Middle-of-the-Year Reading Resolution - From My #Bookshelf

Resolutions exploding like Fireworks!

Almost everyone compiles a list of resolutions, or thinks about making resolutions, at the start of each New Year. Then July rolls around, and with half the year gone, the list becomes more burden than incentive. My good-intentions list is no exception - other than for my "reading resolution" as recorded on my annual Goodreads Reading Challenge. 

A reading list keeps me focused. But personal, recommended book suggestions are always welcome and often a pleasant surprise.  

Hawaii Fiction Writers group meets monthly at the Aina Haina Library on the island of O'ahu. Recently the library extended an invitation to local writer, G.T. London, to speak about her writing and a recently published sequel to her novel, Second Chances and Then Some. 

G.T. London spent years living in England, working as a business and leadership coach, consultant, and trainer in the UK and Canada. She also served as a guest lecturer for MBA students before becoming a full-time writer and moving with her husband to live in Hawaii.

I quickly read G.T. London's first novel before the meeting and commented in my book review: 

The intrigue of a mystery and a heavy undercurrent of possible romance held my interest throughout the novel. Strong character development and a satisfying denouement deserve top stars.

*****

**I am eager to read the author's second novel, Eight Weeks Later, because it is set in Hawaii and has a genealogical mystery in its plotline . . . so stay tuned for future comments!**

*****

Book Review: Cry To Me by J.A. Schneider

Welcome to Book Review Monday. According to an encouraging adage for writers, “Successful writing includes the side component of reading.” As testament to this adage, reading keeps me grounded, informed, aware, and alive. Novels entertain me. News reports and essays tie me to a teeming, ever-growing and changing society of ideas. Non-fiction stimulates my mind, allowing me to transform my own thoughts into written words. 

The list of books I’ve read and reviewed over the past year isn’t genre-specific, only slightly tilted toward suspenseful mysteries. But to my way of thinking, every story contains a mystery, with suspense of one sort or another to hold the reader’s interest. Mixed genres work well to satisfy the desires of multiple preferences. 

On the topic of mixed genres, if you are looking for an entertaining novel filled with suspense, thrills, and a touch of romance to read this week, look no further than: 

“CRY TO ME: An Intense Romantic Suspense Thriller” by J.A. Schneider

“Cry To Me” is one of Joyce’s best novels, which says a lot because her entire Embryo series kept me well-entertained as she pumped them out over the years.

In her latest stand-alone novel, "Cry To Me", the story’s main character and narrator Kim attends a celebration of her sister and brother-in-law’s renovated mansion. Loud music, business connections interested only in making money or getting revenge, and an exposed affair all lend suspicion when the host is found dead and the hostess clings to life after both are shot by an unknown assailant.  

A hurricane is brewing, moving closer each day as police attempt to clear the  investigation. They quickly assume murder and attempted suicide. But Kim  refuses to accept that her sister shot her husband and then tried to kill herself. As a crime fiction writer, Kim proceeds to use her detecting skills to dig up evidence proving her sister’s innocence. But as the storm builds, threatening imminent power outages and severed satellite service, the narrowing list of possible suspects has Kim, and the reader, wavering over who is the true killer. 

Simmering tension and character development held my attention throughout the plotline’s steady escalation. The local book club selection for May, “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie, is described by many as the best mystery ever written. For thrills and accuracy, I would say “Cry To Me” is comparable.

*****

Upcoming post - Wednesday June 9: “Novel Research” interview with J.A. Schneider. Get to know more about the author whose novels are as addictive as Belgian chocolate truffles.

*****

"Cry To Me" is available at Amazon.com - the kindle edition on sale now for 99cents.   

CRY TO ME: An intense romantic suspense thriller - Kindle edition by Schneider, J.A. . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Yeoman's Daughter

###

The 26 eclectic-genre short stories for my #AtoZChallenge are excerpts from travelogue notes by

novel character Gahlen, who first appeared in SHARDS OF MEMORY – Oral History in a Heartbeat.

