I’m an avid reader (time and life permitting) and spend most of my time engrossed in either reading or writing mysteries. I’ve discovered that at this stage of my life I enjoy reading books that are lighter with some humor. I’ve said it before, and forgive me for repeating myself, but there’s just too much drama in real life. I want to be entertained, not grossed out. That’s why I write two series with some humor in the stories.

Realistically, if there’s been a murder then drama has to be part of the story. There’s certainly nothing funny about murder, and I treat the crimes with compassion and honesty. The characters solving the crimes and their circumstances can be humorous though, and I play that up as much as possible.

One of the most difficult tasks about writing, at least for me, is moving from drama to humor. Each new scene presents a challenge. Do I continue with the drama to the point where not only I’m down in the dumps, but the reader is, too? No, I have to turn a corner and create some distance from the intensity. That’s something I need to do because I don’t want to leave a reader feeling depressed or like they were just thrown off a cliff.

Another part of this is getting inside all of the characters’ minds and trying to figure out their motivations. In real life, sometimes there is no viable motivation. However, if you put that in a book, no one will believe it and it takes all the fun out of it. Our minds need the outcome to make sense in a world where so many things don’t make any sense. Writing mysteries gives me a little control. Actually, that’s part of the fun of writing – controlling the outcome.

I like creating the characters, although sometimes they wander off on tangents of their own. I know that sounds odd, but it’s true. Ask any author. When writing a scene, sometimes I want a character to do something specific, but personalities and circumstances dictate a totally different scenario. So I have to backtrack and let my characters be true to themselves. After all, they aren’t based on me (thank goodness), and they have to be accountable for all of their actions, just like real life people.

I enjoy everything from the research to using my imagination, and I like being able to be the one creating the puzzle. There’s that controlling part of me again. Most of all, I like it when I’ve entertained someone.  That makes every word, every sentence, and every chapter worth all the hard work.

I’ve asked myself what’s difficult about writing mysteries, and my answer is everything and nothing. Timelines get by me sometimes and I have to back up and figure out what day of the week it should be for certain scenes. Finding new and unique characters is a challenge over and above creating a mystery.

Sometimes writers have to take a chance if they’re going to come up with something unique. In Bogey’s Ace in the Hole I included some Church Ladies who drive the Bogey Man to distraction. Do they do things like pray? Of course. After all, they are Church Ladies. Is it a religious book? No. It’s a mystery, and the Ladies are colorful, funny and honest. Even Christian women would like to solve a mystery. And the best part is, they’re entertaining.

Old Murders Never Die takes a leap into a ghost town where Sandi Webster and her partner, Pete, look for clues to a series of murders which took place around 1880. Solving old murders isn’t impossible, but it is entertaining.

For me, it’s all about entertainment.

Until next time, take a chance and try one of the books I mentioned above. I promise that I’ve done my best to entertain you, the readers. Here's a tip, too. Many times if you buy your book directly from the publisher, you'll get a better price.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com, or CLICK HERE to visit Barnes & Noble

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Old Murders Never Die

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

If you'd like to learn a little more about me, please check out the interview on Patricia Gligor's site at pat-writersforum.blogspot.com/ . I think you might enjoy it. Now, please read on and learn a little about -- ... .

~ * ~

Advisor or Know-It-All?

Fun’s over and it’s back to business this week, so I’d like to talk a bit about overused punctuation and punctuation that can be confusing. We seem to have quotation marks, question marks and apostrophes figured out, but what are some of the other punctuation marks?

What about overused punctuation? How about the exclamation point? Don’t use this particular punctuation unless it’s absolutely necessary!! Got that? I know there are times we’d like to emphasis something, and it seems the best way to do that is to throw in an exclamation point or two, but please don’t. Overuse makes it lose its punch. Sometimes italicizing a word, group of words or sentence holds much more impact. Other times, if you think about it, it really isn’t necessary to emphasize a word or thought at all. There are times the words themselves hold the most impact, and nothing you do will make the thought stronger.

Moving on, what about the use of ellipsis points (three periods) vs. the em dash (double dash or long dash)? These types of punctuation can be confusing, at least they were for me.

Using ellipsis points indicates there’s an omission, whether you use it in the middle of a quote or at the end of a sentence. If you’re quoting someone or something you might want to get right to the meat of what they said and leave some of the information out.

            While Marja might think she knows it all, and believe me she doesn’t, once in a while she actually hits the mark. (Full sentence)

            You want to quote her? Try this: While Marja might think she knows it all … once in a while she actually hits the mark. In this case I got rid of the part I didn’t want quoted.

            While Marja might think she knows it all, and… Oh, the heck with what Marja thinks. Here the first part of the sentence, or thought, isn’t completed.

