USING ALL CONTACTS FOR INSPIRATION

Writers never have to be “alone”.

During the final week of August, I was in Nashville Tennessee for the yearly Bouchercon Mystery Writers Conference.  Quite the line-up of excellent authors, including Brad Thor (Shadow of a Doubt, Dead Fall, Spymaster, Rising Tiger and more) being interviewed by David Morell (Rambo books and over twenty more novels). That interview was rather inspiring, how these men use all their contacts – friends of contacts – as well as cold calls, dinner party chats, and travel to locations to increase authenticity and more to provide the sense of “being there” for the readers.

I think of all the hard work we all do that stay UNDER the words and story. All the things that HELP build the authenticity of a tale, the plausibility of a tale.

7 DAYS, A DEE ROMMEL MYSTERY will be released in a week or so. (The publisher had set March 19 at the release date and the email yesterday said end of February. Of course this is great, but also annoying because I had sent emails and Instagrams and Facebook announcements with the other date – ahhh well.  The writer is always the last to know anything…)

But anyway – I am very excited. And looking back now at all the locations, research, chats, coffees, glasses of wine I had with people that were friends of friends, or that I cold-called to make sure the elements concerning the PLOT of 7 DAYS would be “authentic”.  Since the Dee Rommel Mysteries take place in Portland Maine, I do spend a lot of time walking or driving around to get a sense of location, neighborhoods and meeting places.  Places bodies can be found.

And then I make up some places to suit the story – but always try to keep the “Mainer” state of mind in play.  In 7 DAYS, I have imagined a CROAKE SPORTS PARK, that, to me, is so Maine.  Outdoorsy sports, hiking trails, vistas, un-farmed, unpolluted land next door to farms that have not been so lucky.

This Dee Rommel book takes place in the winter – so that was fun to explore.

I also explored the narrow narrow streets in “old Portland” – streets that are still creaking with age and history. Where someone could hide and be unnoticed because there’s no ‘chic-ness’ there – the gentrification bulldozer has yet to find them.  That took up a good week of exploration, a lot of ideas/fun popped to mind.

 

I also got to “re-imagine” two of Portland Landmark eating/watering holes. I took elements of the “real places” but turned them on their head a bit –  making them settings where dire things happen. My philosophy about setting the story in a “real” place, and loving that place and wanting to share it with readers – is this:  If something “bad” happens there, use the facsimile.

Excited to see 7 DAYS on the shelves!  Oh yeah –  and the Dee Rommel Series is a CIBA finalist for best series of 2024.  And here’s one of the reviews that has come in for 7 DAYS:

An exquisitely multi-layered plot that comes together seamlessly to deliver a spinetingling and startling climax. If you’re missing Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series, you’ll want to read Jule Selbo’s Dee Rommel books—they’re as comforting as they are exciting!”—Holly West, author of the Mistress of Fortune mysteries and the Anthony Award-winning editor of Killin’ Time in San Diego