Each A-to-Z daily post is a complete, stand-alone tale.

Yeoman’s Daughter

Genre: Historical Romance

(386 words)

Katerina stared toward the aging castle looming over the Bohemian countryside. Its crumbling structure served as a backdrop to her life. Memories surfaced of her father’s return from the war, alive but crippled for life. Whether limbs or part of their minds were lost, most men who survived were left to struggle with farm life.

*

Her father, a yeoman, could no longer make simple decisions such as when to till the fields or how to plant and sow. He roamed the fields when left unattended. If he wandered into town, the feed mill owner escorted him home after shop closing. Sometimes the local priest walked him home and stayed for supper.

Katerina’s mother was a daughter of the yeoman who originally owned the farm. She had gradually stopped contending with the uncertainties of life and taken to her bed. If she spotted the priest strolling down the lane with her husband in tow, she barred her bedroom door.

“Evening Miss Kate,” Father Tam would say, doffing an imaginary hat. “Your father and I have been for a walk. We could both use a shot of brandy and a bowl of soup. If that is not too much bother.”

Katerina dutifully poured the brandy and heated the soup. Her poor father went along with Father Tam’s charade, never appearing to doubt that the priest spoke the absolute truth. Following the sparse meal, Katerina settled her father in a chair near the wood stove, wrapping a blanket tight around his legs.

Then she and Father Tam would step outside. With the abandoned castle at their back, they discussed her father’s condition, pointedly ignoring that her mother might be suffering with a different problem.

*

Katerina walked out to the lawn swing, adjusting her skirts to sit. As her gaze wandered up to the castle, a touch of melancholy filled her. The affair, as secret as it was forbidden, had lasted a year. She still blushed to think of how they inhaled the essence of each other’s souls and dreamed the intimacies of one another’s ambitions.

They never tarnished their love by consummating the relationship. When the parish choirmaster had recommended a transfer to a congregation in Prague for Father Tam, Katerina was devastated. But the week after the priest vacated their town, her mother left her bed.

*****

PAYING IT FORWARD: Author and Checker Maven Bob Newell

 

 

 

Not every person who invites me to join a writer's group is a master of his or her own universe. With Bob Newell, however, this is indeed the case. Bob has been blogging about Checkers and strategic checker moves for over a decade. To me, that makes him the master of the game. That he also writes short stories about checker-mysteries truly elevates his status in my eyes.

 
My reasons for thanking Bob in the "Paying It Forward" spotlight today have nothing to do with board games or sly moves, though.

 

When Bob invited me to join Waikiki Word Wranglers, his writer's group, I quickly accepted. How ideal to have local authors help me improve my writing, and in the shadow of Waikiki's iconic landmark Diamond Head, no less.

 

Over the months and years, this group has become 'Ohana, a family. Bob directs the meetings to keep everyone on track, notifying us of time or date changes along the way. For his group, he has chosen authors who write in various genres, are from diverse backgrounds, and hold very definite opinions on life in general.

Courting Jane
by Bob Newell
Available at Amazon

Before I published my latest novel, Bob agreed to do a read-through and offer any ideas for improvement. I was especially grateful for his comments and suggestions. He has a tendency to "tell it like it is." Serious writers know that honesty is the only advice worth receiving during the final editing process of a work-in-progress.

For Bob's expert advice, constant support, and good-hearted laughs over comfort food and drink such as poke (pronounced poe-key; raw ahi fish) bowls and frozen hot chocolate at gatherings around O'ahu, I say Mahalo plenty.

*****     *****     *****

You can visit Bob at:

Blog site: http://www.bobnewell.net/nucleus/checkers.php

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Newell/e/B01AO5EFVK/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Jane Austen Society, JASNA Hawai'i: http://www.bobnewell.net/nucleus/jasnahawaii.php

ROUTE 66 TO THE MILKY WAY #FridayReview 4 of 71

Route 66 to the Milky Way
by Janet Rendall

Everyone is familiar with Route 66, the "Main Street" of America that originally ran from Chicago and Flagstaff to Santa Monica. If you haven’t traveled the route, you probably remember the song, (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66. Either way, you will be learning a lot more about Route 66 in Janet Rendall’s novel Route 66 to the Milky Way. 

