K.C. Sivils's Blog, page 4
May 11, 2020
Availability of The next Two Episodes of Capital City Characters
Episodes III and IV of the Capital City Characters series of novellas are now available to ordered or pre-ordered from Amazon. Episode III: The Young Detective tells the backstory of Sully’s male protege, Detective Josephson at the same time he pursues his first serial killer.
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Episode IV: The Girl Who Wasn’t There tells the long awaited story of the origins of the mysterious Sarah and how her path came to cross that of Inspector Sullivan. The Girl Who Wasn’t There is the first of author K.C. Sivils stories to be illustrated. Artist Sadie Rose du Vigneaud helped bring Sarah’s story to life.
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Episode V: Incident on Damascus II will be released on Amazon on June 23rd, 2020 and is available now for pre-order. Episode V examines the life of Father Nathan during his days as a mercenary.
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May 9, 2020
Sarah Says – Enter Her Contest! Win a Signed Copy of The Girl Who Wasn’t There!
Sarah Says Enter One Contest or Two!
The Big Contest!
Grand Prize: Only one to be awarded.
Signed paperback copy of The Girl Who Wasn’t There . Singed by both the author and illustrator.Signed 11×17 print of an illustration from The Girl Who Wasn’t There by the illustrator Sadie du Vigneaud.Signed paperback copy of Incident on Damascus II.
2nd Place: Two prizes to be awarded.
Signed paperback copy of The Girl Who Wasn’t There . Signed by both the author and illustrator.Signed 11×17 print of an illustration from The Girl Who Wasn’t There by the illustrator Sadie du Vigneaud.
Third Place: Three prizes to be awarded.
Signed 11×17 print of an illustration from The Girl Who Wasn’t There by the illustrator Sadie du Vigneaud.
Just for entering: It’s a surprise but you’ll like it!
Deadline for entering: June 19th, 2020
Winners Announced: June 23rd, 2020
How to Enter:
Take a photo of you holding up either the cover of a paperback copy of ANY of the Thomas Sullivan Thriller Universe series of books (15 total to choose from) or the digital cover displayed on your ereader device.Include a short description, no more than two or three sentences why you enjoyed that particular story.Attach the photo to an email, which must include the description of why you enjoyed the story, and email it to me by DEADLINE!Send the e-mail to SciFiThriller@kcsivils.com with Big Contest in the subject line.Only entrants who comply with all of the requirements will be considered for a prize.
Important Notice: All entries become property of The Inspector’s Report and may be used for promotional purposes.
The Little Contest
Grand Prize: It’s a surprise but I think you’ll like it!
How to Enter:
It’s easy! Follow me on BookBub! Here’s how: Click Here Take a screen shot of the post for K.C. SivilsClick on FollowEmail that screen shot to me at SciFiThriller@kcsivils.comPut Little Contest in the subject line
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Deadline for entering: June 19th, 2020
Winner Announced: June 23rd, 2020
Interview With Renee Pawlish – Creator of the Reed Ferguson Series
What prompted you to take the plunge and become a published author?
That’s a loaded question. I’ve written things since I was in elementary school, and after grad school I penned my first novel (not a very good one). I wrote the first two Reed Ferguson novels, and then I took a turn into mystery-horror and wrote Nephilim: Genesis of Evil. At that point, a friend encouraged me to publish it, and I’ve never looked back.
Anyone who had read your Reed Ferguson series and the Dewey Webb series knows you have a deep appreciate for all things crime noir. Where did this interest come from?
I’ve always loved reading mysteries, including the classics. I also enjoy old movies. I kind of fell into the noir aspect with the first Reed Ferguson mystery, and I liked the idea of Reed enjoying film noir. I had seen some of the classic noir movies, and as I wrote more Reed novels, I watched more film noir movies and studied the genre. It’s been a lot of fun.
Your Reed Ferguson series is a lot of fun. It’s a good mix of modern crime, crime noir references, and humor. How did you arrive at the idea for this series and its unique mix of elements?
That’s a nice compliment, thank you. As a reader, I’ve enjoyed humorous mysteries, and I’ve been told I have a good sense of humor. It was natural to bring humor into the novels, and I wanted Reed to have something unique about him, and that’s where the film noir aspect came in. It’s been a treat to intertwine film noir movies into each book. I’ve had a lot of fun punning film noir movie titles and then figuring out ways to have the movies play into each book plot.
