4/17/2018 0 Comments Research - An Ultra MarathonI'm outlining book four in the Rock Shop Mystery series, tentatively titled Stone Cold Pressed. At the center of this novel will be an Ultra Marathon race. An Ultra is anything beyond the marathon distance of 26.2 miles. In this case, the Desert Rat Ultra this weekend was 50K - fifty kilometers, or 31 miles. Originally, the idea to feature in my novel a ridiculously long foot race through the mountains came from crewing for a runner a few years ago. Lee Burton accomplished multiple Leadville 100 races. Yes - 100, as in miles. My husband and I served as crew and pacers, assisting Sharon Burton in shuttling food and clothing to aid stations. It was an amazing experience. Then our oldest daughter took an interest in running. Interest? More like obsession. She quickly had a couple half marathons under her belt. Starting last fall, she began training for a marathon. Scratch that. As she gained strength and confidence, she decided only an Ultra would do. My husband and I, as experienced Ultra crew, offered to come along to watch. Her husband provided the main support, giving her the time and encouragement to train all those months. He met her at two aid stations during the race, which can be an incredible boost for a tired runner. She made it in better time than she expected. I was happy to participate, in a peripheral way, in the Desert Rat Ultra near Fruita Colorado. With my memory refreshed on what is involved in a mega-race, I'll be ready to finish that novel first draft. More importantly, I am very proud of our daughter, who has become an adventurous athlete.
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I judge the value of a workshop by how many notes I take. At Writing Commercial Fiction, with Jeffery Deaver, I scribbled page after page. I have attended one hour talks by Deaver at writing conferences, but this was my first opportunity to hear the famous, best-selling author for an entire day-long workshop. Three main points impressed me. Rule Number One: Define Your Goal as a Writer Jeffery Deaver writes full time. Before I was published, my goal was to make my living off fiction writing, earning buy-an-island money. Later, two realities crept in. One was that I enjoy reading and writing cozy and gentler amateur sleuth tales, which rarely hit best-seller lists. The other was that I like my job, and the benefits are great. Deaver told the audience the downsides of writing full time. He works six to seven days a week. His personal life has suffered. Writing is a solitary profession. Yet he also loves his career. The universal goals of the commercial fiction writer he defined as a) tell stories, b) make money, and c) gain notoriety. My goals, five years after my first paid publication, have been revised as I've learned the publishing business, but still cover the three universal goals. Many of us reach a "why am I doing this" point at least once a year. Deaver's reminder to define our goals is definitely good advice. Rule Number Two: Remember Your Mission "Yes, you have a mission - to tell the most emotionally engaging story you possibly can." This applies to all genres, whether you're writing a thriller, cozy, or family saga. Deaver emphasized that emotions can be just as powerful whether a character is defusing a ticking bomb or dealing with family relationships. Rule Number Six: Plan Your Book or Story Ahead of Time Deaver spends eight months creating his outline, then spends six weeks writing the book. If you have read his thrillers, you can understand the need to heavily outline the complex plots. I adopted a scaled down version of his technique when I received a contract for a book with a deadline. I knew I'd never make it to my destination of a finished manuscript without a roadmap. Deaver detailed how he outlines, and then incorporates research notes. A new idea I will try is that he goes back when he's finished, and creates a shorter outline to tie in all the changes. My stories always deviate from the original outline, so revisiting the process briefly at the end would certainly help with revisions and creating a synopsis or even the story blurb. Writing Commercial Fiction was a day well spent. I have pages of notes to refresh my memory about dozens of topics like Rejection is a Speed Bump, Not a Brick Wall. As an added bonus, I got to spend time with Sisters in Crime Colorado, and Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America. The legalization of marijuana still amazes me. I'm of the age that remembers when people went to prison for possession of marijuana. In Colorado now, there are shops on nearly every corner sporting the telltale green cross. I am all for legal medical marijuana, but beyond that, I'll stay out of the controversy. An undeniable benefit of the federal versus state dilemma on marijuana is the plethora of plots it provides to fiction authors. One contribution to marijuana literature come from David M. Hamlin, in the April 2018 Mystery Weekly Magazine. Hamlin's story opens in California with a police detective giving helpful advice to a new marijuana shop owner. There are plenty of issues with running a business that is legal according to state law, but illegal on the federal level. Hamlin