Month: March 2022

Staring Into The Not-So-Distant Past #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

March 28, 2022

Where were you at 21? How does that reflect in your writing today?

At the age of 21? Really? That was several lifetimes ago! You expect me to remember that? Certainly, my life wasn’t typical for the age. Especially as I spent much of that year pregnant. I wasn’t a newlywed, (We got married young…I was only 19!) but I think we were still in our long-lasting honeymoon stage. Luckily, I had an easy pregnancy and had the time and energy to write poetry and and do lots of reading.

But none of my main characters have had children. The stories and the characters haven’t called for it. Plus, they’ve all been older than 21, so they are more mature and settled into their personalities than most 21-year olds.

But that doesn’t mean that year isn’t reflected in my writing. I learned a lot about love that year. Romantic love, love for a child, love of myself. Although my stories are mostly action, adventure, suspense and mystery, (and now crime!) they all have a romantic element.

For example, here’s a short snippet from my about-to-be-released book, The Fall of Jake Hennessey:

Sarah rushed out of the kitchen, phone in hand. Jake followed her but went upstairs to check out the rest of the three-story house. The rooms were small, and he wondered if he’d be able to tear out walls to make them bigger. As he started up the narrow stairs to the third floor, Sarah’s voice floated up to him.

“What are you doing with him, Harmony?”

“He asked me to come along.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

“He’s good looking, smart, and treats me like I’m special. Every guy I’ve ever dated in Oak Grove acts as if they’re doing me a favor by taking me out. They’re looking for a 1950s housewife. Jake talks to me and actually listens to what I have to say.”

Jake didn’t want to move and make a noise that would stop the conversation. It was confirmation that his plan was working. Pride warred with a heavy dose of guilt.

“What does he want from you?”

“You mean besides the normal? Sex? Which will happen when I decide I’m ready.”

The book releases this Saturday, April 2nd. 

While my life at age 21 isn’t directly reflected in my books, it surely has influenced my writing. I suspect it’s the truth for others on this loop as well. All you have to do is follow the links below to find out!

Anyway, until next time, please stay safe!

March 28, 2022

Where were you at 21? How does that reflect in your writing today?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

 

Clamoring for Attention – Secondary Characters #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 21, 2022

Do you have a favorite secondary character in your books? Or a favorite sub-plot?

I have a problem. It’s a good problem to have, but it complicates my writing. The problem is secondary characters who want to take over my stories and tell their own. And the stories deserve a book of their own.

Take Tasha, from Wolves’ Knight. She was a secondary character in Wolves’ Pawn, and was written out of the story half-way through the book. And since I’d written Wolves’ Pawn as a stand-alone urban fantasy, I thought she was out of the picture for good. I was wrong.

I was busy writing The Baron’s Cufflinks, the third book in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, when I needed a bogus name for a book. Only it wasn’t a real book, it was a fake one that was used to store old jewelry. The name I picked was Tasha’s Tale. Then I was stuck.

See, Tasha wanted me to write her story. And she didn’t want me to finish The Baron’s Cufflink’s first. She wanted it now. (She is strong-willed!) That’s where Wolves’ Knight came from, and what turned a stand-alone story into a series.

Lori from Wolves’ Gambit has a similar story, but at least she didn’t interrupt me in the middle of writing a different book. She waited patiently while I finished The Baron’s Cufflinks (finally!) and politely asked for her turn. Which I gave her. Now, she and Tasha have teamed up on me, but I’m holding them off. For now.

Because the most consistent of all my secondary characters has my full attention. Jake Hennessey.

Jake was meant to be a throwaway character. He was part of Harmony Duprie’s past, and he was supposed to stay there. When he showed up in Her Ladyship’s Ring, I decided to humor him and let him stay. Big mistake.

I thought I got rid of him in the third book. Sent him off to Chicago and sent Harmony to West Virginia. Done deal, right? Nope, he showed up in West Virginia, and intruded in Harmony’s life again. So, I put him to work and let him help Harmony solve her mystery. I could always write him out of the next book. Or the one after that, or the last one. One thing I can say for Jake, he’s persistent.

When I finished the series with The Ranger’s Dog tags, I was ready to move along. Maybe write that book for Tasha and Lori. Or the female PI series.

But nooo. Jake decided he wanted me to write his story, that he’d stayed in the background (more or less) long enough. Now, I’d tried to get him to tell me his backstory several years ago and he wouldn’t talk. I was fine with that, everyone deserves their secrets.

Still, Jake is Jake, and he decided that now was the time. Only what he asked me to write was a prequel to all the Harmony stories. That meant I knew a lot of the guidelines for the story, and how it ended. What I didn’t know were Jake’s motivations. For a change, he made them very clear from the beginning.

Caged in its gold setting, the deep-green emerald glowed in the dim light. Jake didn’t stop to admire the ring before slipping it into the hidden pouch on his waistband. There’d be time for that before the new owners claimed the prize. It wasn’t a stunning ring, but its ties to the French monarchy made it priceless to a collector.
The Fall of Jake Hennessey, coming April 2nd, 2022.

