Michael Allan Scott's Blog, page 7

Murder Victim’s Last Trip to Saguaro City

Excerpt from my first murder mystery novel – “The landmarks of Saguaro City came into view on his right, the tall saguaros rising fifty/sixty feet off the desert floor. Their spiny green arms twisted up to the sky like silent sentries waiting for the return of alien craft.”

Little does Big Mike Rodriguez realize that this will be the last time he walks among the thorny giants.

The Wondrous Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea – scientific name for the giant saguaro cactus, the largest cactus in the Southwest reaching 40 feet to 60 feet tall and weighing several tons.

One saguaro was officially measured at 78 feet.

It can easily take fifty years for a saguaro to reach maturity. They’ve been around so long, no one really knows how old they are, possibly hundreds of years.

Their population is dwindling and they are protected throughout the Southwest.

 

A Rural Legand

The way the story goes:  A couple of good ol’ boys with shotguns decided to blast away, cutting loose on one of the ancient giants standing next to the highway outside of Phoenix.  After several rounds, the weakened saguaro gave up the ghost and came crashing down, catching one of the unsuspecting vandals off guard, crushing him to death.

 

Settings for Mystery Stories

Time, Place, Form and Event are the basic ingredients of mystery stories. And as a mystery writer, I consider Place as important as any character—atmosphere is everything. Smoke lazily curling from the gun’s barrel, the way the candlelight fires her auburn hair, a majestic saguaro towering in the predawn desert—it matters.

 

 

A final excerpt – “Rodriguez stepped down from the tall pickup, stretching a stiff back, surveying the scene. This area of the Arizona desert was particularly lush. Fingers of rocky terrain, mottled grey in the thin light. Thickets of thorny brush, twisted profusions of spidery limbs gone wild. And the mighty band of saguaros towered over it all, thick as thieves cutting up the spoils in their desert hideout.”

“Arching his back and breathing fresh air deep into his lungs, Rodriguez wondered what it must have been like to live here during the pioneer days. No power lines, no microwave dishes, no jet contrails, no planes droning overhead. A quiet, empty sky void of every manmade object, only the sun and moon, the hawks and buzzards, and the occasional cloud. Miles of open desert without another soul around. Long dangerous stretches of baking hot desert without water. But to be the first to see it . . . The harsh beauty must have been both cathartic and captivating. “

More on my murder mystery novels can be found at http://michaelallanscott.com/

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Michael Allan Scott and a clickable link back to this page.

Author Michael Allan Scott Utilizes eBook Trends to Pre-launch Mystery Novel on Amazon

Arizona-based author Michael Allan Scott reveals his new murder mystery just in time for the holiday season—now available on Amazon.com

(Scottsdale, AZ) December xx, 2012 – Arizona-based fiction author Michael Allan Scott appreciates the value of a good book at a reasonable price, which is why his newest mystery novel, Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, is now on Amazon.com. The e-book version is available exclusively for Kindle readers as demand for e-books rise.

“Lance Underphal was devastated by his wife’s death. And now, the down and out crime-scene photographer can’t let her go. He wakes up plagued by premonitions. Stumbling through dark vortexes of murderous intrigue, Lance comes to realize his visions will either drive him insane or lead to the capture of a killer—maybe both.” ~Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, $2.99 on Amazon.com

According to the Association of American Publishers, adult e-book sales jumped 34.4% to $621.3 million this year, moving e-books ahead of hardcovers as the second largest adult format (1). The tremendous savings that e-book readers see as compared to purchasing paperbacks or hardcovers may have something to do with the increase.

According to e-book publisher Trey Ratcliff, “Many people may think that the e-book market is already a mature market, but I think it is just beginning. It will evolve in many unexpected ways.” (2)

Scott approaches the writing of his mystery novels in surprising new ways. He recently outsourced in-depth market research studies to see exactly what mystery readers want. Based on their findings, Scott chose themes that captivate adult readers. Scott listens to his readers, learning what they want to see in mystery novels, keeping them engaged and entertained.

“I give readers easy access to my work so they can interact—become part of the writing process by leaving comments and offering suggestions,” commented Scott. “My passion for writing revolves around my readers—keeping them guessing and coming back for more.”

To read more from Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, or for more information about fiction author Michael Allan Scott, visit www.michaelallanscott.com.

About Michael Allan Scott:

Born and raised at the edge of the high desert in Kingman, Arizona, Michael Allan Scott resides in Scottsdale with his wife, Cynthia and their hundred-pound Doberman, Otto. His works include Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, available on Amazon.com, and Flight of the Tarantula Hawk, due to be released in 2013. Scott uses real-life scenarios as inspiration for his novels. His Lance Underphal Mystery series contain strong language, violence and sex, and are rated “R”. For more information on Michael Allan Scott and his mystery novels, visit www.michaelallanscott.com.

(1) Publishersweekly.com, October 15, 2012. “Trade Sales Rose 13% in January-June Period, AAP Says,” http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by...