The Dewey Webb series is much more of a traditional crime noir set of stories. What inspired you to create this series after the success of your Reed Ferguson stories?
Dewey Webb first appeared in Back Story, the tenth novel in the Reed Ferguson series. I’d had an idea bobbing around in my brain with Reed trying to solve a decades-old mystery, but then flashing back to that old mystery and the detective who had been working on it. It’s one of my favorite Reed stories. Obviously I had to create that old detective, who is Dewey. I wanted him to be a more hard-boiled traditional detective like Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe, and yet have Dewey have a softer side that you rarely see. I liked Dewey so much I gave him his own series, and it’s been fun to chronicle his adventures.
What challenges do you face as a female author who writes male protagonists?
I think the biggest thing is that I don’t necessarily think like a man, and sometimes I make mistakes (I’ve been called out on Reed fainting versus passing out). But I have plenty of male fans, so I must be doing something right J
Authors face so many different challenges in their careers. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to cope with and how did you overcome that challenge?
Probably the biggest challenge is time. I still have a day job, and working all day, then writing and marketing nights and weekends can be tough. I’d say that’s something I haven’t overcome yet, but it’s still worth it to me, so I keep going J Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough hours in the day for everything. But I’ve been blessed to have writing as a side gig, and I keep working at it.
Where do you draw the inspiration for your stories from? Is there a process or does the idea simply come to you?
For the Reed Ferguson series, I look at old film noir movies and that gives me some inspiration at times. I also find a lot of ideas watching the news or true crime shows. There are so many things that happen in our world that can be turned into a story. The challenge is to tell a story in a new or different way. In the first Reed Ferguson mystery, This Doesn’t Happen In The Movies, I wanted something out of the norm, and at the time I wrote it, I’d not read any private eye novels where we encounter the hero at the beginning of his or her detecting career. So in that first book, Reed is a brand-new detective working on his very first case. My latest Reed Ferguson mystery, A Killing, revolves around a treasure hunt, which I thought was something different in a crime story. I have so many ideas for stories and not enough time to write them all.
What are the challenges of writing stories set in a modern, well known city such as Denver? By the same token, what are the advantages using a city such as Denver as the setting for stories?
It’s challenging to get settings correct, but beyond that, it’s mostly fun. I grew up in Denver, so I know the city well, and I can even flavor the stories with things a reader might not know. It’s also been fun to use Denver as a setting because of its proximity to the mountains. That gives me more setting to play with.
Your characters are interesting people. What is the process by which you craft such interesting characters for your stories?
Again, thank you. I was a counselor for several years, and I met and worked with a lot of people with varied backgrounds, and that helps me give flavor to the characters I write. I’ve also worked hard to create some characters that might be considered a bit outside the norm. So many books are being written and published these days, it’s nice to try to create characters that have a bit of flair.
What classic crime noir authors are your favorite and how have they influenced you as a storyteller?
Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and James M. Cain are a few. Talk about a way with words! I also love the old Rex Stout Nero Wolfe series. To me, Reed is a little like Archie Goodwin. I love to study their works just to see how they describe things, how they turn a phrase that sticks with you long after you’ve put the book down.
What modern, or current day, authors do you enjoy? Are there any in particular that influence the stories you tell?
Unfortunately I don’t get to read as much these days as I’d like to, but I do enjoy Dennis Lehane, PJ Tracy, and Michael Connelly. I study them to see how the construct a story, and how they keep the tension building so that you want to keep turning pages. When I used to commute to downtown Denver, I did a lot of reading on the bus and light rail, and I used to tear through books. I read a lot of different mysteries, from cozies to things like Lee Child’s Reacher series. I have a big library of books that seem to give me inspiration.
For any aspiring author who wants to take the plunge and become a published author, what advice or encouragement can you share?
