D is for DEADLY SINS #AtoZChallenge

For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write. Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.

D is for Deadly Sins

When authors entertain me from cover to cover, this solidifies my belief that the art of writing is fun. Every writer knows to balance reading with writing. How easy that goal is to meet with books that are fun to read - from cover to cover; books like Six And A Half Deadly Sins.

 

Six And A Half Deadly Sins by author Colin Cotterill is a Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos. When I learned that Mr. Cotterill was invited to be a guest speaker at the 2017 Left Coast Crime Conference in Honolulu (another event where you can have fun being a writer), I looked for his books at the main library on King Street. How lucky of me to have found this book, one of my “fun-est” reads of the year.

Dr. Siri Paiboun’s witticisms make him a loveable character who never becomes overbearing or boring. The novel's humor is subtle, woven into the fabric of the story. It creeps up on you with a quick punch while the action continues to move forward, leaving you to catch up.

 

Retired coroner Siri and his wife are the quintessential happily-married couple; their love undying. When the doctor receives a mysterious package containing a handwoven skirt, known as a “pha sin” with a human finger sewn into the hem, it sends them on a scavenger hunt of clues around the countryside of Northern Laos.

 

Adventure within the pages, the historical narrative, clever clues, and dangers encountered along the way make this a unique mystery. Another Dr. Siri Paiboun Mystery will be available on August 2, 2016, I Shot the Buddha. With a fun title like that, how can I resist?

 

 

 

Liebster Blog Award 2013!

Recently, my friend Sandra Nikolai nominated me for the Liebster award. Sandra is the author of False Impressions, her first mystery novel in a series featuring Megan Scott and Michael Elliott. Thank you for the nomination, Sandra!

 

As required of the Liebster nominee, I have pasted the Liebster award in my blog post and will provide a link back to the nominator's blog. In my case, it is  Sandra Nikolai

 

Next I am to answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated me, Sandra Nikolai, then compose 11 new questions and nominate 11 more friends to join in the party. The idea is to have fun and introduce new people to your blog site. Sounds like a win-win situation to me! 

Here are the 11 questions Sandra posed for her 11 lucky Nominees, along with my responses:

1. Are you a morning person?

Yes, I am awake by 6, just takes awhile to get oriented enough to make coffee! However, I am also a night person. It is the in-between hours that are not always so productive.

2. What inspires you to blog?

Questionnaires like this one are inspiring. I also like to talk about things related to my home state Wisconsin) and adopted home state (Hawaii.) 

3. What is your current or next WIP about?

My current WIP is the third novel in my Pepper Bibeau mystery series. The story is set in Hawaii. I did much of the initial research several years ago when I visited The Big Island, specifically with a novel in mind. I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2012 and used that research material as the basis for writing this first draft.  

4. What is the one thing you’d like to do but haven’t had the opportunity?

Study the stars. When I moved to Hawaii, it seemed inevitable that I would become an amateur astronomer. But after settling in Honolulu, I quickly learned one thing it had in common was any major city was too much artificial light to see stars.  

5. Name one of your favorite fictional characters and explain your choice.

Huckleberry Finn has always been one of my favorite characters. To me, his name represents independence. I often dreamed of floating down the mighty Mis’isip, stopping to visit towns along the way, and living a thoroughly carefree life.  

6. What is your pet peeve?

Sudden unnecessary noises, like a slamming door or squealing automobile tires. 

7. What would be your ideal holiday getaway?

A spa retreat with no set schedule - I could choice what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it.

8. Who/what did you want to be when you grew up?

Connie Stevens in the television show ‘Hawaiian Eye’. She was talented, independent, beautiful, and always smiling! What more could a girl ask for? 

9. What is your biggest regret?

Aside from not being Connie Stevens? No regrets. The mistakes and misfires only make the successes stand out that much more vividly.  

10. Name two of your favorite cities in the world.

Paris and Bruge (It’s in Belgium . . . that’s a line from the movie, In Bruge.) 

11. What are the best five words that would describe you?

Happy; Motivated (sporadically); Chocolate-addict; mystery-lover; Aloha  

 

Now, here are the 11 new questions I complied for 11 of my friends:

1. As a writer, do your male characters more often resemble Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks?

2. For the majority of the novels you read, do you prefer the print or ebook format?

3. If your latest novel were made into a screenplay, would your story be best served by hiring director Steven Spielberg or Ang Lee?

4. Knowing you must travel to the location for research, where would you set your next story?

5. Is sending a written letter via the postal service a thing of your past?

6. For 50% of the DVDs you rent or buy, what is the genre?

7. Would you walk a mile for an ice cream cone or reach for an apple in the refrigerator?

8. What is your favorite part of attending a carnival?

9. Most tempting: Banana Split or Hot Fudge Sundae?

10. Do you buy gifts for others that you would like to receive?

11. What is your current or next WIP about?       

 

And now, the list of Nominees I have chosed to accept this challenge:

A. Joyce Schneider @JoyceSchneider1 http://www.thecookandthecardiologist.com/thecookandthecardiologist.com/Embryo.html

B. Karin Kaufman @KarinKaufman http://www.karin-kaufman.blogspot.com/

C. Carole Sutton @cazutt http://casutton.tripod.com/cazutt/

D. Kenneth Hoss @KennHoss http://kenhoss.blogspot.com/

E. Elizabeth Wilder @eewilder http://www.virtual-zen.com/the_spruce_gum_box

F. Richard Weatherly @RichWeatherly43 http://richweatherly.wordpress.com/

G. Laurie Hanan @LaurieHanan http://westoftheequator.wordpress.com/

H. Stella Atrium @SAtrium http://stellaatrium.com/

I. Stacy Juba @stacyjuba http://stacyjuba.com/blog/

J. Cynthia Meyers-Hanson @Hanson8046 http://mchanson714.weebly.com/index.html

K. Alison Bruce @alisonebruce http://www.alisonbruce.ca/

 

Procrastination Means Never Having to Say "I'm Early"



New Year's Fireworks at
Magic Island, Honolulu

Happy New Year to you, and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2012. (As you can see, putting an end to procrastination is not one of my resolutions for this year.)

2011 was an exciting year for me. I turned an ambitious goal into a reality when I published my first novel. Each New Year's Day offers the possibility of exciting new experiences, and opportunities for accomplishments once only imagined. My writing transported me from the isolated existence of creating a suspenseful story to the world of publishing and marketing the novel.

The extended process reinforced an important adage, that successful writing includes the side component of reading. In a recent interview, one (to remain unnamed) author disagreed with the importance of reading. He (my arbitrary choice of pronoun) stated it wasn’t necessarily time well-spent to read when he could be using that time to write.

In my experience though, reading keeps me grounded, informed, aware, and alive. Novels entertain me. Newspaper articles 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.

2012 is a bright new canvas, its blank face offering a tantalizing challenge. This year, my updated ‘Resolution List’ has all the usual suspects: lose weight, exercise more, eat well, smile often, and enjoy life. At the top of the list are my main goals for the year ahead: polish and publish Book #2 in the Pepper Bibeau mystery series; continue marketing my novels; and start writing the next one. While working on these goals, I intend to smile . . . often.

What is at the top of your list?