(2) Ratcliff, Trey. Gigaom.com, January 16, 2012. “Why e-books will be much bigger than you can imagine.” http://gigaom.com/2012/01/16/ratcliff...

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New Author Michael Allan Scott Forays Into Mystery Novel Writing Using Market Research Study

Arizona author Michael Allan Scott recently used a market research study to find out what mystery novel readers want, and how to keep their interest high

(Scottsdale, Arizona) October 29, 2012 – Bowker, the world’s leading provider of bibliographic information ,estimates that they will issue 15,000,000 International Standard Book Numbers (IBSN) in 2012, which means that for authors,the competition is tough (1). Arizona author Michael Allan Scott will be included in that number with the launch of his newest book, Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, written to engage and entertain adult readers. Scott approached the writing of his book in a unique way; he outsourced a lengthy market research study to see exactly what mystery novel readers want to read.

Scott’s most recent study surveyed both male and female mystery novel readers. Survey results revealed that:

64% liked fiction based on real events;
84% used the description of book/prologue when deciding which mystery novel to purchase;
83% feel a protagonist with extrasensory perception adds to a mystery novel; and
96% feel they personally gain something from solving the puzzle in the story.

Scott even used the survey tabulations to choose the name of his soon-to-be released novel, Dark Side of Sunset Pointe.

Smaller percentages disclosed that humor in mystery novels was unnecessary to make it interesting and engaging, and that the length of the novel was unimportant to quality, which Scott says he is taking into consideration.

This market research, along with other tools used by Scott, will enable the author to keep readers engaged and entertained, learn what needs to be added to future novels, and continue to listen to readers.

“By researching what the readers are interested in, it gives me insight into which real-life events I should choose to write about, and what to include and not include in places like the prologue, cover and content,” commented Scott. “Being a new author, I want to find out exactly what entertains my readers and then write novels that exceed their expectations.”

Dark Side of Sunset Pointe is scheduled to be released November, 2012:

“Lance Underphal was devastated by his wife’s death. And now, the down and out crime-scene photographer can’t let her go. He wakes up plagued by premonitions. The double shooting of an Arizona real estate developer and his mistress/bookkeeper immerse Underphal in a world of incomprehensible phenomena.”

To read an excerpt fromDark Side of Sunset Pointe, or for more information about author Michael Allan Scott, visithttp://www.michaelallanscott.com.

About Michael Allan Scott

Michael Allan Scott was born and raised at the edge of the high desert in Kingman, Arizona. He started his career in early 1978 by forming a commercial real estate company, but for years has secretly written stories and poetry for his own satisfaction. His work includes Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, due to be released in November, 2012 and Flight of the Tarantula Hawk, due to be released in the spring of 2013. Scott uses real-life scenarios as inspiration for his novels. His murder mysteries contain strong language, violence and sex, and are rated “R”. For more information on Michael Allan Scott and his two novels or to get a sense of his writing, readers can download a free short story titled Johnny Two-Times by visiting www.michaelallanscott.com.

(1)  BooksandPublishing.com. Accessed October 23, 2012. “The Latest News”. http://booksandpublishing.com/the-lat...

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Stephen King – Revisited

Stephen King – Revisited

Like most mystery writers, I first learned to read. The writing of others can not only be enjoyable, but downright inspiring. We authors, whether writing mystery stories, literary dramas or comic books (now known as graphic novels) largely hone our skills by reading what we like—what inspires us. And while Stephen King isn’t my favorite author, and I’m by no means a Stephen King Aficionado, his name popped up at the top of the list on a recent survey I outsourced for one of my murder mystery novels.

The survey question:

1. Who are your favorite mystery writers?

Fully 16% of the respondents named Stephen King.

(John Grisham and James Patterson tied for second with 11%)

Stephen King – a Mystery Writer?

Don’t know about you, but I don’t think of Stephen King as a “Mystery Writer.” While his work is full of mystery, suspense, horror and piercing insight into the human condition, I’ve never thought of him as a writer of mystery stories. A perusal of Gerald’s Game, or a quick glimpse of a short story’s hotel maid cleaning up a patron’s ejaculate will give you clues. Of course, Edgar Allan Poe is widely considered an early pioneer of the mystery genre. And if he isn’t a horror writer, I don’t know who is—go figure. Yet the reading public is NEVER wrong. If they say Stephen King is their favorite mystery writer, then so be it. (Shows you what I know. And, by the way, that’s why I do surveys . . .)

Stephen King – On Writing

In an effort to better understand this apparent paradox (and maybe learn something), I recently purchased Stephen King | On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft. But before we go there, take a gander at some of his stats.

From StephenKing.com, the official web site, under News: The Hollywood Reporter – “Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors – 1. Stephen King Known For: ‘The Shining,’ ‘The Stand,’ ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ Big number: 53 novels and 400 million copies sold.”

Part of the author blurb on On Writing’s back cover states, “. . . the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers.”

Proclaimed at the back cover’s top: “One of TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS of all time.”

No matter how you slice it, the man is a professional, knows what-the hell he’s doing and as such, it behooves me to pay close attention when he writes about writing. I’m probably nine/tenths of the way through his On Writing treatise—impressive, to say the least.

