Review - Blood Oath

When I read the blurb for Blood Oath, I thought it was a fresh idea and fit nicely for a Halloween read under the Suspense/Thriller category.  It was a bit more than I anticipated as you will see in the review.  With no further introduction, meet the President's special agent - his vampire.

Author:  Christopher Farnsworth


Copyright:  May 2010 (Putnam Adult) 400 pgs


Series:  1st in President's Vampire


Sensuality:  Adult content and language


Mystery Sub-genre:  Paranormal Suspense/Thriller


Main Character:  Zach Barrows, newly appointed "handler" of the president's vampire, Nathaniel Cade.


Setting:  Modern day, Primarily Washington DC


Obtained Through:  Library Thing




The story is told from the point of view of Zach Barrows, a very ambitious White House staffer who doesn't appreciate being stuck in the shadows with the President's vampire.  He has been working himself into the ground hoping for a more visible and "important" position.  Zack is a kiss-up of the first degree, slick.  The real story is about Nathaniel Cade who has been bound by voodoo magic to the President of the U.S. ever since President Andrew Johnson.
 
Cade specializes in those enemies who are of a supernatural nature that only he can battle.  Zach gets his first real taste of what Cade has been battling when they realize that a former Nazi doctor has perfected piecing human parts together and creating a super-soldier for some Iraq extremists.  These super-soldiers are unstoppable (a cross between Frankenstein's monster and a zombie).


This story is gritty, not campy.  Summary of story elements: standard strong brooding hero, veteran older agent, young know-it-all new agent, typical Muslim bad guy, crazed Nazi doctor, obligatory sex scene, "f" bombs, car chase, and an impressive explosion.  But, I appreciated how the vampire is delved into with a more scientific mind as to what it would take for them to exist.  These tidbits were at the beginning of each chapter as snippets from "nightmare pet" manual or doctor's notes.  

Cade seems a bit more realistic for a vampire.  For instance, the whole "vampire is alluring" bit is dismissed when Cade says "Do you play with your food?".  This cuts through so much of the romanticizing and myth-icising around what Bram Stoker's original monster was supposed to be - evil.  The reader gets glimpses of a more complex Cade occasionally such as how he made a choice not to drink human blood ever again but he feels no compassion for humans.  He has found a way to vent his violent tendencies through his job and may even take a little pride in his prowess.


The characters of Zack and Cade grow on you in the novel.  Zack manages to grow-up a bit and Cade has more layers yet to peel back.  But otherwise I didn't think the rest of the characters will stand out in my mind.  Of course, with a Thriller novel characters aren't meant to be the primary focus, rather it is all about the action.  Time is taken on Cade's back-story which slowed the action in places but added to the idea of Cade as a real possibility.


It may have vampires, but the real monster is the former Nazi doctor creating these zombie-ish creatures. Dr. Johann Konrad is evil personified (supposedly the inspiration for Frankenstein) with absolutely no glimmer of human emotion nor compassion.  So several of the scenes with Dr. Konrad exhibit more violent content - be warned readers.  This character is developed as a total psychopath with no real humanity in him.  Dr. Konrad could easily be a cardboard cutout but instead manages to be truly frightening. 


It is a thriller novel through and through.  There is an urgent need to find out about and stop the zombie-like creatures because they represent a clear danger to the nation - and even the White House.  I thought Blood Oath took the over-done vampire and somehow managed to bring a fresh perspective to it.  The plot was enough to keep me reading.  But the true strength is how Frankenstein and Vampires have been given modernized makeovers in this work. 


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Author Interview - Sally Goldenbaum

We have a favorite author joining us today, Sally Goldenbaum.  You can read the review of her latest mystery, Moonspinners, here.  


Sally was born in Manitowoc, Wisc, a small city on the shores of Lake Michigan where her father was a shipbuilder.  She went to high school in Green Bay, Wisc, a boarder in an all-girls academy, just like her sister, mother and her seven sisters before her had done.  Then she went to college at Fontbonne in St. Louis, and graduate school (philosophy) was Indiana U in Bloomington where she met her husband. In between all of that she was a Catholic nun for several years.

One day she was sitting in a sandbox in a park, watching her children play. She was new to Kansas CIty, looking for company. There was another mother there, Adrienne Staff, a transplanted New Yorker. And as those things go, the ex-nun and nice Jewish girl from New York  glommed on to each other and discovered they both had a burning desire to write. And so they did. Together. They found a wonderful agent and published (some together, some alone) 25 to 30 novels.

