What Do I Love in a Good Mystery?

When I decided to enter Heartless into the contest for this anthology, I didn't have a clue about how to write a mystery/thriller. However, I'd read a lot of them: Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen King, and lots of the ever-so-dark Mr. Poe--so I said, well, how hard can it be?

I can be naive even at my advanced age.

I started by asking myself, "What do I love in a good mystery?" Here's what I came up with.

I love it when I feel as if I'm right there. I can hear the scream. I can see the blood. I can taste the acrid burning of cyanide on my tongue. The spider webs netted across the path stick to my skin, and I can smell the electrical short that's about to erupt into flames and destroy those helplessly trapped in the basement. 

I want to hear the scream.

I love it, when on page one, my eyes fly open and my brain goes on alert--even if I'm lying in bed and thinking about sleep. I want page one so irresistible that I have to turn to page two and see what happens.

I love it when the guy or gal whose in charge of bringing justice into this unjust world is someone I can relate to. They're human but they have a few quirks and definitely a few flaws, but above all they're determined to do the job no matter the cost to themselves.

I love it when I'm half way through a page and exhausted, but still I can't put down the book to sleep. 

I love it when after the chase through the cemetery, the moor, the deep and dangerous cavern, I get something to smile or laugh at. And it must have the sharpness of wit about it. Don't give me prat falls.

I need a laugh after the spooky parts.

I love it when there's a labyrinth of clues that intrigue and confuse me, but keep me making my way through to the end.

I love it when a bigger--even more dangerous event--looms in the background. I want a race against the clock for the guilty, but also the innocent.

I love it when there's an end that wraps up all of the threads to my satisfaction and brings a sense of "ahhh."

All of this makes for what's called a TALL ORDER, so, of course, I tried. I didn't write a book, but I took some baby steps and wrote Heartless. 

The Interview THEY Don't Want You To Read

During the press tour for Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime, all of the contributors did interviews at various writing and review sites around the blogosphere. I participated and replied to their questions, as all we writers do on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I keep forgetting that my writing style does not appeal to a lot of people, so much so that one of the blog tour sites refused to publish my interview.

Are any of my answers particularly offensive? There's a couple of bad words, but I personally am not the best judge of that. It gets a bit weird in the middle, which I thought was funny but maybe the blog host didn't appreciate it (I've been kicked out of writing contests for my jokes, so I'm used to it). I think the biggest problem was me shilling my books full of graphic violence, sex and potty humour, and they were afraid their audience would be offended.

Anyway, the interview didn't get published then, so I'm going to try and offend all of YOU with it now... Happy reading!

#

Oh, and if you do like my style of writing and humour, then you will LOVE my contribution to Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime, about a punch-drunk, recovering drug-addict private detective bumbling through an investigation to take down organized crime in the seedy underbelly of Mount Vernon, Washington. It's called "Gussy Saint and the Case of the Missing Coed" and no, I don't take anything seriously.

When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
I've been writing stories since I was five years old, but I think I got passionate about it when I was about eleven or twelve. I would get really excited writing stories in English class. Most kids would see it as a chore and struggle to write a page or two. I wrote ten to twenty pages, and usually illustrated a cover, too. The teacher would often have me read them out in class (whether to save herself from writing a lesson plan for that day or to shame the other kids into writing better, I can't say), and I've always been a ham in front of  a crowd so that worked for me. I was never good at sports or popular at school, so entertaining the other kids with my silly yarns was a big deal for me. I've wanted to write and tell stories ever since.

What makes you passionate about writing?
I love the moment when an idea comes to fruition in words, when the story is flowing and coming together. It's so easy and fun, and the best feeling in the world. Of course, it always comes crashing down when reality sets in and I have to re-write everything to death, but the moment when the words are coming fast and furious is the moment I feel like a real writer.