But Jake isn’t ready to let go of me yet. Not yet. I’m working on a sequel, both to Jake’s book and all the Harmony stories. It’s quite an adventure, trying to write a book placed in the future. That’s all I’m going to tell you.

I know that some of our other authors write secondary characters that have made an impact on them. I’m looking forward to finding out about them. You can too, by following the link below.

March 21, 2022

Do you have a favorite secondary character in your books? Or a favorite sub-plot?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Stranger Things in the World #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 14, 2022

What is the strangest bit of information you’ve run across while doing research for a story? Or maybe the strangest word?

It’s a wild world out there, and every now and again I stumble across something that reminds me of it. Did you know that it’s possible for a mother’s DNA to not match her children’s? And yet the maternal grandmother’s DNA does match?

We’re not talking adoption or switched at birth here. These are scientifically proven cases. One such case is Lydia Fairchild. The discrepancy in her DNA was discovered as part of a custody case. There’s a short but fascinating Wikipedia article about her case here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Fairchild#:~:text=Lydia%20Fairchild%20(born%201976)%20is,children%2C%20Jamie%20Townsend%2C%20separated.

It turns out she has two different sets of DNA, a condition called chimerism. The DNA from her skin doesn’t match the DNA taken from certain other parts of her body. She’s not the only person known with the condition, but because she had to prove in court that her children were really her children, she is one of the better known examples.

What’s another one? I recently learned the Mormons established a Polynesian colony in Utah. I got this  information through trading critiques with a gifted writer, Marcel Stipetic. When Mormon missionaries went to Hawaii in 1850, they were able to convert some natives, but had no structure in place to support their worship. Some moved to Salt Lake City, but didn’t fit in well. The Mormon Church bought a ranch in Skull Valley, Utah, and set up a township for the Hawaiians to move to. When a temple was built in Hawaii in 1915, most of the colonists returned there.

What makes this more interesting is that some people still refer to the settlement, named Iosepa, as a leper colony. Many of us are familiar with the history of the leper colony in Hawaii, with this being the reverse of the situation. The truth is somewhere in between. While a few cases of leprosy occurred among the settlers, official records say the number of victims was only three.

The area is now a ghost town, with the cemetery being on the National Register of Historic Places.

There are many more strange things I have run across while doing research, and I’m sure I’ll find many more. In fact, I’m going to be checking out the other authors on this hop and find out something new! Just follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

March 14, 2022

What is the strangest bit of information you’ve run across while doing research for a story? Or maybe the strangest word?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

COVER REVEAL! The Fall Of Jake Hennessey

  By Uncategorized

 

 

Jake Hennessey is always on top of his game, anticipating the next big play… until Harmony Duprie changes everything.

 

When I decided to release “The Fall of Jake Hennessey,” one of the first things I did was to confer with my cover artist, K.M. Guth. I knew I didn’t want the book to look as if it was another Harmony Duprie Mystery because the story is crime/suspense. Still, I wanted to pay tribute to the series, which provided inspiration for this story.

We studied the covers of best sellers and drew ideas for what we wanted and what we didn’t want, and her marvelous brain went to work. Once she’d developed a general concept, it didn’t take her long to bring it to life.

She fiddled with the placement of the graphics and letters, decided what fonts looked the best, and how to pay homage to her earlier designs. I think she’s a genius, and I watched in awe as she pulled all the needed elements together until we were both happy with it.

But before we get to the cover—you haven’t peeked, have you?—here’s a short excerpt.

The flash of metal reflecting a blinking neon beer sign in the front window had Jake on his feet and halfway across the bar in a second.

“Settle down, Duane,” the bartender said, backing up a few feet.

Jake recognized Duane’s type. Too skinny, pockmarks in his face, scabs on his arms, shaking so hard Jake didn’t know how he remained standing. If Duane was crashing, he became doubly dangerous.

Chairs scraped as other customers moved out of reach of the steak knife Duane waved, aiming at everyone and no one. There’d be no happy ending to the situation, at least as far as Jake foresaw. He circled to get in behind Duane.

“Put down the knife,” said one of his friends from several feet away.

“Take it easy,” said the other.

Duane didn’t pay attention. The weapon traced aimless circles in the air. He advanced two steps closer towards the bartender. “Don,” he slurred. “Don cheat me.”

“Nobody’s cheating anybody,” the bartender said. “Put down your knife and go home and sleep it off.”

It was easy to predict Duane’s next move. Jake had seen it repeated too many times. The druggie lunged at the bartender, but Jake reacted first and grabbed his arm. A dangerous maneuver, because tweakers often found bonus strength out of nowhere. He’d been in fights where it took three bouncers to subdue one meth head. Fate was on his side this time. The knife clattered to the floor, and a kick to the back of his knee ensured Duane did, too.

While all hell broke loose, with everyone yelling at Duane and Duane’s friends yelling at everyone else, Jake slipped out the front.

