Rae Davies's Blog, page 4

Blog Hop: 4 questions about my writing process

Thanks to Susan Holmes, author of the Waterside Kennels Series, for inviting me to be part of this blog hop. In case blog hops are new to you (they were to me) every Monday a new set of authors blog about their writing process using a set group of questions. Follow the chain to learn about a ton of authors and how they write.  Now for the questions…

What am I working on?

When I finished Let Loose, Dusty Deals 4, I went back and forth on what to do next. One thing I’ve had on the hard drive for a while is a light paranormal mystery series about a mom who goes to work for a paranormal bounty hunter. I started the series WAY back when I was with my first agent and came “this” close to selling it to a major publisher. Unfortunately, the editor who was interested did not have the support of her house and my series was not to be. Anyway, it’s a fun story and I have about 20,000 words of it written, so…

But then, instead, I decided to write something else about Lucy. A number of people have asked for more showing her relationship with Peter and that is what I’ve decided to do. It’s a Valentine themed novella with Lucy and Peter heading off for a murder mystery weekend at a cabin in Seeley Lake, Montana. I hope to make it a fun shorter piece that fits into the series after Let Loose.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My mysteries are heavily influenced by books I’ve read and loved. Joan Hess, especially her Maggody series,  was always a favorite and I think you see that in the somewhat goofy humor I use. Susan Conant is an obvious inspiration for including Kiska. I adore her books and her obvious understanding and love of the Alaskan Malamute breed.

But, mine are different, because I am different. I think they have the standard elements of many cozy mystery and amateur sleuth novels, but they are often based on my own personal experiences and that is just, well, personal. I love dogs, Montana, grew up in an antiquing world where I did meet people like the relics trader in Loose Screw and went to auctions like the one in that book too. I lived in Rimini where Lucy lives and worked at the Helena Independent Record, Helena’s daily newspaper, like the one Lucy worked at. I’ve dreamed of owning an antique store and having a crazy best friend who brought out my better side. So my books are different because I am different and because I intensely love all of the elements in each of them. Writing them is like playing a fabulous game of make-believe where I get to revisit many of the things, people and places that I have loved in the past.

Other authors do this too, I’m sure… but they love different things and have different experiences… so our work differs! LOL.

Why do I write what I do?

I kind of answered this above, but if the question is why do this in a mystery format… it’s because mysteries, especially cozy mysteries, are built for including life elements about your characters. Cozy mysteries really are as much about the characters and things they like to do as they are about the mystery. I love that. I love creating characters.

How does my writing process work?

I am a plotter. This means I decide what the general flow of the story is going to be before I start writing. With a series, like the Dusty Deals Mystery Series,  I already know a lot about the main characters. So a lot of the character work I’d do for a new book isn’t needed. But I still need to figure out what Lucy’s issue/area of growth is going to be for the book. I usually declare that in the first sentence. Then I have to know who the killer is and why he killed. Honestly, that part changes a lot as I write. Sometimes more than once.

I also like to build the books around some event. Loose Screw had the auction and the jazz festival; Cut Loose, the rodeo;  Loosey Goosey, the cattlemen meeting; and Let Loose, the sled dog race. I’m not sure how long I can keep that up, but it is fun to work in.

If you really want to know about my writing process, you can check out my writing blog: The How to Write Shop. I blog there as Lori Devoti and have a ton of information on characters and plotting, my two favorite parts of the writing process… after revision. I love revising. It’s so much easier than the actual writing.

Keep on Hopping!

Thanks for reading. Be sure to check out author Susan Holmes’ post from last week. Also posting today are George Jackson, and L. A. Remenicky, and next Monday, the 17th, check out AJ Waines and Alyssa Maxwell.

Technorati Tags: writing process,plotting a mystery,blog hop,mystery author

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Tagged: blog hop, mystery author interview, plotting, writing process

New to You Book: Cozy Mystery – Beaded to Death and a PRIZE!

Welcome to Janis Patterson, author of Beaded to Death, today’s New to You Book pick!

What is your book about?

A widowed, middle-aged bead artist returns from a tour of craft fairs to find the dead body of a man she’s never seen before on her living room rug. From there she is drawn into a world of drug smuggling, murder and the care of a 7’3″ nephew on the run from an unwanted basketball scholarship. To complicate matters, a saturnine FBI agent is not only attracted to her, but believes her to be involved in the drug trade.