Rendall’s novel, part mystery, part Sci-Fi, part love story, tells of two space aliens stuck in our dimension. This is due to a fluke in their technology, far advanced from that of Earth. For the foreseeable future, they are unable to use the space craft to return to their world. How they cope with our society, “pass” as human, and arrive at survival-making decisions are all imaginatively described as the story unfolds. 

It was not difficult to suspend disbelief while reading Route 66 to the Milky Way. Rendall’s words easily drew me into this new world, giving me convincing reasons to accept the plot’s plausibility and the aliens’ struggles to survive. 

I was fascinated by the world Rendall created as seen through the eyes of those who do not take what they observe for granted. Roswell, and Area 51 play their roles; it would have been dereliction of duty had Rendall not included these in her tale. 

The two aliens travel Route 66 in search of the dimensional conduit that would return them to their world. Why they choose Route 66 as their salvation, and how that decision pans out as they drive though towns like Winona and Two Guns, and view billboard ads for Phillips 66 and Burma Shave, is the often-humorous crux of this entertaining novel. 

So pack a lunch, hop on board, and enjoy the ride back to 1949. 

 

Next up for review is:

 

 

Just Kids by Patti Smith

 

FAST FORWARD with Author Michele Drier

SNAP: The World Unfolds
Premier novel in Michele Drier's
Kandesky Vampire Chronicles






Today my guest for a Fast Forward interview is Michele Drier, author of the Kandesky Vampire Chronicles. What initially impressed me about the first novel in her series, SNAP: The World Unfolds, was Michele’s relaxed writing style. She has created a strong female protagonist in Maxmilla Gwenoch, who is informed and energetic with a self-awareness that stays with her throughout the series. Michele deftly blends mystery, suspense, and romance into her Vampire Chronicles. 

 



Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home. During her career in journalism — as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers – she won awards for producing investigative series. 

 

Thank you, Michele, for taking time out of your busy writing schedule (see full details below) to discuss the second novel in your Kandesky Vampire Chronicles. A story’s protagonist often reflects an author’s personality, or displays characteristics the author has chosen to explore. Can you please share with us some of the back story that defines your protagonist but isn’t included in the published novels? 



MICHELE DRIER: Maxie Gwenoch, the protagonist in the Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, is a smart, successful magazine editor. She’s overcome years of people telling her that her success is just due to luck. On the surface, she’s a take-charge, no-nonsense career woman, not quite The Devil Wears Prada, but secure in her position and knowledge. What she’s not secure in is her personal life. She wants to believe in having it all, but she’s put personal needs on the back burner. This has made her uncomfortable when she realizes she’s falling in love with Jean-Louis and she chafes at his arrangements for body guards to keep her safe, viewing this as another vote of no-confidence in her abilities. This inner chafing, and what she assumes is trivialization, gets her into big trouble in book two of the Kandesky Vampire Chronicles.



SNAP: New Talent
2nd novel in Michele Drier's
Kandesky Vampire Chronicles

FAST FORWARD: After writing the first novel in a series, it seems that subsequent novels would flow out fully formed. The author has the basics down: format for the storyline; a feel for the proper number of plot lines and chapters; techniques for creating a charismatic protagonist and supporting characters; secrets to making the antagonist likeable; and guidelines for adding conflict right up to and through the denouement. How has writing become easier for you; and what remains as difficult now as when you wrote the first novel? 



MICHELE DRIER: It is easier to write a second and following books in a series. The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles is an unfolding and continuing story and each book tells a part of the story. As I continue to write the series, each character gains depth and nuance (and occasionally behaves in ways I wasn’t expecting!) 