presents the issues as part of an entertaining plot. Two weeks ago, I reviewed Michael Bracken's story in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (March/April 2018), where a reluctant getaway driver is forced back into service. The target of the heist is a marijuana dispensary. While this plays as a subplot, it demonstrates how authors are finding new ideas for stories based on the issues surrounding the legalization of marijuana. We've come a long way from Reefer Madness, the over-the-top propaganda movie presenting the dangers of marijuana smoking. Many short story and novel authors have explored the interesting plot twists the quasi-legal condition of marijuana provides. If you've written, or enjoyed reading, a marijuana-themed mystery, leave a comment! I received the good news that my short story Real Cowgirls Don't Cry sold to Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Writers know how slow news of acceptance or rejection for this market can be, but the magazine is one of a rare few premier paying markets for mystery short fiction. It is worth the wait. This will be my 7th story in AHMM. I am beyond thrilled! For the record, I waited over eleven months for this acceptance, from date of submission to the email offering to buy the story. The last two stories I submitted to AHMM were rejected. It may be several months before the story makes its appearance in the magazine. I will repeat: it's worth the wait. Real Cowgirls Don't Cry involves characters from my story The Last Real Cowboy, published by AHMM in September 2014. The photo: I did not hit a bull's-eye during target practice last month. My husband did - 4 times. He's had lots more practice than me. That's what it takes, in target shooting or writing - lots and lots of practice, resulting in those moments of success. My sale of Real Cowgirls Don't Cry was a writerly bull's-eye! This week, I review three more stories from the current issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and one from a newly released horror anthology. AHMM is known for variety, and stretching the boundaries. Fair Game, by Max Gersh, is a creepy story. The setting is a mostly abandoned roadside carnival with poorly cobbled together side show attractions. Jack and Beth, rather unsavory characters themselves, are lured into a rather horrifying tent. As with many short stories, if I say too much, I'll ruin the read for you. Fair Game reinforces every suspicion you've ever had about those fly-by-night carnivals that sprout like mushrooms in obscure parking lots. Another confirmation of your instinctive fears is Blue Sludge Blues, by Shannon Lawrence, appearing in the collection of her horror short stories by the same name. This time, the focus of the horror is, rightfully, the public port-a-potty. Who hasn't reluctantly taken a seat over that peculiar blue-colored muck with serious misgivings? My granddaughter and I read this together, emitting the requisite "euws" and groans at the really scary and/or icky parts. Moving back to more traditional mystery stories in AHMM, I read Walking on Water, by Michael A. Black. The friend for whom Brad served as a pallbearer shows up in his Private Investigator office, fleeing the Witness Protection Program. Brad faces what seems to be an impossible task, to hide his friend from gangsters determined to make sure they kill him this time. There is plenty of action, and a few unexpected twists, in this fun story. Shauna Washington offers insight into her AHMM story, Knockoffs, here. Stacey Deshay is a personal shopper and stylist for the rich and famous. She flies to Las Vegas to deliver a jewel encrusted designer dress to a singer about to make her comeback after a stay in rehab. I felt like I was behind the scenes with Stacey, who was generally ignored during the big drama, giving a fly on the wall feel to her narration. A fun read with great characters. I may have mentioned my suspicion that my subscription to Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine is delivered via Pony Express. Because that delivery system went out of business in 1861, that pony is very old and very tired. I'm certain the magazine has been read cover to cover by all interested parties by now, but rather than give up entirely, I decided to carry on with my reviews, including links to three author's comments on their stories. The first story I read was Off-Off-Off Broadway by Dara Carr. Tessa is an animal photographer, shooting pet portraits in her garage studio. Her attempt to coax a pose out of an aging English bulldog is interrupted by the dog owner's wife Amber, a has-been actress. Tessa becomes entangled in what she suspects is a plot by Amber to hire a hit man to kill her philandering husband. The ending is one of those "how is she going to get out of this" situations, which was set up nicely by the author. The story Mourning Man by Michael Bracken is a touching tale wrapped up in a dangerous game. Cab driver Johnny Devlin is pressured into driving for a robbery when he can't pay a loan shark back for the money he borrowed to pay for his wife's funeral. You can read about the author's inspiration for this story here. Robert Lopresti's entry in this issue of AHMM is Nobody Gets Killed. I am impressed by