I'm Gonna Write You A Love Song

(picture taken at Black River Plantation where Hell Swamp is set)

Easter is Sunday, a time to remember and be grateful for all of the blessings God has given us. Most of us can easily list plenty of them. They may be blessings of health, wealth, family, friends, or having married the love of our lives.

As I head out to my sun room to work on my next Logan Hunter Mystery, I find myself sipping coffee and thinking about all that my wonderful blessed life has given me: far above-average health for my age, a wealth of family (my two sons are magnificent!), true friends, and a husband who's loved me for over 45 years.

While I am writing mystery, I find that in this particular book (tentative title is Sticking Point) my two main characters keep wandering off in search of all the blessings and love that I have in my real life. And I want them to find it.

Isn't it amazing how our characters take us where they want to go? After all, I hold the keyboard in my hands, but they always win. Mind you, I'm not complaining. I love character-driven stories! Maybe this morning, two days from Easter Sunday, I can weave the mystery and love story together like a beautiful basket, and my characters will solve the crime and fall into each others' arms as I softly close this book.

Authors, what are your current struggles with writing? Do your characters rule?
Readers, what do you hope Logan will do next?

Please leave comments in the section below for a chance to win a free copy of one of my mysteries.

Multi-Genre Author Robert Collins

Robert Collins has had three science fiction novels published: Monitor, Lisa’s Way, and Expert Assistance. He’s had two fantasy novels published, Cassia and The Opposite of Absolute, as well as several short story collections. He’s also had a coming of age novel published called True Friends. He’s sold stories and articles to periodicals such as Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine; Tales of the Talisman; Sorcerous Signals; Wild West; and Model Railroader. He’s also published two biographies and several other nonfiction books about Kansas history.

Hey! I'm not the only multi-genre person after all. LOL. Welcome to the blog, Robert. Congratulations on all the writing success.

 

Thank you, Susan. 

Where do you live, and how has your environment affected your writing?

 I live near Wichita, Kansas. I suppose Kansas runs through my work, and not just my nonfiction. The home planet of Lisa Herbert (Lisa’s Way) looks like this part of Kansas. Part of Monitor is set in a fictional version of Wichita. The people around the state that I know and like have a spirit of community, and that infuses some of my main characters. Some events in the histories I’ve written have become plots for my fiction.

How many books have you written in all, Robert?

I have 14 SF/F books out, either novels or collections. I’ve had 14 nonfiction books published. I’ve sold about 90 short stories, and about 120 nonfiction articles.

 Wow! How prolific!

Give a short synop of your most recently published book.

 My latest book is another collection: The Frigate Victory Collection, Volume 2: Pirates & Diplomats. Here’s what it’s about:

Major Anita Duncan learns too late of the assassination of the President of Extra-Solar Alliance. She has to turn to Captain Jason Ayers of the Terran Federal Republic for help. Duncan and Ayers forge an alliance of humans and aliens to deal with the threat posed by the coup in the ESA.

What will this struggle mean for the future of the galaxy? Can Duncan, Ayers, and their new friends bring freedom and justice to the ESA?

This collection contains 9 new Frigate Victory science fiction short stories.

 What advice can you give new writers?

 Write every day, even if it’s only a page or two. Come up with plenty of ideas, so getting blocked on one project doesn’t keep you from writing. Be open to advice, but don’t be so open that you let others dictate your style. Don’t give up! You only fail to be a writer if you stop writing.

We all know how important promoting our work has become. How do you get the word out both off and online?

As far as promotion in the real world, I do book events. I do book talks and signings for my nonfiction. I do science fiction conventions to promote my fiction.

As to online, I don’t do too much. I’ll post in a handful of forums when I have something new out. I might post links on some Facebook promotion pages. I’ll post at my blog and at my Tumblr page. That’s about it.

It can be very easy to think you have to post everywhere and tell everyone about your book. When you do that, however, you end up looking like you have nothing to say except “Buy my book.” You really aren’t selling yourself or your book.

That’s especially true if you only have one book out. If you do reach any readers, and they like your book, they’ll want to read more of your work. But if all you have is just that one book, you have no follow-up sale. Maybe they’ll remember you when your next book comes out, but maybe not.