The difficulty for me still lies in the middle third of the book. I’m a panster, meaning I don’t outline the whole plot, but I do know where I’m going to end up. It’s the part between introducing the tension scenes at the beginning and the denouement that always takes more time than I’d allotted. Each scene has to have tension and barriers, and these small arcs have to mesh into the full story arc, as well as the overall arc of the series. I’m not a marathon runner, but I think of the middle third as the part where you just want to lie down and rest, asking yourself why on earth you thought this was a good idea. 

FAST FORWARD: To hold a reader’s attention, a series protagonist must continue to grow or change in each novel. In Sue Grafton’s ABC series, Kinsey Millhone does not age (much), or get married, or acquire children, but she expands her knowledge of the job, begins to carry a gun, and discovers family relatives who are woven into the storyline. Without revealing any spoilers, how has your protagonist developed or changed from Book #1? 

MICHELE DRIER: Maxie is learning behavior patterns that make her less apt to jump at some imagined slight and beginning to curb her jealousy at Jean-Louis’ previous life (all 500 years of it). She’s a product of the late twentieth century United States and she’s living with people who have eighteenth century European sensibilities and manners. 

She’s also from Southern California and more used to going barefoot or wearing flip-flops. Now she’s expected to dress for dinner, meaning high heels, dresses and all. During this process, she’s discovering that she can manage her internal fears without having to resort to high school drama queen tactics, which ultimately gives her more power and gravitas. 

FAST FORWARD: A series requires the presence of a continuing main character. Often, however, there is another recurring character. The almost infinite pairings of main characters with guy/girl Fridays or wingmen could claim its own category on Jeopardy. Two Mystery/Suspense series authors and their interesting (equal or supporting) characters that come to mind are Tess Gerritson’s Rizzoli & Isles; Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino. Is there a recurring secondary character in your series? What is the purpose/role of that character within the plot? 

MICHELE DRIER: The secondary character who most often plays off of Maxie is her one-time assistant, Jazz, a young, knowledgeable, competent woman who helps smooth Maxie’s path as a new editor and who also serves as a solid link to Maxie’s home in L.A. when Maxie get moved to the Baron’s Hungarian castle. Jazz is a touchstone to Maxie’s background and upbringing.

FAST FORWARD: Researching a new novel takes the author on a journey to many new places, whether through books, movies, newspapers, or physical travel. What did you most enjoy about the research process of your second novel, and where did your research take you? 

MICHELE DRIER: Unfortunately, my research has only taken me to Google and others, so far. In SNAP: New Talent the action with the Huszars ricochets from Paris to Budapest, Kiev and Krakow. The Paris settings are places I’ve actually been, but Kiev and Krakow I learned about on the internet (and thank goodness for it!). 

I was surprised at the medieval section of Krakow and that it had been a European Cultural Heritage spot, and I had no idea Kiev had such a background. I’ve been to Hungary but now there are lots of places in middle-Europe on my travel wish-list! 

Where can fans of your novels find you and your books on the Internet?

Links: Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/Z1TeLN

Kobo: http://bit.ly/115Z2kp

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier

Website: http://www.micheledrier.com 

Michele Drier’s mystery Edited for Death, called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review is available at Amazon. She’s working on the second book in the Amy Hobbes Newspaper mysteries, Labeled for Death, out in spring 2013. 

Her paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, is available in ebook, paperback and audible at ebook retailers.  All have received “must read” reviews from the Paranormal Romance Guild. SNAP: The World Unfolds; SNAP: New Talent; Plague: A Love Story; and Danube: A Tale of Murder; are available singly and in a boxed set at Amazon, B&N and Kobo. The fifth book, SNAP: Love for Blood rated 5 stars, is now out. She’s writing SNAP: Happily Ever After? for release in summer 2013 and a seventh book in late fall 2013.