What type of reader would your book appeal to most?

Someone who likes cozy mysteries with wit, adventure and ordinary characters caught in extraordinary circumstances.

Who is the main character? What does he or she want or what is his or her biggest struggle to over come?

Lilias Ruiz is a tall, blonde throwback to her Viking forebears. A kindly, ordinary sort of woman with an occasionally fearsome temper, she travels the craft fair circuit selling her bead art. She wants a quiet life, perhaps too quiet since her husband’s death. Her biggest struggle is proving herself innocent of the shadow of drug smuggling, a quest not help by her pulling a gun on an FBI agent.

What plot line drives the story?

Her determination to prove that she is innocent in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. A sub-plot is the unexpected appearance of her 7’3″ nephew who is on the run from an unwanted basketball scholarship and how in spite of all – including his lack of cooperation – she tries to do what is best for him.

How is your book different than other books in the same genre?

I haven’t seen many books with a heroine who is willing to use a gun to protect herself, however reluctantly.

Does your book have romance in it? If so how important is it to the story?

Not so much romance as the promise of a romance to come. There is attraction between Lilias and the FBI agent, but also suspicion. We are left hoping…

Is your book part of a series? If so what are the other books (in order) in the series and will there be more?

Not yet. I’ve been asked to continue it, but as I am at best lukewarm about series – as well as being buried by deadlines on other projects – it will be a while. If ever.

Where can readers get your book and when?

Available now as an ebook from Carina Press (through most reputable outlets as well as the Carina site) and as a paperback from Worldwide Publications (available through WWP’s club program or – I think! – the Harlequin online store.

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Find Janis at her web site ! Get your own copy of Beaded to Death at Amazon now.

To be entered to win an ebook copy of Beaded to Death leave a comment below by March 31, 2014 U.S. central time.

Tagged: Book Prize, Contest, mystery author interview, new to you books

New to You Book: Comic Mystery – Evil Genius and a PRIZE!

Welcome to Patricia Rice, author of Evil Genius, today’s New to You Book pick!

What is your book about?

Call her a petite princess or a paranoid neurotic, either way, Anastasia Devlin has the instincts of a chameleon. She can disappear into the woodwork, share tea with a queen, or flatten a thug with one swift kick, but what she really wants is to provide her dysfunctional younger siblings with the security of the home she’s been denied. Instead, she discovers her grandfather has died without the family being notified, his mansion has been usurped by a stranger who never leaves the third floor, and her grandfather’s executor has absconded to the Caribbean with the proceeds of their inheritance. If murder hasn’t already been committed, she might perpetrate one herself—starting with the annoying spy in the attic. To avoid murder, she makes a pact with the devil who apparently now owns the home she is determined to win back.  While she searches for the absconding lawyer and the real murderer of the senator’s aide, she will help their landlord locate a mysterious Cambodian—until oddly, the threads of all three mysteries begin to twine together, and someone is intent on cutting the cord before Ana comes too close to finding the answers

What type of reader would your book appeal to most?

cozy mystery, gonzo futurism, family oriented

Is your book part of a series? If so what are the other books (in order) in the series and will there be more?

Undercover Genius, Book 2 yes, there will be more.

If your book is part of a series, what makes it a series?

Characters are related and live in a house in D.C is the setting.

Where can readers get your book and when?

Available everywhere.

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Find Patricia at her web site! Get your own copy of Evil Genius at Amazon now.

To be entered to win an ebook copy of Evil Genius leave a comment below by March 31, 2014 U.S. central time.

Tagged: Book Prize, mystery author interview, new to you books

Want your own malamute or husky? Are you right for them?

If you’ve read any of the books in the Dusty Deals Mystery Series you know I love malamutes. If you know me in real life, you know I love huskies too.

Both breeds have their good points and their bad points and before you commit to bringing one into your life you need to be aware of both.

Both do better with exercise. Huskies really need exercise. We’ve owned four and all of them lived to run. Our malamute on the other hand like to walk, but I never saw the pure joy on his face that I’ve seen on our huskies’ faces when they broke into a run. He, however, was, like Kiska in Dusty Deals, a bit of a piggy. So, husky or malamute, plan on walking them regularly, or better yet, especially with a husky, jogging or rollerblading or doing something that gives them a chance to really stretch out and cover some ground.