I think the best thing any author can do to promote their work is to keep writing and publishing. Have as much to choose from as you feel comfortable writing. Don’t worry about length or genre; write what you like and get it out. That might not be working for me right now, but it feels like the right way for me.

Can you tell us your future writing goals/projects?

 Through the rest of this year and next, I plan to do events to promote my nonfiction book Kansas County Seat Conflicts. At that point I intend to put my nonfiction writing on indefinite hold.

As far as fiction goes, I always have something I’m working on. I’ve been writing more Lisa Herbert and Blue Pistol novels. Right now I’m adding material to another Victory short story. I try to have plenty of projects to work on, but I tend not to make too many grand plans.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?   

 I have a blog, One Kansas Author (http://robertlcollins.blogspot.com/) and a Facebook author page (http://www.facebook.com/RobertLCollinsAuthor).

I’m also on Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2948221.Robert_Collins) and Wattpad (http://www.wattpad.com/user/RobertLCollins).

Are your books available in print and ebook formats?

Yes! The easiest ways to find where my works are on sale is to go to my blog (http://robertlcollins.blogspot.com/).

I do have an Amazon Author Page (http://www.amazon.com/Robert-L-Collins/e/B002SZCUI0/).

You can also find me at Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rlckansas).

 

Thanks for taking the time to come over, Robert. Continued success.

It was my pleasure, Susan. Thanks again for inviting me.

 

Get to know p.m.terrell

I am so delighted to have Trish Terrell on the blog because I envy her writing talent and her amazing organizational skills. I met Trish when I signed up for the first Book'Em North Carolina event last year. Trish, the organizer, contacted me about coming down for a huge book fair not only to get visibility for my own books but also to benefit the literacy program. She'll tell you more about that, but I have to congratulate her on having the most-well organized writers event I have ever attended. Her promotional and communication skills are awesome and I went back this year and have already registered for next year.

p.m.terrell is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 17 books in 4 genres. She has been a full-time author since 2000. Prior to that time, she founded and operated two computer companies in the Washington, DC area. Her specialty was computer crime and computer intelligence and her clients included the CIA, Secret Service and Department of Defense. Her work in computers often finds its way into her suspense/thrillers. She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, whose slogan is “Buy a Book and Stop a Crook” and is the founder of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event that raises money for literacy campaigns. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library and is Vice President of the Robeson County Arts Council. 

Welcome, Trish!

Thank you so much, Susan. It's great to be here. 

Tell us how your environment affected your writing.

I was born in Washington, DC and spent much of my life there. But when I retired to Lumberton, North Carolina, the area reignited my passion for writing. I now have two series that take place in Lumberton – the award-winning Black Swamp Mysteries series (four books have been released in that series) and the Ryan O’Clery series, which has not yet been scheduled for release.

How many books have you written?

I am working on my 18^th book now. My 15^th book was released earlier this month, so my writing is about a year or two ahead of the release dates.

Congratulations on the new release, Dylan's Song! Please give a short synopsis of it.

Dylan Maguire returns to his native Ireland with psychic spy Vicki Boyd. Their mission: to locate and extract a missing CIA operative. But when Dylan receives word that his grandmother is dying, it plunges him into a past he thought he’d left behind forever. And as Vicki is discovering the real reason Dylan left Ireland for America, she is harboring a secret of her own.

How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?

I think quite a bit of my character is in Vicki Boyd, the psychic spy. She lives life in her head, which isn’t such a stretch from a writer creating characters and scenes. She is not a sportive person—and neither am I. But both of us are stronger than we’re sometimes given credit for. However, I don’t claim to be psychic like Vicki. I interviewed real psychic spies working for the government to keep her job as real as possible.

Do your characters take on a life of their own? If so, which is your favorite?

Definitely. My favorite—like so many of my fans—is Dylan Maguire, the Irish CIA operative. He is strong, handsome, loving and romantic—but he can kill when the situation merits it. Who could ask for more?

What challenges did you face while writing this particular book?

The book takes place in Ireland and I had planned a trip to Ireland this past year but my health prevented it. But I was under an obligation to write the book so I found myself researching the terrain online. I then relied on my cousins in Ireland as well as a few Irish authors to check my scenes for accuracy, particularly with regard to the mysterious Bog of Allen.

