I'm getting that hamster-on-a-wheel feeling. You know what I mean? The little creature running and running, and getting nowhere? Time to refocus on priorities.

I enjoyed a few precious hours Sunday afternoon with my husband, going for a walk, then reading in our easy chairs. Our new wood floors make the upstairs living areas feel fresh and bright. Relaxing while surrounded by the fruits of our labor was a good reminder of the goal behind some of the busyness. Upgrading our aging home is a priority I can't ignore. Spending time with my husband is a priority I need to focus on more diligently.

Work is a priority. I need that paycheck to help keep a roof over our heads. Family is a priority. My mother doesn't drive anymore, and needs more help with the passing days. The grandkids are growing all too fast. My daughter and I have discovered that joining a running team gives us time to visit during our training season.

So - family, work, keeping a roof over my head, renovating that roof, and staying fit. Where does that leave time for writing?

Mystery Thriller Week was fun. I engaged in lots of blogging - as a guest on others' blogs, and hosting authors on mine. The promotional effort is necessary, but does take time from my writing. 

Through the tasks of work and home, I have been finding time to write. One little moment of recharge was unexpectedly spotting my second Rock Shop Mystery on the library shelf. Still a thrill!

I am close to finishing a short story. Gearing up to continue working on a novel outline. So many projects, so little time! The lion's share of my writing time needs to be devoted to writing. So if you don't hear from me as much blogging or on Facebook, I will be shifting my priorities and my energy to creating new stories.

When I learned a novella anthology contained a story by Tina Whittle, I hit buy immediately. I am a fan of the Tai Randolph Mysteries set in Georgia. This story is a prequel of sorts, taking place before the novel series begins - before Tai crosses paths with Trey.

Trouble Like a Freight Train Coming is the first story in the Lowcountry Crime anthology, where Whittle uses setting like a character. We are so immersed in the culture and location of Georgia, the story wouldn't work anywhere else.

We get to spend more time with novel series character Rico, Tai's childhood friend, which is a treat. He locates Tai giving an historical tour in a Savannah cemetery to a group from an upscale retirement home. 

"Rico looked nervous, like something was sneaking up on him. He didn't enjoy cemeteries - his Geechee great-grandmother had seen to that. Thanks to her, he wouldn't eat red food cooked by a stranger or give shoes to a guy he was dating. And he didn't truck with the dead."

Rico is also nervous about running into the redneck branch of Tai's family tree. Beauregard Forrest Boone is her disreputable uncle.

"Rumor had it that a black man had saved his life. Another rumor had it that Boone had found Jesus, who told him to cast out his inner bigot. Regardless, Boone was a changed man, in that one aspect anyway. He was still mean as cat shit, and he still kept his fingers deep in Savannah's illicit tradework."

Whittle has an amazing skill with language, creating succinct yet lush scenery descriptions. Her characters are deep south, but they are not caricatures. Each person inhabiting this world is complex, and a reflection of modern reality, not some convenient stereotype of Southerners. She also crafts a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

The novelette is an official category in the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Derringer Award, from 8,001 to 20,000 words. I'm not sure what the distinction is, if any, between a novelette and a novella, but I suspect the stories in this anthology fit the word count. They are long short stories, requiring just this length - no more, no less.

I look forward to reading the rest of the stories in Lowcountry Crime.

Today is the final day of Mystery Thriller Week. My guest is award-winning author Jacqueline Seewald. Successful in both traditional and independently published fiction, she describes her newest novel.​
 
For my latest novel, THE INHERITANCE, I went with Indy, Intrigue Publishing. All of my hardcover mystery novels had been published by Five Star/Cengage which, sadly, will no longer publish any type of fiction but Westerns.

The Inheritance is a stand alone mystery that combines elements of the cozy with romance and suspense thriller. It’s available inexpensively as an e-book for all formats as well as in a print edition:
http://www.ipgbook.com/the-inheritance-products-9781940758503.php?page_id=32&pid=IPU
 
https://www.amazon.com/Inheritance-Jacqueline-Seewald/dp/1940758505
 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-inheritance-jacqueline-seewald/1124086025?ean=9781940758503
 
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/inheritance-88
as well as many other booksellers.

