Cape Fear Crimefest

I attended the Cape Fear Crime Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina February 4th and 5th. The orginial Crimefest came to a halt about four years ago and Joyce and Jim Lavene along with Judy Nichols resurrected the event. The Lavenes, Judy, and I are all members of The Carolina Conspiracy, the brainchild of Joyce and Jim. We travel all over the two Carolinas having fun, talking about writing, and signing copies of our books.

It was a pleasure to see so many of the CC members and to meet new folks, both readers and writers. I was especially delighted to meet fellow Dreamspell author, Linda Lovely. She's quite a trip! I appreciate all the work that went into planning and implementing the event, and special thanks to Two Sisters Bookery and New Hanover County Library for their parts. I hoped to see more readers there. That was my only disappointment. I hope we continue to have the Crimefest and spread the word so that more writers and yes, many more mystery readers, will attend next year.

Jim Lavene with me during the social:

Karen McCullough and me:

Linda Lovely, another Dreamspell author, with me at Cape Fear Crime Fest:

 Pal, Lynette Hampton, a fellow Carolina Conspirator with me at CFCF:

M.K. Graff with me at social:

A grand time was had by all!

Sin Creek

I am so excited to introduce you to Sin Creek, my latest Logan Hunter Mystery. Linda Houle, co-owner of L&L Dreamspell, did a fantastic job of bringing the book's content to life on the cover. Hats off to you, Linda, and also to Lisa Smith, who edited the book.


Digital formats are now available at http://www.fictionwise.com/ and on http://www.amazon.com/. The print version can now be purchased through my site, http://www.susanwhitfieldonline.com/ if you have PayPal, or at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ and other sites. It's exciting to know that fans are already ordering the ebook and others are waiting with baited breath for a hard copy. I got Sin Creek just in time for my birthday. What a great gift!

Here's a teaser:
The Cape Fear River snakes through eastern North Carolina past the stunning port city of Wilmington, and sidling up next to it is Gator Creek. Some call it “Sin Creek”, a sliver of water where wickedness and decadence take precedence over decency.

When SBI Agent Logan Hunter discovers a dead UNC-Wilmington co-ed used porn to pay tuition, she tracks down and questions other co-eds, learning that far too many of them have been coerced into the raunchy business and have the scars to prove it. Hunter battles dens of iniquity, zeroing in on a brazen but somehow illusive ferry to find a deranged killer and bring down the porn operations while trying to keep her marriage to Agent Chase Railey from falling apart. Even though she succeeds in finding the killer, the investigation changes her life in ways she could never have imagined.

“This action-packed mystery will keep you turning pages until its shocking end.”
                                                L.J. Sellers, The Sex Club and Secrets to Die For

“…Susan Whitfield offers a strong commentary on some of the dangers of college life. Her protagonist, Logan Hunter, gives a strong telling of the story from the initial meeting with a dead girl’s parent to ending up on The Fearsome Ferry, a happening spot that would bring shivers to any parent with a kid in college. Lickety-split pace and effective description give the reader the feeling they are conducting the investigation right along side Logan. If you’re a fan of mysteries, this one is guaranteed not to disappoint. If mystery’s not your genre, make an exception with Sin Creek. Like the Cyclone at Coney Island, Sin Creek is gripping and intense, yet an enjoyable ride.”
                                               Mark Rosendorf, The Rasner Effect

Diane Chamberlain's Lies

My guest today is another North Carolina gal, Diane Chamberlain. Welcome, Diane, and please tell us more about you.
I started writing nearly thirty years ago, when I was working as a social worker in a hospital. When I started, I thought of writing fiction as a hobby, but it soon became an obsession. It took me four years to write my first book, and four years more to see it published. Since then, I’ve written nineteen more novels.

Is there a message in your writing you want readers to grasp?
I want my readers to be entertained, first and foremost, but I definitely hope they will take away a message of hope, resilience, and the importance of family in all its varieties.

Briefly tell us about your latest book.
The Lies We Told is the story of two physician sisters, Maya and Rebecca, who are part of a disaster relief team. When they were teens, they witnessed the murder of their parents, and each of them carries a haunting secret about that event. Now, one of them is in a helicopter crash and presumed dead. . . and I don’t want to give away what happens next!

Do you think your writing has improved since your first attempt? In what way?
Oh, yes! I view my first book as a training ground, even though it won the Rita Award from the Romance Writers of America. Over time, my books have developed more suspense and mystery and less romance, but the main focus is always on relationships between family members and friends.

How do you develop characters? Setting?
I usually pick a setting that intrigues me or resonates for me personally. Often it’s an area I want to explore more, such as the city in The Lies We Told, Wilmington, NC. I loved it so much as I researched it that my next book is set there as well. As for characters, I employ some of the same techniques I used when getting to know my clients back in my psychotherapy days. Basically, I talk to them and listen hard to their answers. When they start to feel like real people to me, I know I’m on the right track.

I set my fourth novel in Wilmington as well. Beautiful place! I lived there when I was first married.

How do you determine voice in your writing?
I gave both sisters a voice in The Lies We Told. Maya is in first person, because I wanted the reader to feel closer to her. Rebecca is in third person.

How do you promote yourself online and off?
I have a very active blog at www.dianechamberlain.com/blog and I’m active on Facebook. If you’re on Facebook, too, please friend me! My website www.dianechamberlain.com has tons of information, including trailers of The Lies We Told and other recent books as well as contests and a printable booklist. I try to interact with my readers as much as I can.

Where do you write? When? What do you have around you?
I usually write at a coffee shop in the mornings. I need to get out of the house! In the afternoon and evening, I write in my office or if it’s a nice day, on the porch. My significant other is a photographer, so we both work at home, where we hang out with our two shelties.

Diane, thanks for dropping by. I'll have to get The Lies We Told. Good luck with it.