Two pies in the oven, dessert's almost done
and my cookbook is soiled with butter and crumbs.

I've had all I can stand. I can't take anymore.
Then in walks my husband spilling RUM on the floor!
He weaves and he wobbles, his balance unsteady,
Then grins as he chuckles "the egg nog is ready!"

He looks all around and then says with regret
"What's taking so long...arent you through in here yet?"
AS QUICK as a flash I reach for a knife!
He loses an earlobe... I WANTED HIS LIFE!

He flees from the room in terror and pain;
"MY GOD WOMAN, YOU'RE GOING INSANE!
Now what was I doing and what is that smell?
Oh NO its the pies! They're burned all to hell!

I hate to admit when I make a mistake,
but I put them on BROIL instead of on BAKE.
What else can go wrong? Is there still more ahead?
If this is "good living," I'd rather be dead!

Lord, don't get me wrong, I love the holidays;
It just leaves me exhausted, all shaky and dazed!
But I promise you one thing, if I live 'til next year,
you won't find me pulling my hair out in here!

I'll hire a maid, a cook and a waiter;
And if THAT doesn't work...
Christmas better come LATER!


MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!!!!!!

Dreams and Downtime

Good morning friends and writers,

Yesterday we had a whopper of a snowstorm. It was glorious, mostly because I arranged to work from home all day and didn't have to worry about the awful driving conditions. Well over a foot fell and it's a good thing we covered up the woodpile on the porch, because it got buried! The drifts are several feet high in most areas.

We ended up having all three grandkids with us (imagine me trying to work on data with those monkeys around. It wasn't easy!) I threw together a crockpot beef stew early in the morning, and it was perfect for a snowy day's dinner.

I think I'm getting a bit burned out (who isn't these days?). I need to be home more, stoking the woodstove, or playing in the snow with the boys. I need to cook a good chowder, take some luscious photos, or go cross country skiing. And it's coming soon, because after this Wednesday I have eleven days off! Woo Hoo!

And I need to write. God, how I need to write.

I'm not talking about the painstaking edits I've been doing on Healey's Cave. I'm talking about creating scenes, the stuff that gets your heart pounding and gives you that unbelievable high. I'm talking about giving birth to new events in worlds over which I have control, with people I can manipulate behind the scenes to do just the right thing at the right time. That's what I need. A few nice chase scenes. Maybe a tender family moment. And definately some kid humor. Oh yeah.

I don't want to leave you short handed, of course. So I've dug up a piece I wrote long ago that most of you probably haven't read. It's about dreams, and how we sometimes cope with life through them.

So as you enjoy your own downtime and hopefully fulfill some of your own dreams, let me wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. And remember to take pleasure in the little things!

Feel free to share your own dreams below - we'd love to hear about them.

a

***

Dreams

Aaron Paul Lazar 2008

I overslept this morning. And it was lovely.

Usually, on Saturday mornings, I rise at 5:30 or 6:00 to write this article, review the early Gather.com Writing Essential submissions, and prepare for the long morning of chair deliveries, errands, breakfast at George's Diner with my wife and grandsons, gardening, cooking the family feast, chair caning and - last but not least - a few hours of soul satisfying writing.

I needed the extra sleep this morning, having missed out the night before due to emotions aroused after attending a funeral of a friend's mom. I'm sure those of you who have lost loved ones know exactly what I mean. You may have gone to the funeral of someone you hardly knew. Perhaps you went to support a dear friend, as I did on Thursday. Did memories pour into your psyche as familiar hymns were sung and heartfelt stories were delivered? In this case, images of my father, grandparents, and departed friends flooded my brain. The funeral of my boss's daughter came to mind. His strength. His deep sorrow. The flow of memories was endless.
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As these thoughts persisted throughout the day and evening, I tossed and turned Thursday night, and was exhausted all day Friday. But I slept until almost 8:00 (!) this morning, and woke feeling most rested after a night full of wild dreams.

The most vivid and overwhelming was that of a flood. Perhaps it was driven by images in the news of the floods that have ravaged several communities in recent weeks. Or maybe it was the overwhelming flood of emotions triggered by the funeral. Either way, the dream felt incredibly real.

In my twenties again, I floated into the scene at my wife's home in the country. I stood near the house, looking down to the barn. My first thought was to check on the horses. I raced (in that miraculous dream-like speed) to the stalls and found one horse. Oddly, I reconized Maggie, the mare I feature in my LeGarde Mysteries series. But her chestnut gelding companion, Diablo, was missing. Panic rose in my throat. Strangers appeared, asking me what was wrong. I searched the flooded fields and finally found him lying on his side in a shallow spot. I froze, then saw his ribs rise and fall. He was alive! Miraculously, I got him up and into the stall with Maggie. Questions filled my brain - how would I feed them? Where was the hay? The grain? Was it ruined by the water? In a flash, the scene switched.

Same locale. Same barn. Same flood. But now it was winter and most of the field was covered in ice. There! In the distance! A fellow I recognized as my cousin Dave flailed in the water. He'd broken through the ice and was drowning. I searched desperately for something to throw to him, something long and strong. I spotted the hose (why it was left out in winter, I'll never know!) and struggled in molasses like motion - as if held back by mysterious forces - toward the hose. I pulled and pulled on the green monstrosity, trying hard to free it from the ice. Dave was drowning, and I couldn't get the darned hose out of the ice pack.

Another flash, and suddenly someone else had rescued him. Even as relief washed through me, I remained rooted to the spot, feeling like a failure.

I think I know why this sense of powerless came through a dream. It has something to do with the inability to control events in my life. My friend's loss and deep sorrow. My daughter's neurological evaluation this week that has (hopefully) ruled out the MS from which my wife suffers. My own issues struggling with asthma. Life is full of these challenges, and sometimes our inability to "fix" them translates to a feeling of failure. Of course, in reality, the ability to withstand and face these ailments with grace translates to success. Success is not the right word, exactly, but I think you know what I mean.

The dream continued and I was able to join a posse of sorts on a floating barge. We searched and rescued many victims floating in the ocean of floodwaters that had overtaken their homes.

Redemption?

I don't know. But when it was all over and I woke to the sound of the birds and the luscious feeling of sun on my face, I felt satisfied. Really good inside. I guess I needed these imaginary acts of heroism to help me through the week to come. Who knows?

But it's fun to disect and analyze dreams, isn't it?

Okay, it's late now. I'm already off schedule for the chair deliveries, and the family is milling around me with impatience, ready to go. Thanks for the wonderful submissions this morning! I'll check back later to add in the new pieces.

Enjoy your weekend, be a hero to someone you love, and write like the wind!
a

- Aaron

Welcome to a new WORLD

Today I want to share with you the fact that I am now living in a whole new world. I am not an unpublished novelist anymore. I no longer have to say, when my book comes out. I can look my family in the eye and say, all the times I neglected you and the house was absolutely worth it. I will stroll a little taller, feel a little giddier as I walk into my place of work and announce I have a book available for people to consume. There are some fans there as well.

It's a whole new world today. Though the air won't smell any differently, the ground won't REALLY move under my feet, I feel different.

Maybe it's pride? Maybe it's relief. But whatever, it feels good.

You can make your purchase of Avenging Angel, A Shannon Wallace Mystery at Red Rose Publishing.
and I hope you will make it something that you do JUST FOR YOU. It is meant to entertain and make you laugh.