They shed. No, really, they shed. Wait… better way to put that.. they explode like a gutted teddy bear. (Probably gutted by a joy-filled husky.) The good news is that for the most part this explosion (aka blowing of their coat) only happens two times a year: spring and fall. But still… there’s fur. Lots and lots of fur. And odds are good they will not be fans of being groomed. Of course, you can get around that by being a dedicated owner who wields a spoon filled with peanut butter along with the brush, but still tolerance is probably the best you can hope for.

They dig and not little I’m-bored-I’ll-paw-at-the-ground holes. No, big old I-better-build-a-den-because-you-never-know-when-winter-might-hit holes.

Huskies hunt. And they catch. And… well, it won’t be pretty for any small furry creature who makes the mistake of having babies in your yard.

Huskies climb. Which when you combine it with the digging and the LOVE for running makes them a major flight risk. You need to know your dog and create a containment system that keeps him in your yard. Underground fencing isn’t recommended for any of the Northern breeds, all of which are known for being  stubborn/complete butt-heads .

Both huskies and malamutes are big, but malamutes are really big. Ours weighed about the same as I did. And they are strong. And they are stubborn. (I already mentioned that, didn’t I? But it bears repeating.) They are trainable, but eh… you know… just because you call them doesn’t really mean they need to come. I mean things are going on other places. Things they need to be doing… or not.. maybe it’s just too much trouble to stand up and walk to the door. So, if you want one of those dogs that snaps to attention when you call his name or that will amaze your neighbors with what a fabulous dog trainer you are… huskies and malamutes are probably not the breeds for you.

So, OMG, why would you want one?

Because they are fabulous, of course! Least important to me, but they are striking. People notice when you are walking a husky or a malamute.

And they are loving.

They talk! Sometimes too much. No one can bitch you out like a husky or a malamute.

And they love life. Seriously, no dog has inside them the joy these dogs do and because of that, you can’t live with one without taking a bit of that joy for yourself.

So, if you can handle the fur, are willing to give them exercise and are committed to keeping them contained, you cannot make a better choice for a companion than a husky or a malamute.

Check out rescues like Adopt a Husky to find a husky of your own or the Illinois Alaskan Malamute Rescue Association for your very own Kiska. Then give your new family member a big hug from me.

Tagged: Adopt a Husky, Alaskan malamute, dog rescue, Siberian husky

Fatal Four Pack Still Packing a Punch for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Fatal Four Pack, a mystery anthology with me (Rae Davies), Deb Baker, Lorraine Bartlett and Patricia Ryan is continuing to chug along and bring in much needed $$ for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I just sent the latest check and the total donation so far is $3,630.44! Another thousand or so should be going their way in the next few weeks, on top of this number!

Many thanks to everyone who has purchased the anthology (ONLY 99 cents for four full length books) or shared information on it with their mystery-loving friends!

I (as Rae Davies) have teamed up with three great mystery authors to offer A Fatal Four Pack.

Four great reads at a great price for a great cause!


Four Complete Mystery Novels by Deb Baker, L. L. Bartlett, Rae Davies, and P.B. Ryan

ALL author proceeds go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Get the bundle for only 99 cents!

Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Amazon
Kobo

Murder Passes The Buck by Deb Baker

When her neighbor is shot and killed, sixty-six-year-old widow Gertie Johnson seizes the opportunity to move on with her life by investigating his death. Gertie is abetted (and hindered) by her grandson Little Donny, man-hungry best friend Cora Mae, and word-of-the-day challenger, Kitty. It doesn’t help that the death has been ruled an accident by the sheriff of this backwoods community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Or that Sheriff Blaze Johnson happens to be Gertie’s son. Whether it’s interrogating neighbors, spying, or impersonating the FBI—not to mention staying one step ahead of Blaze—Gertie will do whatever it takes to solve the case, even when the killer takes aim at her.