Do you travel to do research or for inspiration? Can you share some special places with us?

I do travel and someday soon I do hope to get to Ireland, as I have several books scheduled that take place there. When I was writing River Passage (my 2010 award-winning book) and Songbirds are Free (my most popular book to date) I followed the path of my ancestor who had been captured by Shawnee warriors in 1780. Those trips took over two years and took me a thousand miles when all was said and done.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far? What advice can you give new writers? 

The greatest lesson I’ve learned is how powerful words can be. They open up doors for both the writers and readers and they transport us to places, times and events. The mind is a powerful thing.

The best advice I can give to new writers is to get your ego out of your book.

Good advice, indeed, Trish.

Where do you store ideas for later use: in your head, in a notebook, or on a spreadsheet?

My ideas are always stored in my head, but I will frequently do online research and email the links to myself so I can store them in specific folders. With my iPhone, I find I can research and email in the oddest of places!

We all know how important promoting our work has become. How do you get the word out both off and online?

I am finding the Internet to be an amazingly effective means of marketing and promotion. It has mushroomed over the past five years. I employ a mix of social networking (primarily Twitter and Facebook), my blogs (www.pmterrell.blogspot.com and www.vickisangelfish.blogspot.com, named after my CIA agents’ front as angelfish breeders) and I also do some extensive blog tours that have placed me in front of readers all over the world. I used to travel about eight months out of the year, crisscrossing the country doing speaking engagements and book signings, but the Internet has replaced a good portion of that. It’s freed me to write more.

Can you tell us your future writing goals/projects?

I am contracted to write two books in 2013. I am working on the 5^th book in the Black Swamp Mysteries series, which has Dylan and Vicki returning to Lumberton, NC where they launch their next CIA mission. And I am also writing the second book in the new Ryan O’Clery series, about a serial killer.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

My website is www.pmterrell.com. You’ll find links in the left menu to my Twitter and Facebook pages and blogspots.

Are your books available in print and ebook formats?   

All of my books are available as trade paperback as well as formatted for Kindle, Nook, iBooks and other eFormats. For Dylan’s Song, the buy links are:

Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/Dylans-Black-Swamp-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00BBGF12E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363291596&sr=1-1&keywords=dylan%27s+song

Trade paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Dylans-Song-p-m-terrell/dp/1935970070/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1363291596&sr=1-1

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dylans-song-p-m-terrell/1106966352?ean=2940044300149

 Trish, it has been such a pleasure to have you on the blog. I hope many folks will check out your books and discover Book'Em as well. I wish you continued success in your many endeavors!

 

 

 

 

You're Invited!

Good afternoon, faithful followers. I've taken some time off from blogging and interviewing and am now opening up the blog for guests to post their promotional materials or have me interview them here. If interested, please get in touch because I'm in the process of scheduling for the rest of 2013. If you have a new book or one coming out later in the year, I'm sure other followers would love to know about them.

Being Multi-genre

Now that I’m a multi-genre author, I thought I’d explain how I became one.  When I started writing seriously back in 2004 I knew I wanted to write a mystery because, after all, that’s what I enjoy reading most. So I wrote Genesis Beach, which began as a short story and turned into a novella because I didn’t have enough room to tell my story. Eventually the book became a novel, by the sheer numbers under consideration by a publisher.  In it I introduced Logan Hunter, an intern for the SBI, (NC’s equivalent to the FBI).

When I fell into that dark area called “writer’s block”, I whipped out fresh clean paper and started writing another book about Logan Hunter, set in another area of North Carolina. This time she was a full-fledged SBI agent and I challenged us both by having her track down a serial killer in western North Carolina. Just North of Luck remains my most graphically violent novel.

I added Hell Swamp and Sin Creek to the mix, giving Logan plenty of heinous crimes to investigate. Along the way I added some awkward romance and showcased different parts of North Carolina in each book. Now that I’m writing the fifth book in the series, I’ve aged her and certainly she has matured into an experienced agent not to be underestimated.

But after the fourth mystery, I wanted a diversion, so I wrote a women’s fiction, Slightly Cracked, the plot of which I’d be carrying around in my head for some time. It’s about life-long friendship with plenty of hilarious antics to be sure.

