Some Behind the Scenes Secrets...

I love finding Easter eggs (surprises hidden by the developers) in software and bloopers in films. Here are a few secrets from my mysteries that you may not have known about…

In the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, I often named police, waiters, EMTs, lawyers, and other minor characters after some of my favorite pop culture folks. You’ll see some 80s rockers and 70s TV characters serving some amazing dishes or keeping law and order.

In the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, Jules themes the vintage trailers and the tiny houses. Her special décor ties in with the camper like the 1947 Robin Hood Trailer that is decked out in honor of its namesake, the 1959 Sunliner Caravan that sported a posh pink Barbie fashion design in honor of the year that the camper and the doll debuted, and the 1953 Redman New Moon, decorated in honor of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball’s movie from the same year, The Long, Long Trailer. The tiny houses all have a book or author themes and fun amenities like a revolving bookcase or a reading nook for the guests to enjoy. These are named for Beatrix Potter, Bram Stoker, A. A. Milne, and L. Frank Baum. (And I may have been watching The Tiger King at the beginning of the pandemic when I wrote Christmas Lights and Cat Fights.)

I am a huge 80s pop culture fan. Jules is named for Demi Moore’s character in St. Elmo’s Fire. Her last name is a tribute to all the women who wrote the Nancy Drew mysteries under the pseudonym of Carolyn Keene. Jake is named for Jake Ryan from Sixteen Candles.

In the Pearly Girls Mysteries (May 2024), the bigger-than-life Chihuahua (at least in his own mind) is named for the one and only Elvis. The four “Golden Girls” who help Cassidy with her event planning business (and her love life) are named for my grandmothers, great-grandmother, and my grandmother’s best friend. And the handsome new bartender in town is named after Austin Butler (who recently played Elvis). I know, there’s a pattern here.

Book Links:

Secret Lives and Private Eyes

The Tulip Shirt Murders

Glitter, Glam, and Contraband

Male Revues and Subterfuge

Vintage Trailers and Blackmailers

Film Crews and Rendezvous

Christmas Lights and Cat Fights

Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones

Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir

Don't Be That Author!

I will always remember the story the HR Director at my first job told me about why people should always be professional. One day, he came back from lunch, and a young woman cut him off and slid into his parking space. Then to add insult to injury, she flipped him off when he honked his horn. The pair would meet again inside the building, and I would have loved to have seen her face when she discovered that he was conducting her job interview.

We all know the divas, the complainers, the control freaks, and the hangers-on. They are in every group. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from so many different people that they treasure authors who are easy to get along with.

Here are some things to remember, so you don’t turn into that author.

• Always be professional. People talk, and you don’t want to get a reputation for all the wrong reasons.

• Pick your battles and stand up for yourself, but do it in a way that doesn’t burn bridges. I always ask myself how big a deal something is. Sometimes, things are nonnegotiable, and other times, they really don’t matter. I try to save my energy for the important things.

• Make sure you read your contracts and know all of your deadlines and obligations. Figure out the best way for you to manage your calendar and your time. You don’t want to be the unreliable one.

• If you volunteer for something, do your best to meet the commitment. Put the date/time/location on your calendar as soon as it is confirmed.

• Learn how to say no. It’s hard. You want to be included and don’t want to disappoint people, but you can’t do everything.

• Make sure you’re a contributor. We all know the lurker who reaps all the benefits, but never puts in any effort or takes on any of the work.

• If you find out you can’t make a deadline for some reason, reach out and communicate as early as possible. Sometimes, you can reschedule.

• Remember that the administrators of many Facebook groups, book reviewers, bloggers, and bookstagrammers are usually volunteers, and this isn’t their day job. You may need to extend some grace if your email isn’t answered as quickly as you would like.

One of the Writing Secrets

One of the writing secrets isn’t really a secret at all. This is how you become a productive writer — BICFOK. I learned this from the great Alan Orloff. It’s Butt in Chair; Fingers on Keyboard.

It’s true. If you want to be a writer, you need to write. And you need to limit the distractions. Here are some ideas that may help you along your journey.

1. Find the best place for you to write. Figure out what works for you. I am fortunate to have an office with a door that closes. And when that doesn’t work, my noise-cancelling headphones do.

2. Figure out what time of day works best for you and your life. I am a morning person (a really early morning person). I like to write when the house is quiet, and this is when I’m most productive. I have found that if I start early, I can usually have my word count done before I have to go to the day gig.