The Fall of Jake Hennessey will be available on April 2nd at the usual retailers.

Now, on to the cover!

 

Speaking in Tongues — Well, Accents, Anyway #Openbook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 7, 2022

Can you speak in an accent that isn’t your own? Can any of your characters do this? How do you indicate that in your stories?

I studied French in high school, and Russian in college. (We won’t talk about my short-lived fantasy about working for the CIA.) I got passing grades in both, but wasn’t good at either. (No CIA for me!)

I know what my problem was. I don’t ‘hear’ accents. Well, I hear them, but my brain automatically translates them to the way they sound to me. When I worked as a waitress, I ‘heard past’ the accents of tourists, even those who didn’t speak English as their primary language, and understood what they were saying.  If someone asked me to mimic the accents of my customers, I couldn’t have done it. The translation only works one way.

Now, Harmony Duprie, on the other hand, speaks fluent Southern Belle. (She also knows Latin, but doesn’t use it in conversation.) She picked it up from some of her college friends, and puts it to good use, pretending to be sweet and innocent when she is anything but.

Here are two examples, taken from The Baron’s Cufflinks.

I made a big show out of looking towards Jake. “You mean like a race car driver?” I added a touch of Southern Belle to my act. All I needed was a fan to wave in flutter in front of my face, but I settled for fluttering my eyelashes. “Oh, no, my brother would never forgive me if I let someone else drive his baby. Even someone as good-looking as your friend.”

*****

That was ironic, coming from the man who was playing with Jake’s life. The Southern Belle took over. “Why, whatever are you talking about, Agent?” I asked with as much innocence as I could muster.

*****

Harmony also has to deal with an old French document and its translation in this story, but despite her name, she doesn’t know French. That’s part of the fun.

I don’t do anything special to indicate the use of another language or accent. I just put it out there!

How about our other authors? What do they do about other languages? Just follow the links below to find out.

As always, until  next time, please stay safe.

March 7, 2022

Can you speak in an accent that isn’t your own? Can any of your characters do this? How do you indicate that in your stories?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Jake Is On The Way!

  By Uncategorized

 

Do you love Jake from the Harmony Duprie Mysteries? Well, he finally shared his secrets with me, so I could write his story. The result is The Fall of Jake Hennessey. 

This book is a prequel to the Harmony stories, written from Jake’s point of view. Here’s the description:

Jake Hennessey deals in selling fine jewelry of an illegal nature. The thrill of getting away with it is his addiction. When he hears a rumor about a rare old book in the personal collection of a small-town librarian, he gets the urge to try a new game.

After all, even jewel thieves get bored.

But the librarian, Harmony Duprie, isn’t what he expected and the challenge becomes serious business.

In order to win, Jake’s going to have to play by a new set of rules—and make them up as he goes along—because this time, he’s playing for the rest of his life.

 

Watch for it on April 2nd at all the usual retailers. (Amazon, B&N, Apple, Kobo)

To Write or Not to Write #IWSG

  By IWSG

 

March 2 question – Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?

The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, Pat Garcia, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

Someone’s been reading my journal!

When I finished writing my last release, The Ranger’s Dog Tags, I was sure I was done writing the series, The Harmony Duprie Mysteries, and its characters. It felt good. I was ready to move along to a new series and a new challenge.

Then Jake happened.

Jake was one of the secondary characters in the series. Although he appeared in all six books, and attempted to take over a time or two, I never got a good handle on him. It turns out he was waiting for his chance. He wanted me to write his story.

I had my doubts about it and wasn’t sure where he would take me. I figured it would be a short story, and didn’t know what I’d do with it. But, to get him out of my system, I started writing. And it turned into a book.

And I thought, okay, that was fun. But it was a different genre than I’ve written previously, and I didn’t know if it was any good. Or if I should spend time revising it. I wasn’t comfortable with it. Jake insisted.

Then he demanded I put it through a critique group, and it became a stronger story. And nudged me to send it off to my editor. Still, I wasn’t committed.

My cover artist designed a brilliant cover, and I realized I couldn’t put off a decision. Yet, I procrastinated.

Last Saturday, I took the plunge, and revealed a release date in my newsletter. I’m still not 100% sure I know what I am doing. I’m as nervous about this book as I was about my first one. But on April 2, 2022, The Fall of Jake Hennessey will be available.

Since you’ve made it this far, it’s only fair that I give you a hint about what the book is about.  So here’s the blurb:

Jake Hennessey deals in selling fine jewelry of an illegal nature. The thrill of getting away with it is his personal addiction. When he hears a rumor about a rare old book in the personal collection of a small-town librarian, he gets the urge to try a new game.

After all, even jewel thieves get bored.

But the librarian, Harmony Duprie, isn’t what he expected and the challenge becomes serious business.

In order to win, Jake’s going to have to play by a new set of rules—and make them up as he goes along—because this time, he’s playing for the rest of his life.

Don’t forget to check out the other authors on this hop. Just follow the links below.

And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.