Diane Rapp's Blog: She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer! - Posts Tagged "mystery"

When my daughter, Laura got tired of working as a cruise ship purser, she submitted eleven proposal packets to publishers and got a contract. Since I love to write, Laura and I decided to write the book together. We scheduled three months for the research trip.

It sounded like a vacation, sipping cocktails on the veranda each evening after gathering details for the book. Wrong! We visited eleven islands and spent three days on each, running ourselves into the ground. Writing a factual guidebook became really hard work.

Don’t get me wrong; I loved the scent of exotic flowers, the sounds of string bands playing Christmas carols, and the feel of gentle ocean breezes on my sunburned skin (I am a redhead). I road a community taxi across St. Martin and tried to decipher the patois spoken by locals. My daughter and I floated over coral reefs filled with neon-colored tropical fish and felt "champagne bubbles" from hot springs in the ocean. We ate weird and wonderful cuisine. Unfortunately, we couldn't properly convey the ambiance of the islands in a factual guide book.

After the guidebook was published, Laura began writing a mystery novel set in the Caribbean. She hated writing fiction and gave the book idea to me.

Writing a mystery novel takes planning, especially when I wanted the heroine, Kayla, to visit real tourist attractions in the Caribbean. I invented a cruise ship company and a complex docking schedule. Kayla explores the islands while she tries to solve the murder of her philandering ex-boyfriend. She also falls in love again.

MURDER CARIBBEAN-STYLE is the first book in a High Seas Mystery series. It might be fun for cruise ship passengers to read this book while visiting the most popular islands that cruise ships visit. Take a voyage with Kayla and her friends and solve a mystery along the way.

When writing a novel do you start with a plot or develop characters? It's a chicken or egg question that I recently asked my friends on Facebook. It’s interesting how many different answers I received. Since I write in two different genres, I tackle my projects from two different angles. My sci-fantasy novels center around the difficulties my characters face on the distant planet Drako, a world I imagined but the place seems real to my crazy writer’s mind. I know where the story is heading but I let it develop as I write about the characters. My mystery novels center around the difficulties characters face investigating a crime on the high seas. In both cases I write about people facing problems in unusual settings.

I considered my writing process as I planned my new mystery, Murder for Glacier Blue. Although characters drive my actual writing, the planning of a mystery novel starts with the plot. In this case I decided that an art heist (leading to a murder) takes place during a two-week Alaskan cruise. My two main characters also plan to marry during the voyage so that is added to the storyline. It sounded like a straightforward plan.

When I don my “mystery writer’s hat,” I must decide how the story ends before I begin writing. That should be easy. If my writing was plot-driven, it would be simple but characters interfere. They misbehave and balk at cozy solutions to the crime, often causing trouble along the way. My husband asks me what will happen in the story. He’s an architect so he’s used to creating blueprints where all the numbers add up to construct a solid building. It’s difficult for him to understand why I allow characters to change the plot and why the “ending” I imagined might not occur.

Last August I took an Alaskan cruise to firmly fix the book’s setting in my mind and diligently prepared a timeline, inserting events that should occur during the voyage. The locations are real so I charted the course of the novel’s cruise ship. Since I’ve published two books in the series, a handful of familiar characters reappear. I keep a cheat sheet describing those characters. Next I “imagined” new characters, their background stories and motives for the proposed crime, so I added them to the cheat sheet. The ongoing lives of established characters must evolve as the plot unfolds so I made sure those ideas appeared on the timeline. My architect husband approved of my plan.

Problems usually start when I flesh out the pesky new characters and introduce them into the manuscript. They interact with each other, have conversations, and move around the ship. Trouble looms as one character becomes more interesting than I planned, meddling with the nice orderly plot. No! The plan is already formed! I grow to like this particular character, so he/she gets more page time.

It’s usually a villain who interferes with the plot. Don’t you just love to write the villains? The last time this happened I introduced a minor character half-way through the first draft of a sci-fantasy novel and needed to rewrite the whole beginning of the story. I’m lucky I work on a computer! Imagine how hard it was for writers during the days of manual typewriters and white out?

I enjoy developing my characters so much that I seldom crack the whip and make them behave. Some authors will nod their heads in understanding while others frown (or laugh). Real life never runs smoothly and the hiccups make it more interesting. Why not let the plot change? The next time I answer the “which comes first” question, I’ll say, “It doesn’t matter if all the pieces fit together in the last chapter.”

As I proceed through the timeline of this new manuscript, I’m sure that new characters will intrude into my dreams and offer suggestions. Some of their ideas might sound intriguing…so who cares if they mess up my plans? I’ll wait to see how everything fits together in the last chapter. What an adventure!

The Books-a-Fire authors will be posting excerpts on their blogs during the next couple of weeks. I'll add an excerpt for each of my books so check back. Go to www.booksafire.com to find the special deals.