What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?
Erratic. I tried to get a couple of books published when I was in my early twenties, in the early 2000s. This was before the rise of digital self-publishing, and I had no luck breaking in the traditional way. Probably had something to with the fact my writing wasn't that great and I was submitting to completely the wrong markets. I forgot about it for a while, but when Amazon KDP became big it piqued my interest. I thought about it long and hard for five years... and then self-published my first book in a rush without having a clue what I was doing. It was terrible, full of mistakes and typos. I sold a bunch of copies to supportive friends and relatives, who have since not bought anything of mine because the first one was so terrible.

Now, my next book was much better (it helped that I had a proper editor work with me to polish it up) and I actually went back and nearly completely rewrote that first one. Ten Thousand Days is now a proper, finished book, and it's the book I wish I had put out the first time, two years earlier.

Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?
Like I mentioned above, I tried to get my book published years ago without any success. I was young and naive, so I did get discouraged when rejection after rejection came in. I didn't feel that discouraged at the time, but it took me over ten years before I tried to seriously get published again, so it must have hit me more than I realized. Maybe it was because back then someone had to take the trouble to stick a rejection letter in an envelope and mail it, so that meant they REALLY didn't want you. It took the passage of time to ease the memory of it, and the inexorable onset of age and mortality to kick my ass into gear and remind me that if I didn't get started soon I might never see my work in print.

What books have most influenced your life?
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas taught me about the wonders and benefits of drug use. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy told me never to leave the Solar System without my towel. Mickey Spillane and Raymond Chandler taught me where not to hide the bodies. Marilyn Manson's autobiography taught me how to be a self-centered dickhead. The Cat in the Hat taught me not to let talking cats into the house when my mom is not home. The Secret taught me I should write terrible self-help books.
Is that what you meant?

Please tell us about your book, Hell Comes to Hogtown.
Hell Comes to Hogtown was my second self-published novel. It's the story of the hapless night manager of a comic book store and his womanizing, drug-addled pro-wrestler best friend. It follows their adventures trying to avoid being murdered by a bloodthirsty demonic hobo while clearing their names in the kidnapping of the prime minister's wife. There's lots of sex and violence and bad words, and it's not for the faint of heart.

What genre is it?
Middle-grade romance.

Do you just sit down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline first?
Before I start I usually have a few clear points in my head. Probably a few scenes, a couple of major plot points, some background info. I may or may not have the ending. I start writing and when I get to the end realize it's a total jumbled mess that doesn't look anything like what I had envisioned. Now that I know where the story is going, THEN I write an outline, and basically re-write the book so that it falls into a logical shape. I should really try to outline first to save myself a lot of time and headache, but I find that when I outline too much, I never get around to actually writing the story. It's like if I figure out all the details beforehand, it's not as much fun. I like to feel a little surprise myself as I go through the writing process.

What has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?
As poorly has my first self-publication went, it really helped me out. It showed me how the publishing process is supposed to work, and a lot of mistakes I made along the way. Plus, my feeble attempts to promote the book also made me a lot of contacts and friends in the business, which makes a great network to support me in the future. If I could translate that into advice, it would be to go ahead and make mistakes on your first book, no matter how bad it is. If you want, use a fake name and go through the process just to see how it works. It's eye-opening, and using a fake name will save you some of the embarrassment. When you release your next book with your real name (or "real" pen name), you'll feel more confident going into it.

What’s your secret to making the character’s in your books come to life?
Dialogue. I come from a theatre background, so dialogue is very important to me. I try to give each character their own distinct voice, and play with how those voices interact with each other. Knowing what a character wants is very important, but knowing how they talk about what they want is just as important. Do they speak forwardly, being candid about what they want and think? Do that have unusual speech patterns or certain words they use frequently?  Do they have an accent? Do they speak to some characters differently than others? Are they eloquent or blunt? All of these things make the words and the individual personalities stand out on the page. Or just make them annoying to read, but I like to think it's the former.

Besides writing what other talents or hobbies do you have?
I don't know... nunchuck skills, bow-hunting skills, computer hacking skills. All the skills girls look for in a boyfriend.

