It's a Wrap.

I met my goal, and as of Thursday night, Draft 1 of my mystery is complete. It came in at close to 96K, which is long. But it's done, and I am very pleased with the storyboard tracking method I used.

I ended up with 32 chapters, which just so happens to be the number of squares on my board. I didn't really plan it that way; that's just how I'd originally set up the board based on space available. Whether I'll consolidate chapters on edits, or simply tighten things remains to be seen.


My idea board isn't empty. I had a good number of thoughts stuck up there that weren't needed. If I'd been outlining, I fear I might have tried to hard to incorporate everything. This way, I can just toss the leftovers away.


And how does it feel to be finished? Strange not to have something to work on. Friday seemed to have many more hours than a typical day. I did spend time working on handouts and the like for Saturday's book signing, but there's this hole where my characters used to be. I'll be rejoining them soon enough for edits, but I intentionally didn't even open the document all weekend.

Keep Reading...

Saturday's book-signing went very well, although the day began with a bit of a jolt. Since the signing wasn't until early afternoon, I planned on a leisurely morning. When we got a phone call from a Realtor wanting to show the house in 2 hours, things moved into frenzy mode. There wouldn't be time to leave for the time window he wanted to bring his buyers by and come back before leaving for the signing. Hubby was off fishing, but didn't expect to be gone long. Still, one never really knows what "not long" means.

I hadn't even showered yet, done the breakfast dishes, or packed the car with my signing stuff. We'd had fish for dinner Friday night, so I popped some chocolate chip cookie dough (thank goodness for those pre-made little squares) into the oven (better it should smell like chocolate, not fish) and rushed to make myself presentable before starting on the house cleanup.

Hubby got home, showered and got dressed. Then the Realtor called. His buyers had decided they loved one of the other houses they'd seen first, so they wouldn't be coming by. (Mental question – if I hadn't requested we be last on his route, would they have fallen in love with our house? Not worth worrying about. My rationale: if our house was "close" in meeting their criteria, they'd probably have wanted to see it just to be sure they'd found the right one.) I think that's the only time I've been relieved at a no-show. And ever so thankful that Realtor was one of the courteous ones. I'd have thrown lightning bolts had we done all that work for a no-show.

So, we got to relax a bit and leave for the signing in a more organized fashion. Check my website for more pictures. The Adult Literacy League is the real winner, because they'll get a donation of 20% of the book sales. I met some folks who "know" me from my blog, and a couple of Facebook friends as well. I even ran into a couple of people from my original critique group.

Many people had no clue we were the authors of the books, and looked at us differently once they knew we weren't bookstore employees. One gentleman wanted to know why all these women writers wrote about romance. We pointed out that everyone there was a member of a romance writer's organization, which was why all the books were romances. We were "interviewed" by students whose teacher gave extra credit to anyone coming to the signing.

Have you gone to book signings? Have you wandered into a bookstore and an author sat there with a stack of books? Are you one of those people who avoids eye contact and looks for an alternate route to wherever you were going? Don't be. We love to chat. We know we're not going to sell everyone a book. But maybe you know someone who is looking for the kind of books we write. Take a bookmark, pass it along. It means a lot. So far, I've never been bold enough to request a solo book signing, and this event was massive as signings go, so we had a lot of people wandering around the circle of tables. And I did sell some books. At least a couple of copies of all my titles.

Tomorrow, mystery author Elizabeth Spann Craig is going to explain how she uses Twitter. I'm interested, because so far, I haven't grasped its value. The entire social networking thing confuses me, although I do participate to some degree. However, there are days when I agree with Garry Trudeau and Doonesbury in his Nov. 9th strip.

Books for Mothers Day?

What I'm reading: Loitering With Intent, by Stuart Woods

(and be sure to read to the end -- there's a Homicide- Hussey bonus for you)

I'll be with six other members of the Central Florida Romance Writers at Barnes & Noble in Orlando on Saturday: Dara Edmondson, Catherine Kean, Judith Gilbert, Shauna Hart, Michelle Young, and Cillian Burns. It's the day before Mother's Day, and there's normally a good turnout. But I have to wonder about the economy, and whether it will affect sales.

I know I haven't stopped reading – I can't imagine ever doing that – and although I've cut back on buying, it's more because of the idea of moving more books than I already have than because of the budget. I'm buying more e-books, simply because they don't take up space.

There are a lot of mixed feelings about used book stores. Some authors don't like them because they aren't getting royalties. It's never bothered me. I've found many new authors I might not have tried otherwise, and I'm more willing to take a chance with a discounted book. I think I found my first Susan Wiggs book at a used book store, and I've bought everything else she's written.

Keep Reading...

Another budget-cutter is your library. I'm also a strong believer in libraries. I'm a strong believer in anything that gets people reading (as I'm sure many of you know from the countless times I've mentioned my association as a volunteer with the Adult Literacy League here in Orlando).

If you read yesterday's post, you saw that I'm having a contest that runs all this month. (I'll wait while you scroll down and read it – I'll find something else to put in the prize envelope while you do.)