A number of libraries have ordered this novel. For a free read, you can request The Inheritance at your local library.

Here is a brief synopsis:
Jennifer Stoddard, a thirty-five-year-old widow with an eight-year-old son, receives a surprising letter which will change her life. Jennifer’s grandmother has passed away and named Jen as sole heir to her estate. To claim her inheritance she must return to Bloomingvale, the town in the Midwest where she grew up. Jen is informed by her grandmother’s attorney that to inherit she must meet the condition of living in her grandmother’s house for two years. Since the estate is substantial, she agrees. However, there are those who will stop at nothing to make certain that Jennifer does not inherit.

Jennifer is forced to call on old flame Police Chief Grant Coleman for help and protection.

Here is an excerpt from The Inheritance:
  
Late that afternoon as Jen left the house and started to drive away, a strange sound whizzed across the open front car windows from the driver’s side through the passenger side. She was startled by the sound. Her heart began to pound. Jen glanced over at the thicket of overgrown shrubs and trees to the side of the grounds that led back into woodlands. Had the sound been a bullet? If so, it had nearly hit her. Her hands shook on the driver’s wheel as she took off at high speed.

One block away she heard the police siren and saw the flashing lights. She groaned. Not again! He signaled with his hand, pointing his index finger for her to pull over. It was all she could do not to burst into tears.

Grant Coleman approached the car like a gunfighter in a spaghetti western. “I thought you learned something the first time,” he said. “Guess I was wrong. License and registration.” He held out his hand with a bored, impatient gesture.

“I have a very good reason for speeding.”

The smile was more of a smirk. The man was infuriating! “I’ve heard them all, but you can try.”

“As I left my grandmother’s house, a bullet passed through my car. I had the windows rolled down. So they weren’t broken, but it just missed hitting me.”

He stared at her. “Maybe it was a kid with a Beebe gun. Are you certain it was a bullet breezing by you? How familiar are you with weapons?”

“Not familiar at all, but I know what I heard.” Jen swallowed hard. “I think someone might have intended to shoot me.”

He let out a loud laugh. “In Bloomingvale? I doubt that very much.”

“So you’re not taking this seriously?” She folded her arms over her chest.

“Admit it. You’re just looking for an excuse to keep me from writing you another ticket.” His intense gray eyes bore into her like the steel blade of a dagger.

Jen raised her chin and stiffened her spine. “You are so wrong. Why don’t you check the area near the house, just to see if you can find anything.”

“Waste of time.” He leaned toward her and she felt his breath on her cheek which caused her to shiver. “Tell you what I will do though. I won’t write you a ticket this time because that’s the most creative excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“So glad I managed to amuse you,” she said.

Jen watched him drive off. He was probably still laughing, the sexy jerk. Several people had come out of their houses and were staring at her. Jen managed to restart her car and drove off before others gathered. She certainly didn’t want to make a spectacle of herself. Letting out a shaky breath, Jen wasn’t certain now if she’d really heard what she thought she had. A professional law enforcement officer didn’t think anything of it. She supposed it might have been nothing at all. Maybe it was a child with a Beebe gun as he suggested. But try as hard as she might, Jen couldn’t convince herself.

This novel is a “clean read” suitable for young and old readers alike. An exciting cozy mystery with romantic elements, perfect for personal reading enjoyment and/or gift giving.

Only two more days of Mystery Thriller Week! My article titled I Have This Great Idea appeared on the event blog February 17.

Today on my blog, I discuss reviews. I must admit that I find both reviewing others' work, and being reviewed, to be stressful experiences.

As authors, we need reviews on major sites like Goodreads and Amazon to help our sales. We want honest reviews, and yet dread that less than stellar opinion.

I also agonize over giving reviews. I have changed my review policy and philosophy over time. Before I was published, I could be brutal. After being published, I realized how hurtful negative reviews could be, not just to an author's ego, but to their sales. For a while, I refused to review anything. I was paralyzed by fearing the damage I might do to someone's writing career by expressing my subjective reaction to his or her book.