how this author handles both humor and serious subjects with equal skill. This story is one of the serious variety. You can read about the author's inspiration and the writing process here. This story proves that AHMM publishes variety. This is not a standard mystery story. Instead, during a routine traffic stop, tension builds to the conclusion of a piece that reads more like literary fiction. Nicely done. Next, R. T. Lawton wrote another in his Paris Underworld series set in medieval France, The Left Hand of Leonard, starring an inept orphan boy pickpocket. This time, he is pressed into service to help steal religious relics from a cathedral. You can read the historical background for this story here. Having read one of the million biographies of Joan of Arc within recent memory, I found this story particularly fun. In typical Lawton style, there is skillfully delivered action, tension, and humor. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine is available in both hardcopy and by electronic subscription. Maybe one day I'll nab a subscription for my Kindle, but for now I'll stick to hardcopy. Maybe I like a little of that Pony Express speed in my life. When I was a child, my grandparents had a rustic home at a South Dakota lake that was equipped with a functioning outhouse. A two-seater. I have never understood what intestinal emergency would necessitate sharing that intimate space with another human. Using the outhouse was always a little frightening. Apparently I'm not the only person whose thoughts have strayed to the horrors of outhouses. Author Shannon Lawrence features one on the cover of her new short story anthology, Blue Sludge Blues & Other Abominations. This book is brand spanking new, released TODAY! Lawrence describes the anthology as a collection of frights, from the psychological to the monstrous. These tales are a reminder of how much we have to fear: a creature lurking in the blue, sludgy depths of a rest area toilet; a friendly neighbor with a dark secret hidden in his basement; a woman with nothing more to lose hellbent on vengeance; a hike gone terribly wrong for three friends; a man cursed to clean up the bodies left behind by an inhuman force. These and other stories prowl the pages of this short story collection. So, how about that port-a-potty story? Here's an except: "He'd never been a fan of port-a-potties, not even these rest stop ones that were disguised as little wooden cabins, less port-a-potty than hole-in-the-middle-of-a-room. They housed a vacant space anything could move into, hiding away inside until some unsuspecting fool revealed a full moon." A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in magazines and anthologies, including Space and Time Magazine, Dark Moon Digest, and Spinetingler. Though she often misses the ocean, the majestic and rugged Rockies are a sight she could never part with. Besides, in Colorado there's always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. What more could she ask for? Available for sale at the following locations: Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079WKB7PW Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B079WKB7PW Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/792576 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-sludge-blues-other-abominations-shannon-lawrence/1128000342?ean=2940155139850 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/blue-sludge-blues-other-abominations Also available from Apple and other countries through Amazon. Social Media Links: Website/Blog: http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewarriormuse/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewarriormuse Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shannondkl Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Shannon-Lawrence/e/B00TDKPOAO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1519445371&sr=8-2 Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/thewarriormuse Rafflecopter Link (HTML) : www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e851df742/ 3/7/2018 0 Comments Blood and GasolineMay 1st is the release date for the short story anthology Blood and Gasoline. My story Do Over is included, and is a darker, grittier tale than is typical for me. Still, it will probably be mild compared to the rest of the stories! Do-Over is a story of vengeance, and a survivor’s hope that enacting justice can erase a painful past. Editor Mario Acevedo describes Blood and Gasoline as Mad Max meets Sons of Anarchy. I had not intended to review another story from Cathy Ace's Murder Keeps No Calendar anthology, until I read The Corpse with the Fake Purse. Fans of Ace's Cait Morgan will recognize the title in the same style as her mystery series. This short story features the Welsh university professor living in Canada, and shows why the series is popular. Set in June, Morgan is giving a lecture to a group of police officers on victimology - developing a profile of victims to assist with solving a crime. She is put on the spot by Chief Superintendent Dufray, who seems intent upon both disproving her technique and making her appear foolish. Dufray has stationed a young constable at a murder scene. He is streamed into the lecture hall via webcam. The proposition is for Cait to view the apartment, then deliver both a victim profile, and surmise the identity of the killer. Cait resent being publicly put in this position, and imagines the pleasure of putting Dufray through a wood chipper. Pressured into the challenge, she directs the constable to different rooms, asking him to show her the victim's possessions. The way Cait reveals the victim's personality and lifestyle is fascinating. All this would make a good story, but Ace pushes it to a higher level with the way in which Morgan reveals herself as much as the victim. If you're already a Cathy Ace fan, this short story will confirm why you enjoy the novels. If you haven't yet read her longer work, let this story serve as your invitation to some entertaining reading. 