M.E. Roche's Blog, page 3

INTRODUCING ERICA MINER ...

I was intrigued by the originality of Erica's award-winning mysteries, with murder and mayhem in the setting of a great opera house---the first being set in the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and the second in the Santa Fe Opera. Her experience as a gifted violinist highlights the tremendous effort put into a production, emphasizing all that might go wrong, even without a murder! One charming feature is that each chapter in each of her mysteries begins with a quote from an opera in the original language followed by the English translation.

Meet Erica! Another writer who didn't set out to write...at least not right away!

 

As I remember it, I didn’t choose writing. It seems to have chosen me.

 

When I was in grade school in my native Detroit (something like 100 years ago!), there was an excellent public school system, part of which included a number of outstanding after-school programs. I remember being about 7 or 8 years old when I was placed in an after-school program for Creative Writing. I’m not sure why—perhaps one of my teachers saw a spark of that in me—and I don’t recall much of what I wrote (it was, after all, 100 years ago). But I do remember loving the process of creating characters and plot lines and weaving them all together to tell stories. I discovered I loved telling stories. I still do. Then and there, my lifelong passion for writing commenced.

 

Soon after that, I began to study the violin. As most people who have tried to play that fiendishly difficult instrument know, as a kid starting out you have to be totally committed and devoted in your practice. Thus, the violin took precedence over my other interests, writing included.

 

It turned out I was so good at playing the violin that I won a scholarship to study in Boston with the concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Joseph Silverstein. Subsequently, I moved to New York and won an audition to play in the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera. I stayed there for 21 years, performing with some of the world’s most high-powered opera superstars, Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo included.

 

Nonetheless, I never lost my passion for writing. While at the Met, I took writing classes, in  fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting, whenever I could fit them into my schedule. And when injuries from a car accident spelled the end of my professional musical career, my choice of a new creative outlet seemed clear. I went back to my enduring love for writing and have been writing ever since.

 

But while I was at the Met, I witnessed some extraordinary events, many of which were nefarious in nature: onstage, backstage, and elsewhere in the opera house. It occurred to me that an opera theatre was the perfect setting for murderous mischief and mayhem. Thus, my “Opera Mystery” series was born. Each book in the series takes place in a different opera house. Aria for Murder, published by Level Best Books in 2022, is set at my old stomping grounds, the Met Opera. The recently released sequel, Prelude to Murder, unfolds at Santa Fe Opera. The third book, due out in 2024, takes place at San Francisco Opera.

 

My years of experience at the Met lend authenticity to the atmosphere, environment, characters and situations found within my stories, which use real-time operas as background for the plot lines. Some of these operas are among the most violent stories ever written. What better way to bring murder and music together?

 

My life path has taken a direction I never imagined, and I am all the better for it. My readers include opera aficionados who are also mystery lovers and mystery devotees who are keen on learning about opera. What could be better?

My current base in the Seattle area gives me the perfect opportunity to connect with other writers. The writing community here is fantastic. For whatever reason, not least because of the many consecutive months of rain, there are more bookstores here than in any other city in the US. We Seattle writers have a good rationale for sticking together!

 

As someone once wisely said, “The only thing better than a great story is a great story with music.” I get to prove that every day by using my musical background to create stories that literally sing. I am lucky indeed.

Erica's books can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHJKZ142/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFTR3CRM/

Thanks, Erica, for sharing your story!

Introducing George Cramer . . .

George Cramer has a wonderful blog where he introduces writers and their works in a variety of genres. I first came across his blog when he interviewed Robert Dugoni for his novel "The World Played Chess" which is now one of my all-time favorite books!

Later, George wrote about several writers conferences that he had attended in the preceeding year. And when he described the Public Safety Writers Convention, it sounded so interesting that I immediately joined and registered for the one this past year. In addition to his wealth of experience in law enforcement and teaching, George has a great sense of humor. I enjoyed our meeting at the past conference and look forward to the one this year. Here, George will introduce himself!

I am a proud enrolled descendant of the Karuk Tribe of California who enjoyed four decades in an investigative career in law enforcement and private and corporate investigations. Later attending the Institute of American Indian Arts, earning my MFA-Creative Writing.