How do you come up with your character’s names?
It really depends on how tired I am at the time. Some names have a deep meaning, or have a carefully-crafted joke built-in. Others are just made up at the spur of the moment, the first thing that pops into my head. There's a character in my current WIP named Thumb. There's no real rhyme or reason to that, like, he doesn't have particularly interesting thumbs or anything. Sometimes I go back and change those names when I think of something better, other times they grow on me and become part of the character. And sometimes my main character ends up with the name Fistpunch.

What is the best compliment you could receive from a reader?
Hey, I'll take any compliment I can get! Anyone who's willing to give my work a chance and spend a couple of dollars to read it is a-okay on my book! And if they take the time to actually write a review I'm over the moon.

Ah, who am I kidding? The best compliment will be when someone buys the film rights for $500,000 plus a percentage of the profits.

Where can readers go to find your books?
The best place to get your CD Gallant-King goodness is my homepage, http://www.cdgallantking.ca/. If you want to skip my thought-provoking and life-changing blogs to go straight to the riveting thrills of my novels, then check out my Amazon page at https://www.amazon.com/C.D.-Gallant-King/e/B00XAZHYGA/. If you prefer to read my random thoughts about daddyhood and Star Wars, then check me out on https://twitter.com/cdgallantking or https://www.facebook.com/cdgallantking. And if you just want to write passive-aggressive negative book reviews, then there's always https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13932038.C_D_Gallant_King.

#

So what do you think? Was it really that bad?

If you haven't already, go pick up Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime and let me know if my story about Gussy Saint is any good, too. Reviews and gratuities are appreciated. Love letters will not be answered, but will be read and cherished.

From Joe Mack Crawford's Kitchen

 In one of my interviews about Joe Mack Crawford, the hero in The Little Girl in the Bayou, I stated that Mack loves barbecue. That's an understatement. Most of his meals are from his homemade grill and all meats are marinated in his special sauce. I wanted to share his recipe with you, but it's his "mystery sauce" and he doesn't give that recipe to anyone. Not even me--his creator.

Of course, any Texan worth his salt loves Mexican food, and Mack is known for whipping up a batch of Ninfa's Green Sauce. Ninfa's is a famous Mexican restaurant in Houston that Mack frequents, and Mama Ninfa created this "Green Sauce" for her customers. Mack likes to think he has the original recipe for Ninfa's Green Sauce, but it's common knowledge that the family shared a modified version of Mama Ninfa's original recipe. Modified or not ... it's still good, and Joe Mack Crawford shares it here:

Ninfa’s Green Sauce
Servings - 5-6

Ingredients

– 3 medium-sized green tomatoes, coarsely chopped

– 4  tomatillos, husked and chopped

– 1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed and coarsely chopped

– 3 small garlic cloves

– 3 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

– 4 sprigs cilantro

– 1 teaspoon salt

– 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Instructions:

Peel avocados, remove seed and place avocados in a blender. Set aside.

Combine chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil (tomatoes provide the liquid). Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then place all ingredients in blender with avocados. Blend until smooth. Stir in sour cream

Cover.

Chill.

Enjoy with your favorite chips or raw veggies.
 

Mack reminds anyone who tries the Green Sauce that it won't last more than a couple of days: one, because it's so darn good and two, because the avocados turn dark, making it look yucky.

 

 

J.R. Ferguson is a staff writer for Southern Writers Magazine and the author of The Little Girl in the Bayou. She enjoys imagining what kind of meals her characters prepare in the kitchen.

Time is Valuable!

Use your time wisely. Don't waste time. Time is precious.
Time waits for no one, it marches on, and it slips away.  There are so many time idioms! But I don't have time to list them all...

I budget my time between family, day job, and writing, for the most part. And there's never enough time in the day to get everything done I want! I have to prioritize my many projects and activities into set blocks of time. I set reminders and timers on my phone so I don't forget duties and deadlines too, because time flies when you're having fun (if you want to call work fun...) I'm sure you can relate.

When I found out the latest IWSG Anthology theme was time, the perfect story popped into my head. But I didn't know if I would have time to write it! I set all my other writing aside and gave it a shot, writing it as fast as I could. I had my beta readers take a quick look at it and edited it at the speed of light.