Mystery Writer or Not—a Few Takeaways

I could go on for several paragraphs, but I’m learning. It’s not the quantity of words, it’s what communicates best that matters.

First, as a writing reference there are a handful of nonfiction books every writer needs, the gist of which make up the “craft”—rules of the game. These include:

The Elements of Style – Strunk and White
Merriam-Webster’s Guide to Punctuation and Style
Stein On Writing – Sol Stein

I’m sure there are others that belong on this list, but it’s an exclusive list nonetheless. Producing a seminal book on writing is a stellar achievement, and not an easy feat, as Stephen King would remind us with the opening sentence of his Second Foreword: “. . . most books about writing are filled with bullshit.” Yet, Stephen King has managed to shoulder his way into this elite mix with an incomparable reference for writers.

Personally, I was tickled to find that many of my writing routines are similar to Mr. King’s and I agree with most everything else. (We all have our professional preferences.) I was also elated to discover his pearls of wisdom. You can bet I will put them to good use.

The only shortcoming is attributable to timing. On Writing was first published in 1999, long before the current Print On Demand/Self-Publishing evolution; and his advice on agents and publishers is outdated. Otherwise this is a timeless classic that belongs in every writer and reader’s library.

Add

On Writing – Stephen King

to that list.

Secondly, the method Mr. King uses to convey these gems of knowledge is captivating, cloaking practical advice in a revealing glimpse into the man and his life. It’s a man of honesty and integrity that will speak the truth about his personal life—too tempting for most to air grievances and/or pound a bully pulpit. Stephen King does not flinch, giving you both barrels of the bad and the ugly. Well Done! While from afar it may look like a bestselling author’s existence is a dream come true, he lets us know his life hasn’t exactly been a bowl of cherries. (But then, whose is?) Trust me Stephen, we all have our Bryan Smiths to confront. And the more fortunate among us have our Tabitha Kings.

I found myself not only agreeing with his astute observations on writing, but flat out liking the guy. This is a fascinating read for anyone—writer or not. As a result, I’m eager to read more of his fiction. Here’s to Mr. King’s continuing success.

I highly recommend Stephen King | On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft.

I would be interested to see your comments regarding Stephen King’s On Writing or any of his work.

(Warning. Here comes the blatant plug.) More on my murder mystery novels can be found at http://michaelallanscott.com/

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Michael Allan Scott and a clickable link back to this page.

Fiction Author Reveals Murder Conspiracy—Arizona Real Estate Developer Involved

Arizona author Michael Allan Scott recently found himself writing a high-profile murder mystery involving a local real estate developer.

(Scottsdale, Arizona) November 19, 2012 – After the recent death of Lance Underphal’s wife, the crime scene photographer woke up plagued by premonitions. The double shooting of an Arizona real estate developer and his mistress/bookkeeper sent Underphal over the edge. A scenario like this seems like it would be pulled from a murder mystery novel—which is exactly what it was. This is a glimpse into new author Michael Allan Scott’s newest fiction book, Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, written to engage and entertain adult readers.

Scott approached the writing of his book in a unique way; he outsourced a lengthy market research study to see exactly what mystery novel readers want to read. The study revealed that over 60% of readers were interested in a scenario that could happen in real life.

Scott isn’t the only author who understands that actual events make a mystery novel more believable and compelling. Elaine Hirsh, writer for onlinemastersdegree.com, said, “thrillers and mysteries based on real events bring relevance to otherwise bland stories, which gives chills to readers that are harder to dismiss.”

She later goes on to list well-known novels that are based on real events (albeit embellished by authors) (1):

● The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty, was made popular because of its graphic film version. However, before the film shocked the world, it was a novel based on the 1949 exorcism of a young boy.

● The Girl Next Door, by Jack Ketchum, is based on the crime of Sylvia Likens, a young girl whose parents left her with a near total stranger while they worked in a traveling show. Her guardian retained custody of Sylvia for three months, during which she tortured Sylvia until her death.

● In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, is perhaps the most famous true crime novel of all time. It is based on the 1959 murders of a family in Kansas. The research for the novel was conducted by Truman Capote and Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird.

In Scott’s newest mystery novel, Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, he uses his experience as a real estate professional to create an authentic plot with relatable characters.

Dark Side of Sunset Pointe is scheduled to be released November, 2012:

“Frank Salmon, the hard-boiled homicide detective on the case, comes to see Underphal as an asset. Salmon uses Underphal’s prescient visions to piece together hard evidence. But the trail goes cold until a double homicide at a fast food drive-thru leads back to the shady developer’s death.

Salmon pursues the clues through twists and turns, leading him from a popular strip club to a failing community bank, adding a blackmailing stripper’s murder to the body count.”

“I learned what makes an engaging story from my favorite mystery novel authors, market research and my own personal experience,” commented Scott. “My readers will connect better if they can picture something similar happening in real life.”

To read more from Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, or for more information about fiction author Michael Allan Scott, visit http://www.michaelallanscott.com.