Because that's all a review is - whether given by a professional or someone who simply reads for enjoyment. Reviews are opinions. 

I received a nice review of Stone Cold Blooded recently. You can read it here. Reviewer Mahrie G. Reid is the author of the Caleb Cove Mystery Series.

I read and reviewed Casket Cache, by Janice Richardson. and What Lies Beyond the Fence, by L. C. Hayden. Click on the title, and you can learn my opinion of these two novels. 

Reviewing doesn't have to be a school essay on literary techniques. It should be an honest expression of your reaction to a tale that entertained you. I encourage you to post reviews. (Some of my treasured readers already do - thanks!) Even if you keep it short and sweet, you'll be helping an author more than you know.

The next entry in my Mystery Thriller Week series on independent publishing is from L. C. Hayden. I read this addition to the Harry Bronson thrillers, and was thoroughly entertained. 

Have you been traditionally published (novel, short story, or non-fiction)?
I have been published by Five Star and Top Publications, both traditional publishers. I’m still published by Harlequin.
 
What type(s) of fiction do you most enjoy reading? Favorite recent read?
I read mostly thrillers and sometimes  an occasional inspirational novel. I just finished reading Abbott’s The First Order. Really enjoyed that.
 
Why did you choose to publish this book independently?
I enjoy the freedom and the ability to control what happens to my book. By placing my book on Amazon, I have world coverage—something that would not happen immediately with a traditional publisher. Only a few traditionally published authors go on to sell world rights. I also enjoy receiving higher royalties per book sold. I like the ability to download my novel, change whatever needs to be changed, and upload it again—all within a day or two.
 
Have you enjoyed the experience / process? Would you recommend Indy publishing to others?
I would definitely recommend Indy publishing—but the key word is Indy.  We all need editors and the services of other professionals. Indy publishing is great.
 
Give a blurb for your story.
For Bronson, this was going to be an easy assignment. Find Roger and Norma, the teens that stole an important book and return it to its original owners. But when Bronson locates the book, Roger reveals the truth behind the book’s existence—a truth so shocking that Bronson is forced to help them escape.
Then Ellen, his partner’s ex, gets kidnapped and Bronson is forced to decide who he will save: Ellen or two stranded teenagers who look up at him for their survival.
Who will he choose? His decision will determine who lives—and who dies.
​

• Amazon Review

Bronson (is a) very likeable guy with his heart in the right place, which was one of the factors that made this an addictive read. The novel is fast paced and has the readers quickly turning the pages, especially with the plot twists the author has adroitly employed in her unpretentious, flowing prose. Highly recommended.

​Link to book: tinyurl.com/WhatLiesBeyondtheFence

This is possibly the most bleak Valentine’s Day story ever, by author Andrew Welsh-Huggins. Yet I found it quite amusing. Appearing in King’s River Life February 11th, the mystery is figuring out the nature of the puzzle the protagonist has devised for her husband. What starts as a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at a nice restaurant devolves into a game with possibly deadly consequences.

The point of view character is never named, which I found interesting. The entire story takes place in one scene. Fast-paced, with stretches of dialogue, the story works because Welsh-Huggins carefully lets the situation unfold. That “what’s going to happen next” feeling draws the reader along as it quickly becomes obvious this is not an ordinary Valentine’s dinner.
​
As an additional treat, you can click on this link and read the story for free.

​​My Indy publishing series continues on Mystery Thriller Week with author S. W. Frontz, who launched her Land's End series going the Indy publishing route. Below she discusses why she chose to self-publish. 

Have you been traditionally published (novel, short story, or non-fiction)? 
About ten years ago I wrote a non fiction article that was published in a weight loss magazine.  My books are self-published.

What type(s) of fiction do you most enjoy reading? Favorite recent read? 
I love reading crime fiction, thrillers, and southern humor books.  Right now I’m in the process of re-reading John Lutz’s Frank Quinn Series.

Why did you choose to publish this book independently? 
I didn’t want to wait for my books to be picked up by a publisher, if ever.