3. When you are writing, don’t stop to do additional research. Make a note and keep writing. Do all of your research or lookups later. When I stop to check on something, I end up watching cute dog videos.

4. Set your writing goal and/or word count for each day and try to meet it. If you have busy days ahead, make sure you adjust your goals for that day (or plan to skip a day). If I know something is coming up that will affect my writing time, I try to write more on the days leading up to it to bank some extra for a skip day.

5. You will see progress if you write regularly. The longer you are away from a project, the more time you spend trying to get back to where you were.

6. Figure out a writing calendar that works for your schedule. Stuff happens. Don’t beat yourself up when you get interrupted. If you can plan your writing time around the other stuff, you’ll be more productive. If not, just try to get back to it as soon as you can.

7. Procrastinating, too much research, or doing anything other than writing keeps you from your goals. You may have to remind yourself to focus on your WIP (work in progress). It may take a few times before it becomes a habit.

8. I create a fairly detailed outline for each chapter before I start my first draft. I’ve found that that keeps me on track. I don’t get stuck in the middle, and I know where the story is going.

These ideas have helped me be much more productive in a world where work, family, friends, and volunteer projects all vie for my attention.

Detours and Roadblocks in Your Writing Life

I drive the back roads through southside Richmond to my day gig in the mornings instead of taking the toll roads. This week, unexpectedly, I hit a roadblock when a downed light pole blocked the main road. I’m familiar with the way that I always get to work, but I was on my own in the dark yesterday in a neighborhood that I wasn’t familiar with (at 6:30 AM). (And if you’ve ever been to RVA, you’ll know that the streets often do not run parallel. They tend to meander.) With the help of GPS, I was able to navigate neighborhood streets and get back on my path.

Our writing life is often like that. We hit roadblocks and detours. It’s inevitable, but I believe you will be more successful along your journey if you can react and navigate around them.

A lot of it is attitude. If you hit a disappointment or a pitfall, allow yourself some time to react. Scream, cry, mope, or eat chocolate for a little while. But then figure out how you are going to get around the obstacle. Sulking doesn’t fix the problem. Bad reviews, cancelled contracts, and rejection letters hurt. You can give up, or you can make a new plan.

Always have a plan B. It’s helpful to have a strategy for what you’re going to do if you hit an obstacle. It’s often easier to deal with if you know you have a backup plan.

Get organized. Keep your files straight (and backed up). Know where you put things. If you cut down on the clutter and the junk, and you can work efficiently, you’ll minimize  some of your self-made roadblocks.

If you mess up, own it, apologize, and do your best to fix it.

Other people are going to disappoint you. They’re going to back out of commitments, forget to do things they promised, or say mean things. You need to decide what and who you’re going to spend your time on or with. Figure out what is important to you, and let go of what brings you down.

Make sure you take care of you. Eat right and exercise. You need to have a balanced life. Make sure you have some fun. And hang around people who make you laugh. My day gig is in IT, and it’s often serious. I love that the new PMO manager moved in the office next to me. She is fun, and she laughs a lot. (The crew nicknamed her Giggles.) I love that I can hear the laughter through the walls. It always makes me smile.

It’s almost a new year. And that’s always a great time to make resolutions or plans. I challenge you to make a plan for your writing life in 2020. It’s a new year and a new decade.

10 Things About the Writing Life

When I do interviews or panel discussions, someone always asks what advice I would give to other writers. So I decided to put together my list of 10 things I’d tell someone about writing or the writing life.

1. Do not give up. If you want to be published, be persistent. Keep writing.

2. Turn off the TV (or phone or Internet surfing) and write.

3. Work on your craft. Learn as much as you can about your genre and writing. You need to know about the writing conventions that readers expect.

4. Learn about the publishing industry and the business of books. (It’s ever-changing.)

5. Find yourself a writing group. Writing and editing are solitary. You need to be around other writers to share celebrations and disappointments. I learn so much from my writer friends who are generous with their time and advice.

6. Writing/publishing books is a business. You need to treat it as such. Be professional.

7. Learn all you can about book marketing and promotion. It’s often harder than writing the book.

8. If you get stuck, don’t give up. Do something to get your creative energy back.

9. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Learn from mistakes or from something that didn’t go well and then move on. Don’t get stuck wallowing in self-pity. It’s a mire that’s hard to get out of.

10. You will doubt yourself and your choices. It happens to everyone. Set goals and look for ways to improve. Don’t get stuck in the pit of self-doubt.