You're back? Great. One of the 'rules' of the contest is that you check with your local library for one of my books, WHEN DANGER CALLS. The publisher, Five Star, targets the library market, and having it in as many libraries as possible is a triple bonus.

One, the publisher sells a book. Two, the author (in this case, me), gets the royalty. Three, the reader (you) gets to enjoy a great read at no cost. Of course, I have no objection to you deciding you just HAVE to have the book for your collection (or to give to your Mother for Mother's Day), but seriously, I know the hard cover books are pricey.

I'll be interested to see how it does at Saturday's signing.

So – how has the economy affected your book-buying/reading habits?

And, because tomorrow is reserved for Detective Mark Hussey's next installment, I won't be seeing you until Monday. If you're in Orlando Saturday (May 9th), drop by the Barnes & Noble at Plaza Venezia, 7900 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819, between 1 and 4 pm. We're giving away a $15 Barnes & Noble gift card to one lucky winner – no purchase necessary. All you have to do is come in and say hello.

And, just because this post feels a little too much like a 'commercial', I'll leave you with a bonus. Last week, the beginning Civilian Police Academy class had their session on the Homicide Division. Their speaker was none other than Detective Mark Hussey. If you've been following his Friday posts (and if you haven't, shame on you – they're great!), you know he has quite the sense of humor. He opened his talk with his own personal Top Ten Reasons he became a Homicide Detective:

10. You develop the bladder capacity of 5 normal people.

9. Chances to teach seminars entitled “Suicide--getting it right the first time”.

8. Discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal.

7. You can identify a negative teeth-to-tattoo ratio just by looking at someone.

6. Opportunities to hang out with a 10 day old stinker on the hottest day of the year.

5. It’s nice to be the only person introduced at social gatherings by your profession.

4. Exhaustion becomes your favorite hallucinogen.

3. Caffeine is available to you in IV form.

2. Advance notice of soon-to-be-available apartments and cars.

1. Free Chalk.

Be sure to come back tomorrow. His chapter is called "Adventures in the Paranormal."

Authors and Inspiration

What I'm reading: Running Blind, by Lee Child

The promised a recap of last night's book signing event at Urban Think! Bookstore with Michael Connelly.

Last night's venture into the wilds of downtown Orlando was well worth the trip. Since we figured Michael Connelly would be a big draw even to the small indie store, Urban Think!, we decided to make an evening of it and have dinner first. Traffic was typical, which meant it took about 50 minutes instead of 25, and the interstate has new off ramps, so our poor GPS lady was very busy "recalculating route."

We arrived about 90 minutes prior to the scheduled time and hubby picked the restaurant since he was doing me the favor of driving. (Night driving issues for me). His choice of Tortilla Flats meant we were in and out in another 30 minutes, so we took advantage of the shared space of Infusion Tea at Urban Think! and it turned out it was the first anniversary of the tea shop cohabiting with the bookstore, so drinks were two for one. And their chocolate biscotti was excellent. Unlike the Janet Evanovich signing we'd tried to attend about a year ago, lines didn't go outside and around the block. However, the store filled up steadily.

Mr. Connelly shared some of his writing background. It seems he moved from New Jersey to Florida as a 12 year old and had to deal with not only culture shock by climate shock. The summer hangout was a local park, and it didn't take long for a pressing need for shade. A small building sat at the edge of the park, and the boys watched a banner unfurl proclaiming "Now Air Conditioned." They went inside and the librarian was gracious, saying they were welcome, but there were 2 rules. One, keep it quiet, and Two, they had to be reading. She asked Michael Connelly how old he was, and he said 13, wanting to sound older. She gave him "To Kill a Mockingbird" and told him there were several copies on the shelf, so he could continue to read it each time he came in. He admitted to us that it took all summer to finish the book (and that included getting caught with a Mickey Spillane tucked behind his assigned book—the librarian said he could read that one when he was 14).

Did "To Kill a Mockingbird" inspire him to become a writer? No. But it laid the seeds for what he feels is an underlying theme in his books: someone who has a tough choice to make and does what he thinks is the right thing.

Since he was at the store to promote his newest release, The Brass Verdict, he told us about the inspiration for Michael Haller, first seen in The Lincoln Lawyer. It happened at opening day at Dodger Stadium. The day every seat is filled, and there are more people in suits and ties than t-shirts (because the stadium's location is convenient to the downtown crowd.) The man sitting next to him was an attorney, and when Mr. Connelly asked where his office was, the man replied, "my car." He was quick to add that it didn't make him the world's worst lawyer, that it was a luxury car, with a driver (someone who couldn't pay his legal fees), mobile fax and a trunk big enough to hold two file cabinets. It also meant he could take cases at all 40 of LA's courthouses.

The two men stayed until the end of the game (in LA, most people leave early to avoid the traffic) and Mr. Connelly says he still relies on the man for advice for making his writing accurate.

Accuracy was another topic he touched up. Mr. Connelly lives in Florida now, and he has many contacts in Florida law enforcement and judicial systems. However, Harry Bosch lives and works in Los Angeles, and Connelly also has people there who vet his work because the two states have different laws and procedures. Even the big guys have to do their homework.