Though Adrienne went on to other things, Sally started writing mysteries some 10 years later.  Please join me in welcoming Sally to Mysteries and My Musings!

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

     Usually I have the plot idea first--and that includes the victim--but only after I play with it, turn it around, upside down, maybe even start to write, do I know who the murderer is. Then I throw myself into the writing and sometimes as the story ripens, someone else may emerge as the murderer. Once (only once, thank heavens!) I finished the whole book and sent it off to my editor. She responded quickly that she liked the book except for one thing: the wrong person did the deed. She didn't know who did it, but it wasn't the person I picked, she said. So I had to go back and find someone else. And she, of course, was absolutely right. The book was so much stronger because of her astute observation.


- Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc) before sitting down and writing?

     The first thing I do is come up with a synopsis--usually about two pages--that I send off to my editor. Sometimes this doesn't include who did it, and rarely includes how the seaside knitters discover the real murderer (because at that point, I have no idea!). Then I write a first chapter or two to give me a feeling for the story. By that time, I know the following:

• who was murdered

• who did it

• why they did it

I round those things out with other details such as the season of the year, what else is going on in town at the same time (a wedding? a holiday party? a problem in the life of one of the knitters or a neighbor, etc.), and that's it. I don't have an outline, but as I go along, I keep an open file in which I jot down possible scenes and ideas that occur to me as I'm writing.

Long story short: no outline. None. The story evolves as we go along. This can be very frustrating sometimes and I think, "Oh, wouldn't it be great to have an outline and know what's going to happen next?!" But it never works that way for me. The stories evolve as we go along, me and the characters, holding hands and excited to see what happens down the pike.


- What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write?

When I first came up with the idea of the Seaside Knitters series, I needed to know the four main characters well. So I wrote essays about each of them, including where they grew up, went to school, what they were like as kids. How they reacted to happenings in their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them this way. I also use the enneagram, an ancient method of personality profiling, in developing characters, and I assign profiles from this system to individuals, which helps me give them a consistent personality. It also assists in learning their vulnerabilities.

 Sometimes I do have a person I know, or a public person, in mind to help me with the physical characteristics of certain people, but the characters are never modeled after an actual person, not completely anyway.

I do keep a chart of all physical characteristics. Readers are so sharp--they will catch  me at changing hair color if I don't.


- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and do you have anything special you do before writing, particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?
    I had a full-time position while writing the first three Seaside Mysteries (and the Queen Bee Quilters series). Back then, I wrote from 5:30 to 7 in the morning, at night, on weekends, and took some vacation days.

    Place? I have a screened-in porch that I write on with a friend (Nancy Pickard) in good weather. When it's too hot or too cold, I head to a coffee shop with comfortable chairs.

    If I need a nudge, something to pull me into the mood, I either review what I wrote the day before or pick up someone else's novel, someone I admire, and it almost always draws me to the blank computer screen.

- What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?

        Last year I was able to move to full-time writing and it's a much better arrangement than writing at 5:30 am! Normally I write 5 days a week, starting about 9 and going until 3 or so. The few weeks before a deadline, that goes out the window and I write more frequently, as in 'all the time'. Normally I can complete a book in 6 to 9 months. I have done it in less time, but it's difficult.

- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?
    It sounds fabricated because everyone says it, but Nancy Drew nurtured my love for mysteries when I was young. I have written other novels, but hadn't considered mysteries because i didn't think I'd be good at the puzzle part. Then a friend suggested I help her with a book she was working on, and from her I learned the fine points of writing a mystery--when and how and why to drop red herrings, how a writer need to relate the murderer, pacing, that sort of thing. And I was hooked.

    Every job I've ever had, from college teaching to working in public television to editing bioethics journals, involved writing. So that, too, was good background. And lastly, I love being around people--cable repairmen, painters, lobster fishermen, teachers, other writers, my friends and family and grandchildren. And maybe that's the best preparation of all--a love for people.
 
- How did you get your first break toward getting published?  Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter etc?
    My very first break was at a writer's conference. There was an agent there who had agreed, as part of the registration fee, to read a couple pages of a manuscript. She gave us (my first few novels were written with another woman) some tips, asked us to send her a few chapters, and shortly after, she was able to find a home for the book (s). I know it's not always so easy. We were very lucky.