I like that particular example, even if I really don’t know it all.

In general, an em dash indicates a sudden break (or interruption), or an abrupt change. You can use it to insert a thought in the middle of a sentence. It consists of two dashes (--) or one long dash ( – ). Three examples follow:

            Inserting a thought:

While Marja may think she knows it all -- someone may know it all, but it’s certainly not her – once in a while she actually hits the mark. Okay, that’s a clumsy sentence, but it gives you the idea. Also, if you look at the first comment made by Marja you’ll see that sometimes you can use commas instead of the em dash.

            The dreaded interruption:

            Marja stepped forward. “I know all about – ”

            “Be quiet, Marja. You don’t know everything,” Al interrupted. My husband,  Al, is going to love this example.

            Al, Jill and Murphy all know the truth about Marja – she’s a know-it-all. We’ll call that an abrupt change.

Lastly, there’s the en dash, but basically that’s just a single hyphen used to separate things. For instance, you might refer someone to pages 33-58, or maybe you have an out-of-town guest coming.

Has this blog been a never-to-be-forgotten moment for you? Good grief, I hope not – although I hope you’re taking away a little more knowledge. Believe me when I say I've made plenty of mistakes using these forms of punctuation. For much more information on this subject, refer to The Chicago Manual of Style. Strunk and White – The Elements of Style is a good resource, too, and certainly there are others.

Until next time, have a great week! And please wander outside for a few minutes every day to enjoy -- hopefully, depending on where you live -- fresh air and sunshine.

If anyone would like to contact me without leaving a comment here, you can email me at hello@marjamcgraw.com .

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com, or CLICK HERE to visit Barnes & Noble

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

I recently saw an interview with Dolly Parton on the Huckbee show. She said that way back when, she went to a recording company and told them she was going to be famous. She asked if they were with her or not. They were, and she is – famous, that is. Of course, I’m paraphrasing and there's a lot more to the story, but Ms. Parton’s enthusiasm is catching.

So right here, right now, I’m saying that I’m going to be famous one day -- I hope. I sure can’t sing, and I’m no Mary Higgins Clark or Janet Evanovich, but I definitely have my own style. Whew! Delusions of grandeur? I’m laughing at myself. No delusions, but a lot of hope and spirit.

Still paraphrasing, Ms. Parton said something to the effect that quirky people are many times the most creative. There ya go. I’m quirky, sometimes, although I prefer to call it eccentric. Well, I probably just have some odd habits, especially when it comes to food. Anyone who knows me knows how much I enjoy chocolate. I also like nuts. However, I don’t like chocolate and nuts mixed together. My closet is color coordinated; all the blues together, yellows together, greens… Well, you get the idea. Maybe that’s not quirky. Maybe it’s compulsive?

Ms. Parton also said that she prays every day. We’re together on that one. So do I. There’s nothing more fulfilling than spending time with God.

Hmmm. Thanks to Dolly Parton, you’re learning more about me than I ever wanted anyone to know. I think she has a lot more self-confidence than I do though, and she’s so down to earth. She’s an inspirational woman, whether she realizes it or not.

So I’m gonna be famous some day. I just hope it’s not for doing something ridiculous – like tripping in the grocery store and taking out an old lady in a wheelchair. Or being mistaken for a bank robber and going to jail until I can prove it’s a case of mistaken identity. Honestly, I don’t steal. I’m probably one of the most honest people you’ll ever meet, except for those teeny tiny white lies many of us tell when we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. “Oh, yes, Edna! Yellow is definitely your color.” Yellow makes Edna look like an overripe banana, and a real friend would probably tell her, but I can’t stand to hurt anyone’s feelings.

How did I go from Dolly Parton to being famous one day to Edna looking terrible in yellow? Maybe it’s part of the eccentricity; you know, the mind wanders. I’d prefer to believe that it’s just my sharp mind leaping from subject to subject because I have so much to ponder and offer.

Back to Dolly. I admire this woman not only for her achievements, but also because she reminds me of someone with whom I could sit down and enjoy a cup of tea or a dessert, and with whom I could have a belly laugh. Doesn’t she have the sweetest laugh you’ve ever heard?

So, again, someday I’m going to be famous. Someday I’m going to lose weight, too, and my wrinkles will disappear. Oh, I’m off subject again.

I’ll say this. I’ve never had more fun than when I’m writing a mystery, and that’s got to count for something. There’s nothing funny about murder, so obviously there’s some drama in my books. However, you’ll also find some humor between the book covers. I’d rather offer you a chuckle than add to your daily angst, and there’s plenty of that lately.