I conducted thousands of investigations throughout the Americas and Asia. In retirement, I kept my investigative skills honed by volunteering as a cold case and missing person investigator at a Bay Area Police Department. Never in the first sixty-eight years of my life did I consider I might one day be a published author. After being laid off from a job I loved, I had no interest in playing golf. I wasn't ready to retire, so I began looking for a new job. I learned a great deal about age discrimination.

Formerly a Parks & Recreation Commissioner, I read the department's quarterly magazine. I saw a notice about a writing class and thought I might learn something to improve my resume. Oops, it was a fiction writing class. And I fell in love with the literary art form—I was hooked.

I figured I could turn my life's work into the most remarkable novel ever written. Boy, was I mistaken. After twenty thousand words, I was bored with my own story. At about the same time, my instructor passed out random pictures in class. The assignment was to describe the scene in fifteen minutes. My photo was of two young girls looking at the Mona Lisa. I was thunderstruck and inspired to write notes as fast as I could about what was to be my debut novel, The Mona Lisa Sisters. These notes started an eight-year odyssey, which included time out for open heart surgery and a liver transplant.

I returned to school at the local community college, where I majored in English and was exposed to Joy Harjo, an internationally renowned performer, writer, and member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States. And when I learned she was going to read at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe the following semester. I got my Karuk Tribe of California ID Card and a letter from the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding my blood quantum and enrolled in the institute's MFA program. Not only did I get to listen to Joy, but a mutual friend introduced us, and we shared a table for a cafeteria dinner. Wow, I was so star-struck.

The Mona Lisa Sisters became my master's thesis, a historical fiction with a female protagonist. After it was released, I rushed to complete Robbers and Cops, a stand-alone spanning forty years.

Once that project was finished and published, I created Hector Miguel Navarro. Hector was going to be the star of what became New Liberty. I began it as a stand-alone, but within the first few thousand words, I knew Hector was to be the star of his own series. Book II should be out within a few months. I hope to have Book III out by the end of the year. I'll give you a teaser. Hector will become deeply involved in the issue of MMIW, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

While chatting, our host asked if I had a favorite among my works. My first response was yes. But that answer wasn't true. Each of my novels is a favorite.

In conclusion, I would like to add that my novels would never have been completed without the supporting cast of authors and beta readers.

The following groups also played an essential role in getting me over the finish line:

Sisters in Crime

Public Safety Writers Association

Crime Writers of Color

Mystery Writers of America

How can our visitors find you and your work?

Email: gdcramer@outlook.com

Blog: https://gdcramer.com/george-cramer-blog/

Facebook : (1) Facebook

Audible: The Mona Lisa Sisters by George Cramer - Audiobook - Audible.com

Amazon Amazon.com: George Cramer: books, biography, latest update

Barnes & Noble george cramer, Books | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=george%20cramer&ac=1&acp=george%20cramer&ac.author=george%20cramer&sort=Temperature

Thanks, George! To Everyone out there, I can say--having read and enjoyed George's first three books--that you will find each one has a different flavor, with the last Hector Miguel Navarro one being particularly action-packed!

Introducing Marilyn Meredith . . .

I met Marilyn this past year at the Public Safety Writers Association convention, where she and her husband are legends. I was so impressed with the works she has written that I wanted to share her story with you!

I’ve written nearly my whole life—a very long life, however, I didn’t get published until I was a grandmother. My mystery writing didn’t begin until after I’d published two fictionalized historical family sagas based on the genealogy of both sides of my family. It didn’t take long to know what I wanted to write next—mysteries.

I began with my Rocky Bluff P.D. series because my son-in-law was a police officer and stopped at my house at the end of his graveyard shift for coffee and told me of all his adventures. The first in the series is FINAL RESPECTS and authored as F.M. Meredith. There are 17 books in the series.

We moved to the foothills of the Sierra near an Indian reservation, and it wasn’t long before I had met interesting people from the area and the rez. Ideas popped into my head, and I began the Tempe Crabtree series with DEADLY TRAIL. I incorporated things and events told to me by Indians and others living in the community. There are now 20 titles in the series.

