Terry Odell's Blog, page 58

What Next?

What Next?

Deadly Options drops on February 24th. (Have you preordered yet?) To the best of my knowledge and ability, it’s as good as I can get it. Now, it’s a matter of moving on.

Do I take a writing vacation? I’ve already put creativity aside in favor of the mechanics involved in editing, and I can already feel the tension from not doing anything creative.

My question for you is, “What next?”

I could expand my Mapleton prequel short story (which you get when you sign up for my newsletter) in...

Catching Mistakes

Catching Mistakes

Image by jdashl from Pixabay

I spent the weekend working on proofreading Deadly Options—the print version. Every format provides a new look. And more chances to catch mistakes. There’s the on-screen digital format, the hard copy printout, the listening to the computer read it while you follow along—and you think you’ve caught everything. Yes, I hire a professional editor, but no matter what, things sneak past you.

Although I didn’t expect to find a lot of mistakes, I won’t publ...

Deadly Options Reviewers Wanted

Deadly Options Reviewers Wanted

I have digital ARCs of Deadly Options, and would greatly appreciate reviews on or immediately after its release date of February 24th.

Here’s what it’s about:

A Mapleton Mystery/Pine Hills police crossover, a blend of cozy mystery and police procedural.

Are Gordon’s Days in Mapleton Numbered?

All Mapleton Police Chief Gordon Hepler wants is to enjoy a rare quiet moment and have a peaceful lunch. Before he can finish his sandwich, Angie, his wife, calls to say her ...

Beware the “ING” Construction

Beware the “ING” Construction

Today’s my turn at the Kill Zone Blog, and I’m talking about the dangers and pitfalls of the “ing” construction. An agent at the first writing conference I attended said she would reject a query with more than one instance of an “ing” verb. More about why here.

 

And, I’ve got good news to share. The Mapleton Mystery Novellas was one of Kings River Life Magazine’s top picks for 2020. Needless to say, I’m thrilled.

Do you have any good news? Share in the comments.

T...

You’ll Never Be Right

You’ll never be right … in the eyes of all your readers. We all bring our own life experiences into play when we’re reading. No matter how much research we do to make sure we’re getting things right, there will always be those readers who will stop and think.

“That’s not the way I do it.”

“That’s not the way I say it.”

“That’s not what happened to me.”

I’m as guilty as the next reader.

I recall being pulled out of a story when so many of the characters wore beanies. To me, a beanie was a little ...

More Friday Fun

I’ve been busy getting Deadly Options up for pre-order (hint, hint … reserve your copy here) so it’s time for another relaxing fun break.

 

 

 

Have a safe weekend, everyone!

The post More Friday Fun appeared first on Terry Odell.

Burying the Lede. Book Release News!

Burying the Lede. Book Release News!

Curious about the title of this post? Did you think “lede” was a typo? Read on.

I got my final edits for Deadly Options back from my editor earlier this week. This round is mostly cleanup. Stupid mistakes that creep in when you start adding things or moving things around. Extra or missing punctuation. Removing an unnecessary sentence that throws the dialogue flow off. My editor’s sharp eyes caught most of my errors… “How does Angie know Gordon brought dinner...

Before Gordon Was Chief

Before Gordon Was Chief

While I was waiting for my editor to return her feedback on Deadly Options, I looked for a new project to work on. At first, I was going to start another novel—my editor said she wanted to see another Blackthorne, Inc. book—but knowing I’d have to shift gears when I got the edits back, and then work on all the steps required for publication, I opted to stick with Mapleton.

The story, Before Gordon Was Chief, is a prequel of sorts, following Gordon’s first day on the job a...

Last-Minute Giveaway

Last-Minute Giveaway

I figure everyone’s engrossed in the inauguration today, so here’s a giveaway for you. I’ve got a bunch of mystery books left over from when I judged the Edgar awards. Some are ARCs, some are final copies. It’s a no-brainer. Just click to enter. US mailing addresses only, please.

Giveaway ends January 24th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The fine print:

No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years of age or older. Physical prizes to US residents only. Winners will be chosen by Raf...

Editing Time for Deadly Options

It’s editing time for Deadly Options. See this excellent post by Kris Montee over at The Kill Zone for thoughts about editing. She explains a lot.

I have a love-hate relationship with edits. After all, I turned in a near perfect manuscript, and all my editor should find are a few missed typos, and maybe little picky points of grammar, such as missing or unnecessary commas. Maybe she’ll put a few words in italics for emphasis, but that should be it.

HA!

While yes, she’ll find all of the above—and...