The Aurora is docked on Dominica:

At the bottom of the gangway, Kayla paused to gaze at the escarpment above the dock. Fort Shirley sat atop the bluff, an irregular black outline silhouetted against a cloudless blue sky. She checked her watch and decided to take an easy morning walk through the ruins. Once on top she wandered through the lonely stone skeleton, a solitary tourist taking photos of the ship and Portsmouth Bay.

From her lofty perch on top of the dungeon walls, Kayla surveyed the vast expanse of Dominica’s high country. In contrast to relatively flat coral islands, Dominica resembled a collection of craggy mountains plucked from the heart of the Alps and dumped into the ocean by some mischievous giant. Kayla felt a pang of homesickness for the snow-covered mountains of Colorado.

Rusty cannons stood sentinel along Fort Shirley’s moss-covered skeleton of chiseled rock. Ghostly breezes whispered eerie tales of slavery and revolt, of soldiers marching through a jungle filled with twisting ravines, and of hostile Carib Indians stalking their prey through dense foliage. A twig snapped. Leaves chattered over cobblestones as a gust of wind whipped them into a miniature tornado, and a tree branch tapped an eerie warning overhead. Kayla suddenly felt sure someone was watching.

Glancing around, she felt vulnerable, wandering alone through the ruins. Trying to walk with a normal pace, Kayla headed back down the deserted path, but her pace quickened into a near run as she yearned to reach the safety of the cruise ship pier. A man stepped from behind a tree and blocked her path.

Be sure to visit the following links to read excerpts from other authors in Books-a-Fire.

Calinda B http://blog.calindab.com/?p=1421

J. Heather Leigh http://jheatherleigh.blogspot.com/p/b...

Charles Dougherty http://www.clrdougherty.com/p/excerpt...

Tami Kidd http://www.tamikidd.com/?page_id=5

Jennifer Donohoe http://wp.me/p2zxAX-4Q

Reb MacRath www.rebmacrath.blogspot.com

Kayla experiences a vision from the Lady:

Taking the stairs two at a time, Kayla nearly tripped. The world tilted on its axis, her vision blurred, and her stomach lurched. She grabbed the handrail. Icy coldness stung her fingers and she jerked free. A miasma enveloped her senses. The smell of lavender and kelp drifted like a heavy mist through the open glass doors from the moonlit deck outside. Light fixtures shaped like seashells flickered, illuminating gold carpet and avocado green walls. She clutched a folded note between gloved fingers…

I’m not wearing gloves! Kayla thought and shuddered. A loud “ding” announced the arrival of the elevator. Expecting to see the Lady standing inside, Kayla tried to run but stood frozen in place. The doors slid open and her mouth felt too dry to swallow. Her vision blurred—and cheerful passengers walked lazily from the elevator to the sunny deck outside. A balmy breeze filled the corridor and a shaft of golden sunshine gleamed across salmon-colored carpet and coral walls.

Kayla’s knees buckled. She gripped the solid wood handrail to steady wobbly legs and gulped deep breaths. What happened to me? Glancing at her shaking bare hands, Kayla wished she’d read the note before it disappeared.



Be sure to visit the following links to read excerpts from other authors in Books-a-Fire and visit our website to find bargains www.booksafire.com

Calinda B http://blog.calindab.com/?p=1421

J. Heather Leigh http://jheatherleigh.blogspot.com/p/b...

Charles Dougherty http://www.clrdougherty.com/p/excerpt...

Tami Kidd http://www.tamikidd.com/?page_id=5

Jennifer Donohoe http://wp.me/p2zxAX-4Q

Reb MacRath www.rebmacrath.blogspot.com

Black Water by Rosemary McCracken

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Danger threatens and dark water awaits

The second book in the Pat Tierney Mystery series is a real nail biter. When Pat's daughter Tracy first introduced her new "partner," Pat freaked out. Now she faces a new problem. Her daughter's lover, Jaimie Collins, is missing and the police think she murdered a man. Tracy begs her to find Jamie, but Pat must unravel the murder to accomplish the task. Can she restore her relationship with Tracy?

Pat uses the opening of a branch of her investment firm in the small Canadian community of Braeloch as an excuse to snoop around the village. She moves her kids and her dog into a remote house owned by her company and meets the investment counselors she will be helping. With a town filled with suspects and an investment firm to launch, Pat might have bitten off too much. Danger lurks in the shadows, a biker gang, shotgun wielding drug growers, and someone tampering with her car. The excitement ramps up as Pat races through the woods and over thin ice on a snowmobile. She jeopardizes her job and her family but she must solve the crime. It might mean life or death.

Although this book is the second in the series, it is also a stand alone novel with enough information about recurring characters to satisfy a new reader. I recommend it highly to anyone who enjoys mysteries and adventure.




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Alternate Currents by Arleen Alleman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Universal themes that strike a chord.

Arleen Alleman once again demonstrates her writing talent in a gripping novel filled with suspense and pathos. When spiteful and malicious motives spur a kidnapping, events rapidly spiral out of control. Darcy learns that her friend, Charlie, is kidnapped. Her natural instinct is to go help Charlie's domestic partner, Don, and their adopted 7-year old daughter, Penelope.

