C.J. Shane's Blog: My Two Hats: Art and Writing, page 5

May 25, 2018

Dragon's Revenge:A Letty Valdez Mystery

I've been busy writing the next Letty Valdez Mystery that comes after Desert Jade. Remember Letty's friend Seri who is a librarian? Here's an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Dragon's Revenge

The phone rang.
“Hi Letty, this is Seri.”
“Hey Seri. What’s up?”
“Did you hear about the murder here at the Institute?”
“Just saw something very brief on the news,” Letty responded. “One of your coworkers was found dead. Are you sure it was murder?”
“If getting stabbed in the chest and lying in a pool of blood means murder, then yes, she was murdered. Her name is, was I mean, Stacey Fredericks. The police set up a crime scene in the closed stacks of the Institute, and they aren’t letting much news out about this. They think they know who killed her. Her boyfriend. They questioned him not long after Stacey’s body was found. He’s on the run now. Stupid move on his part.”
“Why are you calling me?”
“I just don’t think that the boyfriend is the one who did this. Is there any chance you can come by the Institute this morning? I’d like to talk to you and share some info that the cops seem to be overlooking. You can consider this a potential job, too. I’ll pay you for investigating this. I want this done right.”
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Published on May 25, 2018 16:29 Tags: dragon-srevenge, lettyvaldezmystery

April 26, 2018

#RedforEd

Thank you to Mrs. Flinders who taught me to read in the first grade. Thank you to the librarian who gave me Nancy Drew mysteries in the third grade. Thank you to Mr. Hall who introduced me in high school to Charles Dickens and Jane Austen and Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain and Harper Lee, and thank you to the university graduate teaching assistant who introduced me to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Dostoevsky. Thank you to my teachers and to teachers everywhere! #RedForEd
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Published on April 26, 2018 12:44

April 24, 2018

Desert Jade ebook only $1.25

Now until May 3, you can get an ebook copy of Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery for only $1.25 from Smashwords. Choose either an epub or mobi depending on your digital device. Go to:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
and use the coupon RN67W
Please leave a review on Smashwords and on Goodreads. Thanks!!
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Published on April 24, 2018 15:33 Tags: desertjade-lettyvaldezmysteries

Ursula Le Guin on Writing

I'm reading Ursula Le Guin's last book before she died, No Time to Spare. I'll be writing a review later.

This morning I read her essay, "Reader's Questions." She doesn't try to answer questions that so many readers ask like "where do you get your ideas from?" or "what is the message of your book?" She does try to answer "why do you write?" which she says is often asked by young readers. Her answer, "Because I like to." She recognizes that a lot of readers and reviews are look for Meaning and want her to explain the Meaning in her books. She figures that the reader's responsibility - to figure out the Meaning.

This is my view, too. I think the same about art. The viewer of an abstract painting gets to respond and say what the painting is about, or put another way, the Meaning.

Like Le Guin, I write and paint because I like to. It's more fun than anything I do.
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Published on April 24, 2018 10:34 Tags: ursulaleguin, writinglife

Ursula Le Guin on Writing

I'm reading Ursula Le Guin's last book before she died, No Time to Spare. I'll be writing a review later.

This morning I read her essay, "Reader's Questions," this morning. She doesn't try to answer questions that so many ask like "where do you get your ideas from?" or "what is the message of your book?" She does try to answer "why do you write?" which she says is often asked by young readers. Her answer, "Because I like to." She recognizes that a lot of readers and reviews are look for Meaning and want her to explain the Meaning in her books. She figures that the reader's responsibility - to figure out the Meaning.

This is my view, too. I think the same about art. The viewer of an abstract painting gets to respond and say what the painting is about, or put another way, the Meaning.

Like Le Guin, I write and paint because I like to. It's more fun than anything I do.
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Published on April 24, 2018 10:33 Tags: ursulaleguin, writinglife

March 8, 2018

Desert Jade ebook 75% off!

This is Read an Ebook Week at Smashwords! Get my mystery-suspense book _Desert Jade_ now through Saturday, March 10, for 75% off -
only $1.75. Choose either mobi for Kindle, or epub for Nook, Apple, Sony, android devices, etc. To get in on this deal, go to: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
If you like the book, please leave a review! Thanks.
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Published on March 08, 2018 10:58 Tags: desertjade

March 1, 2018

The Tucson Dog....

...is a local magazine devoted to the rescue and care of dogs (and cats and horses too). They just published a wonderful review by Claire Sheridan of my new book _Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez mystery._

Review excerpts: "Reading Desert Jade, I couldn't help thinking that Tucson has an author to fill the void left by recently deceased best-selling Sue Grafton, who wrote the Alphabet Murder series. Similar to Grafton's style, C.J. Shane has crafted a first story that leaves you wanting to find what the characters will be up to next..." and "In addition to the Tucson setting - written by someone who clearly loves the area - Tucson Dog readers are likely to appreciate the book's canine character. Millie, a rescued pit bull, comes waltzing through the story just enough to get her dewclaws into your heart."

To read the entire review, go to: https://www.thetucsondog.com/ and click on Archives, then download a PDF of the March-April issue. If you live in Tucson, find one at your local Pima County Public Library or Sprouts or other locations.

Also _Desert Jade_ is now available for check-out at Pima County Public Library.
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Published on March 01, 2018 09:18 Tags: desertjade

February 26, 2018

International Mystery/Suspense films

I'm going to be sending out one of my regular email newsletter this week with info in it that will interest many mystery/suspense readers. My news will have a review of some of the best mystery & suspense films/tv shows on Netflix...but international only, not American.

If interested in getting this newsletter, go to https://www.cjshane.com/contact.html and "subscribe" by giving your email address. My newsletters are all about art and writing and books and sometimes dogs (I'm a big dog fan).

Shane
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Published on February 26, 2018 14:21

January 26, 2018

great new Desert Jade review

One of the winners in the Desert Jade giveaway was Paulie in El Paso. Paulie just posted a terrific review! It's fun to read and gives you some real perspective on the Desert Jade story. Thanks to Paulie!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Published on January 26, 2018 15:01

January 23, 2018

Ursula K. LeGuin

Ursula K. LeGuin (1929-2018). Rest in peace, Ursula. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed and learned from your books, especially The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and Earthsea triology. Wish you could send back a message to us right now and tell us what it's really like out there where you are now in the multiverses.
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Published on January 23, 2018 15:12

My Two Hats: Art and Writing

C.J. Shane
I'm a visual artist and a writer of mystery and suspense. Blame my first-grade teacher. She told me to write a poem and illustrate it. So I've been painting and writing since age six. I don't know whi ...more
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