Well, Dolly made it and she’s famous – and she’s adorable – and she makes me smile. Maybe there’s still hope for me. I may not be adorable, but I do make a few people smile. There’s hope.

Until next time, do something adorable that makes people smile, and maybe one day you’ll be famous. If nothing else, at least you’ll be well-liked, and after all is said and done, that’s more important than being famous.

Hmm. It seems I just put my priorities in order.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon or CLICK HERE to visit Barnes & Noble

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

This week my guest author is Marilyn Levinson. Marilyn is a multi-talented author and a once upon a time Spanish teacher, but I’ll let her tell you about her accomplishments.

Marja: Marilyn, please tell us a bit about your background. 

Marilyn: For the first 14 ½ years of my life I lived in Brooklyn, NY. Then we moved to Long Island. I went to Syracuse University and majored in Spanish. I spent a summer studying in Mexico City, and a few years later, spent another summer in Valencia, Spain. I taught Spanish in a Long Island high school until I left to have my two sons.

I'd started writing as a child, and turned to it again when I was home raising the boys. I tried my hand at writing short stories and poetry, and then I wrote novels for kids.

I'm still living on Long Island--always moving further east. I wonder if one day I'll end up living in Greenport or a Hampton.<g>

Marja: Moving east translates to cold weather in my mind. You’re a braver soul than I am. So you started out as a children’s author. What made you decide to turn to mysteries for adults?

Marilyn: The first book I ever wrote (and never sold) was a romantic suspense. Mysteries have always intrigued me. I suppose it's being a Gemini: I'm comfortable writing from the point of view of a child and a grown-up sleuth.

Marja:  You call yourself a “hybrid” because you’ve taken multiple paths to being published. Please tell us a little about the journey. I know that many of the roads to being published are hiding speed bumps.

Marilyn: My children's books were published traditionally: in hard cover and then in paperback. I started writing mysteries some years ago. I had very little success getting an agent or an editor. Finally, I decided to send manuscripts to two e-publishers, and both were accepted. I wasn't happy with one of my e-book publishers, so I decided to self-publish a mystery. I discovered it's a good deal of work, but that you have much more control over matters. I've also updated and made available two of my out-of-print children's books. Every step has a learning curve.

                        

Marja:  I see you found some of those speed bumps I was talking about. Please tell us a little about your latest book.

Marilyn: This month my mystery, Giving Up the Ghost, has its debut. Like all my mysteries, it takes place on Long Island. In the dead of winter, Gabbie Meyerson, comes to a village on the Long Island Sound to teach English at the local high school. Gabbie discovers she's sharing her rented cottage with Cameron Leeds, a sexy ghost who wants her to find his murderer.

Marja:  It sounds like a fun book. Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Marilyn: I suppose my favorite book is always the one I'm writing. But I do love Giving Up the Ghost. Cam, my sexy ghost, is such a good-hearted rogue.

Marja:  You’ve mentioned your “Bad Cat, Sammy”. I had to chuckle over your description. Tell us a little about Sammy.

Marilyn: Sammy, who's now dozing two feet from me, is quite a character. He's red, gorgeous, and tends to bite. But he does love his mommy.  He's inspired me to write a short novel called Brat Cat. I don't know if this book is for kids or adults, but I plan to put it up on Amazon very soon.

Marja: What’s next for you, Marilyn?

Marilyn: I have started writing a sequel to Rufus and Magic Run Amok. It's called Rufus and the Witch’s Slave and takes place on the Cote d'Azur--a place I loved to visit. And I hope to start a new mystery series.

Thank you so much for dropping in today, Marilyn. I wish you the best and hope you’ll return one day.

Visit Marilyn Levinson’s website at: www.marilynlevinson.com

Marilyn’s Blog can be found at: http://www.marilynlevinson.com/blog/

 

CLICK HERE to go to Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com or CLICK HERE for Barnes & Noble

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

The Mystery We Write Blog Tour has come to an end, but it was a lot of fun while it lasted. Thank you to Mary Martinez, Marilyn Meredith, Anne K. Albert, M.M. Gornell, Jean Henry Mead, Lou Allin and Earl Staggs for making it so enjoyable.

Free books will be flying across the miles to winners who left comments, and in my case there are two books to be given away.

LD Masterson and Caroline Clemmons, I hope you enjoy reading about the Bogey Man as much as I enjoyed writing about him, because you're the winners of Bogey's Ace in the Hole. Thank you so much for leaving comments.

Please join me on Monday, April 30th when Marilyn Levinson drops in for a visit. After that, well, you're stuck with me and my blogs again. Stuck is a bad word. I think you might enjoy what I have to say.

See you soon, and congratulations to LD Masterson and Caroline Clemmons!

(If you have a moment, I'm ending the Tour at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/ . I hope to see you there.)