About Michael Allan Scott:

Michael Allan Scott was born and raised at the edge of the high desert in Kingman, Arizona. He started in early 1978 by forming a commercial real estate company, but for years secretly wrote stories and poetry for his own satisfaction. His works include Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, due to be released in November, 2012, and Flight of the Tarantula Hawk, due to be released in the spring of 2013. Scott uses real-life scenarios as inspiration for his novels. His murder mysteries contain strong language, violence and sex, and are rated “R”. For more information on Michael Allan Scott and his two novels, visit http://www.michaelallanscott.com.

(1)Hirsh, Elaine. Accessed November 8, 2012. “Guest Blogger: Elaine Hirsch: Top Five Thriller/Mysteries Based on Real Events” writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/20...

 

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Alyssa Kaplan

JoTo PR

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What Inspires You?

If you are anything like me, most facets of life provide inspiration of one sort or another. True, life is not always a bowl of cherries.  And it will often prompt you to act, (if only out of sheer terror at the consequences of inaction.) Yet, truth be told, there is so much “content” available to us through daily living that we’d have to be comatose to not be inspired at some level. When we look around us, life’s creative forces become apparent.

Inspiration, you say…

And, you may ask, what is a mystery writer doing writing about inspiration in the first place? Far be it from me to preach (not that anyone would listen.) I’m not talking about sermons on what we should worship, or “win one for the Gipper” locker-room speeches. I’m referring to those moments of clarity when we know above all else, what we’re doing and how we’re going to do it—that epiphany, sheer exhilaration, piercing insight, a bolt from the blue!

More than money, power or glory, it’s the simple joy of creating.  It’s what I live for—how I keep going in spite of all reasons to the contrary. Creativity—for me, it’s the juice, the essence of life.

The Essence of Creation

As an artist—a writer, photographer and ex-musician—I draw inspiration from the creations of my fellow artists. The aesthetics of their creations fuel my creative fires. And I enjoy a wide array of aesthetics. From velvet darkness to brilliant light and all the spectral colors in between, beauty is found in those works that reach out and touch you where you live—sometimes with a sledgehammer, other times with the caress of an angel. The kaleidoscope of aesthetics is a work in progress, ever-changing, and the more glorious for it.

Creature of Passions

My personal preferences are largely comprised of music—that which moves me. I use musical inspiration to set the scene for writing.  Whether it opens the door to a higher plane or sets the mood for a particular passage, music provides the grist for my mystery writing mill.

A Short List

From YouTube here are some of the artists, their works and the passions they inspire:

For the sheer joy of their compositions and musicianship –

Herbie Hancock’s Butterfly from the Thrust album
Return To Forever – No Mystery
Jaco Pastorious’s Continuum
Flame-Sky – Santana featuring John McLaughlin
It’s Only Music by Gary Willis

Trust me, I could go on  . . .  there is no shortage of musical genius out there.

When it comes to fist-pumping, try a couple of these little ditties –

Land of Confusion – the Genesis Classic from Disturbed
Sly and the Family Stone – Stand!
Uprising by Muse
Steve Miller Band – Don’t Let Nobody Turn you Around
Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx

Sometimes you gotta kickass!

Then there’s those moments of tenderness, of introspection . . .

Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
David Crosby’s Laughing
You Turn Me On I’m a Radio – Joni Mitchell
Donald Fagen’s Walk Between the Raindrops
Marcus Miller featuring Corinne Bailey Rae on Free

Some music stirs the spirit like nothing else . . .

Nobody’s Fool – Kenny Loggins
Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing
Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
Haley Reinhart – Free
Stuck On You by Bobby Caldwell

And finally, celebration . . .

Mornin‘ by Al Jarreau
Hip To Be Square – Huey Lewis and the News
George Harrison’s Here Comes the Sun from Abbey Road
Basia’s A New Day For You
2 Funky by Candy Dulfer

I could throw in a little Marilyn Manson for grim little snippets of horror, but I’ll let you use your imagination.

It may seem like an unlikely collection to inspire mystery stories, but whatever works…

Excerpts from my murder mystery novels can be found at  http://michaelallanscott.com/

Tell me… what inspires you?

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Michael Allan Scott and a clickable link back to this page.

 

What’s Halloween Without Edgar Allan Poe?

For many Baby Boomers, the first brush with Poe comes from Roger Corman and a series of horror movies from the 1960s:

  The Pit and the Pendulum
  The Fall of the House of Usher
  The Masque of the Red Death
  Tales of Terror, to name but a few.

Those who watched wide-eyed with abject terror are not likely to forget the sinister Vincent Price and ghoulish Peter Lorre as they worked their wicked ways on vulnerable psyches. As is often the case with screen adaptations, the movies themselves, while immensely entertaining are yet diluted and simplistic in comparison to Poe’s original works.

Poe — The First American Mystery Writer

Edgar Allan Poe is often credited with the first American mysteries. His mystery stories include:

  The Gold-Bug – possibly the first mystery story solved with the use of cyphers.
  The Murders in the Rue Morgue – a grim little murder mystery, to be sure.  And a precursor of the Murder Mystery genre.
  The Oblong Box – also contains elements of mystery, as did many of his short stories.