Please enjoy this book as much as I did writing it for you! And drop by my website KIM SMITH SITE and see what else I have up my writer sleeve! *oh! a MURDER MYSTERY E-DINNER!!! that sounds lovely!*

Also don't forget about the radio show tonight! I will be the guest of honor! Radio show

Finally, thank you for being my friend!

Interview with author, Kim Smith

Kim, congratulations on the launch of your first published book, “Avenging Angel.” I know you’ve waiting a long time for this. Please tell us about your journey, where you’ve been and how you got here.

Ah yes. It has been a wild ride, I admit. I began seriously considering getting Avenging Angel published back in 2004. I hired an editor, and had it overhauled just to give it the best start I could. Then I began submitting it sometime in 2005 but although I received positive responses from agents who always asked for the full, I just couldn’t make the next step. In November, 2007, I finally found a small publisher who showed interest and subsequently signed with them. But after a long period of inactivity, whereby I felt my time would be better spent elsewhere, I cancelled my contract and went out hunting again. I think authors should know that it is okay to pull a book if they feel like things are not transpiring in the manner in which they think it ought to. I lucked out and went with Red Rose Publishing, and have been very happy and satisfied that I did.

What is Avenging Angel all about?

Avenging Angel is all about a bad week in the life of Shannon Wallace, a somewhat naïve, and zany woman who discovers her “bedroom ballet” collection of DVD’s are missing from her murdered boyfriend’s apartment. The detective in charge of the case, Salvador Ramirez, has a grudge against Shannon and she has to find those videos before he does. She is aided in her mission by her old college buddy, Dwayne Brown. Dwayne has a natural knack for aiding in a true Ethel and Lucy style, which makes for funny, moments where he is as much stumbling block as sidekick.

What prompted you to write this book and what makes it stand out among other books in this genre?

This book originated with an idea of what would happen if a two-bit hood started a PI business and pressed his old college buddy into service upon learning of her being down on her luck. The story really just grew and changed out of that idea. It is NOTHING like the original idea, but it has been a grand journey getting from point A to today.

What do you feel is has been your greatest strengths as a writer?

I would have to say my openness to change. I have always said if someone wanted me to make changes to my work, I would totally be willing to do it. I think that sort of flexibility and lack of attachment to our work can very well open doors sometimes. I have never been asked to make that supreme sacrifice either, but the thought that I might have to has helped loosen the stranglehold I had on my work.

In what way do you or don’t you see yourself in your main character, Shannon Wallace?

I actually see a lot of myself in Shannon when I was a young woman, pre-children. I was pretty innocent and naïve, sheltered and protected, and life, as it always does, played some hard tricks on me. I enjoyed writing about where I live, too. South Lake Mississippi is an invented town, but it is based on where I live, and if anyone reads the book and is from around here, they will know JUST where I am talking about in many ways.

Please tell us about the setting for your book and why you chose it.

I have always heard from others to write what you know. Well, I know this region. I was Memphis born, Memphis bred, and when I die I will be Memphis dead. There is very little that you can ask about this area that I cannot tell you. I wrote more effectively since I knew the setting so intimately. Maybe one day I will write a book set in a place far from here, but for now, writing from about where I sit, is a great way to go.

What has been your greatest challenging in writing this book or writing in general?

My greatest challenge in writing in general has been one of trust. Trust in my own knowledge, my trust in others to be fair in their critiques, my trust in the publishing industry. I have had it all shaken not stirred several times, but I have come back and been wiser, and learned that trust has to be earned. Now I know that I have to be a trustworthy person also, so that I can pay it forward and help someone else. I do enjoy helping aspiring authors get started, and help producing authors to get the word out about their work.

Every author has at least one turning point in their career. That moment when they know the path they must take and accept the challenge. Please tell us about yours.

It was when my husband plunked me down in front of a computer and said, “Now. Quit making excuses and write that book.” He is the one that was the final straw. My mother had begged me for years to write a book. She wanted to be published as much as anyone I have ever known, but then, publishing was a whole different animal from today. She didn’t know how to break in, and she never tried. I wanted to do it for her, and for me. When he bought the computer, he literally took my last excuse away.

When you’re not writing, what are you doing?

I am either working at my paying job, the one that pays my bills, or I am working at the job that doesn’t pay my bills but helps keep my kids in car insurance, which is photography and videography. We have had our own video production company since 1992. Running a business, putting in forty plus hours at my job as a network admin, and having kids and a hubby is pretty much all I have time for. The writing, radio show, and promotions are what keeps me sane.

What has been the most valuable advice you’ve received along the way? How has it shaped your path?

The most valuable advice I have ever received was to keep going. I have tried to quit writing on a number of occasions and it was my friends, and my family who believed in me when I had given up. So when I say I owe this book to my friends and family, I really mean it. Those words, “don’t give up”, mean the most to me. And I would encourage another writer in a minute with the same words. It’s your dream, isn’t it? Then, don’t ever give up.

Thanks so much for giving us a glimpse into your life and writing. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I have had such a blast with this book and am working hard on the next two, so if you like Shannon’s horrible, awful, terrible, very bad, no good week in Avenging Angel, then you need to make room for the others to come. If you keep reading, I’ll keep writing!

* * *

About the author:

Kim Smith was born in Memphis Tennessee, the youngest of four children. After a short stint in a Northwest Mississippi junior college, during the era of John Grisham’s rise as a lawyer, she gave up educational pursuits to marry and begin family life.

She has worked in many fields in her life, from fast food waitress to telephone sales. “I always got the seniors on the phone who were lonely and wanted someone to talk to. My boss couldn’t understand why in the world I spent so much time talking to them and not enough time selling. That was when I realized I love people and care deeply about their lives.”

Writing was a dream, hidden but not forgotten, and soon Kim began to talk again of trying her hand at it. She played with words, and wrote several poems, one of which was picked up for an anthology

One day in the early nineties her husband came home with a desktop computer and sat her in front of it. “Now you have no more excuses,” he said, and she realized the truth in his words. Procrastination, now no longer an option, she took off on the pursuit of penning her first book. Though that book, a young adult fantasy, was lost due to unforeseen circumstances, she kept going, writing a historical romance, and another YA.

When she decided to try out her hand at mystery writing, she discovered her true love and niche in the writing journey. She has since had four short stories, and her first mystery novel accepted for publication.

Kim is a member of Sisters in Crime, and is a Coffeetime Romance and More author member. She still lives in the Mid South region of the United States and is currently working on her second book in the Shannon Wallace mystery
series.

Cheap Christmas Presents for Writers

So, let's say you're a little strapped for cash this holiday season (I can hear all the grunts and moans of agreement out there - who isn't strapped this year?). Further, let's say you have some writer friends on your list, and you don't know what to get them. That you may, in fact, be considering telling everyone you know that this year, you're moving to a monastery in Zimbabwe and giving up all material considerations and attempts at communication, rather than go through the humiliation of having nothing to give.

Fear not! For the writers in your life, at least, you can offer them something special that also happens to be cheap (and when I say 'cheap', I mean 'free'). If you're reading this post, you already have everything you need: an internet connection.

Herewith, S.W. Vaughn's List of Super-Cheap, Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Writers!

* Compose an ode to the writer's greatness and post it in a public location, such as a blog or message forum. Then, e-mail the writer a link to said ode. It doesn't have to be particularly literary, or even spelled correctly. The writer will appreciate the sentiment.