As the Mystery We Write Blog Tour ends, Mary Martinez is joining us today. Mary writes mysteries and romance, and I think you’ll enjoy what she has to say. Mary loves to travel, so you can safely bet you’ll find some colorful locations in her stories. Welcome, Mary!

Thank you, Marja, for hosting me on your blog today. I love meeting new people, and visiting their homes (blogs).

Marja: You're most welcome, and I feel the same way. Mary, can you share with us a bit about how you come up with your ideas.

Mary: Well I have no set formula if that’s what you mean. A lot of time they come to me while watching TV or listening to movies. I will tell you a bit of how I came up with each of my titles.

Watching Jenny, I was driving to work and on the radio Alanis Morissette came on. As I was listening a germ started to form. Then after that No Doubt came on, and I love Gwen Stefani. Together those two songs gave me the idea for a rock singer to have a stalker, and not just your usual suspects.

Chick Magnet, I actually got this idea from my son. He used to take his nephew—who is now 13—when he was about 2 to the store to pick up chicks because he was a ‘Chick Magnet’. Now Troy is married with two little girls.

Romance and Misconceptions: This started out to be about twins and one was murdered. But I liked the twin too much so it turned into a lot of misconceptions. Marnie owns a coffee shop that caters to the college crowd in George Town. It’s a deli and also features local artists items for sale. Something I’ve always wanted to do.

Classic Murder: Mr. Romance, I love old movies, and though I can’t remember exactly which old movie triggered the idea, but I had a blast renting a bunch more, taking notes and developing my idea for Adam and Katie.

The Beckett Series, Again I was watching TV, it was a documentary and I came up with the premise for the first book. At that time it wasn’t a series. But as Tyler grew, and I met his family I knew this would be my first series.

Now here’s a bit about my new series:

The Beckett Series

The Beckett’s have a strong sense of family and honor. When one of their own is threatened, their bond is as strong as a badge of steel.

Trailer (Must see! Best viewed on full screen) and Series information:

http://www.marymartinez.com/beckettseries.html

Disappear (Book I of The Beckett Series)

Available in eBook now at:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GHO1MI

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/disappear-mary-martinez/1109266974?ean=2940013908833&

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/138298

Print available May 2012

~ * ~

Teaser:

Smack!

“Ouch, what was that for?” Keira rubbed her exposed butt cheek. It probably had his handprint on it. “I’ll be bruised for life.”

“Whatever.” He chuckled as he climbed out of bed. “I thought you were anxious to pull weeds.”

“You didn’t need to spank me. You could have said very nicely. ‘Keira, love, let’s go putter in the garden.’ Would that have been so hard?”

“That sounded like a sissy boy, I’m a manly man.” He put his arm up and flexed his pecs.

“You’re incorrigible.”  She climbed out on her side and grabbed her robe. “I’m going to take a shower.”

“Before you get dirt up to your elbows?”

“I need to wake up. I’ll take another one later.”

“Okay, we’ll I’m not going to bother before I go out and get all sweaty.” He pulled his jeans on, put a shirt on and turned at the door. He blew her a kiss as he left.

 ~ * ~

Mary’s web site: http://www.marymartinez.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/marylmartinez

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mlmartinez33

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1646623.Mary_Martinez

Blog: http://marysbooksblogger.blogspot.com/

Mary, Thank you for stopping in today. I enjoyed what you had to share and I hope you’ll return another time.

Thank you, Marja, I had a great visit!

During the blog tour Mary will be throwing all the people’s name who comment about the content of her posts, at each stop, into a hat for a drawing. She will be giving away to two lucky winners, one copy of any of her books (winner’s choice). Winners will be announced at the wrap up at the end of the blog tour, April 28th. 

Please come back on April 18 and meet Earl Staggs. You'll enjoy the introduction.

CLICKHERE to visit Marja McGraw’s Website

CLICKHERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

CLICKHERE to view the trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

(Please stop in at http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com/ and check out my guest blog for today.)

The Mystery We Write Blog Tour continues and today Earl Staggs is my guest. I haven’t read any of Earl’s books yet, but after reading this blog you can bet I will. Welcome, Earl!        

Thank you, Marja, for letting me visit here with you and your readers. You asked for “in depth idea of how you come up with your story ideas,” so here are some recollections of mine.

I find story ideas everywhere. All I have to do is look around until I see something interesting or something that sparks an idea for a story and then play “What if?” 