Murder On The Mind By L. L. Bartlett

After insurance investigator Jeff Resnick is viciously mugged, he discovers the resulting brain injury has left him able to sense people’s secrets. When his estranged half-brother, Richard, takes Jeff to the family home to recover, Jeff’s senses pick up clues to the recent vicious murder of a local banker. Despite Jeff’s mixed feelings about his new sixth sense, he feels compelled to explore the banker’s murder–using both his senses and his investigative skills, along with Richard’s reluctant help. Against the gritty setting of wintry Buffalo, NY, and a tormented family history of his own, unraveling the truth threatens Jeff’s–and Richard’s–life.

Loose Screw by Rae Davies

Lucy Mathews, crime reporter turned antiques dealer, avoids confrontation like a home perm. She even lets a cat shove her around.

When Lucy trips over the body of a buckskin-clad relics trader, her ex-boss asks her to cover the story. She tries to tell him no, but old habits die hard and soon she finds herself directly in the path of a killer and the exasperating, if attractive, detective in charge.

Can Lucy catch a killer or is this the last confrontation for her—period?

Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan

Book #1 of P.B. Ryan’s bestselling historical mystery series featuring Boston governess Nell Sweeney and opium-smoking former battle surgeon Will Hewitt. Long thought to have died during the Civil War, Will is arrested for murder, and it’s up to Nell to prove his innocence.

“P.B. Ryan makes a stunning debut with Still Life With Murder, bringing Nineteenth Century Boston alive, from its teeming slums to the mansions on Boston Common, and populating it with a vivid and memorable cast of characters. The fascinating heroine, Nell Sweeney, immediately engages the reader and I couldn’t put the book down until I discovered the truth along with her. I can’t wait for the next installment.” —Bestselling author Victoria Thompson

Get all four now:
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Amazon
Kobo

 

Tagged: deb baker, lorraine bartlett, murder mystery, patricia ryan

Latest Contest Winner is…

Brigid Fahey of Florida!

Brigad wins a $5 gift card to Amazon. Buy something great to read!

Tagged: free books, monthly contest, mystery contest

Let Loose is On Its Way!!

It is almost a year later than I had planned on it being, but Let Loose, Dusty Deals Mystery #4 is almost done.

I finished my edits this weekend and will be sending it to beta readers and a copyeditor this week!

I’ll post the book description soon, but yes, Lucy has blue hair in this one!

Tagged: antiques mystery, cozy mystery, dog mystery, dusty deals mystery, let loose, montana

New to You Books, Mystery – Never Buried by Edie Claire

Hi, all! At the Romantic Times Conference this past May I had a bit of an epiphany while shopping for books with my teen daughter. We (readers) really want information on new to us books. This may sound simple, but I was shocked how little information, even at a reader conference, there really was about the books. There were lots of cute promotional bookmarks with fun images and quotes from some author or another that the author of the book thought readers would be impressed liked their book. But there was very little to actually tell you what the books were really about so you (or my daughter) could make up your own (or her) mind.

So, I decided, as I have time, to help introduce my readers to New To You Books.

Author Name  Edie Claire

Author Website
www.edieclaire.com

Facebook
www.facebook.com/EdieClaire

Book Title
Never Buried

Book Genre
Comic Mystery

What is your book about?
Advertising copywriter Leigh Koslow doesn’t go looking for trouble, but it always manages to find her. Discovering a body in her cousin’s backyard hammock is disturbing enough, even before she realizes that it was  embalmed decades ago…

What type of reader would your book appeal to most?
Readers of mystery and romance who enjoy engaging stories filled with humor, family relationships, and animals– and without graphic violence or vulgar language.

Who is the main character? What does he or she want or what is his or her biggest struggle to over come?
Leigh Koslow, an advertising copywriter about to turn 30 with a dry wit, a tendency to look for love in all the wrong places, and a family more than willing to point out all her flaws!

What plot line drives the story?
Leigh has moved into the newly renovated Victorian home of her cousin Cara, to keep her company while she awaits the birth of her first child with a husband overseas. But somebody wants the women OUT of the picturesque house on the bluff of the Ohio River. And that somebody means business.

How is your book different than other books in the same genre?
My editor once said that what he liked best about my books was that they had no “schtick” or “gimmick” that drove the series, but instead were brought to life by their colorful characters and unique storylines.

Does your book have romance in it? If so how important is it to the story?
A romantic subplot unfolds over the course of the series, but the mystery is always front and center. (I indulge my love of romance in my romances!)