But after all that concentrated effort, I knew I probably still wouldn't make the deadline!

Miraculously, I was able to gather all my spare moments and put the finishing touches on my story. I sent it in the nick of time. I doubted the caliber of my hasty submission, but I crossed my fingers and began the worst aspect of time - waiting!

To my sudden surprise, I couldn't believe I'd been selected. Ecstatic was I! And it's been a whirlwind ever since. I have to praise Dancing Lemur Press for the fine job they are doing finding us promotional outlets. I'm so happy to be a part of it.

In TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME, time is a major factor in each story. Racing against time to solve mysteries, traveling through time to save a family, solving crimes in the nick of time... The time element in these stories makes them suspenseful, exciting, and readers will be anxious to turn the page. So many great authors and a wide range of stories!

In my story, RESET, the characters don't value the time they have until they gain some perspective. Luckily, they learn they can change their ways for a better future.

Twelve-year-old Casey has no time for her quirky family.
Mr. Zander has been searching his whole life for a way to save his.
When Casey walks into Mr. Zander's clock repair shop, he sees her as a prime contender and coerces her to help him. Hopefully, the machine will work this time.

I can't wait for TICK TOCK to release (May 1)!! Mark your calendars!
And thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Tara Tyler is a math teacher who writes to inspire others to follow their dreams -- anything is possible! She loves dogs, coffee, and is the lazy housewife, living in a world of boys with three sons and a coach husband. Join her for an adventure!

Mystery, Mind Games, and Murder

Imagine, if you will, that you have one week left to live. You’re innocent, but the jury found you guilty anyway. No one believes you. Your last appeal has failed. To top it all off, the person who killed your spouse is still out there, and soon they’ll have gotten away with two murders. You have one last interview, one last chance to tell the truth and hope that someone, anyone, believes you. And someone does. But you might just wish he didn’t.

Such was the scenario that ran through my head and eventually gave life to Maurice Oyler and Matthew Devlin in Three O’Clock Execution.

When I first heard the Insecure Writer’s Group (IWSG) was holding their annual anthology contest, I was excited. But then I realized the topic was crime. Eish. I’m a fantasy writer, through and through. What do I know about crime? Sure, I love reading it, but writing it is a whole different beast.

However, I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge (even when I really, really should), so I sat down and considered something I think about from time to time: what if you’re put to death for a crime you didn’t commit? The thought is terrifying. So, in other words, perfect for a crime anthology.

I’ve always been a big fan of psychological thrillers, so I wanted to approach crime more from a psychological perspective; not while the murder is being committed, but the mind games that follow. And Mr. Devlin sure is good at mind games.

I'd like to introduce you to the characters, just briefly, with an excerpt from the beginning of Three O'Clock Execution.

The clock outside chimed three times as Mr. Devlin clicked the recorder on and took his seat at the metal table.

“Today is the eighth of April, at three o’clock.” His words were crisp and biting, as chilly and sterile as the visiting room. “Will you state your name for the record, please?”

“Maurice Oyler.” The chains clinked against the table as he wrung his hands.

“Do I have your permission to record this?”

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s begin, shall we? As you know, I’m Matthew Devlin. I’m conducting some research on death row inmates. Thank you for agreeing to see me.”

“Well, you were very persistent.” It wasn’t a compliment. In fact, Mr. Devlin had become downright insufferable, and if Mo had to die, which the state was determined to make happen, he wanted to at least be allowed to do so in peace.

“I think you’ll find, Mr. Oyler, that I take my work very seriously.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be of much use to you, then. You see, I’m innocent.”

“With all due respect, every sane person says that on their way out.” Mr. Devlin paused to rearrange some folders in front of him. “Some of the less-than-sane ones, too.”

“Right.” Mo licked his lips and leaned forward, making sure their eyes met. “But I’m telling the truth. I didn’t kill my wife.”

So, what would you do if you were convicted of a crime you didn’t commit?

To find out what Maurice Oyler did, you can preorder Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime at the following retailers (release date is May 1):

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Want to join the community of people talking about Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime? Add the book on Goodreads or like our Facebook page. 

