Mike Befeler's Blog, page 14
March 2, 2023
Getting Ready for the Left Coast Crime Conference
I’ll be attending the Left Coast Crime this March. I’m on two panels, one for senior sleuths and one for humor. I’ll also be hosting the Meet the New Authors Breakfast, participating in author speed dating, and co-hosting a table at the Saturday night banquet. It will be a busy time, but I always look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.
February 21, 2023
Sixth Anniversary of the Publication of The Tesla Legacy
This is the sixth anniversary of the publication of The Tesla Legacy. Nikola Tesla was a dichotomy. He had a brilliant mind and could invent in that mind and go to prototype without a blueprint. He gave us alternating current technology for the lights in our homes and offices. But he was also on the autism spectrum with many weird quirks. When he went to a restaurant, he insisted on having multiples of three napkins (3, 6, 9), and he didn’t like being touched.
My international thriller, The Tesla Legacy, is a modern-day story of an Afghani terrorist and a secret government agent trying to get their hands on a weapon of mass destruction designed by Tesla but includes a lot of background about Nikola Tesla, the historical figure.
The Tesla Legacy is available in print, e-book and audio editions:
Print https://amzn.to/3mz4rlf
e-book https://amzn.to/3d45whL
Audio download https://bit.ly/3rZtlvD
Audio CD https://bit.ly/3dP9LNp
Picture a retired mathematics professor and conspiracy nut with a butt-kicking, surrogate-daughter sidekick. Elmore Kranz bombards the police with his predictions of disaster until one of them actually happens, to the point that he’s implicated in the plot. Even with the assistance of his one ally, rookie cop Brittney Chase, people start dying around Elmore as attempts are made on his life. Following up on inventions from eccentric genius, Nikola Tesla, Elmore and Brittney team up to solve a hundred-year-old puzzle.
February 16, 2023
Panels at Left Coast Crime Conference
I’ll be attending the Left Coast Crime Conference in Tucson March 16-19. I’ll be on two panels. On Thursday at 5 PM I’ll be joining moderator Catriona McPherson and panelists Leslie Karst, Ed Lin and D. R. Ransdell on the panel, How Do You Know What’s Funny? On Friday at 11:30 I’ll be with moderator Alicia Gaspar de Alba and panelists Ellen Kirshman, Barna W. Donovan and Susan McCormick on the Senior Sleuth panel.
February 9, 2023
Where Has Customer Service Gone?
I’ve seen many examples of companies treating existing customers as second-class citizens. When I was in the business world, the emphasis was on keeping customers by providing good service. Today, I experience a lack of interest in providing good customer service. The most recent example is a bank where we have a certificate of deposit. The CD has come due, so I checked with the bank on current rates for renewal. They gave me a lower rate than a rate they were advertising in the lobby. The banker explained that the advertised rate was for “new customers.” Voila. As an existing customer, I was being treated as a second-class citizen. You would think they would give me the best rate to retain me as a customer. No deal. I closed the account and moved my money to another bank that gave the best rates to everyone.
February 2, 2023
Writers Critique Groups
Since I began writing in 2001, I have joined a number of writers critique groups. These are groups of writers who give feedback to each other on their manuscripts to help improve their writing. The first one I attended was with a co-worker. Then I was introduced to a group of mystery writers who were very helpful in getting me started as a mystery writer. I’ve also been in general groups that have writers representing multiple genres. As well as in-person critique groups, I’ve also participated in on-line groups. For a number of years now, I’ve not been in a critique group, but I just signed up for a critique group sponsored by Sisters in Crime. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
January 26, 2023
Reading Patterns
Do you have a regular reading pattern? I go through cycles. When I’m busy with family activities or writing activities, I may not read that much during the day. Other times, I have a relaxing day and read for many hours. Since I’m currently awaiting edits on two books in the publishing cycle, I’ve had a chance to do more reading. Once I receive edit suggestions from my publishers, editing will be my primary activity.