I enjoyed writing both series, but I’m done. Rocky Bluff is a small town, the police department underfunded, but police equipment has become so sophisticated now I didn’t feel I could do a respectable job incorporating any of it in my novels.

With the Tempe Crabtree series, I knew it was time to quit. I loved writing about Tempe and her adventures. I knew Tempe better than I knew most people, because I knew how she thought and what she would do in any situation. However, she’d reached retirement age, and though she did still get involved with solving mysteries after retirement, she and her husband needed to move on.

The last book in the series is A FINAL FAREWELL. One of the ongoing charcters in the later books is Miqui Sherwood, someone based on a friend. I put her in one of the mysteries at her request. For this book, she asked to have a boyfriend, so I gave her two. There are major changes in Tempe’s and her husband’s lives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Final+Farewell+by+Marilyn+Meredith&i=stripbooks&crid=32CBBDVW7U3CU&sprefix=a+final+farewell+by+marilyn+meredith%2Cstripbooks%2C176&ref=nb_sb_noss

My favorite in the RBPD series is MURDER IN THE WORST DEGREE. It has a great first sentence and lots of excitement.

I’m unable to choose a favorite in the Tempe Crabtree series. I like each one for different reasons. Because I wrote these mysteries in close third person, all from Tempe’s POV, she definitely helped drive the plots.

In the Rocky Bluff PD series, there are many POV characters. The plots often came from who the murder victim was and those who had reason to want to see him or her dead.

With any book, I always began by developing the characters, including what challenges on-going characters might face.

Though I’ve finished both series, I’m still writing. My latest project is a memoir that includes my childhood during World War II.

Marilyn Meredith aka F.M. Meredith

www.amazon.com: Marilyn Meredith: books, biography, latest update

THANKS, MARILYN!

* * * * * * * * * * *

While continuing my own quest to read authors new to me, a lot of my reading time has been spent in research for my current projects. Along the way, I have become more aware of the wealth of information available via podcasts...something many of you probably listen to on a regular basis. Here are a few I've discovered of late and look to be available wherever you listen to your podcasts:

Powers on Policing - https://powersonpolicing.com/ Bill Powers has an extensive background in law enforcement, as well as being an attorney himself. His interviews with others in law enforcement are truly enlightening. Pick Your Poison - https://pickpoison.com/ Hosted by Dr. JP (fictitious), who describes herself as "an ER doctor and toxicologist with a passion for poisons". While she is clear in stating that each episode is not to be taken as medical advice, it hopefully provides education and entertainment. I think they're fascinating. Game of Books - https://gameofbookspodcast.com/ I have mentioned this site previously, but it is worth mentioning again. Cathie and Christie provide great fun and entertainment while interviewing their guests and sipping their glasses of wine.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

Introducing Lois Winston . . .

This month, rather than simply introducing the books of authors who may be new to you, I'd like to introduce some of the authors themselves. Several years ago, when I first looked to broaden my opportunities to learn more about the craft of writing, and I tuned into some of the notable author organizations, I noticed that Lois Winston's name was one that kept popping up in the authors' posts---an author from whom I could always count on learning something new. When I sought other authors to post, Lois was the first one I asked and I asked that maybe she speak a little about how she got started and to tell us a little about her work. I'll let Lois take it from here!

Murder, Mayhem and Holiday Cheer

By Lois Winston

It’s that time of year again, time for holiday cheer…and frenzy. If you’re like me, there always seems to be one more thing to do in preparation for the holidays, no matter how early I’ve started or how many items I’ve checked off my to-do list. Maybe that’s the reason many readers often take a break to cuddle up with a holiday-themed cozy mystery.

I’m often asked where I get the ideas for the plots in my books. I’m a news junkie. Every single plot, going back to the very first novel I wrote more than two decades ago, sprouted from the seeds of actual events.

I read three newspapers every day and watch both the morning and evening news. Along with local, national, and international events, I’m inspired by everything from human interest stories to medical research. From advice columnists to op-ed pieces. I love playing the “what if?” game. I have a three-ring binder bulging with clippings and printouts of articles that I often refer to for inspiration.