One idea came while watching a movie on TV.  The story concerned a killer for hire who had a contract on the wife of a prominent businessman. While the hit man planned how he was going to take out the man’s wife, my mind wandered.  What if the hit man completed his contract, collected his fee, and sometime later, saw the wife walking, talking and breathing, still very much alive?  That led to a story called “Dead Wife Walking,” which begins with this:

* * * * *

Her auburn hair was longer, but she was still beautiful and still moved with the flowing grace of a runway model. There was no doubt in my mind. The woman who had just entered my favorite restaurant in Tarpon Springs, Florida, was Janice Whitmore.

Four months ago, Janice Whitmore’s car went over an embankment and exploded in Fort Worth, Texas. The car blazed for thirty minutes before emergency equipment arrived. She was not thrown from the car and she did not escape from it. There was nothing left of her but ashes. I know. I watched.

* * * * *

Another story idea popped up when I read a novel about a District Attorney who fell in love with a woman and then had to prosecute her in court. An interesting predicament, I thought, and my mind began what-iffing.  The result is a story I called, “The Waitress.”  Police Chief Harry Winfield, a long-time bachelor, finally meets a woman who interests him, but he is pulled into an investigation of her past.   Her story begins to unfold when Harry is visited by cops from another jurisdiction.

* * * * *

            “Chief Winfield, do you remember back in March when a prominent attorney named Vernon Cowsill was found shot to death in a motel room?”

            Harry nodded. “Vaguely. What does that have to do with Pam Wilson?”

            “We have evidence that Miss Wilson was in the room with him at the time of his death.

Her fingerprints were found in the room.”

            “That only proves she was in that room, not when she was there or who she was with.”

“Her prints were also in Cowsill’s BMW, the passenger side.”

            “So, at some time, she must have ridden in his -- ”

             “. . .and on a condom wrapper found by the bed.”

* * * * *

(Sorry, Earl. Your cover is white and so is my background.)

The stories mentioned above are included in a collection called Short Stories of Earl Staggs, available in ebook form for 99 cents until the end of April.  Complete details available at:  http://tinyurl.com/7fz8u6m

Another story idea led to a novel I hope to finish soon. Like everyone else, I want to cry every time I hear about innocent people being killed by terrorists and the fruitless efforts afterwards to find those responsible and exact justice. What if someone tracked down these potential murderers and put them out of business BEFORE they did their horrendous deeds?  Tall Chambers and a select few other trained professionals do exactly that as part of a secretive agency.  If the terrorists prefer to fight and die for their cause, the agency is happy to grant their wish.

Part of Tall’s assignment is to stop one particular terrorist, but it becomes personal when Tall learns that terrorist is responsible for the deaths of his wife and son. Tall’s quest for vengeance leads him to the discovery of a plot to put the wrong person in the office of President of the United States.  I hope to have Tall Chambers: Justified Action available by this summer.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by. Please leave a comment while you’re here and you may win a free book. On April 29, I’ll put the names in a hat and draw two of them. The first one drawn will receive a signed print copy of my novel, Memory of a Murder. The second name drawn will have a choice of a print version or ebook of my collection, Short Stories of Earl Staggs.

You’re also invited to visit my website at http://earlwstaggs.wordpress.com You’ll find Chapter One of Memory of a Murder there. You’ll also find a short story called “The Day I Almost Became a Great Writer.” Some say it’s the funniest story I’ve ever written. There’s also one called “White Hats and Happy Trails,” about the day I spent with a boyhood idol, Roy Rogers.

Thanks again, Marja, for giving me the run of the place for these few minutes.  Best regards and good reading to all.

Bio: Derringer Award winning author Earl Staggs has seen many of his short stories published in magazines and anthologies. His novel Memory of a Murder earned a long list of Five Star reviews. He served as Managing Editor of Futures Mystery Magazine and as President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. He is also a contributing blog member of Murderous Musings and Make Mine Mystery and is a frequent speaker at conferences and writers groups.  Email: earlstaggs@sbcglobal.net  Website:  http://earlwstaggs.wordpress.com

Thank you for visiting today, Earl. I’ve enjoyed what you shared with us, and now I’m off to read “The Day I Almost Became a Great Writer”. I do love humor, and I hope you’ll drop in again one day.

The Blog Tour winds up on April 27 with Mary Martinez. You won't want to miss this one.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

(If you have a moment, please stop in at http://mmgornell.wordpress.com/ for my guest blog today.)

The Mystery We Write Blog Tour continues, and today my guest author is Lou Allin. Author of the Belle Palmer series, she also offers several other mysteries, and I think you’ll enjoy hearing how she creates ideas and characters.

Out of the Sky as I Came Through

When I was five, a clown asked me, “Where did you get those eyes so blue?”

“Out of the sky as I came through.”

Where do ideas for fiction come from? Like deep-space particles, they’re bombarding everyone on Earth. Keep your senses sharp and grab what you need. A little embellishing and presto!