Even today the Mystery Writers of America annually award a variety of mystery authors the prestigious “Edgar” in honor of Poe.  Wonder what ol’ Edgar would have thought about all that notoriety.

Was it Horror or Unrequited Love?

I speculate that Poe, like many of us, was his own worst enemy. Plagued by his own dark imaginings, Poe often wrote out of desperation in a compulsive attempt to exorcise his demons. A romantic at heart, he wandered through life ever searching for a true and idyllic love. A love he never found.  His losses fueled his addictions to an idyllic concept of romantic love, alcohol, Laudanum and various other dissipations.

Consider that he lost his mother at a young and tender age, relegated to an upbringing without his natural parents. He later suffered by the bedside of a young wife with tuberculosis to which she eventually succumbed, leaving him devastated, lost and alone. Overcome with loss, he further deteriorated into a man obsessed—his overactive imagination turning into the very scalpel he wielded to flay himself to the bone. He lived the horror about which he wrote.

Poe’s Last Mystery

Yet perhaps Poe’s greatest mystery was his death. No one claims to know with any great degree of certainty Poe’s actual cause of death.

I can best sum it up this way, with an excerpt from one of my own short works of speculative fiction—an accidental time traveler finds himself at the bitter end of an earlier life:

“Bone-chilling gusts tug at my upturned collar, swirling mist off the age-worn monument. The headstone’s granite raven seems to mock the open grave. A worker’s shovel thunks, solidly. He calls out through the grey drizzle for the coroner. Clutching a body bag, the coroner climbs haltingly into the earthen hole to gather the remains of a pathetic life.

Poe’s death was officially reported as congestive heart failure by the press. His doctor later went on tour, embellishing Poe’s death throes as the result of a drunken stupor. Today it’s still widely held that Poe’s drinking killed him. Yet here I am, the court order in my vest pocket, destined to prove the actual cause of death included narcotics. No one believed me then, nor do they now. Poe died from a lethal combination of opium and alcohol.  But I know . . .”

While there’s more, you get the idea—it’s a mystery.

Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat—your comments, or risk the consequences.

Excerpts from my murder mystery novels can be found at  http://michaelallanscott.com/

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Michael Allan Scott and a clickable link back to this page

 

 

 

Killing Categories – What Kind Of Mystery Novel Is This, Anyway?

When I sat down to write the first book in the Lance Underphal Mystery series, I had only a vague concept of the genre—specifically, Mystery/Thriller. Now that Dark Side of Sunset Pointe is about to be released and the second mystery, Flight of the Tarantula Hawk is in the editing phase, I’m beginning to wonder where these stories fit in.

Mystery/Thriller Genre – The Short List 

It’s not as though there is a shortage of categories to choose from. A quick search renders a substantial list of cross and sub-genre categories.

Under Mystery/Thrillers there are:

 Traditional Mysteries
Crime Novels
Police Procedural Mysteries
Cozy Mysteries and its subcategories
Hard-Boiled & Noir Mysteries
Legal Thrillers
Private Eye/Detective Mysteries
Medical Thrillers
Espionage & International Intrigue
Psychological Thrillers
Paranormal Thrillers
Techno-thrillers
Serial Killer Thrillers
Suspense (which can and does incorporate everything.)

And the list goes on…

Investigating a Murder Mystery 

In my humble opinion, categorizing a murder mystery—while potentially helpful for a reader—is nothing short of a nightmare for a mystery writer. In my case, not all that cut and dried.

For example, take the following excerpt from Dark Side of Sunset Pointe:

Shimmering black pools of blood stain mottled grey carpet. Reddish-brown blood-smears dance on a vibrating wall peppered with bullet holes. A broken, light-oak desk lists to one side, groaning. Reddish-brown blood spots spatter its caved-in desktop. Blood spray fans the far wall, the ceiling, everywhere. A reddish-black aura hangs in the atmosphere like a poisonous mist. I wonder how anyone could have lived through this. Crackling with intensity—there’s so much blood, so many bullet holes.

Pictures flash through my mind. High-beams and running lights blasting through window blinds, cutting through the gloom like white-hot targeting lasers. More pictures, probably the dead guy and his lover, a deep black stain of stark terror boiling off them in a turbulent frenzy. I’m feeling bullets sting like hot hornets—seeing the silhouette of the shooter in the doorway as muzzle blasts flash and pop. Now they’re flailing, jerking, screaming, writhing, their blood blossoming like dark red kaleidoscopes blotting out the light.  Excruciating pain! My vision tunnels. Shit!  I hit my knees, shaking. And everything goes dark. As I go down, I hope I got the pictures Lacey needs.  Dammit!

It probably fits into a few of those categories.

Let’s see…

  Crime, yup
  Thriller, okay
  Noir, alright
  Paranormal… hmm, maybe, depending on your definition.

But then, are they really all that definitive? (If a different category comes to mind, please let me know.)