Since I write humorous fiction, even questionable products advertised in the back of automotive and sports magazines have made their way into my books. Years ago, I’d forgotten to bring a book with me to a doctor’s appointment. Of course, that was the day the doctor was running extremely late. The waiting room magazines were several years old and of no interest to anyone lacking a Y-chromosome. Out of desperation, I began flipping through the pages of Road & Track. That’s where I came across an ad for aftershave guaranteed to increase sexual attractiveness tenfold. A fictionalized version of that aftershave wound up in Four Uncles and a Wedding, one of my early chick-lit books.

Even though I eventually transitioned from writing humorous women’s fiction and rom-coms to writing cozy mysteries, my sense of humor came with me. I now write the eponymous Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, featuring a magazine crafts editor who is forced to become a reluctant amateur sleuth.

“Normal” deserted Anastasia’s world the day her husband permanently cashed in his chips in Las Vegas. She’s now stuck with her communist mother-in-law, her husband’s loan shark, and a steady stream of bill collectors.

Rounding out her chaotic household are her two teenage sons; her self-proclaimed Russian princess mother; Catherine the Great, her mother’s cat; Manifesto, her mother-in-law’s dog; and a Shakespeare-quoting African Grey parrot. They all vie for space and attention in Anastasia’s cramped suburban home. Then there’s the gun-toting, globe-hopping photojournalist (or possible government operative) who moves into the apartment above her garage. (I did mention I write humorous cozy mysteries, didn’t I?)

Throughout the series, now at twelve novels and three novellas, Anastasia takes on side gigs to dig her way out of debt. However, she continually stumbles across dead bodies, forcing her to take on yet another job—that of a reluctant amateur sleuth.

And that brings me back to holiday reading because who doesn’t need a huge dose of endorphin-releasing laughter to deal with the chaos of the holidays?

A few years ago, I wrote , the seventh book and first holiday-themed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. The plot for this book was inspired by the first billion-dollar lottery win. You know what they say about being careful what you wish for? In Drop Dead Ornaments, that lottery win leads to murder.

I had so much fun writing Drop Dead Ornaments that I decided to add a second holiday book to the series. The plot for Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide had two inspirations. The first was The Great Christmas Light Fight, the TV show that features over-the-top holiday light displays. The second was a murder that occurred in a town not too far from where I was living at the time.

If you need to take a break from the holiday frenzy, I hope you’ll laugh your way through Drop Dead Ornaments and Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide as you try to figure out whodunit.

Bio:

USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Lois Winston began her award-winning writing career in 2006 with Talk Gertie to Me, a humorous novel about a small-town girl in Manhattan and the mother bent on bringing her home. That was followed by the romantic suspense Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception. Lois wrote her first mystery thanks to a conversation between her agent and an editor looking for a crafting-themed cozy series. Thus, was born the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, which Kirkus Reviews dubbed, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” The series now includes twelve novels and three novellas. To date, Lois has published twenty-one novels, five novellas, several short stories, one children’s chapter book, and one nonfiction book on writing, inspired by the twelve years she worked as an associate at a literary agency. Learn more about Lois and her books at http://www.loiswinston.com.

Thanks, Lois!

Happy Thanksgiving and a happy start to the holiday season to you all!

TURTLE SEASON ENDS . . .

I admit to being mesmerized by the life of sea turtles--their nesting habits in particular, and primarily the Loggerhead turtles who return every year to our beaches here in southwest Florida, along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Mexico. Nesting began mid-May, and the last nest was logged on my stretch of the beach on July 31st. There had been some concern as to how Hurricane Ian of last fall might have altered the nesting habits, but this was actually something of a record year with something over 325 nests on the 5-mile stretch of beach where I walk. Pictured below is the typical cage, which extends approximately 18 inches into the ground to prevent predators--especially armadillos--from getting to the eggs. Aside from the tracks leading up to the nest, the nest is identified by the slight mounding that occurs in the center of the nest from the mother's kick-back of sand to cover the nest. But before the cage is placed, the staff actually digs down into the suspected area to be sure there actually is a nest.