First, there’s my family. My dad was in a nursing home from ages 82 to 89, brought back into my life from Florida. He became my amateur sleuth’s father in my Belle Palmer series, though he fell one year short of seeing himself in print. In the book as in life, he had been a movie booker and film buff. So he often gives my sleuth something to think about as she tries to solve crimes. On the other hand, my mother died in 1987.  She gave me her love of writing, but we only saw each other once a year. Somehow, in my plots my protagonist’s mother is prematurely dead or missing! I should work on this. My eccentric mother deserves to live again in fiction. She always threatened to “haunt” me, but so far, so good.

 I also take characters from my worklife. One obnoxious colleague I turned into a woman, but with identical personality characteristics. I made “her” the killer and sent her to jail. Revenge is sweetest when cold.

Then there was my lakeside neighbour, a child molester. Opinions were mixed on whether he’d been unfairly accused, though he’d been levied a fine decades ago. I gave him the benefit of the doubt until I saw otherwise. In my short story, he received a well-earned death at the hands of one of his victims. In real life, he died as a pariah, his body unclaimed even by relatives who had inherited his considerable money.

The media provides daily news stories with themes or bits that prompt me. My novella for reluctant readers, That Dog Won’t Hunt, is based on a real case. In fact, my dog and I had been strolling in the murder vicinity just before the killing was revealed. We might have discovered the body ourselves. Normally I rarely walk there. Fate was calling me. In Blackflies are Murder, the ever-present spectre of damage from residential schools forms a subplot. That scandal continues to fester in Canada.

Sometimes I’m visiting a place and think, “This is a great spot for a murder.” My Utah standalone, Man Corn Murders, begins with a trip down perilous Hole in the Rock Road near Escalante. My character takes a side trip into the hills and discovers a body locked into a blasted-out rock cave. That place exists and so do the million-dollar Fremont figurines at the centre of the plot.

Sometimes real life is too close to home to use. Publishers are sensitive to that. About seven years ago here in Sooke on Vancouver Island, a young girl disappeared from a bus stop. She has never been found. There’s still a roadside shrine with flowers and a cross with her name. The case has gone very cold, although teenagers still have nightmares about finding her body in the bush.

My latest book, She Felt No Pain, is the second in my island series, featuring RMCP Corporal Holly Martin. She’s in charge of her first detachment of three officers on the wild south coast. When I conceptualized her, I didn’t realize that in a small post, the leader would only be a corporal, not a sergeant and certainly not a detective. So Holly’s cases involve murder made to look like accidents, cases that have gone cold, or other twisted situations with less emphasis on heavy forensics. Holly finds a homeless man dead in the bush of an apparent overdose. No one wants to look further, but Holly has questions.

For 2013, in Twilight is not Good for Maidens, I’m using the theme of rape and sexual assault. Holly’s own constable, Chipper Knox Singh, a handsome Sikh, will be accused and removed from duty, another good way to pull in Holly as she fights for his career.

Ideas are begging to be used.  Let them in.

Thank you, Lou! I hope you’ll return for another visit one day.

Bio

Born in Toronto, Lou Allin grew up in Cleveland. She received a PhD in English Renaissance Literature and spent three decades in Northern Ontario as a professor of English.

With a cottage on a frozen lake as her inspiration, she started her Belle Palmer series, featuring a realtor and her German shepherd, beginning with Northern Winters Are Murder.

Lou has moved to Canada’s Caribbean, Vancouver Island, with Friday the mini-poodle and Zodie and Zia the border collies, overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Her island series stars RCMP corporal Holly Martin: And on the Surface Die, She Felt No Pain and the upcoming Twilight is Not Good for Maidens.

Lou’s stand alones are A Little Learning is a Murderous Thing (set in Michigan) and Man Corn Murders (Utah). That Dog Won’t Hunt is designed to appeal to reluctant adult readers. Watch for Contingency Plan in the same series.

I can be reached at louallin@shaw.ca

Blog: http://redroom.com/member/lou-allin/blog

Earl Staggs will be visiting on  April 25. The blog continues and so do the wonderful stories.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s Website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole

(Please take a moment and stop in at http://theviewfrommymountaintop.blogspot.com/ to read my latest blog.)

The Mystery We Write Blog Tour continues with Jean Henry Mead. Jean is a national award-winning journalist as well as a mystery writer. I've enjoyed her books, including one of her YA books that I read. Welcome, Jean.

How I came up with my ideas

By Jean Henry Mead

Writers are often asked where their ideas come from and we have to stop and think. Because I started my writing career in the dark ages as a police reporter, I have a lot of experiences to draw from. I say the dark ages because when I started my first job, reporters were still using manual typewriters.