    Years later, after taking a few years off from writing to edit a journal, that same editor mentioned that she'd be willing to represent the seaside knitters. And once again, she found a very nice home for them!
    
 - What are you currently reading?
I am reading The Room, a haunting novel by Emma Donoghue, Cutting for Stone, and Innocent.

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Hmmm. Not sure if this qualifies as a quirk, but I have a great interest in exploring the friendship among strong women. I also think I have pretty good insight into what makes people tick. I employ both those interests and skills in weaving the knitters'  tales.


- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?
I've never been in a critique group, though I've taught creative writing in college and we did critiquing there. I rarely show my writing to anyone before it goes to my editor, although I do brainstorm with a friend who is also a mystery writer. My editor is my critique person, in a way.

I don't have anything against, critique groups, though, provided there are rules that keep people from doing damage to one another's writing ego. I think critique groups can provide a structure that makes it easier for writers to keep writing.

 Special note:
My next Seaside Knitters book is A Holiday Yarn. It will be in bookstores Nov. 2, 2010. And I am deep into writing the fifth book in the series, A Wedding Shawl, right now.

I love hearing from readers and invite them to visit my website: http://www.sallygoldenbaum.com/


Thank you for a great interview Sally!!

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PBS has a new Sherlock Holmes series.  It is set in 21st Century London.  I have seen the premier episode and I must say I liked it.  Here is the PBS website for the new show http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/.

Review - Blackwork

We are drawing closer to Halloween and we have a perfect book for it.  Imagine a witch, micro-brew beer, a small town with gossips, a Halloween parade, and a locked room mystery.  We have all that right here.

Author:  Monica Ferris

Copyright:  October 2010 (Berkley) 294 pgs

Series:  13th in Needlecraft Mysteries

Sensuality:  N/A

Mystery Sub-genre:  Cozy

Main Character:  Betsy Devonshire, midde-aged owner of the Crewel World needlework shop

Setting:  Modern day, Excelsior, Minnesotta, approaching Halloween

Obtained Through:  Publisher for an honest review

The town drunk, Ryan, falls off the wagon and loudly taunts the town's only Wicca practioner, Leona who co-owns a microbrew pub in town.  Within a week Ryan is found dead and people initially think it was his long-time drinking problem that got him.  But turns out that his death is rather suspicious and somebody has started a crusade to pin it on Leona.  Leona goes to kindly Betsy and asks her to please find out who is spreading the nasty rumors about her.

In classic cozy fashion Ryan had made several enemies who could have hated the drunk enough to kill him.  But he was in a locked room with no evidence of how he was killed nor any hint of a murder weapon.  The Medical Examiner puts it down as natural causes.  But there is a murderer on the loose and Betsy starts out on the trail, first figuring out the murder weapon then starts on who had access along with a reason to hate the mean and vindictive drunk.

This is a classic cozy with a locked room puzzle.  I liked the murder weapon, it was creative and very effective.  The plot is not an edge-of-your-seat ordeal but I thought moved along nicely.  I enjoyed reading a mystery where the sleuth didn't have to make excuses and have contrived reasons for investigating, she just did it.  I know there are readers who want it to be really plausible why the sleuth gets involved.  I get frustrated over that, since the whole point I am reading is for this person to get on with nosing around.  So a note of warning, if you expect an excuse for your sleuth to be poking around you won't get it here.  Betsy just jumps in and the town has come to expect it.

I will say that for a cozy it didn't seem to have developed the characters to the usual expectation.  Typically a cozy is heavy on the world building, developing a community that the reader feels enveloped in.  I suspect that is why cozies are so popular - they are downright addicting.  I was drawn into the story and enjoyed Betsy and her store employee Godwin but I can't say I felt strongly about the supporting cast.  There is the Monday Bunch, a group of needle crafters who meet at the shop every Monday.  But I didn't feel they were buddies I will miss.  I can't speak for the previous books that might have had this sense more strongly.  Incidentally, the title "Blackwork" refers to a type of needlework that plays into the story.

I appreciated the evenhanded treatment of the character Leona and her Wicca faith while the main character Betsy attends church faithfully.  Ms. Ferris obviously did her homework to fairly represent Leona and it was well done.  Kudos I think are in order there.  Some readers may be upset by that topic while others will find this a safe way to find out some tidbits about Wicca from a distance. 