What about this excerpt?

It’s nearly eleven p.m. and the Lion’s Den is heating up. Black-light fluorescents sparkle off golden glitter sprayed on flat-black drywall.  Day-Glo silhouettes of hot naked women in suggestive poses shimmer with iridescence, their lioness ears perked and lioness tails about to twitch.  In the cavernous pit of the main showroom, the Lioness Lair, sits a brightly-lit hardwood stage with a gleaming chrome stripper’s pole dead-center. The sound system’s subwoofers pound out a hypnotic beat as a long-legged redhead with twin silicone mounds writhes nude on her back near the front of the stage. She pulls her legs high and wide, arching her back to loud whistles and cat-calls, all accompanied by a flurry of dollar bills. Behind the stage’s front row chairs and the main floor tables, a long black bar hunches against the back wall.

On her break, a sultry Sondra Du saunters up to the low bar, her long blond mane and custom-built breasts bouncing. She slides her tight overworked buns up on the barstool next to Lenny.

Lenny Kantor’s got his back to the action, sipping a club soda. The nature of the job requires him to remain aloof but alert, aware of everything that goes on. The girls, the barmaids, the bouncers, all those who need to know, couldn’t mistake him for anything but the boss—king of the cashflow. He watches his iPhone’s screen with beady eyes under thick black brows on either side of a pronounced hook nose, picking up bits and pieces of the latest shooting across town. Turns out, his partner’s construction company is the headline and he gives a low whistle.

Sondra wants to know, “Whaz up?”

He gives her a sideways glance and turns back to his iPhone, watching intently.

Sondra waits for his reply. Nobody rushes Lenny.

He taps the screen a couple times and says, “A shooting at Big Mike’s.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.  Looks like they got him.”

Okay, is it still Noir? Certainly not Erotica… Probably not much of a Romance either. Murder for sure, and definitely NOT Cozy.

Talk A Walk On The Dark Side

Then there’s that whole issue of Paranormal, typically a sub-genre of Romance. This is where it gets sticky.  (Not that kind of sticky…)  Could there be a paranormal mystery genre? Does it cross paths with Mystery/Thrillers?

Paranormal, as defined by the Encarta Dictionary: “impossible to explain scientifically.” Seems lacking in this context—no mention of Horror or Romance. When it comes to popular storytelling, a slew of otherworldly characters pop up at the mere mention of paranormal: vampires, werewolves, vampires, zombies, vampires, shape shifters.. Oh, and did I mention vampires?

Then there’s Lance Underphal. Fortunately or unfortunately, he’s no vampire, just you’re average, garden variety, down and out psychic. And he’s not happy about it. Here’s an example:

I turn toward the MJR Development compound, the location of the shooting. It’s as though the whole scene is alive, breathing—inhaling, exhaling. It’s immersed in a filmy residue, dark, oily and it smells bad. What really happened here?

I see them. He’s at the desk, bent over her, his designer denims around his thick ankles, his broad hairy back and butt glistening with sweat. She’s on her back, legs in the air, bare-ass naked except for that wad of rumpled clothing wrapped around her jiggling waist.  Quite a show. And it would be innocent enough, but it doesn’t feel right, gross and icky, as though they’re reveling in it, tacitly violating each other. Each covertly taking advantage of the other. Some sick game of him abusing her and she’s slurping it up to use against him. The games people play.

I watch with morbid curiosity, trying to get a handle on whatever it is I’m supposed to glean from all this. I have to laugh. She’s not my type. And he certainly isn’t.  And is there anything more comical than observing a couple run-of-the-mill humans fucking? All that moaning, grunting and sweating, nothing really romantic about it when you’re watching a couple of rank amateurs in heat. Just plain ol’ fuckin’, a real hoot.

A cell phone chimes in. At first the guy (must be Rodriguez) ignores it and keeps on ramming the girl. Must be that Diane Telafano chick. Rodriguez stops thrusting and leans over her, panting and sweating. Must’ve cum or run out of gas. Her moaning dies down as she lets her legs drop, resting her feet on the desktop. She lets out a deep sigh. The cell starts in again after a minute or two and he pushes back, looking for the cell.

I see him grab the ringing cell.

Rodriguez says, “Damn, Gary.  Whaddaya want?”

Okay.  Who is Gary?

Rodriguez gives a short chuckle, lowers his tone, “I’m kinda in the middle of somethin’.”

Right. Seems like he’s bragging to me.

She sits up, clothes still wadded around her waist. She tries to stand and plops her butt back down heavily. She coos at Rodriguez and says, “I’m not done with you yet.”

Rodriguez gives her a sideways glance, rolling his eyes and grinning, still talking to this Gary person on his cell. “Yeah, like I said, we’re kinda in the middle of somethin’ here.”

Diane giggles and grabs his package.

Still grinning, he tells her, “Stop that.” Then to the guy on the phone he says, “She’s never done it on the desk before.”

Diane laughs then says, “Do I get overtime for this?”

This breaks him up and now they’re both laughing.