But long before I was old enough to hold down a job, I read Los Angeles newspapers, where I grew up fascinated with crime and murders. And there are plenty of both in the City of Angels. I’d wait on the front porch after school for the newspaper boy to toss one into our rose bushes. Then before I read the comics, I reviewed the front page with its grisly articles about gang wars and killings. I don’t know why that fascinated me, but it’s probably why I turned to journalism in high school and college.

After eight years of police reporting—which takes a toll on everyone except the most hard-bitten journalists, I decided to retire to write mystery novels. It wasn’t as easy as I’d thought. I first wrote a number of nonfiction history books, one of which became a college textbook, as well as interview books. Traveling the state, I interviewed everyone who was anyone in the cowboy state where I’d moved after marrying a Wyomingite. Back in the 1980s, you could call the state capital and talk to the governor, so I interviewed Governor Herschler, his wife Casey, our U.S. senators, the secretary of state, attorney Gerry Spence and any number of V.I.P.s, but what I really wanted to do was write fiction.

After my first frustrated attempts at novel writing, I took the Famous Writers Fiction course and was on my way. I’d spent two years at a microfilm machine researching a centennial history book and had a stack of typewritten notes nearly a foot high. I decided to write a historical novel so all that research wouldn’t go to waste. Fortunately, Western Writers of America held a convention here that year and I joined WWA. Among the writers who attended were Fred Grove and Richard S. Wheeler, both multi-award-winning writers who took me under their writing wings and served as mentors. Fred allowed me to send him my fledgling chapters, one at a time (in snail mail), and he critiqued them but didn’t edit my work. When the book was finished, Richard read it and made further suggestions as well as writing a great review.

The book was first published as Escape on the Wind and later resold twice as Escape, a Wyoming Historical Novel. The book has outsold all my other 16 books put together. So I guess you could say my ideas for the book came not only from the microfilm machine and my two mentors but my interest in Wyoming’s rich history.

My mystery novel protagonists originated from my relationship with my best friend Marge. My two feisty women amateur sleuths are semi-autobiographical and their relationship stems from the fun times we’ve had together. In Murder on the Interstate and Diary of Murder, my ideas evolved from my experiences driving a mothorhome all over the Southwest, which my protagonists do, solving murders. And one of my protagonists, Dana Logon, has a daughter Kerrie who is a journalist. She surprised me by showing up on her mother’s doorstep during the San Joaquin serial killings, in A Village Shattered, where I once lived. So most of my ideas have come from experience.

My most recent book, The Mystery Writers, is a collection of interviews with Sue Grafton, Lawrence Block, Julie Garwood, J. A. Jance, Vicki Hinze and a host of other authors, many of them bestsellers and award-winners. There are also a great many good articles written by them that will benefit both novice and veteran writers. The interviews originated on my blog site, Mysterious Writers, and were so good that I couldn’t allow them to disappear—my idea for a good book! I can say that because I’m only the editor.

Thank you for hosting my blog tour. I'll be giving away a print copy of The Mystery Writers as well as an ebook copy at the conclusion of the tour in a drawing from among visitors who leave comments at my blog sites.

Jean’s website is: www.jeanhenrymead.com and her blog sites: http://mysteriouspeople.blogspot.com/ and theviewfrommymountaintop.blogspot.com/

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Thank you for sharing with us, Jean.

Lou Allin will be continuing the Blog Tour on April 23 with a blog about her story ideas. Please stop by. You won't be sorry.

CLICK HERE to return to Marja McGraw's Home Page

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

CLICK HERE to view a book trailer for Bogey's Ace in the Hole

(Today I'm guest blogging at redroom.com/member/lou-allin/blog . Stop in if you have a moment.)

As the Mystery We Write Blog Tour continues, author M.M. (Madeline) Gornell is my guest. Madeline writes what she’d like to read, and that speaks to me as a reader.

Thank you, Marja for hosting me on your blog today! You’ve asked for an in depth look at how I come up with my story ideas, and like so many blog tour topics, yours made me think. A good thing!

I’ve babbled on in the past about how locations grab me—to quote myself: “For each of my novels, my inspiration and first kernel of an idea has come from a location that has reached out, grabbed me, and wouldn’t let go. Sounds a bit silly, and it’s not the whole story, but truly, so far, I’ve been inspired to start a story because a location said, ‘Me! Me! Write about me!’ From the location, I’ve then wondered—who would have lived there, or come that way? What is their story? And in the case of my first, Uncle Si’s Secret—the compelling thought at a particular place along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail on my dog walks also kept returning—‘What a perfect spot for a murder!’ (Another reason why exercise is good for you)”

For Reticence of Ravens, there is a mini-mart at an I-15 exit I often pass, and for me is still most compelling—even though the book has long entered the world of published words. The gas pumps still don’t work, and food and beverage offerings remain minimal. However, the people there are very nice, and do wonderful tire repair—and believe me, I know about such things. One desert “surprise” is the amazing number of flat-causing “odds and ends” lurking just below the sandy and innocuous looking surface of Mojave dirt roads. That mini-mart was my inspiration for Reticence of Ravens—Hubert Champions new home and adventure. And even now, every time I pass, something about the place sings to my heart.