The great reveal I thought was imaginative - including a chase scene during a hectic and confusing parade.  I have to say I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and have become a fan.  I am eagerly awaiting the next book to get to know the characters better.

The story goes into the Microbrew beer process a little in the story, which is interesting.  I am including this short clip about brewing beer for your enjoyment.

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Author Interview - Margaret Coel

Mysteries and My Musings is immensely grateful that Margaret Coel agreed to honor us with an interview.  You can read the review of her latest novel, The Spider's Web, here.  She is a fellow native Coloradan who hails from a pioneer Colorado family. The West — the mountains, plains, and vast spaces — are in her bones, she says. 

Along with the Wind River mystery series, Margaret Coel is the author of five non-fiction books including the award-winning Chief Left Hand, published by the University of Oklahoma Press. This biography of an Arapaho chief and history of the Arapahos in Colorado has never gone out of print. The Colorado Historical Society recently included Chief Left Hand among the best 100 books on Colorado history.

She writes in a small study in her home on a hillside in Boulder. The window frames a view of the Rocky Mountains and the almost-always blue sky. A herd of deer are usually grazing just outside, and one summer a couple of years ago, a mountain lion made its home closeby.

"Every day,"she says, "I drink in the West."  

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

I always start with the plot idea, usually just a tiny spark of something I think would be interesting to write about.  For The Spider's Web, the tiny idea was that of an outsider arriving on the Wind River Reservation and bringing murder, chaos and distrust in her wake.  I let the idea float round for awhile, asking myself a lot of "what if?" questions.  What if the outsider is a psychopath?  What if the Arapahos blame her for the murder of an Arapaho man?  What if she appears to be innocent?   What if Father John senses something dangerous in her?  And what if Vicky takes her as a client?  How will that affect Vicky's relationship with her people?  With Father John?  Eventually, the tiny spark grows into the plot of the novel. 

- Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc) before sitting down and writing?

I don't do a true outline.  Rather, it is more like a road map.  I map out where I'm going to start, how I'm going to go, and where I intend to end up.  What I never know until I get into the writing itself is what adventures my characters may have along the way, what marvelous things might develop that I hadn't foreseen.  But with my road map, the characters can't ever go too far afield.  At the same time, I think you always have to leave room for the surprises, because they can be wonderful.

- What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write?

I begin by jotting down obvious facts about the character.  Physical description, hair and eye color, little ticks, background and education--all that kind of thing.  I ask myself, what is it this character WANTS?  Then I start writing, and I find that I learn all kinds of things about my characters as I write about them.  With The Spider's Web, Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden make their fifteenth appearance, and you know what?  I am still learning new things about them.  

- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and do you have anything special you do before writing, particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?

 I think of my writing as a job, and like any job, I do it everyday, except for Sundays (usually).  About the only ritual I have is that I walk three miles every morning before I start work.  I find walking not only loosens my muscles, it seems to loosen my brain and gets the ideas flowing.  While I love music, I prefer to work in silence.  Just me and my characters having a conversation.

- What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?

 I write in my office at home, and I try to get to the "office" by 9 am. and write 4 or 5 hours.  Then I spend a couple hours on the business part of the writing business, dealing with agents, editors, publicists, emails, speaking requests and so on.  Also I do a lot of research for each novel, so I spend time reading and gathering information on the internet.  Makes for very full days that usually don't end until 6 p.m. or so.  I can write a novel in 6 months or less.  But each year, I not only write a novel, I write short stories, essays, book reviews, book introductions--all kinds of pieces.

- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?

Absolutely nothing.  Except for the fact that I always loved to read mystery novels from the time I discovered Nancy Drew--and that was a long time ago.  I have always followed the advice I was given years ago by a writing teacher:  Write what you love to read.  I love to read history, and I wrote four history books.  I love to read biography and wrote a biography.  I love to read mysteries---so there you are.

- How did you get your first break toward getting published?  Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter etc?

My experience was different for the non-fiction/history books, which I wrote, submitted to the publishers myself, and had them accepted. 

To sell a mystery novel, I knew I would need an agent.  First, I wrote the novel, The Eagle Catcher.  Not until I had the completed novel did I put on my business cap and go out to sell it. Remember, you can't sell something that doesn't exist!   I attended conferences where I met agents and editors.  I did a lot of networking among my writer friends. And, yes, I sent out queries.   Through all of that I located my first agent who not only sold The Eagle Catcher to Berkley Publishing, but got me a contract for the next two novels.   