It can be quite a trek for the mother turtle to get to her nest, and while sometimes not far from the water, it is more likely up from the shore and near the line of vegetation. Below can be seen the distance from the water to one nest and then back down again. The mother usually weighs some 250 to 300 pounds, so it's work! During nesting season, a female will generally return to the beach where she herself was hatched (the natal beach) and she may return every 2 to 3 weeks, several times during the season to lay additional eggs. Of interest: she's not always successful, some having what's called a "false crawl", as seen below, the path just rounding the tree and then back down to the water. (I'm not, as you can see, an experienced photographer!)

Monitoring these nests became a problem, however, with Hurricane Idalia last month. While we didn't experience the violence of those situated further north in Florida, we did have the storm surge, which wiped out all the cages and markers of all those remaining nests, except the ones closest to the vegetation and highest on the shore. There is no good way to determine the location of those remaining nests, as even when general locations are recorded, and even with GPS, it's not precise. It is generally possible, however, to see when a nest has hatched as the sand will be disturbed, with a rain-like pattern appearing on the sand. However, the nest is not excavated until 3 days later, allowing time for any possibly remaining eggs to hatch.

Hatching begins approximately 60 days from the date that the nest is laid, but they are seldom witnessed here. It usually occurs during the night but apparently isn't related to light as much as to the air temperature being cooler. When looking at the distance of some nests from the water, it's amazing to see how far the hatchlings have to go. While hatchings are generally not witnessed, the nests are patrolled early in the morning on a daily basis by a county team, during the season, but, as mentioned, the nest of a presumed hatching won't be examined until another 3 days have elapsed. The staff will then carefully dig down into the nest and count the eggs, recording the number hatched and those that didn't hatch. The number of nest eggs here will usually range somewhere between 80 and 100, and the majority do hatch. The egg shells are rubbery and resemble a collapsed ping pong ball. The pictures below show the depth of the nest (usually about 18-24 inches) and the staff counting the shells.

So, with the end of July having been the last new nesting, hatchings into October could be anticipated, but the few nest sites that have been excavated since the storm surge were found to be water-logged without evidence of the eggs. This is how the beach now looks...pretty empty until next spring.

I have been traveling and haven't heard any news of the turtles since mid-September, except for the unusual siting of Loggerheads further up the North Atlantic coast, presumed secondary to the storms of that month misdirecting the turtles. I'll be looking forward to next spring.

This last month has found me working on research for two books of my own, so I'm not sharing the works of other authors in this newsletter. However, I'm starting something new next month by introducing some authors I admire and they will be introducing themselves and their books to you. Hope you will enjoy this new facet of the newsletter. Stay tuned!

BACK TO SCHOOL . . .

I don't imagine many of our schools look like this anymore, but it conveys the freshness of a classroom at the beginning of the year--clean blackboards and fresh flowers. (Do they even use blackboards anymore?) I almost chose the picture of a school library, but as these are now being deleted in some states--a tragedy to my way of thinking--it didn't seem appropriate. I love books. I love the feel of a library. The quiet. The wealth of knowledge and entertainment within reach of my fingertips. Those first days of school were always exciting. New books to be taken home and covered with paper bags. (Does that suggest my age?) New subjects with new assignments. A look at how everyone might have changed over the summer. While we wore uniforms, I did have the chance to wear my new shoes!

On my continued search to read authors new to me, I happened to read a couple of novels lately that bordered on the "mean girls" theme. But more than that, these novels spoke to the impact of childhood experiences and how they often stay with us for life. I don't think I was a mean girl, but I learned early on about cliques, and while I was pretty lucky with friends, that part of growing up can certainly be tough for many kids.

When September comes around and those school days are behind me, I have always had that need to learn something new. Last year, I headed west to Nebraska to learn about homesteading. This year I'm heading east with stops in Richmond, Gettysburg, and Bull Run. I've never had any particular interest in the Civil War, but when I recently learned that I had some great uncles who fought for both the North and the South, it piqued my curiosity. I learned it was not uncommon for the Irish to come to America to fight. Our Civil War came just after the time of the Potato Famine (The Great Hunger) in Ireland, where many were starving and looking for an escape.