Need an example? Here's one:

I know three writers who blog
With a fourth, whose head is in fog
But these guys are the best
Above all the rest
And forgive the fourth the occasional lapse in participation coupled with the loss of ability to produce writing, or even rhyme the last line of a dumb poem
(Er, I mean 'frog')

* E-mail the writer a list of things that you like about them as a person, and link each item on the list to writing. For example: 'You always remember my birthday - so you must never have any dropped plot threads in your books!'

* Choose a length of time (one week, one month, one year) and promise during that time to always refer to the writer as 'Writer Name, the Magnificent and Exalted Wordsmith' or a similar grandiose title. This includes all written and spoken communication.

* Offer to read something the writer has written. Actually read it, within a reasonable time frame (note that a year is NOT reasonable). When you are finished reading it, offer your honest and thoughtfully considered feedback. Please note that if you think said writing is a pile of steaming cow dung, say so . . . but gently, and make sure to include something positive with your feedback. Trust me, the writer will eventually thank you for it (if not right away).

* Simply say to the writer, 'I love your work. Have you written anything lately? Tell me about it!' Then, when the writer starts telling you about it - actually listen and show interest, without letting your eyes (or fingers, if you're communicating online) glaze over. Writers love talking with interested parties about their work.

None of these gifts will cost you anything except time, and any writer on your list will appreciate them. So give freely (and I do mean free! Isn't that a great word?) this holiday season, and may you also be blessed with such gifts for yourself.

Why I’m a Writer

It's a pleasure to welcome Marylin Meredith back to MURDER BY 4!

Ever so often I like to think about the reasons I’m a writer since I spend so much time doing it and promoting my books and don’t make much money for all my efforts. In the last week, I heard about a rather famous mystery writer who has decided to no longer pursue her writing career. And through the years I’ve had writing friends who decided the money wasn’t enticing enough to continue.

Here are my reasons for writing:

First, I don’t think I could stop writing. It’s something I have a compulsion to do. And I’ve had this compulsion for over sixty years. It’s like an addiction and I’m afraid I’d find it very hard to quit. I haven’t always written mysteries, but that’s what I’ve been up to for most of my life. Because I’m writing two series, the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series and the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, I’m afraid my characters would compel me to find out what is happening in their lives.

Second, I’ve had so much satisfaction from writing. I have absolutely no control over the world that I live in. I’m not just talking about the big wide world, I mean the world that contains my family and friends. In the magical imaginary worlds that I’ve created, I do have some control–things always turn out right and the bad guys get it in the end. Oh sure, as many authors have confessed, sometimes the characters take over and do surprising things–but that’s fun.

Third, I’ve made so many new friends that I’d have never even come across if I wasn’t a mystery writer. I’ve made friends on the Internet, at the mystery cons I’ve attended both other writers and mystery fans and I look forward to seeing them at the next ones. I’ve also made friends when I’ve done book events here and there. At a Left Coast Crime in Alaska, I met two young Native women. One I kept in touch with via email through the years and when Bouchercon was held in Alaska, my friend invited me to stay at her house in Wasilla after the convention. Of course I did and had a wonderful time with her. While there I made another friend who drove me around Wasilla and took me to the middle school where I talked to the kids about writing mysteries as well places like the Iditarod Museum and a reindeer farm. I now have lots of police officer friends, and a couple of friends in the FBI because of being a member of the Public Safety Writers Association http://www.publicsafetywriter.com/

Fourth, I’ve had lots of adventures and visited places I’d have never gone to if I hadn’t been a writer. Alaska is one of the places I loved visiting. The first time, I went to a Native Village and visited a school. In order to get there, the principal drove me on the frozen river. Scary but also exciting. A mystery writer friend and I flew to New York to the Edgars one year and from there we rode the train to D.C. to attend Malice Domestic. My husband and I have fallen in love with Omaha, a place I’d never had any desire to visit before going to Mayhem in the Midlands. The zoo is wonderful and there are lots of fantastic restaurants around the hotel. We made friends with the owner of Ahmed’s Persian restaurant, and he actually remembers us each year. Flying to Chicago in the middle of a snow storm for Love is Murder was exciting and beautiful. Visiting relatives and a planned for library talk and bookstore signing was interrupted by a hurricane–and we were stranded when water completely surrounded the house we were staying in and nearly washed away our rental car. We loved Wisconsin, El Paso, San Antonio, Plano, Austin, TX and Seattle WA, Portland OR, Virginia Beach VA, Maui (where I got to be an instructor for the Maui Writers Retreat) and many more spots around the country.

Fifth, though I’ve enjoyed the traveling, I love the fact that I can stay home and do the work that I truly enjoy, writing.

* * * *

About the Author: Marilyn Meredith is the author of award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest Kindred Spirits from Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, the latest, No Sanctuary, with a January release date from Oak Tree Press, is set in a fictional beach community in Ventura County CA where she lived for over twenty years.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years. She makes her home in Springville CA, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com

Balancing Life and Writing - can it be done?

copyright 2008 Aaron Paul Lazar

Hello friends and writers,

I hope this finds you well, and writing prolifically.

Do you have trouble finding time to write? Or do you have a secret strategy that works?

Is writing an obsession that grips you by the throat and won't let you go until you've spewed hundreds of words per day? Do your characters haunt you and force you to listen to their bizarre plot twists while you're driving to work or doing the laundry? How do you quench that thirst?

I've been asked those questions dozens of times on radio shows and in print interviews, probably because I've written twelve books.

Folks want to know how we writers manage to produce complete books while working full time, caring for homes and gardens, cooking healthy meals, grocery shopping, chauffeuring kids to practices or lessons, walking the dog, and more.



It's a great question, and the answer involves a skill I've honed for the past decade.

I thought I'd share some of my answers here, and ask you to contribute your own ideas below in the comments section. Sound good?

First of all, here's a little background:

As some of you already know, I work full time as an electrophotographic engineer at Kodak. I commute two hours daily to and from Rochester, NY and we also run a small chair caning business nights and weekends. I take on most of the household chores, because my wife has MS, and although she manages wonderfully considering her ailments (you should SEE the chairs she canes!), she can't do things like taking out the trash or doing the shopping. Most of the jobs such as cleaning, cooking, tending my huge gardens, bringing up the firewood, shopping, etc. are mine.
a
In spite of this, I'm currently working on book number thirteen.


How do I do it?

It's all part of the delicate negotiation of my time.

I put family first and writing second. The rest comes along for the ride. I also cook healthy feasts on Sundays and we eat off of that every night during the week. Plenty of veggies, poultry, and fish. And if the oil change in the car is a little overdue, or if my weeds aren't all neat and tidy like Sam Moore's gardens (the creep is retired; I'm so jealous!), or the kitchen floor isn't shining... well, so be it. I've gotta write. I have no choice.

It's always a struggle to find enough time. But if you're a writer, you must find a way.

My secret?

Well, it's not such a revelation. I simply gave up television. What do I miss? Nothing. What do I gain? Everything, including that freedom of spirit that comes with immersing oneself in a parallel universe, or, revelling in the pure joy of putting words on paper that sing, or smiling when my characters grow and evolve, just like real people. (What's that you said? They aren't real?) I love my writing time. I crave it. And it scratches an itch that must be tended.