- What are you currently reading?

 Innocent, by Scott Turow.  It is excellent.

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

  I can't write without my cup of tea. I've been known to drive to the grocery just for tea because I was out.   No tea, no writing.

- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

  I was part of a critique group when I started writing my first novel, The Eagle Catcher.  I found the experience very helpful.  We met every two weeks and brought a part of our chapters to read.  I learned a lot about what was working and what wasn't in my novel from the other members' comments.  The time came when I felt confident to strike out on my own, but  I recommend critique groups as a way to get started. At the very least, you always  have to write something for the next meeting, so it spurs you on.  No excuses.

Thank You Ms. Coel for that great interview!!

Please leave comments and show Ms. Coel our appreciation for her time.

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Review - Tomb With a View

We are well into October and the nights are getting a chill to them, the air is nippy and smells of coming snow.  I love autumn actually.  I like to think of it as Mother Nature wearing her finest garments before digging out the cold weather gear.  Today we look at a mystery in a cemetery.  A good little Halloween read.

Author:  Casey Daniels

Copyright:  July 2010 (Berkley) 292 pgs

Series:  6th in Pepper Martin Mysteries

Sensuality:  Mild romance

Mystery Sub-genre:  Paranormal Cozy


Main Character:  Red-head Pepper Martin, cemetery tour guide and ghost whisperer who is a daughter of a prominent surgeon father, and a society mother.

Setting:  Modern day, Cleveland Ohio's Garden View Cemetery

Obtained Through:  Publisher for and honest review


Pepper is teamed up with the most obnoxious volunteer at the cemetery to put a President Garfield Commemoration together.  Pepper whines a lot about having to work with spiteful and mean Marjorie Klinker.  Marjorie constantly drones on about how she is related to James A. Garfield, twentieth President, via an affair and resulting illegitimate offspring.   Marjorie makes it clear to Pepper that she will be her "go-fer" in the commemoration efforts and starts piling it on Pepper.  So when Pepper gets a voice-mail first thing in the morning from Marjorie, she takes her time getting over to the memorial.  When she does arrive she finds Marjorie having taken a dive off the upper balcony onto the floor below at the foot of the Garfield statue.  The police determine there was a struggle and Marjorie was sent flying over the balcony.

Usually Pepper is approached by the dead to help them with something unfinished.  But Pepper is surprised that Marjorie isn't the ghost coming to her, but rather the ghost of President Garfield who stays in the memorial carrying on the presidential work that was cut short by a stalker turned shooter.  Garfield wants the ruckus to stop so he can work!  So why does Pepper dig into who killed Marjorie?  Because she just broke up with her police boyfriend, Quinn who couldn't accept that she sees and talks to dead people.  Quinn makes it very clear that she is meddlesome, so she is determined to solve Marjorie's murder before him.  Pepper also has a stalker since the previous book where she was in a reality show, Cemetery Survivor, about restoring a near-by cemetery.  The stalker is getting closer and she now has a face associated with her fears.

I had not read any of the Pepper Martin series before and it is easy to pick up the background information.  Pepper is used to living the high life until her dad went to jail for insurance fraud, so she is struggling to make a living as the only paid guide at the cemetery.  Imagine Paris Hilton having to get a real job and actually work and you have Pepper's situation down.  Pepper will appeal to some but not all readers.  She is young, brash, and a bit superficial - although she is working on that.  The stand-out character in this book is President Garfield himself.  I felt as though the 1880's social moors were brought to life not to mention Garfield's commanding personality in this one character.  Well done!  The "ex" is sufficiently portrayed as negative in attitude towards Pepper, which spurs her on.  There is an FBI agent that might have potential in future books that surfaces.

I suppose I should have been impressed.  I mean, what with this new ghost having been president and all.  But honestly, I wanted nothing to do with the old guy.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm not used to ghosts by now, and I'm sure not afraid of them.  After all, they've been bugging me ever since the day I hit my head  on one of the mausoleums at the cemetery.  And I've been a good sport about it, if I do say so myself.  I solve their murders.  I help them clear their names and their reputations.  Sure, I've considered bailing on this goofy Gift of mine plenty of times, but in the end, I've never shirked my responsibilities toward those pesky spooks.  They want closure, I give them closure, even if it means risking my own life.