The man who introduced Mr. Connelly was a local AP English teacher, and the store was full of his students. Yes, they got 'extra credit' for showing up, but they also asked questions and seemed truly interested. It's gratifying to see young people making the connection between school and real life.

Which brings me to Today's Gratitude List:
1. Teachers, so many of whom go the extra mile for their students
2. Urban Think! Bookstore for its support of Page 15
3. Hubby for driving.

Book Signing Behavior

What I've been reading: Morning Star by Micqui Miller; My Shadow, My Love by Sharon Horton.

What I'm writing: Workshop outlines and a mystery short story, as yet (as always) untitled.

I returned from Colorado Springs to find 8 Rita entires waiting for me. I was pleased that I didn't know the authors so I won't have trouble being objective, or have to recuse myself from any of the reads. However, I won't be reporting titles here.

Yesterday a group of 6 romance authors from the Central Florida Romance writers gathered for a book signing at a local chain store. It was nice being out and about with 'grownups' after 10 days having fun with my grandson. He's adorable, but at 5 weeks, not much of a conversationalist.


Book signings are interesting experiences. Some people go out of their way to avoid even eye contact. Others smile, but walk past. It's obvious they don't want to feel any obligation to buy, but speaking from my experience and that of others, authors like it when you stop by. Yesterday we met a graphic artist, a children's book author of his first book, students, kids, moms and dads. It's fun to chat, to discuss reading and books, and we really don't expect to sell a book to every person who stops by. But we love to say hello. We'll even give directions to the restrooms if you ask.

A surprise phone call, and moving along

What I'm reading: The Good Guy by Dean Koontz

What I'm writing: Chapter 15 Almost at the 50,000 word mark.

I had the happiest moment yesterday when one of the techs at my eye doctor's office called to tell me how much she enjoyed Finding Sarah. Normally, I get a positive reaction from people I know who have bought my books, but that's face to face, and you never really know what they're really thinking. But for someone to take time at work to make a phone call -- well, that's not something they're under any obligation or pressure to do, so it means so much.

I've got a few days in solitary while my husband travels, and I'm (once again) working on all that organizational stuff, from the little things like remembering it's garbage day and since I'm alone this week, I have to schlep the trash and recycling to the curb and bring up the empties to the more significant, like paying the quarterly installment on our income taxes, and everything in between.

Milestones: I turned in the manuscript for When Danger Calls to the publisher at Five Star. Now it's a matter of waiting until I hear from an editor.

I'm still waiting on edits for Hurricane Breeze from The Wild Rose Press.

Only a few weeks until the panel discussion and signing at Urban Think Bookstore



On October 30th, I'll be doing a session on Point of View at the Barnes & Noble in Altamonte Mall as part of a kickoff series on writing that culminates in a mega holiday booksigning on November 3rd.

I'm doing a book signing on February 9th at an Orlando Barnes & Noble

My workshop proposal on e-publishing was accepted by the Southern Lights Conference so I'll be in Jacksonville in March. I still get tingles when I see my book cover on the same page as Suzanne Brockmann's, even if hers is first and mine is last.


Check the "Find Me" link on my website for more information.

Meeting Suzanne Brockmann

What I'm reading: Spirit Lake by Christine DeSmet

What I'm writing: P&P Manual for my RWA chapter's contest. Randy and Sarah are waiting.

Yesterday afternoon, my husband and I drove to Brandon, near Tampa, Florida. As soon as I'd discovered Suzanne Brockmann was signing and doing a Q&A that evening, I recruited my husband to come along because I don't drive well at night. He agreed, and even ended up having to turn down a behind the scenes tour at NASA that included (although he didn't know it at the time, or I think he'd have backed out) donning clean suits and getting inside the shuttle cockpit. But he's a man of his word (and MAYBE he also would worry about me driving 75 miles late at night) and came along.

We grabbed some dinner and then headed to the bookstore where Suzanne was setting up for the signing. She's ever so friendly and gracious, and signed the copy of her book I'd brought along.

What really impressed and amazed me was that she remembered my name. I'd spoken with her a couple of times at RWA Nationals, but there were thousands of others there. And, at the conference, I always had a name tag on. We had exchanged a few emails, but I never expected her to match the face with the name. Heck, I used to work at conventions and would run into faces that looked familiar, but without their name tags and out of uniform, I'm hard-pressed to remember the names. That Suz greeted me personally more than made up for the fact that I didn't win anything in her raffle. Priceless.

Her Q&A was enlightening. Her writing method is the opposite of mine. She can plot multiple books in advance. I can't plot more than a few scenes in advance. Should it ever happen that I have a fan base, I hope I'll be half as charming. Make that one-fourth.

Thanks for a fun evening, Suz, and my husband enjoyed himself, too. For the record, he schlepped his briefcase full of work and intended to sit off in a corner while I did my thing, but he not only sat in on the Q&A but asked a few questions of his own.