Have you enjoyed the experience / process? Would you recommend Indy publishing to others? 
I’ve enjoyed everything about the process except for the editing.  I hate proofreading.  Yes, I recommend it, specially if you want to see your work in print quickly.

Give a blurb for your story. ​
Samantha Patrick is being hunted by demons from her past. In 1978, her father was involved in a feud with a group of Mexican drug runners. After he ambushed them and killed them all, including the son of infamous drug lord Manny Ruiz, the Ruiz family declared war. Manny Ruiz had his goons kidnap Samantha and  Manny brutalized her, leaving her traumatized and haunted for the rest of her days. She married Andy, the vice detective who saved her, but the Ruiz family hasn’t forgotten them. They still want revenge, and they won’t stop until Samantha and Andy are dead. 

My next guest for Mystery Thriller Week, Jennifer S. Alderson, was a writer by profession before she became a novelist.​

Have you been traditionally published (novel, short story, or non-fiction)?
None of my books have been traditionally published. I did work as a journalist and columnist for five years and several of my articles were reprinted in magazines, but that’s a different ball game.

What type(s) of fiction do you most enjoy reading? Favorite recent read?
Travel fiction and mysteries are my preferred genres; books that transport me to exotic lands and feed my curiosity about the world are my favorites. I’m currently reading Fast Track to Glory by Tomasz Chrusciel and it fits my definition of a great read perfectly.

Why did you choose to publish this book independently?I’d queried agents about both of my books and had several requests for partials and even full manuscripts. The response was inevitably that they loved the story and characters, but their list was full or it wasn’t a perfect fit, and they were certain another agent would snap it up. Unfortunately, that never happened. After collecting a drawer full of the nicest rejection letters ever, I decided to self-publish and see what happened. The positive response to both books so far, is overwhelming.

Have you enjoyed the experience / process? Would you recommend Indy publishing to others?
It’s difficult to know, because I’m not sure what kind of marketing or editorial support I would have gotten through a publishing house. I know being Indy means spending an absurd amount of time reaching out to, and connecting with potential new readers. But the freedom I have to choose which editors and book cover designers I work with is quite lovely. I’ve heard too many horror stories from traditionally published author-friends who’ve lost control over the final edit and cover, and were not always pleased with the result.

Give a blurb for your story.
The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery is the story of American art history student Zelda Richardson, who discovers clues to the whereabouts of a cache of missing masterpieces buried somewhere in Amsterdam, hidden away in 1942 by a homosexual art dealer who’d rather die than turn his collection over to his Nazi blackmailer.
Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Portrait-Mystery-Adventures-Richardson/dp/1523489170/

February 12 - 22 is Mystery Thriller Week. Readers and authors gather via social media to celebrate the genre! My contribution to this event is interviewing authors who have published novels independently.

Suzanne Adair is an award-winning multi-published author of historical fiction that also satisfies the mystery reader. I read Regulated for Murder when it was released, and enjoyed the action-packed, historically intriguing story. I need to catch up with Lietentant Stoddard!

Have you been traditionally published (novel, short story, or non-fiction)?

A regional press traditionally published my early trilogy. That press folded before I could offer them my Michael Stoddard American Revolution mysteries.

What type(s) of fiction do you most enjoy reading? Favorite recent read?

I enjoy mysteries, especially well-done historicals, plus science fiction. My favorite recent read was historical non-fiction. Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13.

Why did you choose to publish this book independently?

I've published Deadly Occupation and other titles in the Michael Stoddard series independently because publishers’ editors who read my manuscripts didn’t know enough history to make informed assessments of my stories. For example, one editor didn’t believe the historically accurate events at the beginning of Deadly Occupation and wanted Hollywood-style pyrotechnics instead. Many readers learn history from historical fiction, so this lack of basic knowledge on the part of editors—the gatekeepers—is frightening.

Have you enjoyed the experience / process? Would you recommend Indy publishing to others?

I enjoy writing and editing as well as marketing and promotion. However the mechanical tasks associated with publishing are so numerous and time consuming that they negatively impact my time available for writing. If you’re considering indie publishing because you want control of the process, think long and hard. The time commitment is enormous.

Tell us about Deadly Occupation.