I had never heard of Libby Prison--formerly a tobacco warehouse in Richmond, Virginia, which was converted to a prison during the war. Originally it was to take Union officers, but it is said to have held some 25,000 prisoners over the course of the war. It was later taken apart brick by brick and rebuilt in Chicago as a war museum in the 1890s. The following historical novel provides a fascinating look at how a clandestine group of Union supporters in Richmond worked to improve the Libby prison conditions and aided in the escape of many Union soldiers.

THE SPY MISTRESS by Jennifer Chiaverini (2013) Lizzie Van Lew was part of the Richmond aristocracy and, because of this, was given a modicum of freedom to provide for the health and well-being of the Union prisoners. She did so at great risk to herself, as many thought she should be using her money and skills for the Confederate wounded. How she maneuvers through the politics, earning herself respect from her neighbors as well as the Union leadership, is a fascinating account.

Now for Growing Up:

THE LITTLE FRIEND by Donna Tartt (2011) This is the story of a young girl who had an older brother who was found hanging from their backyard tree when she was still very young. As she grew older, she became convinced that her brother had been murdered and she was going to find the killer. Set in the deep South, with a fractured family who seems to have had little time for her, she and her side-kick, a boy a bit younger but totally entranced by her, set out to solve this mystery. Filled with slimy drug dealers, snake-charming preachers, and racial tension, this is a great story, if not just a bit long. THE FALSE FRIEND by Myla Goldberg (2010) This was an interesting take on how what happens to us as kids can become quite distorted in our memory as we grow older. A woman returns to her childhood home, wanting to come clean as to what she sees as something she should have confessed to as a child. She thought she had deserted her best friend and thereby caused her best friend's death. The problem is that nobody else remembers what she thinks happened; they believe the friend was abducted. In fact, they either believe they saw what happened or had proof of that happening. Woven into this is the relationship between the woman and her parents and her longtime partner. It keeps one guessing.

Hoping you have a wonderful September!

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER . . .

According to the Farmers' Almanac, the "Dog Days" of summer are from July 3 to August 11 each year, and they're usually the hottest and most unbearable days of the season. I think this year, these days started earlier and will likely end later than the given dates, seeing the temperatures we're all experiencing. There are varying theories as to where the name came from, but it actually refers to SIRIUS, the "Dog Star" and its position in relation to the sun at this time of year. If you'd like to read more:

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/why-are-they-called-dog-days-of-summer-21705

I had a great time this past month when I attended the Public Safety Writers Association conference in Las Vegas. PSWA membership is open to anyone who works to ensure the safety of the public, as well as to writers who address such issues. The conference speakers and panels included current and retired police officers and firefighters, an FBI profiler, probation officers, and a former prison warden. There were other writers, like myself, who were on panels---even as a new member; I talked about writing a series. While it was 112 degrees most of the days I was there, everything was air-conditioned, and I was quite comfortable. And, no, I didn't bring home any winnings. But I did learn a lot and met some really nice people. I have a new "to-be-read" stack of books, but here are a few I finished and would highly recommend. In keeping with my plan to introduce writers with whom you may not be familiar, these were all members of PSWA and all new to me. I think you might enjoy reading these as much as I did!

ARCHITECT OF COURAGE by Victoria Weisfeld (2022): This is a definite page-turner! The characters are wonderfully detailed, as are the New York settings and the glamorous world of its elite. Tagged as an "International Crime Thriller", the plot is original, and it kept me guessing until the end. It is a book I didn't want to put down, and will look forward to this author's next one.

https://www.amazon.com/Architect-Courage-Victoria-Weisfeld-ebook/dp/

FIRE HORSES by R J Haig (2011): This was another real page-turner about a team of retired firefighters who go to attend a wedding in a small town where the local fire department has been called away by the governor for another fire an hour away. The town is in the process of building a new hospital, but it's not complete. A fire breaks out in the old hospital where people are trapped within. Someone lets the police know about the retirees, who are then contacted and spring into action, despite the evening's earlier celebration. Aside from the detailing of what firefighters must do when arriving on the scene, it was fascinating to learn what they did despite their lack of familiar equipment, not to mention their age. It was a totally engrossing story, and while fictional, it is based on some of the writer's own experiences and demonstrates how resourceful firefighters often have to be.