I often go to bed at 8:00, and rise at 4:00, when the house is dark and quiet and the atmosphere is perfect for transporting oneself into another realm. It's my favorite time to write. And yes - I still get my eight hours of sleep. So what if I miss that episode of "House"? There are always reruns if I ever get the craving to see television again.



It helps to take care of yourself. I eat very well, with plenty of fruits and veggies and always home cooked foods. Well, most of the time. Sometimes I give in and buy a grilled stuffed chicken burrito with extra fiesta sauce.

Exercise sharpens the mind, too. Lately I've had to change priorities to allow for long walks with my twenty-three-year-old daughter, Allison. We walk four to five miles at a stretch. I have less time to do all the other stuff (okay, that kitchen floor REALLY needs mopping now), but I find it so exhilarating and refreshing that I can't give it up. We take photos along the way, which is a shared passion. And I try to picture my heart getting "cleaned out," every time we walk. It's so good for us, in every aspect. Great bonding time. The fresh air is cathartic. I love writing after a long walk in the country.

Somehow I fit in the cleaning, laundry, home repairs, and bills. Oh, I hate doing the bills. Maybe someday when I'm rich and famous (LOL) I won't have to worry about the struggle. But it never seems to end, even when you think it's going to "get easier this year."

But things worthwhile are never easy, are they?

Let us know how you manage to squeeze in your writing time below. All tips are welcome.

Perhaps we'll inspire the next award-winning author to change his or her life and finish their novel. Maybe it will be a book that changes our lives. You never know...

Meanwhile, get yourself organized, pull out that laptop or boot up your PC, and start writing like the wind!

- Aaron

P.S. Come join Gus LeGarde and his endearing family in the rolling hills of Upstate NY, where villains lurk in the wintry woods while the family congregates at the dinner table, enjoying mouth-watering meals prepared by our own Renaissance man. I'm offering a holiday special right now - three books for the price of two. Email me at aaron dot lazar at yahoo dot com if you're interested in the details. Or you can purchase the books at all online or brick and mortar bookstores.

The Rest of the Story

When I was a new writer, I wanted a finished book. I worked and struggled and strived to just FINISH one whole novel. When I accomplished that, (a fantasy! High fantasy, like LOTR- and whew boy was it awful-!) I wanted to submit it. I just wanted to send it out and even if it was rejected, I would be able to say I had taken it to the next level. (LOL be careful what you ask for) So, I submitted. It was rejected. Meh, no biggie. I was off to something else realizing that this book just wasn’t it.



So onward and upward. I wanted to try my hand at a historical fiction novel. A love story! And I spent several years doing so. I researched endlessly. It was fun in a lot of ways. Then I said, okay, you managed the writing part. You managed to submit something. Now, let’s conquer the rejection part.

Once that was accomplished (several times over, I should say), then I wanted to get something accepted and published. This time when I sat down to write, I said what haven’t I written? So I settled for cozies. I wasn't too caring if I made it with a short story, (I really wanted to sell that cozy novel I had just finished, but I was leaving my fate in God's hands and letting it gel as I was told by more than one person to do!) I just wanted a "yes" from someone. I sent the book to friends. Then critiques started coming in. I rewrote. More crits. More rewrites. Crits on novel, crits on short stories. Hired an editor. More rewriting. Rejection, rejection. After a few months of this, I got good and nauseous.


Didn't I start saying, “Okay, if it doesn't happen, no biggie”? Didn't I say after years of trying, “Okay, maybe I should give up on this dream”? Yes, I did. I even tried to quit. Just ask my close buddies. Some of them told me to quit. Some of them were much kinder. I had my mind made up to quit writing, so I went into a slump, a self-imposed exile to all things literary. But don't you know that when you quit wanting something so badly, it finally comes to be? Well, now you do.

So, when the email came from the editor of MouthfullofBullets.com saying that he not only wanted my submitted short story, but he wanted three more to go with it, I almost fell out of my chair! Hallelujah was sung all day in my house. I would be published! Was there any greater feeling in the world? Of course there was!

Soon after, the email came from the first publisher I went with for Avenging Angel. She wanted it! I signed the contract in late November 2007, and waited a whole year just to end up pulling the book. Is there any more of a terrible feeling in the world as knowing that all the waiting was for naught?

Why on earth would you pull your book? Some will ask this question. It’s okay to do that, y’all. You can be in control of your own destiny in all things, yes, even in the publishing world. I learned so much through the efforts of my friends who kept encouraging me during the whole “I am not writing ever again” debacle. I learned most of all that even if I never have anything published at all, I am still a great person and a decent writer. It gave me the strength to pull this book out of the queue of one place and submit it once again to another, certain that I would never see the light of publication after so much had happened.

But pull it I did.

Looking at other venues, I contacted the submissions editor at Red Rose. She told me to send it to her as soon as I had my contract terminated and all that jazz. I didn’t have to wait long before the acceptance came, and as they say, the rest is history.

Avenging Angel comes out next Thursday. My blog day, wouldn’t you know it? How did I get so lucky? So we are going to throw a HUGE book launch party that day, beginning here at MB4 and ending at my radio show, Introducing… WRITERS! You will be able to call in, or listen in here THE PARTY and I really want you to come by. 7:30 PM CST or 8:30 PM EST -- I promise not to be too silly--but yanno… this being published thing can make a girl pretty dang giddy!

Virtual Tours

Last year I conducted a virtual book tour to promote my debut book, SILENCED CRY. This year, I have the pleasure of working with Pump Up Your Book Promotions to promote THE DEVIL CAN WAIT throughout the month of December. Both experiences made me roll up my sleeves and work. Both have been positive and certainly gave me an education on the how-to of book promotions.

Whether the author chooses to conduct their own tour or hire a firm to coordinate it, the principles are the same; you need to find sites who will post your work, write the articles/answer interview questions, and promote the tour. With a few basic communication skills, a little time, and some careful planning, virtual book tours are not only doable, they are an inexpensive and fun way to meet potential readers and promote your book.

The key words are NETWORK and RELATIONSHIPS, but don't wait until your book is published to begin building a communication network.

Join diverse groups that provide different focuses such as some general author forums where anything having to do with writing can and is discussed. Other groups may have a membership with focused interest on your preferred genre, while yet others focus on discussions about marketing, agents, and publishing. You can draw a benefit from each group you participate in.

I joined my first author forum several years before SILENCED CRY was released in April 2007, by BeWrite Books (UK). I've built my network of friends and contacts through membership in over 20 sites. These sites represent thousands of members and potential readers. The number of readers increase when I add in the number of people who visit my website and blogs. What's more important is that via a virtual book tour, the author will also meet potential sponsors for additional blogs, interviews, or review opportunities.

Several people have asked me how I find time to stay current with the various posts and keep up with my writing. Getting involved within those networks doesn't mean you have to devote hours a day to each one, but do make yourself known to others. Get involved in the conversations that are of interest to you and ones that you can contribute to. Think of how many people you know and come in contact with every day. Each member in these sites probably knows as many or possibly more people than you do. Get to know them. Pay attention to what is being discussed and follow the links they mentioned. You never know where they may lead you. If a certain link is not to your liking, go on to the next one.