A wayward wife, a weapons trafficker, and a woman with “second sight”—it’s a puzzle that would have daunted any investigator. But Michael Stoddard wasn’t just any investigator.

Late January 1781, in coastal North Carolina, patriots flee before the approach of the Eighty-Second Regiment, leaving behind defenseless civilians to surrender the town of Wilmington to the Crown. The regiment’s commander assigns Lieutenant Michael Stoddard the tasks of tracking down a missing woman and probing into the suspicious activities of an unusual church. But as soon as Michael starts sniffing around, he discovers that some of those not-so-defenseless civilians are desperately hiding a history of evil.

Universal buy link for Deadly Occupation: books2read.com/u/4N1lGx

February 12 - 22 is Mystery Thriller Week. Readers and authors gather via social media to celebrate the genre. My contribution to this event is interviewing authors who have published novels independently.

Gone are the days of snobbery concerning independent publishing. As traditionally published authors turn to self-publishing, and new authors by-pass tradition altogether, I decided to take a closer look at this phenomenon.

​Stone Cold Blooded was nearly my entry into this relatively new world, until small press Encircle Publications snatched it up. My reason for considering going Indy? My publisher ended their entire mystery line, casting adrift my series. Many authors find themselves in this boat. Publishing is an uncertain industry. For some, Indy publishing offers control over the process of getting a book out to the reading audience.

Join me all week as authors discuss their views on Indy publishing.

Janice Richardson is the author of the Spencer Funeral Home Niagara Cozy Mystery series. What an intriguing concept for a mystery series! ​

I have, unfortunately, attended several funerals over the past year. I was curious as to how an author could make a funeral home an entertaining setting, without being either morbid or insensitive, so I read her book. Richardson has created a cozy mystery with touches of sorrow as Jennifer skillfully deals with families mourning loss, but the story is not heavy or dark. She shows the challenges of balancing life for a new young funeral home director while delivering an interesting mystery story.

CD: Have you been traditionally published (novel, short story, or non-fiction)?
 
JR: No. 
 
CD: What types of fiction do you most enjoy reading?  Favorite recent read?
 
JR: Cozy mysteries, historical fiction, general fiction.  Favorite recent read:  The High Cost of Flowers by Cynthia Kraack.
 
CD: Why did you choose to publish this book independently?
 
JR: As an emerging writer, the odds of being accepted by a 'traditional' publisher are slim to none.  The odds of being accepted by 'vanity press' - 100%.  
 
My decision to self-publish was simple, it was all about the cost.   Vanity press is expensive and one still has to do their own marketing.   It was not an option I could have considered pursuing.
 
Independent did not mean I should go it alone.  It takes a team to self-publish,  I learned an editor should be my first consideration.  Quality matters.   So I put my limited financial resources into producing the best book I could offer.  The technical support offered by Amazon, Smashwords, Draft2Digital etc. is excellent.
 
CD: Have you enjoyed the experience/process?    
 
JR: Yes.   I did have to get assistance with the technical part.   By the time I published my third book I was comfortable with the process. Now  I would not consider accepting an offer from a publisher.  Royalties are higher if one self-publishes.  
 
CD: Would you recommend Indy publishing to others?
 
JR: In a heartbeat.  If you put the work in, you will reap the reward.  Like your writing, It's a growth process.
 
CD: Tell me about your series.
 
JR: Casket Cache  is book 1 of the Spencer Funeral Home Niagara Cozy Mystery Series
 
Hard-working  Jennifer inherits her uncle's funeral home.  Her goal is to provide the best possible support to the families she serves. Finding a large sum of cash in a casket puts Jennifer's life in danger.  Someone sinister and dangerous wants the cash back, and Jennifer Spencer, funeral director, is in the way. 
 
Winter's Mourning  is book 2 of the Spencer Funeral Home Niagara Cozy Mystery Series
 
A walk along the Niagara Parkway one cold morning leads Jennifer to Winter, a young woman who isn't speaking. Jennifer does all she can to help.  The incident with the cash in the casket has repercussions.  Can Jennifer save herself in order to help Winter?