---

 S. R. Betler: Writer. Reviewer. Failed ninja. Collector of stray people and animals. Torturer of characters. Creator of worlds, people, and sometimes bad ideas.

Facebook | Twitter | Blog

#IWSG: Count Your Blessings and A Stitch in Crime

It's the first Wednesday of the month, and time for an Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and all the co-hosts this month:  Mary Aalgaard, Bish Denham, Jennifer Hawes, Diane Burton, and Gwen Gardner (Me!). 

This month's optional question is: How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/finish a story?

I put the first draft of the cozy mystery I'd been working on aside to write a short story sequel to offer free in order to generate interest--before the novel comes out.  It was complete at about 12K words when the Insecure Writer's Support Group short story anthology announced they were accepting submissions in the mystery genre! 

Perfect! I really only write cozy mysteries. And the timing of the announcement was fortuitous because I'd just finished my short story. The only problem was the length: 6000 words too many. I wondered if I'd be able to cut that many words--it was half my story! But I did it and submitted my story. Goal accomplished!

I knew that making it into the anthology was a long shot. There are so many talented writers out there and I know I'm not the best. Plus, my stories are lighthearted and sweet in a world that thrives on adrenaline and angst.  

No one was more blown away than me when I learned that my lighthearted paranormal cozy mystery won the feature spot!

Here's where my insecurity comes in. I've just completed reading all the stories in the anthology. And they are GOOD! Better than mine. I have to wonder if someone made a mistake. 

HOWEVER, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm thrilled, grateful and so honored! I'm celebrating by counting my blessings which I hope to never take for granted. My story touched a chord with enough of the judges to be selected. So maybe it's not always the best that wins, but the one that touches the strongest chord at the time.

How do you celebrate when

you achieve a writing goal?
****

Even cozy characters have their problems. Here's a look into Indigo Eady's life: 

EXCERPT from A Stitch in Crime:

 

“Bagels, croissants, snickerdoodles, macaroons…” I looked up and met Badger’s eyes. “Okay, spill the coffee beans. This is serious indeed.” I twisted the bag top into a tight taper and pushed it away, then sat back and crossed my arms. “You’re not here on a Friday night for my titillating company.”

“You wound me.” He splayed his hand over his heart as if I’d punctured it with an arrow.

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, you brought all my favorite junk foods, so out with it.”

He sighed. “You’re right. This isn’t exactly a social call.”

He didn’t meet my eyes or answer right away. Instead he crossed to the cupboard and pulled out a plate, then made a big production of untwisting and smoothing out the mangled bag. Pastries were arranged to their best advantage. “As it happens, I have a friend in need.”

“Uh-huh.” I snatched a macaroon and bit it in half. The sweet and chewy coconut seduced my taste buds. I shoved the rest in my mouth and continued. “Let me guess. This friend of yours has a mischievous ghost who’s creating havoc and making life miserable.”

“In a word, yes.”

I sighed. “I’m not a ghostbuster. I need a real job.” I’d applied for numerous positions with no response. I dreamed of eating real food instead of ramen noodles every night.

“I know.” He plucked a blueberry scone from the pile and broke it in half. “But it’s a paying gig, and let’s face it: you need money.”

Someone had a big mouth. Probably me. “How much?” I may not like dealing with spirits, but I could be bought for the right price. Like a steak-and-potato dinner, perhaps with a nice bottle of Cabernet thrown in.

“The going rate,” Badger said. He shoved half the scone in his mouth and chewed while I waited. “A thousand pounds.”

The macaroon lodged in my throat, trapping coconut-coffee juice at the back of my nasal passages. I managed to swallow the lump before anything shot from my nose, but a coughing fit ensued. Once that subsided, I wiped my watery eyes on the back on my hand. “When do I start?” I choked out.

“Don’t you want to know what it is first?”

“I’d exorcise the devil himself for a thousand pounds,” I said, then hesitated. “It’s not the devil himself…is it?”

*****

On Pre-sale Now!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | ITunes