Rodriguez talks into his cell. “Hey, don’t sweat it. It’s almost seven, no one’s around, yard gates are locked, lights are off. No one’s gonna know.”

Diane coos and giggles.

Rodriguez speaks closer into the phone, “That is, as long as you keep your mouth shut.”

Hmm, seems like Rodriguez wants to keep his little romantic liaison quiet. Fat chance. In a few hours the whole world will know.

I hear an engine rumble as bright light filters through the blinds.

Diane lets out a short yelp, and says “What was that?”

“Shit!”  Rodriguez whispers, “Shit.”

I feel more than see a dark presence hovering outside.

Still talking into his cell, Rodriguez says, “Hold on, I think someone’s here.”

I watch them scramble to get dressed. Rodriguez waddles to the window, grabbing at his pants, to peer through the blinds

Under his breath, Rodriguez says, “Who’s that?”  He whispers to Diane, “Get your panties on.”

Diane whines, “I’m trying.”

Rodriguez whispers to himself, “Who is that?  How’d he get the truck? Is that … ?  I’ll get that bastard.”

“Gary, hold on, I gotta take a picture with this thing, hold on.”

Rodriguez pulls the slats apart and holds up his phone to take a picture. As he turns away, he’s talking to himself, “Damn, it’s dark . . . but I think I got ‘em.”

He puts the phone back to his head. “Yeah, I’m back, hold on.  Gotta check this out.”

As the door bursts open, I watch a boiling cloud, spitting black filth, form at the doorway. Enveloped in the turbulent energy is the shifting black shadow of the shooter.

Diane screams as Rodriguez yells, “You, you asshole!  What the fuck do you want!?!”

Muzzle flashes erupt. Ear-splitting gunfire, POP, POP, POP!

Diane screeches, grabbing her head, ducking, jumping, her body twitching and writhing with the impact of the bullets.

I feel the searing slugs tear through her soft tissue as though I’m wearing her ruined flesh. It’s too intense. I cry out, flinching from the holes bored into her torso as the wounds well up with blood.

Scrambling to get away, Rodriguez’s dive over the desk falls short, collapsing the desk.

I get a glimpse of what he’s after—a semi-automatic pistol in the desk’s upper right-hand drawer. Even as I grit my teeth I marvel at the vision of a pistol inside a closed desk drawer. I see it!

More ear-ringing pops and blinding flashes as bullets thud into his back, neck and head. His grunts come fast with each penetration, turning to deep rattling gasps wet with blood as he slides to the floor.

Like Rodriguez, I’m gasping for air as though drowning in my own blood. I know with a cruel and intimate certainty his wounds are fatal.

Diane’s long wail fades as she hits the floor in a lump, grunts and lays still.

I can’t get away from either of them, my empathy for them too much. Yet, I already know their fate. It’s the shooter I need to know. I attempt to reach, to seek out the shooter, but the pain is too great. And as I struggle, it all fades away.

I find myself staring at the wide-eyed visage in the mirror, my head swimming. I stand, shaking, jerking my head from side to side to clear the horror.

While the story has paranormal elements, there’s nary a vampire to be found anywhere.

My solution? How about a new genre? Instead of Paranormal or plain ol’ Mystery/Thriller, let’s call it Mystery, Surreal.

You may have a tough time finding it with Amazon tags, but it’s official. Dark Side of Sunset Pointe, along with rest of the mystery novels in the Lance Underphal series are now Surreal Mystery/Thrillers.

More excerpts from my Surreal Mystery/Thrillers can be found at  http://michaelallanscott.com/

And I’m greatly interested in all your comments along these lines. Please let me know your thoughts.

 

Stephen King’s Got Nothin’ On Me

Okay, so he may have a bit of a head start, having published his break-out  novel, Carrie, in 1973.  And yes, he has a few million more readers—granted.  Oh, and then there’s his Rock n’ Roll radio station, WKIT.  But other than that, Stephen King’s got nothing on me.

Super Stars

Much like the music industry of the recent past, the publishing industry is changing—opening up.  No longer the exclusive territory of large publishing houses that manufacture “bestsellers” and  “bestselling” super stars, book publishing is going “grass roots.”  Power to the People!

With the advent of new technology, such as eBooks and Print On Demand (POD), and the likes of Amazon, the playing field is leveling.  Mystery authors like me, and new authors in every genre, have a fighting chance.  And that’s all we ask.

Renegades

Of course it helps if you can write your ass off, like Stephen King.  And there’s bound to be a lot of flailing around as the wheat is separated from the chaff.  Still, talent and persistence have a way of getting their due when given half a chance.  Best of all, informed readers stand to benefit the most.

A Brand New Day

New publishing entrepreneurs abound in Indie Publishing.  And Self-Publishing is now an economic reality for business-minded authors.  The phenomenon is spreading like wildfire due to pent-up demand.  Would-be authors have been suppressed for decades, locked out of a marketplace by those who controlled it.  This, to the detriment of writers and ultimately, readers.  But now, it’s a whole new ball game—a brand new day.