 

FAST FIVE Author Interview with Peter Healy

 Please welcome my guest Peter Healy, author of Vengeance Is Sacred. Peter and I met in a writers' group on LinkedIn and he graciously accepted my request for an interview. Peter was born, raised, and educated in Jersey City, NJ. After retiring from a forty-year teaching career, he set out to fulfill a lifelong goal of writing a novel.

Vengeance Is Sacred takes the reader from the Apennines Mountains in Italy to the early 20th Century streets of New York City with its sweatshops and strikes. One reviewer said of Mr. Healy that his “originality shines with his spectacular first novel.”

FAST FIVE: Thank you for visiting today, Peter. Rather than the 140 characters we’ve grown accustomed to in this fast-paced world of social media, can you share with us a more detailed account of the novel and your research for Vengeance Is Sacred.

PETER: From the mountain farms of Italy to the distant shores of L'America young Paolo forges an unforgettable journey of fortitude, intrigue, and love as he eludes the retribution of the Camorra crime syndicate after a fatal confrontation while defending a young lady. But much more is at stake than just Paolo’s humble life . . . for he has been bestowed with a mysterious family legacy that is now in danger of ending forever.

Fleeing to the New World in 1909, Paolo experiences an unpleasant setback on Ellis Island, which further complicates his difficult position. Without work and diminishing finances, Paolo struggles on his own until he is finally befriended by some unlikely . . . though unsavory sources. But, it is only after meeting the beautiful Maria, a bold, fiery, labor activist that he feels his heart has come home and his life is on track.

The dauntless couple becomes involved in the dangerous garment workers' strike in New York City to protest and hopefully reform the horrible sweatshops. And soon their dissenting activities blossom into a whirlwind romance . . . that soon leads to a pledge of marriage. But nevertheless, a painful breakup occurs when Maria learns of Paolo’s troubled past and his “wanted” status in Italy.

Paolo is heartbroken and feels his life is once again without purpose. But an eerie premonition summons him to the scene of the historical fire at the Triangle Waist Company where the shocking tragedy proves to be the ultimate challenge of Paolo's paranormal ways . . . and a true test of his courage as a man!

Paolo is hailed a hero, but his valiant efforts at the fire stir unwanted recognition, and his enemies from the past now lie in wait . . . to honor their sacred code of vengeance.

Will Maria return to Paolo’s side? Can Paolo overcome the blind forces of reprisal? . . . And is the future as predetermined as one may think?

Vengeance Is Sacred is a work of historical fiction set in the early 1900’s with past events creating the backdrop, capturing the time period, and fueling the storyline.

To provide authenticity and reality to the story I researched the steerage accommodations of transatlantic travel, the processing of immigrants on Ellis Island, the Italian “Black Hand” and the Irish “White Hand” gangs, the sweatshops, the Garment Workers’ Strike of 1909 in New York City, and the infamous Triangle Waist Company fire, which distressed the American conscience and initiated the revamping of American labor laws.

To add a hint of mystery and uncertainty to the story I also researched and then added some high-interest information about paranormal /psychic phenomena. 

FAST FIVE: Over the years, I have researched my family’s history and know the fascination of learning how ancestors journeyed to the new world. You’ve turned your research into a breathtaking story, with focus on the fiery topic of unions that still burns today. Is “the job” the most important part of your protagonist’s life?

PETER: Maria, the female protagonist, works in a sweatshop and wants to help put an end to the injustice of her situation by becoming involved with the Garment Workers’ Union and participating in the strike against the Triangle Waist Company in New York City. While picketing, the marchers are attacked by hired thugs, with Maria and many others beaten and routed as bystanders ignore their plight. What could they expect from the male hierarchy of the times? However, despite her fears, she returns to join her “sisters” in their cause for equality and fair treatment until the strike finally ends. Her strengths are her determination, moxie, independence, and courage.

(SPOILER) She also shows her potency when she saves Paolo during the clash with the Camorra showdown by killing the two assailants. 

GAIL: The Mystery/Suspense genre is the focus of Fast Five interviews, but what unique twist makes your novel stand out?