What would you add to my list? I wish I’d known this in my teens and twenties when I started dabbling with writing.

It's Okay to be Choosy!

When I had my first short stories published, I was excited to be a part of every writing and book event that came along. For the first two anthologies, our group did about fifty events a year to promote the books. Some of these events were wildly successful, and others were less than stellar. As I go along my writing journey, I've found it's okay to be selective about the events you attend. Here's what I've learned...

1. Your time is valuable. You need to guard your writing time and ensure that you are writing the next book. 

2. Look at the event. Is it inside or outside? (I sunburn easily!) Look at the logistics. Do you have to bring your own tent and table? Look at the schedule. When do you have to be there and how long are you expected to stay?

3. Is this the first time for the event? It's exciting to be a part of an inaugural event. Just make sure the host publicizes the event. It's fun to be on the cutting edge, but keep in mind that there my be some snags since this is the first time for everyone.

4. Is there a cost to participate? Make sure that the spend can be covered by your sales. I've split a table with other authors before. We shared the cost and the schedules. Book sales are unpredictable. Sometimes, you sell 50 books, and other times, you'll sell 2. The latter is more disappointing if you invested a lot of money in the entrance fee.

5. What is your purpose for attending the event? If it is only to sell books, then you need to evaluate your return on your investment of time and money. If you're there to support the library or to network, then sales may not be your first concern. I've given away hundreds of bookmarks at events, and many of those interactions turn into online book sales.

6. Consider the travel, meals, and overnight stays when you budget for an event. 

7. I keep a calendar, so I can look at what I did last year and also see what's on the horizon. I have a little paper one that I carry around with me. And I record everything -- in person events as well as social media ones.

8. It is okay to say no. If you're lucky, you'll be approached to participate in a lot of events. If you have a conflict (and you're interested), ask the organizers to keep you on the list for next year. Your time is valuable, and you need to consider how much time will be needed to prepare for a panel, workshop, or class.

9. How are books sold at the event? Is there a book seller, or are you responsible for sales? I have some author friends who don't do events where they have to sell books.  Make sure you know the logistics ahead of time. Also if the books are sold on consignment, make sure you know how/when you'll be paid. (And even if there is a book seller, I always have a stack of books in my car. I've been to events where there were book mix ups.)

Don't feel guilty that you turn down events? You need to make the best decision for you, and if you're stressed or too busy, then you're not writing your next book. What else would you add to my list?

What Made You Smile This Week?

What made you smile this week? Here's my list in no particular order...

1. 5 days off because of the Independence Day holiday. Whoo hooo! Writing time.
2. Celebrating my Mom's birthday and July 4 with a cookout (and chocolate birthday cake).
3. Submitting an article for an upcoming journal.
4. Working on edits for a cozy mystery.
5. Starting the third Delanie Fitzgerald book (and coming up with a title).
6. My husband finished the landscaping around the deck and added a firepit. I'm ready to roast marshmallows.
7. Heading to Kilmarnock, VA on Saturday to be on a fun panel at the Writers' Expo.
8. Wrapping up edits on a short story called "Art Attack."
9. Finishing all my reading early for July's critique group.
10. My dogs - Jack Russells always make me smile.

What would you add to the list? 

An Author's Many Hats

As an author, you will wear many hats along your writing journey, and each one represents a different task. Before I jumped into the writing world, I didn't realize how many expectations there were (and how many different jobs that needed to be done). 

Thinking Cap - Use this to plot and draft your story. You may need it to get your character out of a jam.

Research Cap - This hat is for all the research and interviews that you'll need along the way. (I picked a replica of Indiana Jones' hat. He's the right combination of research and adventure.)

Hard Hat - This is your working hat. You need this to build your draft and for your many rounds of editing and critiques.

Genre-specific - This is a must for mystery writers. And you may need a magnifying glass to complete the look. This is for adding plot twists, red herrings, and clues.

Marketing Hat - Marketing and promotion are huge jobs. It takes a lot of time and energy to set up blog tours, interviews, events, and social media sites. You'll find that you wear this one more than you ever thought.

Business Hat - You need this for all of your accounting and paperwork tasks. I wear mine for tracking mileage, collecting receipts, filing sales tax, completing forms, and tracking sales. It's also my analytical hat for reviewing sales numbers and web/social media metrics.

Party Hat - You need this for the celebrations! And I hope there are many along your writing journey.