The big question, of course is the bottom line: Do virtual book tours generate sales? Here’s an interesting article that tries to address the issue: http://www.ezinearticles.com/comment.php?Do_Virtual_Book_Tours_Sell_Books?&id=914233. From my perspective, the important thing to remember is that unless readers know about your book, they can’t buy it, therefore, yes, they can a and do generate sales.

Virtual book tours affect sales by expanding the author's reach and exposing his or her book to a larger group of readers. The success of the tour, however, depends on how well the author promotes it. Another point to remember is that as opposed to a traditional tour where the author travels from town to town giving talks and answering questions, the articles and interviews published on the Internet are there “forever” allowing readers to return to them at their leisure.

I invite you to stop by my virtual tour stop today and read a review written by Cheryl C. Malandrinos of THE DEVIL CAN WAIT for The Book Connection.

My other stops so far have been at:

Dec. 9 – American Chronicle (interview) http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/82432

Dec. 8 - Blogcritics (author interview) http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/12/07/173913.php

Dec. 5 – The Plot (character interview) http://theplotline.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/interview-with-homicide-detective-sam-harper-of-the-sam-harper-crime-mystery-series-by-marta-stephens

Dec. 5 – Joanna Slan Blog. (guest post) http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/

Dec. 4 – The Plot (book spotlight) http://theplotline.wordpress.com/2008/12/04

Dec. 3 -- MURDER BY 4 blog http://murderby4.blogspot.com/2008/12/networking-in-nutshell.html

Dec. 3 – The Writer’s Life (guest post) http://thewriterslife.blogspot.com/2008/11/guest-blogger-marta-stephens-gives-tips.html

Introducing Writers on Blog Talk Radio (radio interview) http://www.blogtalkradio.com/KimS/2008/11/20/Marta-Stephens-author-of-THE-DEVIL-CAN-WAIT

Dec. 3 – Book Marketing Buzz http://bookmarketingbuzz.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/book-marketing-minute-networking-with-marta-stephens

Dec. 2 – The Dark Phantom (guest post) http://thedarkphantom.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/guest-post-the-stuff-that-makes-characters-jump-off-the-page-by-martha-stephens

Rose and Thorn Reviews (book review) http://roseandthornreviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/book-review-devil-can-wait-by-marta_24.html

Dec. 1 – Fiction Scribe (interview) www.fictionscribe.com/interview-with-marta-stephens-author-of-the-devil-can-wait

Dec. 1 – Joylene Nowell Butler (interview) http://cluculzwriter.blogspot.com/2008/11/interview-with-author-marta-stephens.html

http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/49804/60892-talking-books-crime-mystery-novelist

You'll find the entire tour agenda at: http://www.martastephens-author.com/Events.htm

And remember, leave a note, question, or comment on the tour stops and you could win a FREE virtual book tour from Pump Up Your Book Promotion if you're a published author with a recent release or a $50 Amazon gift certificate if you are not published!

* * *

Marta Stephens writes crime mystery/suspense. Her books are available online at familiar shops such as all the Amazons, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-a-Million, and Powells. Other locations include, but are not limited to those listed on her website. THE DEVIL CAN WAIT (November 3, 2008)

SILENCED CRY (2007) Honorable Mention, 2008 New York Book Festival

Top Ten, 2007 Preditors and Editors Reader Poll (mystery)

More Writing Quotes

I present to you a fairly random sample of quotes on writing, from my "vast" collection of, like, 20 quotes. :-)

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The profession of book-writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business. –John Steinbeck

If writers were good businessmen, they'd have too much sense to be writers. – Irvin S. Cobb

When I was a little boy, they called me a liar, but now that I am grown up, they call me a writer. – Isaac Bashevis Singer

A writer is congenitally unable to tell the truth and that is why we call what he writes fiction. – William Faulkner

Only a mediocre writer is always at his best. – W. Somerset Maugham

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. ~James Michener

Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality and once in that mirror which waits always before or behind. ~Catherine Drinker Bowen

A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one. ~Baltasar Gracián

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And the one that speaks to me most right now...

Writing is a struggle against silence. ~Carlos Fuentes

Interview with Author Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna Campbell Slan
PAPER, SCISSORS, DEATH
Fall 2008, Midnight Ink

Hello and welcome to MURDER BY 4, Joanna. Let's start by asking you to tell us who is Joanna Campbell Slan?

A: I am a small-town girl who discovered Jane Eyre at an early age and thought, “Wow. Even plain, poor girls have a chance at a better life if they get a good education.” Heck, I didn’t know it was fiction. It looked like a wise plan to me—and it was.

Q: Please tell us about your journey, where you¢ve been and how you got here.

A: I started winning awards for writing when I was in junior high. I worked my way through college and majored in journalism at Ball State University , Muncie , IN. I wrote for the campus publications and for the local newspaper. I’m the author of ten non-fiction books, including a college textbook on using personal anecdotes when giving speeches. Seven of the non-fiction books were on scrapbooking. One sold 85,000 copies. I used to work as a motivational speaker. I received a Silver Anvil from Public Relations Society of America for my work on FarmAid. I’m doing exactly what I always hoped to do with my life.

Q: What wonderful things can you tell us about PAPER, SCISSORS, DEATH?

A: It’s the first in the Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery series. Jon Jordan of Crimespree Magazine called it “a wonderful read.” Reviewers are noticing that it’s a bit more exciting than the average cozy. For example, Pat Elliott at BookLoons Reviews said, “Slan’s sleuth Kiki Lowenstein is smart and crafty. Her hair-raising brushes with life and death will keep you rooting for her every step of the way.” The book includes scrapbooking tips and in the back is a code for 50 Free Digital Prints courtesy of Snapfish.

Q: What prompted you to write this book?

A: My son got his driver’s license! Seriously, I finally had the necessary blocks of time to think and plan. I always wanted to write fiction. I realized there might be a niche in the market where my knowledge of a craft could be an asset. I love telling myself stories—and Kiki is just so much fun!

Q: What makes your book stand out among other books in this genre?

A: I believe that a cozy can be a thrill ride. I think we can slowly reveal information. We can do a strip-tease on paper that keeps the reader breathless. And cozy authors can create compelling, realistic characters—plus engaging plots. I did not want people to read my book solely because they liked scrapbooking. In fact, I was very careful to craft a read that even non-hobbyists could enjoy.

Q: What marketing/promotional strategies have worked best for you and why?

A: Also, we launched the book at Archivers’ Scrapfest, the largest gathering of scrapbookers in the country. More than 15,000 scrappers were there at Mall of America. We sold 400 copies in two-and-a-half days. Getting an initial OOMPH was very helpful in building word-of-mouth.

Q: What do you feel is has been your greatest strengths as a writer?

A: My willingness to keep learning and improving. I am constantly trying to do better.

Q: In what way do you or don’t you see yourself in your main character, Kiki?

A: A lot of us scrapbookers are like Kiki. We put our families first. We put ourselves last. We’re often underestimated and overlooked. We are hard on ourselves. We write love letters to life in our scrapbook pages, but we’re very down-to-earth and practical.

Q: Please tell us about the setting for your book and why you chose it.

A: I love St. Louis. It’s quirky, full of history and mystery, and I felt it was underutilized as a setting. This city is so important to the book that I treat it like another character. Which it is.

Q: What has been your greatest challenging in writing this book or writing in general?

A: Setting priorities. You have so many other “chores” besides writing that often writing takes the backseat. When I don’t get to write, I feel grumpy because writing is my passion and my release.