No Mystery

As a mystery writer and businessman, it’s easy to see.  It’s all about the money.  Money, first and foremost—the bane of Capitalism.  And most large corporations by their very nature are in it for the money, first.  All other considerations take a back seat.

Scarcity

It is a well-known business strategy—control the product and distribution lines on which the product flows and you’re on your way to profits.  Create product demand then make it scarce and you can drive up prices—manipulating the market and increasing profits.  Okay, so it lacks a certain ethic, fairness . . . but who cares, the investors are happy . . . and remember, it’s all about the money.

Money

Trust me, I’m not all that cynical.  We all know there is nothing wrong with money when properly aligned with production values and fair exchange.  We can all use plenty of the stuff.  However, it’s certainly not the be-all, end-all for successful living.

A New Normal

At the end of the day, opportunities abound for authors and publishers in this new era of accessible publishing, giving mystery writers like me the same chance for success as Stephen King.  And I’m going for it, thank you very much . . .

Feel free to wade in, the water’s fine.

For a preview of my new mystery novel, Dark Side of Sunset Pointe – A Lance Underphal Mystery, here’s an excerpt.  Look forward to your feedback.  Please comment below.

What Kind of Job is Writing Mystery Novels, Anyway?

To those curious, but who’ve yet to write mystery novels for a living, it can seem intriguing, mysterious—a strange confluence of alchemy, pot-boiling and cryptic conjuring. How could it possibly be a real job?

Let me assure you, if not approached professionally, the results will be anything but professional. And it can be quite the undertaking. At first, even writing a 90,000 – 100,000 word mystery novel seems like a daunting task. However, in order to be a professional, once the manuscript is finished it must then be published.

And I thought writing the manuscript was the hard part—little did I know. Turns out to be a sunny stroll in the park next to publishing.

Traditional Publishing

As artists, we want to create our art. The business side of things seems a nuisance at best, and at worst, a horrific nightmare. The idea that our work is so important that we will be discovered and whisked away on the magic carpet of success by a large and benevolent publisher is a nice fantasy. Yet with the sweeping changes occurring in the publishing industry today, it is just that—a fantasy.

Still many professional authors-to-be dutifully submit their manuscripts to traditional publishing houses and literary agents with the steadfast belief theirs will be the one. Then they wait . . . and wait . . . and wait. It can take months to receive the generic rejection letter, if they bother to send anything at all. And while it is vital to believe, it is also imperative to take the bull by the horns. Trust me, I know—been there, done that.

Odds are not good on an unknown author receiving a large advance from a “traditional” publishing house. Much like winning the Power Ball jackpot, one wouldn’t want to bank on it. To top it off, even if lightning strikes and a new author is exceedingly lucky, she/he faces many of the same challenges to success that indie-published and self-published authors face. When the facts are closely examined, the “traditional” publishing route looks like no option at all.

And unfortunately, this is when a fair number of writers give up—discouraged, wondering why their work isn’t good enough. All too frequently it has little or nothing to do with their writing.

Fortunately, for both authors and readers, the publishing industry is changing. From my vantage point, it’s a heady mix of freedom, opportunity and excitement.

Bestselling author, Kristine Kathryn Rusch has an excellent series of articles on her website.

Real eye-openers.

Two Options, Really

To overcome the obstacles set up by “traditional” publishing houses, determined authors and inventive entrepreneurs have rolled up their sleeves and gone to work. These new ventures generally fall into two categories: Indie Publishing and Self-Publishing.

Indie Publishing

The Independent Book Publishers Association, a trade association representing independent book publishers, currently boasts 3,000 publishers with a growing membership. And while cautionary tales abound, new authors are finding success through indie publishers.

The best advice is to thoroughly research the reputation and results of any and all publishing companies BEFORE signing on. There is NO substitute for comprehensive due diligence prior to committing. If one is not paying full attention to all the fine print and legal disclaimers, a relationship with an indie publisher can turn out to be less than desirable or even a downright disaster. DO THE HOMEWORK. Or hire a reputable attorney who specializes in book publishing.

Self-Publishing

This is where the author is the publishing company and responsible for everything—either by doing it all, or hiring experienced consultants/independent contractors to assist in the publishing process.

Here are two examples of good reference books in this vein which are at opposite ends of the spectrum:

Peter Bowerman’s, “The Well-Fed Self-Publisher“.

Jason Matthews’, “How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks All for Free“.

There are virtually tens of thousands of books on self-publishing available on Amazon.

Writing Professionally

For me, writing is a better business opportunity than anything else I’ve considered. And I’ve looked at a variety of different endeavors since 2008. However, in my opinion, to approach it as anything less than a full-fledged business is setting oneself up for failure.

So . . . here I am, starting another business when all I really want to do is WRITE! Still, at the end of the day, where else can I do what I love and pursue it professionally?

In my Battle Plan, above the Targets for the Week, I keep a reminder: Imagination crafts the illusions we ultimately come to view as reality.

Today, new authors have the tools, the access, virtually everything they need to be successful—using imagination to create reality.

As always, your comments are most welcome.