First, decide if you want to write for the sake of writing, or if you want to make this a business. If it’s the latter, it’s not usually an overnight success, and you’ll have to learn marketing as well. This is work. But you can do it. Second, keep writing, and keep reading up on the craft of writing; you’ll get better as you go. Finally, if you love to write, do it! Don’t let anyone discourage you. The advice I got a long time ago is still true now. If you wrote a thousand words a day, you’d have a book or two finished in a year. And you’ll find your audience who’ll want to devour your stories. Even though I put a lot of time into this, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t get a kick out of creating new characters and stories every day.
April 29, 2020
Interview With Illustrator Sadie Rose du Vigneaud
Miss du Vigneaud was the illustrator for the interior illustrations of The Girl Who Wasn’t There, Episode IV in the Capital City Character Series.
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When did it begin to become obvious you had a talent for drawing?
I have always had an interest in art and design. I think I really began improving on my skill in middle school. I dedicated a lot of my time to drawing and painting. My art teacher noticed my interest and really helped me find new ways to create.
What made you decide to become an illustrator and graphic artist?
I have always loved storytelling and art, which is what attracted me to be an illustrator. I do not like limiting myself to one thing and I felt as if I could pursue many different paths in illustration.
In bringing the three main characters in The Girl Who Wasn’t There to life, what were the biggest challenges for you?
My biggest challenge was understanding the characters and how they would react. The three are identical clones, who often have different or limited emotional responses. Understanding how they present themselves to the world in different ways was a challenge.
If you could start over again and create all new illustrations for the story, what would you do differently?
With many artists, they find that they improve as they create. Small things like shading and positioning are what I learned through this process. If I were to go back a recreate, I would add more detail to the background settings. I have always focused on characters in my work, but I have recently found an interest in backgrounds and settings.
Can you explain the process you used to visually bring to life characters that previously had only existed in written form?
My process is fairly simple. First, I sketch out many different ideas I have. Next, I would narrow down the sketches and pick out my favorites. Most importantly, I would pose myself or friends for reference so I can better understand a scene, movement, and proportions. Understanding the scene in my own eyes is what helped me visualize it best. Finally, I bring my ideas into digital form.
In the course of creating the illustrations for The Girl Who Wasn’t There, what did you learn about being an illustrator that you previously didn’t know?
I think something I learned is working with someone else. I have worked on group projects and assigned work, but those tend to be open-ended. Working with a writer to make their story come to life is different. You have to fully understand their vision for the illustrations.
For anyone who is interested in a career in graphic design or being an illustrator, what advice can you offer?
My advice would be to experiment. Never limit yourself to one style or medium.
To check out Miss du Vigneaud’s illustrations in The Girl Who Wasn’t There, pick up a copy! Available from Amazon in Kindle or paperback editions on May 19th, 2020.
March 31, 2020
Author Interview: Michelle Medhat
The latest author interview is that of British Author Michelle Medhat .
1) What is it about writing and telling stories that drew
you into becoming an author?
I’ve always been drawn to writing. Capturing something that
floats in my mind and making it real and tangible. Writing I always say is the
result of ‘sparking synaptic moments’. I first wrote something worth reading
when I was four and a half, when I dreamt of my Grandfather, not realizing he’d
passed away that very night. I got up the next morning and wrote my poem
‘Sleep’
When I sleep my beautiful sleep
I see and hear things in my dreams
Of faces I no longer see
And voices I no longer hear
In my sweet beautiful sleep
I woke saying, “Grandad says bye bye” and handed them the
poem. My parents were gob smacked when they read it. They’d already received
the call from the hospital that Grandad had died early hours that morning.
From that moment on I’ve never really stopped writing. I
may have changed style and content, but the thrill of writing – that putting
down on paper of words inside me – has not left me. It’s the burst of
enjoyment, knowing something has been created, that ignites me to write more.
I love telling stories that are mind blowing. I enjoy
taking readers on a journey of excitement, horror and wonder. My writing style
has been described as ‘fire and ice’. It’s even been said that ‘I’m a writer
with ADHD but everything still comes together’. I know as a reader myself, I adore
characters, good or bad, but I only invest in a character’s path in a book, if
they are relatable to me. You need to feel that whatever they’re going through,
whether it’s on a far flung planet, in an ancient medieval world, or down the
halls in Capitol Hill, that they are still accessible to you as a reader.
That’s what touches the emotions and makes a story outstanding and memorable.
Without that real emotive connection, stories wash over you, and you’re
unaffected by them.