Is your book part of a series? If so what are the other books (in order) in the series and will there be more?
Leigh Koslow Mystery Series: Never Buried Never Sorry Never Preach Past Noon Never Kissed Goodnight Never Tease a Siamese Never Con a Corgi Never Haunt a Historian (2013) and yes, there will be more!

If your book is part of a series, what makes it a series?
Continuing characters, tone, and style, although each book’s plot is different. Some are typical whodunit murder mysteries, others have a different sort of puzzle, but you may not know which is which until the end!

If your book is part of a series, should readers read the books in order?
Order doesn’t matter to solving the mysteries, but it makes a better reader experience in terms of character growth, especially watching the unfolding romance!

Where can readers get your book and when?
You can try Never Buried for FREE as an ebook in all major outlets. Trade paper is also available on Amazon for $9.99.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about your book?
Visit my website for a link to a blog I wrote about how doing research for the book almost got me arrested!

Would you be willing to supply a prize for one reader?
Everybody wins – The book is free! Amazon  or Barnes and Noble



Tagged: Free ebook, mystery novel series, new to you books

Can you really tell the difference between a malamute and a husky just by looking?

Have you missed all of Lucy’s rants about this?

Yes, seriously, you can. In fact once you are familiar with both breeds it takes only a glance to know which breed you are looking at.

Alaskan malamutes in general are larger than Siberian huskies.

Alaskan malamutes always have brown eyes. Siberian huskies may have brown, blue, one of each or even eyes that are a mix. (Yes spots of blue in a brown eye, etc.)

Alaskan malamutes were bred for hauling loads over long distances. Because of that they are stockier. Siberian huskies are smaller and more agile, bred for speed.

Alaskan malamutes’ ears set more on the side of their heads. Siberian husky ears set on the top of their heads.

Alaskan malamutes’ tails are like plumes that they carry up and over their backs – like a flag. Siberian huskies have a curlier tail that for the most part stays closer to their body.

Almost all Alaskan malamutes have some variation of the traditional monks’ cap type markings that most people associate with both malamutes and huskies. (There is a pure white, but even it most often has some bit of a “mask” visible,” and it is not a common color for a malamute.)  Siberian huskies can also have these traditional markings, or they can be all white, or even piebald. (We have owned two piebalds and our current husky is all white.) All white is very common with huskies.

Which is better? Well, I’m a fan of both.

Both are horrible watch dogs. With the malamute I’m going to say it’s because getting up and chasing someone off would just be too much effort. With a Siberian husky it’s because everyone is a friend! Yay!! Come play!

Both are good jogging partners, although my preference for that (based on my experience) would be a malamute.  My malamute was a pacer who didn’t veer off the course, at least as long as I was moving forward, because we were WALKING. It was like a mission for him. My huskies have all been wanderers. “She isn’t watching. Yay! Let’s check out that hole.” “Oooo, what was that smell?”

Huskies are an escape risk. Not only do they love to run, just for the sake of running, but they are escape artists. If I was in a situation where I couldn’t have a  100% Fort Knox level secure yard, I’d go with the malamute. A malamute might wander off, but then again, it might not. All depends on its mood. A husky won’t wander off – it will RUN, RUN, RUN off. (If not properly fenced in, etc.)

Of course, as I said before malamutes are bigger and they can be a lot bigger than a husky. If you have small children who you worry will get knocked down, etc. a husky might be a better fit.

For more information on Alaskan malamutes, check out this link.  For more information on Siberian huskies, click here.

Tagged: Alaskan malamute, Siberian husky

Don’t you know it’s illegal to sell endangered species like in the auction scene in Loose Screw?

I did know that.

There are a few laws that regulate the sale and possession of parts taken from endangered species and other protected animals.  There are also laws specifically regarding Native American Art (or artifacts like those sold in the auction in Loose Screw).

If you recall, at the auction Lucy attended, the bear claws and eagle feathers were removed from the medicine man outfit before it was sold. They were not “technically” sold to the winning bidder. They were “given” to the winning bidder.

Would this hold up in a court of law?

I don’t know, but I do know it is how I have personally seen it done at auctions where Native American artifacts were sold.

So 100% legal or not, it’s how it is done, at least in some instances.

(Note: This picture is of a Pow Wow dancer, not a medicine man as in Loose Screw.)

Tagged: auctions, endangered species, Native Americans