Q: Every author has at least one turning point in their career. That moment when they know the path they must take and accept the challenge. Please tell us about yours.

A: I was in college. We were going around and telling the teacher who we were and what we wanted to do after we graduated. I said, “I’m a writer.” One of the other students said, “No, you only hope you’ll be a writer.” And I knew he was dead wrong. That’s who and what I was—and I am.

Q: When you’re not writing, what are you doing?

A: I spend a lot of time promoting and marketing. I also create scrapbook pages and other pieces of paper art. I send out an electronic magazine bimonthly at least, and I need to keep coming up with new projects and ideas for that. Folks can view some of these by going to http://www.scrapbookstorytelling.com/ezinearchive.shtml I get a lot of response from these. I usually offer a free downloadable piece of art. Readers need to send me an email (which allows me to capture new emails because they tell their friends), and I’ll send them the file. Last issue we had 120 or so requests.

Q: What has been the most valuable advice you’ve received along the way? How has it shaped your path?

A: Gosh, I’ve learned so much. My friend Shirley Damsgaard has four things that every line must do: 1.) drive the plot forward 2.) mess with the reader’s head 3.) add something to a character and 4.) ground the reader in a sense of place.

Q: What writing or marketing advice/experiences would you like to share with other authors?

A: I believe in “win-win” and “value-added.” I was able to partner with a paper manufacturer that needed to off-load some old stock. (Paper gets “old” after 3 months in the scrapbooking world.) I paid the shipping, and they gave me cool stuff to give away at signings. Now you might think, “Oh, but that’s scrapbooking,” but here’s the thing: we all have something to share. The trick is to find someone who needs what you have to offer—and who has something of value to you. It’s a mind-set.

Q: What message, if any, does your book offer the reader?

A: Being poor stinks. Friends help you grow up. You can run, but you can only hide from bad news for a short while. Never underestimate anybody.

Q: Thanks so much for giving us a glimpse into your life and writing. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

A: I blog every Monday at http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com and I blog frequently about being a debut author at http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/

* * *

Joanna Campbell Slan is the author of PAPER, SCISSORS, DEATH: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery, the first in a series featuring an amateur sleuth. Kirkus Reviews noted it a “well-turned cozy,” while Crimespree Magazine called PAPER, SCISSORS, DEATH “a wonderful read.” Reader to Reader Reviews notes “Joanna Campbell Slan proves herself to be a top-notch mystery author with this very entertaining and intriguing debut.”

Slan is a motivational speaker and author of ten non-fiction books. Her college textbook, USING STORIES AND HUMOR: GRAB YOUR AUDIENCE (Allyn & Bacon), has been praised by former Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter. Five of her personal essays have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her seminal book on the art of scrapbooking, Scrapbook Storytelling, has sold more than 85,000 copies. She’s the author of countless magazine and newspaper articles on a variety of subjects.

Slan has partnered with ScrapBook inspirations Magazine, a UK publication, to run an annual contest called “The Best of British Scrapbooking.” Slan is also the co-founder of Forensic University of St. Louis.

A journalism graduate of Ball State University, Slan currently teaches for Writers Online Workshops and Lewis and Clark Community College. Formerly, she taught public relations at Illinois State University. She is the recipient of a Silver Anvil, Public Relations Society of America’s “Emmy,” for her work on FarmAid.

Visit her at www.joannaslan.com or read her blogs at http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com and http://joannaslan.blogspot.com

Rejection: Is your book REALLY that bad?

copyright 2008 Aaron Paul Lazar



Rejection. Oh, how it stings. Most of us have been through it - plenty. Seeking jobs, seeking love, seeking publication for our books. It hurts. Destroys our self image. For a while, anyway. And it tears at the thin fabric in which we cocoon with our fragile writer's ego, protecting the inner belief that our work is valid.
a
A new writer recently emailed me after receiving a flurry of rejections from big agents. With a crushed spirit, she wrote:
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"It makes no sense to me. If someone has written a book that is a good read, then why in the world would it not be recognized, published and read? The only answer that makes any sense is that it's not a particularly good read after all."
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Alas, if it were only that simple. Let's step back and take a look at the situation.
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You wrote a book. Your instincts tell you it's darned good. You envision an agent or publisher recognizing this and sweeping you up in their arms to share with the world. You dream of financial success, recognition, and that sweet validation that makes you feel you're a "real" writer.
a
That elusive dream haunts just about every new writer I've ever known. Then, after years of toiling, burning the midnight or early morning oil, sweating and suffering and bleeding onto the pages - most realize, in time, that they'd better not quit their day jobs.If every "good" book were accepted and published, we'd need a great deal more space to store and sell them. I've read that bookstores today stock only 2-3% of the published books in the world. Imagine all the "real" books that don't end up on their shelves? Now imagine all the good books that never get published. It's mind-boggling.
a
An enormous number of books are submitted annually to publishers, and only a relative handful of agents and editors to scan through the 0.05% that are accepted for the slush pile. They often receive hundreds of submissions per day. Imagine reading 100 emails every single day from authors who want to be heard? It wouldn't be hard to feel jaded in short order.Publishers and agents have cut down their staffs, because of the economy, and it's probably even harder for them to get through the slush piles now, with the fear of job loss if their next pick doesn't bring in some cash.
a
There are plenty of horrible books submitted each year, too. But there are also hundreds, if not thousands, of very good books out there. Yours may be one of them. (If it isn't, keep on working on your skills until it is!)
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Are you in this boat? Have you had your books summarily dismissed by the powers that be, over and over again? Have you hired or courted superb writers to help you perfect your story? Have you scoured your book dozens of times for typos or inconsistancies? Have you researched the heck out of every point that needs confirmation? Have you assured that your dialog is crisp and believable? Have you hacked away at unnecessary adverbs and adjectives? Have you just plain told the story in the same voice you use to speak? And your book has still been rejected?
a
If not, drop down on your knees and count your lucky stars, for you are among one of the very few who got picked up at the starting gate. If so, let me share something with you.
aa
Rejections may have nothing to do with the quality or value of your book. Most often, they have to do with the market, and what's "hot" this season. It could be the mood of the agent or editor who's reading your stuff, or the fact that your book slides between genres. Maybe it features young adults, but doesn't follow someone's blueprint for what a YA book needs to contain. Maybe it's absolutely perfect for a publisher, but they've already filled the slot for your genre on their list this year. Maybe the first level editor falls in love with your book, but her boss doesn't. Or you get all the way to the top of this year's short list, only to be told you didn't make the cut.
a
Sound familiar?
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If you don't get picked up in the first five years by high profile agents or publishers, I recommend seeking a high quality small press. It's not easy to get into their world, either. But you don't usually need an agent, and they can provide a nuturing home for you, as well as help you get your books out to the public.
a
And let me tell you friends, it's that public, those lovely readers, who will provide the validation you've sought for so long. When the first person (who isn't family or friends) comes up to you and gushes over your characters, or when you receive that unsolicited email from a stranger who NEEDS your next book or "they'll just die," or that lady who's been staring at you with stars in her eyes finally approaches you in the grocery store and says she wants to marry your lead character... that's when the validation just washes through your writer's soul. It's even better than the glowing reviews. Trust me.
a
So, the publishing game is tough. But it's not hopeless. There is still a place for us in this intensely competitive world. Acceptance by a high profile firm does not necessarily equate to a good book, just as rejection doesn't always equate to a bad book. Just look at the bestsellers out there. Some are quite odious, filled with plot holes, flat characters, and poor editing.
a
So, why bother?
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Even with staggering odds in today's market, every year several "newcomers" are "discovered" and offered lucrative contracts. It does happen. We hear about it all the time. The next "hot" book will be discovered any day now. And it could be yours.
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My final bit of advice is this:
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If you are a passionate writer, you need to write independent of what agent represents you, how many times your work has been rejected, what publisher has thumbed their nose at you, how many readers you have or don't have, how many books you have published or not published.