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Horses-R-J-Haig/dp/1461023912/

WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED: A Murder Mystery in Malden

by Bill Powers (2023): This was the fascinating detailing of a case that appeared to be a possible arson but was soon discovered to be not just arson but something designed to hide a murder. There were many problems with this case, but the major one was the lack of a body, despite evidence of blood, displaced furniture, and a broken coffee table in what was supposed to have been a locked room in the apartment complex. The book is based on an actual case and the author's experience as the lead investigator. His extensive background as both a homicide detective and an attorney paints a very clear picture of processing the crime and carrying the case through to court. There is a strong focus on the importance of communication between multiple branches of investigators. The reader is taken step by step through the years of the investigation and the final day-by-day of the trial. It was a great read!

https://www.amazon.com/When-Smoke-Cleared-Murder-Mystery/

Hope you all enjoy the remainder of your summer!

Copy of Oops....Let me try again to get you to the new site. Couldn't find the first picture--c'est

SUMMERTIME . . .

. . . and the living is easy

So, I've finished with my recalibration...for the moment. My website has been updated, and I invite you to visit. With the help of Michelle Gill (https://www.bcreek.co/), who, while not having developed the original site, has helped me over the past few years and did this update. I think she's done a great job! One nice addition is a "search" bar that could be useful if you liked a particular topic in the newsletters. For example: I've talked about turtles on several occasions (and plan to do so again in the near future). If you wanted to find that topic, it would bring up several posts. And the posts are easier to see.

For the summer months, I'm going to focus on what I love most...catching up with my writing, a bit more time in the sun and at the pool, and maybe a bit of traveling. While I have been reading a variety of things, I'm only making one recommendation this month...well, maybe two: If you never read Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1989) and you only know Follet from his espionage and mystery works, this was one of my favorite books of all time---a historical novel set in twelfth-century England about the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge. It is also said to be the worldwide favorite of all of Follet's works.

In 2007, he wrote the sequel, which I had known about and wanted to read but only just now got around to listening to in the audiobook format: World Without End. Set in the same town of Kingsbridge 200 years later, it's the sweeping story of a complicated cast of characters, from kings and knights, nuns and priors, builders and serfs, against the backdrop of palace intrigue, war, murders, romance, and the plague. I probably did not get around to reading this as the book was over a thousand pages, and it's stated that the audiobook is 46 hours. So if you're lucky enough to be spending a lot of time at the beach or walking as I do and want to lose yourself in another world, this will definitely transport you and is well worth your time. The perfect summer read! ENJOY!

Oops....Let me try again to get you to the new site. Couldn't find the first picture--c'est la vie!

SUMMERTIME . . .

. . . and the living is easy

So, I've finished with my recalibration...for the moment. My website has been updated, and I invite you to visit. With the help of Michelle Gill (https://www.bcreek.co/), who, while not having developed the original site, has helped me over the past few years and did this update. I think she's done a great job! One nice addition is a "search" bar that could be useful if you liked a particular topic in the newsletters. For example: I've talked about turtles on several occasions (and plan to do so again in the near future). If you wanted to find that topic, it would bring up several posts. And the posts are easier to see.

For the summer months, I'm going to focus on what I love most...catching up with my writing, a bit more time in the sun and at the pool, and maybe a bit of traveling. While I have been reading a variety of things, I'm only making one recommendation this month...well, maybe two: If you never read Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1989) and you only know Follet from his espionage and mystery works, this was one of my favorite books of all time---a historical novel set in twelfth-century England about the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge. It is also said to be the worldwide favorite of all of Follet's works.

In 2007, he wrote the sequel, which I had known about and wanted to read but only just now got around to listening to in the audiobook format: World Without End. Set in the same town of Kingsbridge 200 years later, it's the sweeping story of a complicated cast of characters, from kings and knights, nuns and priors, builders and serfs, against the backdrop of palace intrigue, war, murders, romance, and the plague. I probably did not get around to reading this as the book was over a thousand pages, and it's stated that the audiobook is 46 hours. So if you're lucky enough to be spending a lot of time at the beach or walking as I do and want to lose yourself in another world, this will definitely transport you and is well worth your time. The perfect summer read! ENJOY!