What do I get in return?

I get walked out on by the man I loved.

This is a fast and easy read with a sufficient plot to carry the reader through.  The plot actually has several threads going but they all wrap up well.  The Garfield memorial provides a good setting within the cemetery itself and Pepper's investigating is on par for a cozy.  The big reveal of the murderer had just enough suspense and the wrap-up of the stalker sub plot was perhaps the best scene in the book. 

If you are looking for a light and easy spooky read (similar to Kate Collins' Flower Shop Mysteries) this may be just what you are looking for.

Now for a little Tombstone humor:

"In loving memory of Ellen Shannon, aged 25,
Who was accidentally burned March 21, 1870,
By the explosion of a lamp filled with R.E. Danforth's
Non-explosive burning fluid."
Epitaph in cemetery at Girard, Pa.


"Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake,
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake."
Gravestone near Uniontown, Pa.

"Here lies John Yeast,
Pardon me for not rising."
Cemetery in Ruidoso, N.M.

"Here lies Lester Moore,
Four slugs from a forty-four.
No Les,
No Moore."
Boothill Cemetery, Tombstone Ariz.

"I Told You I Was Sick"
Cemetery in Key West, Fla.

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Author Interview - Rhys Bowen

I am excited and happy that Rhys Bowen has given an interview to Mysteries and My Musings!  She writes two mystery series that are each wonderful.  She writes the Molly Murphy and the Royal Spyness mysteries.  Check out the review of Last Illusion here and Royal Blood here.

 A little background about Ms. Bowen.  Rhys was born in Bath, England, of a Welsh/English family, and educated at London University. She worked for the BBC in London, as an announcer then drama studio manager. She sang in folk clubs with luminaries like Simon and Garfunkel and Al Stewart, and also started writing her own radio and TV plays.  She married and settled in the San Francisco area, where she has lived ever since, raising four children. (Although she now spends her winters in her condo in Arizona.)

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

Since I write two series currently they each start from a different point. The Molly Murphy books, set in 1900s New York City, usually start from an area of the city or a part of society I'd like to explore. Once I sent Molly undercover in the garment industry. Next time she's going into Chinatown. And the crime evolves from what she encounters there.

For my lighter Royal Spyness series about a minor royal in the 1930s the book starts with somewhere fun to send Georgie, somewhere that will make life really complicated for her, as well as something that ties in to real history. So, for example, in the latest, Royal Blood, I thought wouldn't it be fun if Georgie had to attend a royal wedding in Europe and it turned out to be in Transylvania and I could do the whole vampire spoof thing.

So I rarely know who is going to be killed when I start to write, and even more rarely know who the killer will be.





- Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc) before sitting down and writing?

I start knowing almost nothing. I send my character into a situation and see what happens to her. I just follow along. This way I'm shocked and surprised when things go wrong for her. I'm not the puppet master jerking her strings, I'm her side-kick, viewing the action from behind the drapes. I think it makes for a much stronger book.





- What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write?
I think creating character is like developing a friendship. When they first come on the page I know the essentials--how they look, what they are doing at this particular place and time, why I've introduced them to my story. It's like meeting someone at a cocktail party. They tell you the essential facts about them. If you enjoy the conversation you meet again and as a friendship develops gradually they reveal more about themselves. Thus by book four I've learned a lot more about my characters than I knew in book one. But I couldn't have arbitrarily created those facets of character. I had to find them out by watching that character in action and gradually becoming closer to her (or him).
 

This is the huge beneft of a series--we come to know a whole cast of characters really well.



- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and do you have anything special you do before writing, particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?
I'm a professional writer and I write two books a year. Doctors don't have to get in the mood to examine patients. They do it every day. Pretty much the same for me. When I'm writing I write every day. I have a home office. I go to my computer with my morning cup of tea, read my emails and then start to revise what I wrote the day before and then start writing. Some days it flows easily, some days it doesn't, but I do not allow myself to leave until I've finished 5 pages a day. That way I know I can complete a first draft in the required period of time.





- What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?
As I mentioned I write two books a year. I try to block off three months for the actual writing. Both series require quite a lot of research as they are both historical. I do a lot of background reading before I'm ready to write, but then once I start writing I write every day until I have a first draft on paper. Then I revise, it goes to trusted readers and I get their imput, then final polish and off to publisher. This is fine unless I have agreed to too many speeches across the country during that three months (which I'm afraid I tend to do.)



- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?
I wanted to kill half my teachers in school! No, seriously, I've been a writer all my life, have always created fictitious worlds for myself and have always loved to read mysteries. I like the puzzle aspect, and I especially love the way the mystery can bring justice to the universe.  I also love the type of book that takes the reader to another place and time--hence the historical aspects.


- How did you get your first break toward getting published?  Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter etc? 

Sorry, I've had a rather serendipitous career that just isn't typical. I started writing plays when I was with BBC drama in London. I took my first play to the head of drama. He said he liked it and they were going to produce it. Simple as that.

After a stint with ABC in Australia I married and found myself in California. Nothing like BBC drama, so I wrote a children's book. First publisher declined. Second accepted it and teamed me with famous illustrator. I published many books and some TV tie ins before I turned to crime, but by that time I had learned my craft and my agent had two competing bids on my first crime novel.




- What are you currently reading?
I just bought a Kindle today so I'm going to start by working my way through the complete Jane Austen. Then Connie Willis's Blackout. I've just re-read Harry Potter 7 as a comfort read as I rushed to finish my next book.


- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
 I can tell quite dark stories with humor without in any way making light of them. Laura Lippman once said of me, "Few writers create this mixture of light and dark." I see the humor in life, and I think I tell stories in a great first person voice.

- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

I have certain trusted people who read and comment on my books before they go to the publisher. Not a real critique group. I do think it helps to have more than one pair of eyes look at a manuscript before it goes out. We tend to overlook a lot of our own faults. There are two things against a critique group that I can see: they are too nice and never give true critiques so they don't hurt your feelings, or they tear it to shreds and take away your belief in yourself. Also they need to be your peers and to know what they are talking about.

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Review - The Seventh Witch

Continuing with the Halloween theme we have a great Amateur Sleuth novel for everyone today.  I have been waiting to read and review this book for just this time of year.  I have read all the books in this series and have always enjoyed them.  So let's travel to hills of North Carolina.

Author:  Shirley Damsgaard

Copyright:  Jan 2010 (Avon) 288 pgs

Series:  7th in Ophelia and Abby Mysteries


Sensuality:  Mild romance

Mystery Sub-genre:  Paranormal Amateur Sleuth


Main Character:  Ophelia Jensen, Summerset Iowa librarian with psychic powers and her grandmother Abby who is descended from a long line of witches


Setting:  Modern day, hills of North Carolina


Obtained Through:  Purchased my own copy

This book leaves small Summerset Iowa behind for the hill country of North Carolina as Ophelia, her adopted medium daughter Tatiana (Tink), and Abby travel to the family roost for Great Aunt Mary's one hundredth birthday celebration.  Great Aunt Mary is the iron-fisted matriarch of the family who scared Ophelia in her youth with her sternness.  But shortly after arriving a snake is discovered in Abby's bedroom that zones in on Abby.  It becomes clear that a fifty-some-year-old feud with the neighboring Doran family has been stoked by Abby's return.  Apparently the Doran family has gained a reputation in the hills as being dangerous witches you don't want to cross if you value your or your family's health.

Ophelia, never one to back down from a bully starts asking questions about what started the feud and why one parcel of family land was given to the Dorans.  That particular piece of land has a stone circle, called the Seven Sisters, similar to Stonehenge, that probably dates back to early Native Americans.  But nobody in the family wants to dig up the past or rock the strained "truce" with the Dorans.  Then a man who Ophelia witnessed argue with Sharon Doran is found dead and Ophelia is on the case.  Ophelia keeps digging and the stakes keep getting raised. This book has your classic feud only between powerful witch families.

"Hush, Granny."  The younger woman stroked her grandmother's gnarled hand.  "I won't fail...I promise."  The dim light reflected in her eyes, turning them black, and the shadow of her kneeling body seemed to grow as if the spirit fleeing the old woman's invaded hers.  "They'll pay..."  Her voice trailed away while the ticking of the clock filled the room.  "They'll pay with blood."

At his niece's words, his mother's eyes drifted shut.  One last breath and her chest stilled forever.