Okay. Group Hug.
a

Now just keep writing. And remember to write like the wind!



- Aaron

author reading to fans from Healey's Cave, coming spring, 2009.

Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. The author of LeGarde Mysteries and Moore Mysteries savors the countryside in the Genesee Valley in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his websites at www.legardemysteries.com and www.mooremysteries.com and watch for the fourth book in the LeGarde series, MAZURKA, coming in January 2009 from Twilight Times Books.

Interview with H. Terrell Griffin

H. Terrell Griffin whose new mystery, Blood Island, is being published this week by Oceanview Publishing visited with MB4 recently. Blood Island is the third book in the Matt Royal series featuring a retired attorney living on an island off the coast of Florida.
You can find more about H. Terrell Griffin at his site over on our sidebar under guest of the week.

1. Do you write everyday?

No. I tend to write when the spirit moves me. Some days I don’t write at all and other days I’m at the computer all day long.

2.How does each session start and how do you proceed? How, where and why does it end?

I usually have an idea of where I want to take the characters for the next few pages. I stop when I run out of ideas. I’ve found that a long walk tends to get the juices flowing again and I go back to the computer to write some more. Sometimes I just quit when my fingers get tired.

3.What is your latest book about?

Blood Island is a mystery/thriller that takes place in Florida, mostly in the Keys. It involves Matt Royal’s quest to find his ex-wife’s missing stepdaughter. The hunt becomes dangerous when people he talks to about the girl end up dead. When somebody tries to kill Matt, he becomes the hunter. He stumbles onto a cult in the Keys that is bent on starting a world war. There’s a lot of action as Matt tries to find the girl and defuse the bad guys’ plans.

4.How long did it take you to write it? Where and when was it published?

I wrote the book in about six months and it was published and released on November 1, 2008.

5.Tell us about your publisher-- How did you choose a publisher for the book? Why this particular publisher? What advantages and/or disadvantages has this presented? How are you dealing with these?

The publisher, Oceanview Publishing, sort of chose me. A friend who owns a bookstore submitted my manuscript to Oceanview and they decided to publish it. Oceanview is a fast growing independent publisher who is willing to take a chance on new and unknown authors. I have heard complaints of other authors about the horrors of dealing with their publishers. I have found the Oceanview people to be wonderful to work with; professionals who put the author’s needs at the top of their list every day. I think the great advantage to a small publisher is that the author is not just another number or a profit center. The Oceanview people take good care of their writers. Their marketing is superb and so far I’ve found no disadvantage to working with them.

6.Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did you find most difficult? Why do you think this was so? How did you deal with these difficulties?

The discipline necessary to write a book seems to be my biggest problem. I was a trial lawyer for 38 years and that is a job that requires an enormous amount of self-discipline. When I retired in 2006 I found that I thoroughly enjoyed the undisciplined life, the ability to come and go as I please, to sleep in, lie on a beach, go fishing, read a book, without worrying about the next case. I deal with that problem in my writing simply by ignoring it. When I’m in the mood to write, I’ll sit at the computer until I’m too tired to go on. I find that writing comes easy and is enjoyable. I like my characters and sometimes can’t wait to find out what they’re going to do next. I’m always aware of deadlines, but so far my lack of discipline hasn’t kept me from meeting them.

7.Which did you enjoy most? Why is this?

The writing is fun. I enjoy the creative juices that flow when I’m “in the groove.” I like working with a sentence to make it better, to build the paragraph that reads well. I think my enjoyment comes from crafting a story that people want to read, that the reader appreciates.

8.What sets the book apart from the other things you have written?

Each book is a new adventure that gives me the chance to build on my characters. I want them to be real people with all the nuances of personality that we see in the real world. The circumstances in which the characters find themselves are not your everyday situations, but this is fiction. Yet, I want the characters’ reactions to be those of ordinary people. I hope in Blood Island I have explored the characters a little more deeply, let them grow some, but leave room for them to continue to thrive in the next book.

9.In what way is this book similar to past works?

Some of the characters are the same, and one of the locales, Longboat Key, is the same. However, the adventure is completely different and the characters continue to face adversity and deal with it in different ways. The story moves to venues that I haven’t explored in my writing before, and I introduce a group of really strange people.

10.What will your next book be about?

My next book, Wyatt’s Revenge, is finished and will be published in the fall of 2009. The three main characters are back pursuing bad guys, this time in Europe. There is a historical context that is important and timely, given the events of recent years. I explore the connections between World War II and today, all in a fictional context.

Avenging Angel, the making of the book

Welcome to my December party! I hope you brought your popcorn!
Teaser to the book is now available on my
WEBSITE!

Telling the story of the journey from where I started to where I am now is not going to be a short tale. I hope you can stand the retelling.

I spent a ton of time online, writing and being critiqued by people I didn’t know personally. I spent an enormous amount of time offline, writing and being critiqued face-to-face with people that I did know, and believe it or not, there was not a lot of difference between the two groups. They were all tough cookies and had hard choices for me to make. I struggled.

I hoped that somewhere, at some time, I would find the pot of gold at the end of the horrendously long rainy season. But like so many new writers, that was just a pipe dream. You ain’t gonna get published without blood, sweat, and tears, folks. Ya just ain’t.

I remember a short story that I had to write in grade school about the Pilgrims. It had to be a real story, not some cheap imitation out of our history book. (To hear the retelling of that, go to my website to find out how it all turned out.) That is most likely the first bit of really authentic fiction writing I ever did, and it sort of tilted me in the direction of where I am today.

Later in my life, I was the editor of my college newspaper and knew writing was definitely in my blood at that juncture. But as a lot of young people do, I gave up my dreams of career pursuits for marriage and kids. For probably fifteen years, I didn’t do more than talk about writing.

It was when my kids decided they wanted to be actors that I found a wealth of time on my hands. Driving to play practices, performances, and auditions gave me so much opportunity to develop ideas, it wasn’t funny. Besides, (my kids) got all their talent from some one, didn't they? Talent is not always acquired. *grin*

My husband was the one to put a cork in my daydreaming and turn my ideas into reality. He plunked me down in front of our very first home computer in the early part of the 1990’s and said, “Now, you have no more excuses. Write.” And so I did.

But life intervened once again, and I had to go to work for a living. Time at a job took away from my creative urges to the point where it was only done sporadically and usually not very well, at that. I just had no energy to devote to it. I had to learn more about computers than about characters in night classes, which kept me too tired to type.

So how did I get from that time to this? Well, find out next week, in the continuing saga of “Avenging Angel, The Book” right here. Same time, same station, same bat cave. By the time we get to my book launch date, you are going to know more about me than my diary does. Hint: Do you like fantasy??