The idea doesn't sit well with Darcy's fiancé, Mick. Based on past experience, he knows Darcy's habit of "helping" often places her in mortal danger. He's worried and rightly so. To complicate matters, Darcy and Nick are supposed to be planning a wedding of their own, but the stress of this situation could derail the nuptials.

Don Freeburg, a freelance cartoonist, and Charlie Scott, a commercial realtor, live in an upscale Seattle neighborhood. Unfortunately their domestic partnership recently came under the scrutiny of a religious zealot with fanatical followers, a group of people who are eager to remove Penelope from their home. To complicate matters, Penelope's birth mother threatens to legally reverse the adoption. She claims she has a legal right to take custody of her daughter. Although Penelope never met her birth mother, could a judge rip the family apart due to a legal technicality?

Ignoring her own personal problems, Darcy travels to Seattle to help and support her friends. As the police investigation into the kidnapping flounders, bodies start turning up. Darcy can't keep her promise to Mick and starts investigating on her own. It becomes clear that Penelope might have been the original target of the kidnapping, and Darcy fears for the girl's safety.

Darcy gallantly risks her own life to protect her friends and solve the crime. There are so many twists and turns in the complicated plot that readers are taken on a wild ride. Greed, desire, guilt, and fanaticism embolden several treacherous villains, who lurk in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Each culprit has a motive to kill but which one has gone on a killing spree? Can Darcy survive against the menacing culprits who stalk her friends? Will her own relationship with Mick crumble under the strain of a tempestuous separation? Will the wedding that Mick and Darcy planned ever take place? As Darcy learns more about her own character, she considers a new occupation, one that might place her in constant jeopardy. Will Mick support Darcy’s new career choice?

Fans of the Darcy Farthing novels are sure to enjoy this new chapter in her saga. Darcy has become a friend that we enjoy welcoming into our home. We worry about her almost as much as Mick, but we eagerly wait for each new story to be revealed.




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Three days of FREE for 5 books and Anniversary Edition THE SUITING only 99 cents

Here's what Reb told us today:

For three days I'm putting my work up for grabs:

1) The five existing ebooks will be free from Monday, August 27 through Wednesday, August 29. There's something here for everyone: from hardboiled mayhem to romantic suspense, from magic to hot, sexy angels. If you've enjoyed my Tweets or blogs, have a free look at what I can do in a longer form.

2) The Suiting is the Stoker Award-winning novel I wrote as Kelley Wilde. I've rewritten it extensively for this 25th Anny Edition. If you enjoy horror, then I want you to have this at an Open House special low price: The Suiting will be priced at $.99 for the same three days.

That's five for not one penny....and one for less than a buck. That's how an Open House is run at what I call MacRathWorld.

You'll find the first five books all listed here, along with the newest: The Suiting.

http://tiny.cc/yj171w

Cordon of Lies by Wendy Cartmell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Can a clever killer stop Crane from investigating?

Two murders of army wives are ten years apart, but the details are too similar to ignore. At least Crane isn't willing to ignore them, regardless of the pressure to stop investigating. This killer is clever, ruthless, and willing to target family members to put a stop to the investigation. Crane must invent new strategies to skirt the "cordon of lies" protecting the devious psychopath, but this investigation gets him in trouble with his own wife and superiors. What is more important? Catching a killer or protecting...Can't give you more information. You'll need to read this book to discover the truth.

Cartmell knows how British military works and how secrets can get buried. She tells a compelling story, making the reader care about her characters. This is the fourth in the series, but it stands alone, giving enough information that a new reader doesn't feel cheated. You can always go back and read the others, but get this one today.




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Are you tired of blood, guts, gore, and scenes that might make grandma (or even grandpa) blush?

The authors of Clean Indie Reads have joined together to promote books that you’ll be happy to share without blushing.

We’re running a one-week sale from Sept. 18 to 25. Every book shown on the following website will be on sale at 99 cents or possibly FREE.

No contests to enter or hoops to jump, just click and buy. Worry-free reads at rock bottom prices. Support Indie authors by buying a “clean” read today. Website link: http://bit.ly/16KkZqi

The Forever Stone by Gloria Repp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mystery mixed with pathos and bravery

This evocative story explores the growth of its heroine from a victim to a victor. She forces herself to face her demons, strike out on a new path, and face fear. It's evocative and spiritual. I knew Gloria Repp was a talented writer, having really enjoyed her children’s stories, and she proves she can write a compelling adult novel with this story.

This suspenseful novel is grown up but it doesn’t smack the writer with explicit scenes or gratuitous violence. There is danger and tension enough for anyone who enjoys a suspense novel. There is also psychological growth of the character through her faith in God. Don't be afraid of the spiritual nature of the story, it helps the character to mature and face the pain from her past. Highly recommended.




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