2/20/2018 5 Comments White Like Her - Gail LukasikThe exploding popularity of home DNA testing kits makes a book like this required reading. For many people, family history is reliably passed down through the generations. For others, like my family, the DNA test reveals surprises. Author Gail Lukasik learned stunning news about her mother's ancestry while researching family genealogy. A later DNA test confirmed the revelation. I recently read White Like Her - My Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing. She deals with great sensitivity and compassion her mother's decision in the early 1940s to pass for white. Also covered in depth is the history of racial passing, which was fascinating. Lukasik's book has captured the attention of genealogy fans and students of racial history in America. Her journey led her to the television program Genealogy Roadshow, and most recently an appearance on the Megyn Kelly Show (link below). Lukasik generously agreed to appear on my blog, with an excerpt from an article about her book and her journey. My Mother Passed as White—Even to Me By Gail Lukasik Excerpt from The Daily Beast, October 29, 2017 My mother leans toward the mirror. With graceful upward strokes she applies liquid foundation to her face, and begins her day as a white woman. I perch on the edge of the blue bathtub, watching in fascination as she transforms her olive skin to a lighter shade. At 14, I have no inkling of the depth of her deception. Nor the risks she takes everyday married to my white father and living in a white, lower middle class Cleveland suburb. It’s 1960. Seven years before the Supreme Court declares interracial marriage legal. She knows what’s at stake. Her enactment is so artful, so practiced; my father will go to his grave, thinking he married a white woman. “Why do you wear makeup to bed?” I’m starting to question my mother’s quirky habits, starting to wonder about the blank spaces in her New Orleans family tree. Her answer leaves me bewildered and troubled. “You never know if you’ll get sick in the night and have to be taken to the hospital. You want to look your best.” It’ll be three decades before I understand that to my mother “best” means white. It’ll be three decades before I discover my mother passed for white. There were clues I missed. Her strict avoidance of the sun, her absence of family photographs, her unwillingness to visit her family in New Orleans, and her obsession with her make-up. If not for my curiosity about my mother’s father, Azemar Frederic, my mother would have died with her racial secret intact. In 1995, while scrolling through the 1900 Louisiana census records searching for Azemar, I made a startling discovery. Azemar and his entire family were designated black. In an instant my sense of self was shattered. When I questioned her, she vowed me to secrecy until her death. “How will I hold my head up with my friends?” she pleaded. I’d never seen my mother so afraid. Reluctantly, I kept her racial secret for 17 years. And in the silence of those years, I was left confused over my racial identity. A year after my mother’s death, I appeared on PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow and revealed to 1.5 million people that my mother passed for white. On the 1940 Louisiana census my mother, Alvera Frederic, was listed as Negro, working in a teashop in New Orleans. Four years later, she moved north and married my white father. She was never classified as Negro again. *** Gail Lukasik is the author of White Like Her: My Family’s Story of Race and Racial Passing. The Washington Post named White Like Her one of the most inspiring stories of 2017. After her 2015 appearance on PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow where her mother’s life changing secret was revealed, she was inspired to write White Like Her. The book is the story of her mother’s “passing” for white, her struggle with the shame of mother’s choice, and her subsequent journey of self-discovery and redemption. She also writes the award-winning Leigh Girard mystery series, a seasonal series set in Door County, Wisconsin. Peak Season for Murder won the Lovey Award for Best Traditional Amateur Sleuth. Her website is: www.gaillukasik.com. White Like Her is available at: https://www.amazon.com/White-Like-Her-Familys-Passing/dp/1510724125 Megyn Kelly Show appearance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNiEBnOzgVw |
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