Networking In A Nutshell

As many of you know, I’m in the middle of a month-long virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotions that will end on December 23, to promote my new novel, "The Devil Can Wait. As a result, the CEO of the organization, Dorothy Thompson and I were discussing the value of networking with our readers and fellow authors.

“It's interesting to try to figure out just what works the best,” she said. “You just try different things ... That's all part of networking.”

When you stop and think about it, networking is nothing more than using the social skills and manners our moms, dads, and first grade teacher tried to instill in us. In this fast-paced world of instant gratification a simple "please" and "thank you" still has the power to get you noticed.

Everyone who blogs knows how hard it is to get people to read their posts. Granted, I don’t want to beg, but heck, I've been known to drag a few of my closest friends by the ear to my posts and they’re still talking to me. ;)

But seriously, when people take the time to visit a blog and write a comment, the very least the author can do is acknowledge them with a response.

I’m often asked how I manage to keep up with the various sites I belong to. Call me crazy but yesterday I joined my 25th group and spent several hours posting announcements about my December virtual book tour on all of them. Since December 1, several articles, interviews, and reviews of "The Devil Can Wait" have been published. You'll find them at the following links:

Dec. 1 - Fiction Scribe (interview) http://www.fictionscribe.com/

Dec. 1 -- Joylene Nowell Butler (interview) http://cluculzwriter.blogspot.com/

Dec. 2 - The Dark Phantom (guest post) http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com/

Dec. 2 – Book Marketing Buzz http://bookmarketingbuzz.wordpress.com/

Dec. 2 -- Rose and Thorn Reviews (book review) http://roseandthornreviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/book-review-devil-can-wait-by-marta_24.html

Dec. 3 – The Writer’s Life (guest post)
http://thewriterslife.blogspot.com/2008/11/guest-blogger-marta-stephens-gives-tips.html

I’ve received and responded to several comments on each of these posts and will continue to check them throughout my tour. But this is nothing new to me. I do that on every site and every blog I visit whether I’m on tour or not. If I don’t know the bloggers and I'm not sure if they’ll visit the site again, I go to their Blogger profile for an e-mail address or their website link and send them a thank you note. If the post is on one of several sites where you “invite people to be your friend,” I invite them.

I know what your thinking. Sure this takes time, but don't think for a minute the recipients won't notice. PR 101: That one-on-one, old fashion thank you note is what people remember most. The best part about networking is that it’s free and the few minutes a day you spend reaching out to your readers and fellow authors will pay you back tenfold.

So give me a chance to network with YOU! If you have a minute, drop in on one of my tour stops and leave a comment or question for me. I guarantee a response! And yes, dress is optional. Just slide your feet into those warm house slippers, grab a cup of coffee and drop me a line—I’m waiting.

You’ll find a complete list of all my tour stops here: http://www.martastephens-author.com/Events.htm.

Look forward to hearing from you!

* * *

Marta Stephens writes crime mystery/suspense. Her books are available online at familiar shops such as all the Amazons, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-a-Million, and Powells. Other locations include, but are not limited to those listed on her website.THE DEVIL CAN WAIT (November 3, 2008)

SILENCED CRY (2007) Honorable Mention, 2008 New York Book Festival & Top Ten, 2007 Preditors and Editors Reader Poll (mystery)

I Got Nothing...

Today is an uninspiring day. I can't think of a thing to post. This morning, one of my kittens died, and there was a giant possom in our basement.

I'll come back and post something better when I find some inspiration.

MURDER BY 4: Where We've Been--Where We're Headed

Wow!! This has been a busy and amazing year for us here at Murder by 4. As a quick recap, MB4 was launched on February 18, 2008. The number of visitors (well over 9,000) in these first nine months, the over 80 guest bloggers, and the posting of 243 articles has far exceeded our expectations. Thanks to all who join us every day and follow our posts at MB4!

What’s happening on an individual basis? Here’s a chronological tally:

Marta Stephens:
Book two of the Sam Harper Series, “The Devil Can Wait” was released by BeWrite Book (UK) on November 3. You’ll find the excerpt and reviews by clicking on the book cover on my website: http://www.martastephens-author.com/. I have a contest link posted on my home page right now and am anxious to get some takers. Check it out! Two more contests will be posted – one in January and another in March, so keep checking for a chance to win, win, win.

November brought me several great book talks/signings opportunities locally as well as a few Internet radio interviews. I also spent most of the month getting ready for my December virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotions. Many thanks to Dorothy Thompson for pulling it all together! The links will be posted daily at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/. The complete list of tour stops (guest blogs, interviews, and book reviews) will also be available in the events page on my website (see above) as well as on my page on Book Tour, http://www.booktour.com/author/marta_stephens.

Last but not least, the voting page for NOVEMBER Book Cover of the Month is now ready, and my book THE DEVIL CAN WAIT is awaiting votes!! Every voter will be entered in a drawing for the winning title. Voting is simple, and the instructions are on the voting page at: http://www.erinaislinn.com/BookCoveroftheMonth.htm. The SILENCED CRY book cover won August 2007 Cover of the Month. Won’t you please help me win another one?



Aaron Lazar:


On the literary front, MAZURKA and HEALEY'S CAVE are due out in January and April of 2009. Aaron will update his readers with a special bulletin when he gets the print copies in hand. He’s still waiting for the reviews from the big review houses, such as Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, etc. But the time is fast approaching. If you’d like to reserve an autographed copy of either book, just let Aaron know at aaron.lazar@yahoo.com.

Meanwhile, he enjoyed corresponding with the students at Pfeiffer University who read
TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON (the third book released and the prequel to DOUBLE FORTÉ), for their Mystery Writers class. They had a ball corresponding, the students loved hearing from a “real” author, and Gus LeGarde now has a new group of folks who plan to follow him through the series.

He agreed to do several new radio shows, as well. The dates and links will be posted on his events page, on http://www.legardemysteries.com/ when it’s all settled. Hope you’ll stop by and join him. Some of the hosts include our own Kim Smith, Dr. Niama Williams, Renée Giroux, and Dr. Kent Gustafson.

His book signings are over for the season, and now he reports that it’s time for him to take a break from all that and luxuriate in writing during the cold winter months. But if you’d like to order some books for Christmas, Aaron is offering specials on all three books. Autographed gift set are also available and can save over ten dollars buying directly from him. What a deal, huh?

Kim Smith:
Check out Kim’s radio talk show on our sidebar here at MB4. Kim started this Blog Talk Radio show a few weeks ago and has had some great guests so far! She’s looking to fill more of her Wednesday and Sunday spots so if you’re interested, contact her at pubd2b@yahoo.com. She’ll be thrilled to hear from you!

Of course we’re all very excited about the release of Kim’s debut novel, AVENGING ANGEL, a Shannon Wallace Mystery on December 18, from Red Rose Publishing in e-book format. Mark your calendar on December 18, to stop by MB4 to read my interview of Kim—at last, the tables have turned! Very cool cover, Kim!




S. W. Vaughn:
S. W. continues to stay busy with her writing and is currently working on producing a book trailer for her pal, M. Stephens. ;) She informed me today that she began a new "rambling spot” so be sure to stop by http://fishpopsicles.blogspot.com/ and see what’s up with S. W!


Best wishes to all. We hope your holidays are splendid, full of love, and warm you to the core. And as Aaron always says, remember to take pleasure in the little things.