I also authored a unique cookbook featuring recipes from mystery writers across the country who graciously shared family recipes with me in exchange for promotion under each one.

So now I’m “multi-genre”. It just happened. I don’t have the space here to expound on my journey, but I can truthfully say that I’ve enjoyed the ride. I hope to write another women’s fiction soon and I’m already doing research for an historical mystery. Maybe I bore easily but I suspect that there’s more to it than that. I’m having the time of my life learning new writings skills and techniques and experimenting with new characters and even new genres.

It’s kind of what makes me tick. Is multi-genre for everyone? Probably not, but I’m enjoying myself and discovering that I can not only make readers squirm with discomfort but also make them giggle. Now that’s priceless!

Any more multi-genre folks out there?

Pull it together, baby!

While cleaning out a few messy spots in my office basket, I came across a Writers Digest article from 2005. Yes, my cleaning and purging are long overdue, but I'm so glad I held on to this article, entitled "Pull it together." As I work on my fifth Logan Hunter mystery, I need to read the article once again.  It's all about plot. Well, I have a pretty darn good plot, I think, but it has some serious holes in it right now, so I thought I'd loosely share some of the gems I gleaned from this article by James Scott Bell.

First, the plot must thrust the protagonist into some kind of quest, searching for another person, evidence, knowledge or inner peace. In order to accomplish that, the writer (you and me) must create a character who is incomplete in some way, and whatever s/he is searching for must be important and worthwhile, or readers won't care.

Then the writer has to throw boulders, both real and imaginary obstacles in the way to keep the protag from reaching the goal. By the end of the quest or journey, the main character should have changed (usually for the better). If not, the ending is a tragedy.

As the article declares "The quest is a powerful pattern because it mirrors our own journey through life. We encounter challenges, suffer setbacks and victories but move on."

In the manuscript I'm writing now, this statement rings true, mirroring sometimes too closely my own journey through life. Can you say the same? What kind of journey are you sending your main characters on, and how much of yourself have you intertwined within the work? Leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of my mysteries.

MORAL PANIC

A good frosty morning to all of you. As you all know, I write the Logan Hunter Mystery series about ... well, murder.

I have never claimed to write cozies where the death happens but the reader does not have to wade through the graphic details.

In each of my books, my protagonist, Logan Hunter, investigates, solves the crime, and brings the bad guy (or gal) to justice.

The back of each book includes a blurb about the contents and there is a "mystery" label at the top, just in case a reader still isn't sure of the genre.

The first novel, Genesis Beach, is quite mild, with the dead man found in his hot tub. Then I upped the ante in Just North of Luck because I wanted to challenge myself and Logan with a serial killer. I spent quite a lot of time in the area where I set the book and even though it's ALL FICTION, I've always told folks that it's my most violent book.

Don't like to read violence? Then don't buy this particular book!

A few weeks ago I had a phone call from a librarian who wanted to schedule a book signing with me and requested a copy of Just North of Luck to read ahead of my visit. I was ecstatic because the book was published in 2009 and I tried to get into libraries in that area then. I never heard back from any of them. This man said he'd "just discovered" me. So, of course, I sent him a free book and waited for a reply.

Having said that, it seems that I've been the victim of "moral panic", a knee jerk reaction to recent shootings around the country. When I finally heard from the librarian through email, he stated that he'd read the book and discussed it with the Friends of the Library group there. They decided that it was too violent a book and withdrew the invitation to have me come.

I was certainly caught off guard since I'd told him it was my most violent book upfront and it didn't seem to bother him. I'm left feeling duped and disappointed. After all, I tell myself, what does one expect from a murder mystery? Especially one with a serial killer creating chaos?

I now have to wonder what they hope to gain by not allowing me to come and talk about crime, investigations, and bringing culprits to justice, good overcoming evil.

Censorhip really bothers me whether it's my books or someone else's.

I wonder if they've turned off their TVs filled with horrible and visually graphic details, or if they're combing the library to remove any book that contains violence. If so, they'll have many empty shelves, won't they? If they have a Bible, they'll have to remove that first since it's filled with all kinds of sins and violence far beyond my simple fiction.

I write about life. Evil isn't going away, but we have to have characters who're strong enough to take a stand and bring justice to innocent victims and communities.

Today I am sad. Tomorrow I will begin to write again.