REcalibration .....

You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.— Friedrich Nietzsche

I usually think of fall as the time to begin something new, to learn something new, to recalibrate--to maybe consider doing something different. It's the unsettled but anticipatory feeling I felt as a kid. But it's now June, not September, and I feel that need to make those changes now. I liked this picture of the head trying to see over the top of the shrubs--to see the path out of a labyrinth.

Since publishing my most recent novel, ONCOLOGY, I've been attempting to learn more about the other side of putting a book out--the whole aspect of marketing, something all writers are now primarily responsible for doing, even if they have a publishing firm. It's a topic I've only skimmed, and it's the bane of most writers' existence. Myself included. I like this picture because I wish I had an overhead view of all the aspects I should be addressing. Marketing can be quite confusing! And I have no feel for it.

So what does marketing entail for a writer? A rough overview: the website (with a blog or newsletter), social media (with regular posts), connecting with other writers (and hopefully with readers), posting reviews on Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads (and any other sites if one has the time). There is also the monitoring of the financial aspects, including fees associated with the website, royalties, and taxes. It often leaves a writer wondering when they will have time to write. Me included.

So, this was my first step in learning something new--to learn more about the intricacies of marketing. When asked why I was bothering to learn if I hated it so much, I had to think for a while. I came to the conclusion that I see marketing as a puzzle--all these pieces that I somehow have to fit together. It's a challenge, and while I'm not much for games, it is a game of sorts, and it's a challenge.

Meanwhile, as I was thinking about all this, I had a brainstorm. I've been talking about starting a painting--something I haven't done in a while. The problem was, I didn't really want to give up my office--where I was thinking the easel had to go; it's already pretty crowded in there. Then, I thought: Why not move into the guest room and turn the master bedroom into the studio? The bed could stand against a wall. That room has the best light. The guest room is the darkest and is probably better for sleeping. I haven't moved anything as yet, but I'm thinking. Change is good. Make one change, and it can give one a new perspective. Maybe it leads to more, bigger changes. Maybe the chaos does lead to something new and beautiful. We'll see.

So this was a little heavy, and I'd like to leave you with a couple of books I've come across this month--one serious historical and two that gave me a laugh. Again: authors new to me. I'd love to hear back if anyone gets a chance to read or listen to one of these, or to a really good audiobook--my preference for catching up while on my morning walks. This focus on "killers" was unintentional!

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (2018). Set in 1920s rural Oklahoma, this is the true-life mystery of murders among families in the Osage Nation. When oil is discovered on tribal land, the members became the richest per capita people in the world. How they were swindled and murdered for their wealth is a haunting tale. After years of mounting deaths, the newly created FBI finally stepped in. With a joint undercover operation under the leadership of a former Texas ranger, the mystery and conspiracy were unraveled, and the perpetrators were prosecuted.

https://www.amazon.com/Killers-Flower-Moon-Osage-Murders/dp/0307742482

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn (2022). This has mystery, murder, and humor. It's the story of four women who have worked the last forty years as hired assassins, and now they're retiring. Unfortunately, now they've become someone else's target. It's rather original and definitely entertaining!

https://www.amazon.com/Killers-Certain-Age-Deanna-Raybourn/dp/0593200683

Who's Killing the Great Writers of America? by Robert Kaplow (2007). I stumbled upon this one and couldn't resist seeing what it was like. The promo: "What do bestselling writers Sue Grafton, Danielle Steel, and Tom Clancy all have in common? They've all been murdered in a manner both gruesome and appropriate to their writing style. An extremely paranoid Stephen King is convinced that he will be the next victim, so he leaves his heavily-barricaded fortress in Bangor, Maine, to discover who is bumping off his fellow novelists." It's narrated by Arte Johnson, and it's quite entertaining, even if some of the humor is seventh-grade.

https://www.amazon.com/Whos-Killing-Great-Writers-America/dp/1597775479

HAPPY SUMMER!