PETER: Vengeance Is Sacred combines, history, revenge, and love . . . together with the mysteries of the paranormal. The inexplicable aspects of psychic occurrences have always created a fascination for people, and with that vein in mind I was able to include a number of surprises, twists, and turns throughout the novel . . . with very careful attention to believability.

(SPOILER) The most important twist (which has nothing to do with psychic happenings) is that Maria kills the two assailants during the confrontation/showdown between Paolo and the Camorra crime syndicate. One attacker is killed during the melee and the other Maria kills by intention. This shows a depth of potency for Maria that the reader now realizes was always present in her feisty make-up. 

GAIL: You say your feisty female protagonist, Maria, shows her strengths in several ways. Can you describe how is she drawn into suspenseful situations?

PETER: It was turbulent times for labor unions in the early 1900’s, and even more so, for the garment union, which was comprised of mostly young females. It was a man’s world and without a voice or the right to vote, women were badly compromised in the workplace, especially concerning wages. Since Maria worked in a sweatshop and participated in the march against the Triangle Waist Company in New York City, her actions left her open to both threatening and physical hostilities, which created danger, anxiety, and unease throughout the story. Hence, suspense was easily generated. However, it was really Maria’s relationship with Paolo that creates the spiral staircase of suspense/thriller, as the debt from Paolo’s past stands to be collected by the Camorra and Maria is swept into the vengeful attack.

GAIL: Is this book part of a series, and are you working on a sequel?

PETER: The story has been very well-received by readers and I am often asked, “When will you write a sequel?” My characters, it seems, are very easy to become attached to, and I consciously left plenty of opportunity for an extension of the tale. Although nothing has actually been written at this time, I have recently prepared a rough outline and mapped a storyboard to resume the on-going plot.

GAIL: Thank you for sharing many interesting and revealing details about your novel, Vengeance Is Sacred, Peter. This last isn’t so much a Not a Fast Five question as an “if/then” scenario: If Paris is not an option, then where would you most like to spend your time writing and why.

PETER: I would select New York City as my choice. Since it is rich in history, influential in culture/fashion, a leader in commerce, grand in architecture, layered in contrasts, and just brimming with a diversity of people who live at all levels of the human experience it certainly offers the stimulus and motivation that are invaluable for fostering ideas and creating engaging stories.

Where readers can follow Peter Healy:

The first four chapters are available for free reading on the Vengeance Is Sacred website. Please visit. -- http://www.vengeanceissacred.com

The link to Amazon for paperback or Kindle edition is:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=vengeance+is++sacred&x=0&y=0

The link to Barnes and Noble for paperback or Nook edition is:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vengeance-is-sacred-peter-healy/1030631230?ean=2940013392212

FAST FIVE Author Interview with Kate Fellowes

This week’s FAST FIVE Author Interview spotlights Kate Fellowes, author of the novel Thunder in the Night. I am a member of Sisters in Crime, Inc. (SinC) and Sisters in Crime Hawaii Chapter (SinC/Hawaii). Earlier this year, via Internet, I joined Kate’s Wisconsin chapter, WISinC. When Kate asked for “any mystery/suspense/romantic suspense authors among the group” willing to participate in the book launch of her latest novel, Thunder in the Night, I thought of Doc Holliday in the movie, Tombstone, when he said, “I’m your Huckleberry.” Kate graciously agreed to an interview. 

FAST FIVE: Welcome, Kate. Thank you for offering to give us a preview of your new novel, Thunder in the Night. Rather than the 140 characters we’ve grown accustomed to on Twitter, can you share with us a more detailed account of the novel and your research for Thunder in the Night?

KATE FELLOWES: Thunder in the Night is my fifth romantic suspense novel and it's a launch title for the new Crimson Romance ebook line, debuting June 4th.