From the locations grabbing me, I’ve then wondered who, and why someone lived there? What compelled them to take up residence, start a business, build a monument—or in the case of Uncle Si’s Secret—murder someone in such a lovely spot? In the background, I’m also aware I want to write about people I’d also like reading about. People I could like or hate, root for, or cheer at their demise. Then there are the unusual circumstances the characters (so far, ordinary people, not super-stars) find themselves in. And hopefully there’s the “what if?” factor—the endless decision tree we’re all stuck with.

As to plot, I start with a small general idea which blossoms, changes, re-focuses, and usually becomes more elaborate through re-writing and deeper back-story development. Some twists and turns developing very late in the process. Has to be tricky but plausible. Somehow, it all works out—after a lot of hard work and tones of rewriting!

And since you so graciously offered, here’s a little look at Reticence of Ravens which touches on some of the elements I mentioned:

Time and events have turned Hubert James Champion III into a morose man trying for the last year to escape into California’s Mojave Desert—somewhere a little north of Route 66 on the way to Arizona. No longer a practicing psychologist and FBI collaborator, Hugh now owns Joey’s mini-mart, a half-defunct gas station with no gas, no supplies, and little food for customers. Opening hours variable.

He has become a man hiding out from the world, and himself—trying to seek redemption among the creosote and Palo Verde trees. His main companions these days are an aged desert dog, and the unkindness of sometimes raucous, but usually reticent ravens.

But Hugh soon senses that he can’t escape—especially when a “special” young woman with red Medusa-like hair, and covered in her father’s blood is brought to him one Sunday evening. Turner Jackson has been murdered, and LoraLee Jackson is the main suspect. In quick order Hugh is drawn into proving LoraLee’s innocence by both locals and unwanted East Coast intruders. Add the sudden appearance of LoraLee’s previously unknown brother, a bulldog FBI agent with an agenda of his own, and Hugh’s cousin Della’s love-sick ex-husband—not to mention multiple shootings, exploding drug-labs, and most importantly, Hugh’s past demons rearing their ugly heads once again.

No, Hugh cannot escape having to find a murderer—or his own past.

Thanks so much, Marja, for hosting me today. I sure enjoyed it— talking about writing is always such fun.

It was my pleasure, Madeline, and I hope you’ll return one day.

Contact and Buy Info from Madeline (M.M.) Gornell:

Madeline’s books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Smashwords, in paper and e-book formats. You can visit her online at her website http://www.mmgornell.com, or her BLOG http://www.mmgornell.wordpress.com, or email her directly at mmgornell@earthlink.net

Book Giveaway:

M.M. will be giving away 3 copies of her latest book to commenters.

Buy link for Reticence of Ravens:

http://www.amazon.com/Reticence-Ravens-M-Gornell/dp/1608300390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314747098&sr=8-1

Bio for Madeline (M.M.) Gornell:

Madeline (M.M.) Gornell has three published mystery novels—PSWA awarding winning UncleSi’s Secret (2008), Death of aPerfect Man (2009), and Reticence of Ravens (2010—and her first Route 66 mystery). Reticence of Ravens is a 2011 Eric Hoffer Fiction finalist and Honorary Mention winner, the da Vinci Eye finalist, and a Montaigne Medalist finalist.

In 2012 Lies of Convenience—Book One of a Margot Madison-Cross Route 66 Trilogy, and Pronouncements of Ravens—a sequel to Reticence of Ravens are being released. Lies ofConvenience is a tale that fictionally connects murder, truths untold, and Chicago’s Lake Michigan with California’s high desert on the opposite end of The Mother Road. Pronouncements of Ravens takes Hubert James Champion III one step forward in his quest for peace and solitude in the Mojave. But before Hugh can come to terms with himself and his desert home, new obstacles rear their ugly heads—one being a heart wrenching murder. No, there is no easy path for Hugh in the Mojave.

Madeline is also a potter with a fondness for stoneware and reduction firing. She lives with her husband and assorted canines in the Mojave in a town on internationally revered Route 66.

On April 21, Jean Henry Mead arrives for her visit for the Blog Tour. You won't want to miss Jean.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s Website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’sAce in the Hole