January 17, 2023
Sixteenth Anniversary of My First Published Novel, Retirement Homes Are Murder
Today is the sixteenth anniversary of the release of my first published mystery novel, Retirement Homes Are Murder. Imagine yourself waking up in a retirement home, not remembering anything from the day before and being accused of murder. Or consider a male Miss Marple enmeshed in a light-hearted Memento.
When crotchety octogenarian Paul Jacobson discovers a body wedged in a retirement home trash chute, he must become an amateur sleuth to clear himself as a murder suspect while struggling with the problems of his short-term memory loss and being stuck living with a bunch of old people. As Paul’s snooping gets him in trouble with the local police and the retirement home administration, he meets eccentric residents, develops a new friendship, experiences the quirks of old age romance and must face his biggest fear in order to escape from a murderer intent upon a repeat performance.
I’m available to give presentations to service organizations, libraries and book groups.
What others say about Retirement Homes Are Murder:
“Kudos to Mike Befeler for this witty, clever and wholly entertaining debut novel.”—Margeret Coel, author of The Drowning Man
“Retirement Homes Are Murder is a wonderful debut novel—a fitting entry in the burgeoning field of geezer-lit. You’ll come away smiling and cheering.”Christine Goff, author of Death Shoots a Birdie
“Mike Befeler’s funny, feisty and memory-challenged senior sleuth is a delightful addition to the mystery scene.”—Maggie Sefton
Retirement Homes Are Murder is available in print, e-book and audio book editions:
e-book box set first four books of Paul Jacobson series: Box Set: Retirement Homes Are Murder, Living with Your Kids Is Murder, Senior Moments Are Murder, Cruising in Your Eighties Is Murder (Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit Mystery Series Book 1) - Kindle edition by Befeler, Mike. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
http://www.mikebefeler.comJanuary 12, 2023
Use of the Term Geezer
Many of my published books fall within the sub-genre of geezer-lit mysteries because they feature older characters. I was on a panel one time, and another author objected to the term geezer, considering it derogatory. I explained that I use it in an affectionate and humorous way. At the time, I was a geezer-in-training. Now I’m a full card-carrying geezer and proud of it.
January 5, 2023
Meet the New Authors Breakfast at Left Coast Crime Conference
I’ve had the opportunity to host the Meet the New Authors Breakfast at the Left Coast Crime Conference every year since it became a program at the conference in 2008 except for two years when I was unable to attend. This year the Left Coast Crime Conference is in Tucson and the new author breakfast is on Friday March 17, 2023. The ground rules are the presenters have published a debut mystery/crime/thriller in 2022 or 2023 before March 19, 2023. I review all the author attendees and check their websites and Amazon to determine if they meet this qualification. So far this year we have twelve debut mystery authors that qualify. They each will have an opportunity to give a one-minute presentation on the most important thing readers should know about their debut mystery novel.
December 29, 2022
Books for 2023 and 2024
I have three mystery novels that will be published in 2023 and 2024. The first two are the second and third books in the Ominpodge Trilogy, Last Gasp Motel and A Mystery Yarn.
Last Gasp Motel- When one of the residents of an aging motel shows up dead in the swimming pool, the quirky older characters living there must rally to find the murderer before the city replaces their home with a shopping mall.
A Mystery Yarn - Pru Pendergast becomes entangled in more than yarn when her obnoxious landlord shows up dead in her driftwood creations shop. Pru must escape attacks on her own life and the threat of being arrested while trying to solve the crime and catch the eye of her new sort of boyfriend.
The next book is Murder in the Museo Kircheriano. Strange circumstances surrounding a dead body found in Father Athanasius Kircher’s museum in Rome in1656 lead to a web of intrigue involving a mysterious nephews circle. Using his eclectic and eccentric skills, Father Kircher along with his assistant, Filippo, and new convert Queen Christina of Sweden must use all their resources to solve the murder.