My heroine is writer Allison Belsar. She's on a trip to Belize with a group of local zoo supporters. The tour is supposed to be an educational adventure, but almost immediately Allison can sense all is not as it seems. The zoo director and his assistant don't get along on nearly every level and it becomes obvious they are both keeping secrets. Of course, this is bait to Allison, who is eager to do stories with more substance than the chatty travel bit she's been assigned.

Mart, the assistant director, is more than willing to answer her questions--to a point. Over the course of those tropical nights, the attraction they feel for each other sparks and then flames. Allison finds herself hoping it will be more than just a holiday romance. When she suffers a fall in the ruins of Tikal and that very night her room is broken into, Mart takes her into his confidence. Her earlier hunch was on the money--something is very wrong on the zoo trek. But as things turn out, it isn't what either of them anticipate.

Intrigue follows them home and once they are back in the States, events escalate, culminating at the zoo's biggest fundraiser, the Mardi Gras ball. Working together, they unmask a killer and help break up a ring of criminals who prey on the most innocent of victims.

I love to read romantic suspense and am especially fond of those writers who represent, for me, the golden age of the genre: Phyllis Whitney, Barbara Michaels, Mary Stewart. One thing you find with their books is you always come away from the story having learned something. I love that, too. With my own work, this book and others, I like to sprinkle in a few facts or interesting tidbits that enhance the action of the story. This book, with so many environmental aspects, made that part--researching and sprinkling--even more fun.

I'm an information gatherer and I've worked in a library most of my adult life, so doing background research on Belize and Mayan ruins was all in a day's work. Now, with the internet making armchair travel so easy, I was able to virtually fly in a helicopter over the rainforest and ride a zipline through the jungle. Someone who read the novel asked me when I was there and I'd have to say that was on my lunch break a few months ago!


FAST FIVE: Your “visit” to Belize and the Mayan ruins is incentive for aspiring writers to dig deep when developing the setting for their characters. In Thunder in the Night, your protagonist is a writer for a local magazine involved with a group of local zoo supporters. Is “the job” the most important part of Allison’s life?

KATE FELLOWES: Allison's career is very important to her, even more so now, because she is coming off a bad marriage and has recently been a casualty of staff cuts at her previous position. Her father is her role model--his example and advice are touchstones for her. She is resilient, able to adapt to changes and meet challenges. She's smart and independent and unafraid.

Allison will look you in the eye and ask the uncomfortable question, then not look away until you answer it. She has a geniune curiosity about the world and a genuine sympathy for others. She doesn't put on any airs and graces, and that draws people to her. If you met her at a party, Allison would set you instantly at ease and you would feel as if you'd known her for years rather than minutes.


FAST FIVE: The Mystery/Suspense genre is the focus of Fast Five interviews, but what unique twist makes your novel stand out?

KATE FELLOWES: Thunder in the Night has a love story at its core, combining an exotic setting with adventure, intrigue and betrayal. The crime that drives the mystery, motivates the murder and ultimately draws Allison and Mart together is a global one but, once they fly home, it's taking place on a really local level. That's always a fascinating concept: what is going on in your own backyard, right under your nose, so to speak, and you don't even have a clue? Luckily, Allison and Mart do have the clues--and, of course, they have each other.


FAST FIVE: How does your main character’s profession draw her into suspenseful situations, (murder, for instance?)

KATE FELLOWES: Allison is now writing for a local magazine after being downsized from a big newspaper. Her goal is to be an investigative journalist, ferreting out injustice and abuses of power, so she's frustrated having to do this travel piece on the trip to Belize. As soon as she realizes there's trouble on the trek, her reporter instincts kick into high gear. I think wherever she goes, Allison will always be looking for the Real Story. In Belize, she definitely finds it!


FAST FIVE: Is Thunder in the Night part of a series, and are you working on a sequel?

KATE FELLOWES: This book is not part of a series, Allison and Mart will be happy, ever after! I'm currently shopping around a cozy mystery series (I have two titles written, so far) and am looking forward to beginning a new novel over the summer, which is always such a good time to write. But then, so is winter..... :)


FAST FIVE: Thank you for visiting today, Kate, and for the revealing look at your protagonist Allison. I look forward to the June 4th release date of Thunder in the Night and will keep an eye out for that Cozy Mystery series. This last is not a Fast Five question, more an “if/then” scenario: If Paris is not an option, then where would you most like to spend your time writing and why.