Good storytelling enables a sense of escapism. A wonderful
feeling that you can fall into a book get lost there. Reading the words, your
mind can visualize scenes, you can have your own private movie running in your
mind, and the outside world can almost vanish completely. It’s knowing I’m
generating those scenes in the minds of my readers, making them gasp, or even
shudder, that keeps me up writing at night, and at any opportunity I can during
the day.
2) What writers have influenced you as an author? (why and
how)
As a child I loved the classics: Enid Blyton, Beatrix Potter, Hans Christian Andersen. Growing up, I moved more toward espionage, mystery thrillers and science fiction. Ian Fleming, Frederick Forsyth, Tom Clancy, John Le Carré, Robert Ludlum, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov, James Patterson and Alfred Hitchcock. More recently, JK Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Douglas Adams, Richard K Morgan, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Dan Browne and Sam Bourne.
Perhaps, the one common denominator in all of these writers that I love and have been heavily influenced is their ability to enthrall. That fundamental ability in good storytelling to hold the reader captivated, not knowing quite what to expect, and reading forward that bit more than they had intended to. That style of ‘unexpected, mysterious, unputdownable’ is what I’ve attempted to capture in my own writing, albeit with my own quirky signature style included in the mix.
March 21, 2020
Help Me Out! Take A Survey!
Being an author is both a creative endeavor and a business one. I’m considering offering my stories in audiobook form.
Before I take that plunge and that goes with it, I need to learn a few things from my readers. Things like do any of my readers even use audiobooks? Where do my readers who do like audiobooks get theirs?
Help me out be taking this short, five question survey. It should take you less than a minute!
Click here to take the survey.
Thank you!
February 29, 2020
New Interview: Author Brian Meeks
Author Brian Meeks was kind enough to agree to a short interview. You’ll find the interview posted on the interview page. Click Here to read more.
February 18, 2020
The Price of a Lie Hits Number Three on Amazon in the Technoir Category! Let’s Make It Number One!
First, let me thank everyone who purchased a copy of The Price of a Lie, pushing it up to third in the Amazon Technoir category! I’m not making it up! Honest! See the image below for proof!
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Every fiction author dreams of having a No. One Best Seller of some sort and while it’s not the New York Times Best Seller list, I would be very proud to have a No. One Amazon Best Seller in the category of Technoir!
Why is this important?
One, it’s good for my ego! 
January 13, 2020
Want to help out an Author? Want to become a Beta Reader? Consider joining D.E.A.D!
Founded by Author Saundra Woffington, creator of the Wine Valley Mystery Series, D.E.A.D. – Dark, Edgy, and Dangerous – is group for authors to help each other cross promote their books and for individuals interested in become members of ARC groups or Beta Readers.
January 11, 2020
Coming soon! The price of a Lie and Friends in low places
In six weeks I will have two new stories in print. The first, The Price of a Lie, will be for sale on Amazon on February 4th. The second, the first in the Capital City Characters series, will be Friends In Low Places.
The Price of a Lie is the seventh installment in the Inspector Thomas Sullivan Thriller series and will see our favorite trio encounter their most challenging case yet. Those who’ve had a chance to read a preview copy have declared The Price of a Lie to be the darkest of the Sullivan series as well as the most revealing story when it comes to Sully, Sarah, and Father Nathan.
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Set on a moon cursed with a dystopian society, the race to discover the answers their client hired them to find is the most difficult case yet.
The Price of a Lie will be for sale on Amazon February 4th, 2020. For those who want a Kindle edition delivered the minute The Price of a Lie goes on sale, click here to pre-order!
On March 3rd, my new spin-off series, Capital City Characters, will see the first novella in the series become available for sale. Titled Friends in Low Places, this novella provides the backstory for one of the most important characters in the Sullivan thriller series, Joe Maynard, the owner of Joe’s.
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Fans of the Inspector Thomas Sullivan Thriller series will be able to learn more about the main secondary characters that play key roles in each of the Sullivan stories. Friends in Low Places kicks off the series by telling Joe’s story, without whom there would be no meeting place for Sully, Sarah, and Father Nathan. Like The Price of a Lie, Friends in Low Places is also available for pre-order on Amazon.