His niece stood, placed a soft kiss on his mother's wrinkled cheek, and quietly crossed the room to the dresser.  Taking a shawl, she draped it across the old wavy mirror hanging on the wall.  Then she opened the glass door of the clock and stopped the swinging pendulum.  A heavy silence suddenly fell upon the room.  she turned, and with one last look at the quiet form lying in the double bed, she marched out the door.

Most of the series regulars are in this book, except Ophelia's best friend Darci who only gets a cameo appearance in a phone call.  Even the potential romantic interest, Ethan is back.  This book explores Abby's Appalachian roots and grounds Ophelia (and the reader) in her rich legacy.  I was delighted to have Ophelia's mom and dad throughout the book who are the only non-magical characters.  Their interactions with Tink were a nice counterweight for the otherwise serious tone.  I enjoyed their characters as well as the colorful cast of country relations that populate the landscape.  Each character was well drawn and the setting was  richly cast so I felt like I was in the isolated backwoods of North Carolina.

The plot took a standard idea of a family feud and built a captivating story.  There were a few areas that could have been further developed but weren't, some missed opportunities.  Which is easy for a "Monday Morning Quarterback" who isn't writing it, but I would have truly enjoyed some of the smaller story ideas utilized further.  I am always pleased when Ophelia uses her powers, but it didn't happen in this story.  She digs information up and confronts accepted thinking.  But in the climax where I was hoping for her to tap into her magical self, she doesn't.  The Seven Sisters stone circle was a great element that I would have enjoyed a parting progress report on in the wrap up, but no luck there.  These are all "nice to have" comments that don't necessarily detract from the story - they just would have been icing.

The plot was solid enough to carry the reader through to the end, and even though the reader sees what is happening before Ophelia, that is how I think it was meant to be for suspense.  Like watching a thriller movie and knowing the character just should not open that door!  The witch-magic element is low key compared to the Hollywood influenced books, which gives it a bit more realistic touch and keeps the "horror movie" factor down.  Bottom line, this is an enjoyable read that has well defined characters and setting as its strongest points.

I enjoyed this book as I have the rest of the series and I suspect that some of you may enjoy it as well.


Now for a classic Southern recipe RED EYE GRAVY that was mentioned in the story.

Ingredients:

• Country ham
• Boiling black coffee
• Brown sugar to taste (optional)

Preparation:

Red-eye gravy, requires first a good, well-cured country ham.

Take a slice of uncooked ham with most or much of the fat left on. Fry the ham in its own fat until nicely browned on both sides. When it is cooked, transfer the ham to a warm platter and add boiling black coffee  to the skillet, scraping to dissolve the particles that cling to the bottom and sides.

That is red-eye gravy, which you pour over the ham and serve.

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Mystery & Crime Fiction Blog Carnival for October 2010

 

 It is time for yet another Blog Carnival.  But first let me share that October is National Book month...and also National Cookie month.  So the Great American Cookies is giving away a free cookie if you bring in a new or gently used book for their book drive.  All book donations will be offered as a donation to the local library in your area.  Check out the website here for more details.

    Click on the book title to go to that blog

Police Procedural Book Review
  Tutu's Two Cents reviewed Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny

OmniBlog reviewed The Attenbury Emeralds by Jill Paton Walsh

Private Investigator Book Review   Bestsellersworld gives us a review of A Deadly Row by Casey Mayes  Times Union gives us a review of a lighter PI novel with To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinn   
Amateur Sleuth book Review   
Words by Webb gives us a review of Following Polly by Karen Bergreen

ArticlesBag provides us a review of Murder in the Museum by Simon Brett


Cozy Mystery Book Review   Tutu's Two Cents reviews A Timely Vision by Joyce and Jim Laverne

Book Chic City reviews Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody
   Thriller/Suspense Fiction Book Review  
Debbie's Book Bag provides a review of The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill

BookMystery9 provides a review of Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child  Rundpinne provides a review of  Last to Die by Kate Brady

Rundpinne provides a review of Pretty Little Things by Jillianne Hoffman


Author Interview
Mysteries and My Musings provides an interview with Lauren Carr

Mysteries and My Musings provides an interview with Suzanne Arruda

Book Chic City provides and interview with Frances Brody


Writing Tips and Advice 

  Writer's Sense gives us "How to Create a Traitor"

Writer's Sense gives us "Made to Stick for Writers: Emotional"

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Spread the word far and wide!!!
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