KATE FELLOWES: I have two favorite places to write. The first is under the apple trees in our backyard on a summer afternoon. That's one of my favorite places to read, too, so you can always find me there, deep in one book or the other!

The second place is in the stacks of the library at my alma mater, Alverno College. If I want to really concentrate on my writing and come away with good material, I hop in the car and go back to school. Up in the stacks, I'm totally undisturbed. No phones ringing, no chores beckoning, no time clock to keep an eye on. Because I studied there so much back in the day, I remember the library being a place to do real work, so that's what still happens! Hours pass and I'm always smiling as I leave because I've had another great day of writing. Even though I don't get there nearly as often as I'd like to, I always do make it a point to get there. Every one of my novels has been written, in large part or small, in the stacks at school.

Where to find Kate Fellowes on the Internet:

http://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Kate+Fellowes
https://twitter.com/#!/katefellowes @katefellowes
http://katefellowes.wordpress.com/
http://www.amazon.com/When-Shadows-Fall-ebook/dp/B004I5BW1Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336370306&sr=1-1

Mystery, Romance, and a Proper Manuscript Critique

The Sisters In Crime (SinC) Hawaii writers gathered with the Romance Writers of America Hawaii in the Laulima Room of the Hale Koa in Waikiki for a holiday luncheon. Our colorful meal consisted of creamy-broth vegetable soup; chicken breast salad with radish medallions and endive topped with a lemony-flavored dressing; and generous, wedges of cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries.

After gifts were exchanged, we collaborated in . . . what else . . . writing a group story. One person started the project by writing the first lines of a story, the next person added a few thoughts, and each writer along the way offered another segment to the tale of a girl in black-stockings and her encounter with a beer-bellied Santa. Things turned a bit risqué for a moment but got back on track to end with a touch of humor and the desired twist of a romantic mystery, or a mysterious romance novel.

A prop demonstration was next on the agenda. Each participant presented an item representing an author or famous character in a novel. A quill, protest sign, dagger, and a spray of orchids kept everyone guessing and laughing. The hands-down winning prop was a basket containing a puppy-dog named Toto.

Our guest speaker was Patricia Wood, the author of the novel, LOTTERY. With humor and the voice of experience, she entertained and educated us with accounts of her journey to publication. Of special benefit to every writer present, was her description of what is, and is not, a proper manuscript critique.

Copy editing, which includes pointing out errors in grammar, spelling, or sentence structure, has no place in a critique. Patricia stated that, so often before even beginning to read a manuscript, the person grabs a pencil with the intention of marking errors. But a critique is meant for the big picture, she said, a total read-through without any marks!

Prescribing is not part of a good critique either. Suggestions such as, “Give that secondary character more dialogue,” or “Change the direction of the story,” or “Make the protagonist a redhead with a lisp,” are passive-aggressive criticisms couched in the form of helpful critiques, ideas suggesting the writer change the story to what that particular person wants to read, not what the writer wants to write.

A proper critique, Patricia said, addresses such questions as: Does the story hold together? Does the narrative flow properly? And are all the story/plot lines tied up in the end?

Patricia also shared a few tips about how she revises her manuscripts. She begins by reading the first chapter and then the final chapter to see if the story forms a complete arc. She does the same with the second chapter, then the third, to the end, comparing each chapter to the denouement to ensure that everything comes together as planned and nothing gets lost along the way.

Patricia Wood’s novel, LOTTERY, opens with the sentence: “My name is Perry L. Crandall and I am not retarded.” The novel is hailed by author Jacqueline Mitchard as “solid gold.” You will find LOTTERY at Amazon.com

LOTTERY by author Patricia Wood on Amazon