Freakin' Fear

By Peg Brantley
Evocative Characters. Intriguing Crime. Compelling Stories.



This is the time of year when fear can be fun.

The other day I was with two women on our way to a luncheon to  benefit the CU Depression Center. They were talking about how they loved to decorate for Halloween and design fanciful costumes to wear. When I mentioned that I would like to see A Cabin in the Woods because I hear it turns the whole horror movie genre upside down, they both insisted they didn't like scary movies and then went on to talk about scary movies they had enjoyed. They laughed when they figured out the truth.

Sometimes scary is satisfying, in a weird and unusual and creepy kind of way.

When it's not fun is when there's a forever-reality piece to the scary thing. Whether it's true crime, as we read in posts here earlier from L.J. Sellers and Sheila Lowe, or a life and death situation.

Independence, Colorado is over 10,900 feet in elevation. 

Last week my husband and I were in Aspen and went to a couple of ghost towns. The second one was near the top of Independence Pass (the Continental Divide). The town of Independence, Colorado got its name because gold was discovered there on July 4th. In its heyday there were about fifteen hundred people
living there, then the mine began to produce less and less gold. At the end there was a fraction still trying to eke out a living when the worst winter the area had seen in years left them with dwindling food supplies and no way for horses to pack anything into their remote location. The townspeople ended up taking apart their log homes and making seventy-eight pairs of skis to hike out. I have no idea how many people made it back to Aspen. Real life life and death. Not a good scare.

Another way scary doesn't work real well for me is when I must research something about which I need to know, and yet I don't want to become immersed in the muck of the research.

For example, there are a lot of religions in the world, and some of them are threatening. For The Sacrifice I needed to research Santeria and Santa Muerte to determine which would work best for my plot. I chose Santeria because it routinely involves animal sacrifice, and within the Mexican drug cartels, it has involved human sacrifice. A really good way to up the stakes, wouldn't you say?

I had to research Santeria, get a feel for it, even buy a book about it, to get my story right. I confess to skimming for detail while ignoring the instructional elements. I simply couldn't get comfortable and didn't want this part of my life (my writing part) to shadow the rest of my life because of new information, even if it was true. The scariest thing for me was that websites for cults look just like websites for the local chambers of commerce or colleges. Normal. Routine. Ready for someone who is searching for answers.

I had the opportunity in The Sacrifice to use the words in a prayer/chant. It was short. It would have worked. I couldn't do it.

The Sacrifice will be released next Tuesday, October 22nd, and part of its dedication is to the University of Colorado Depression Center. I hope you pick up a copy and receive a few hours of enjoyment… and a just a little fear.

Audiobooks Are Here to Stay (At Least for A While)

By Teresa Burrell

Recently, Jenny Hilborne posted here about audiobooks, but because of the market share they seem to be taking up, I think it’s worth another look.

A few years ago I sat down to my computer and I read one of my books onto about eight CDs. I did that because my brother wanted to read my books but he couldn’t because he is legally blind. It was a real chore. It was exhausting and it was a lousy rendition, but he loved it.

Now I am in the process of getting my novels professionally narrated for audiobooks.  I have to tell you that my experience of making the CDs for my brother really has made me appreciate the narrators that have submitted auditions. I know it’s not an easy task and I don’t begrudge them their hourly fees (they’re not cheap). My problem has been in finding someone who gets the essence of the story. I have listened to some wonderful voices but the cadence just isn’t working for me.

I have had several friends listen to the auditions and most of the time they are all in disagreement about which one they like. Although, no one has yet told me, “That’s the one.” Which confirms my opinion that none of them are what I want. So, I’ll keep looking.

I have absolutely no experience with this sort of thing and after you listen to a lot of them, they all start to sound alike. Fortunately, I have a friend, and fellow author, who used to be in the advertising business. He can listen and tell me what’s wrong with the way it is done. All I know is whether or not I like what I hear. My only expertise comes from the many hours of listening to audiobooks, when I drive, when I walk at the bay, and when I workout. I probably go through two or three books a month, sometimes more. If it weren’t for audiobooks I wouldn’t get much reading done. So I’m thrilled with the way technology has made them so accessible. But I don’t know that what I like is what everyone else will like. My friend has helped me to see why someone may or may not like it.

This whole experience has been one more adventure in this wonderful career I have had the good fortune to have. I feel so lucky to be able to write for a living. And just when I was getting frustrated with this process I think I may have received an audition today that just might be the one. I’m passing it through my beta listeners to see if everyone else feels the same.

Meanwhile, I think I'll take a lesson from Andrew Kaufman.

There, that ought to get me started!

What do like about audiobooks? Have you ever listened to one that you didn’t enjoy because the voice wasn’t right? What is it you like to hear in a voice reading to you?

When All Else Fails...There is This.

By Andrew E. Kaufman

I have a new book coming out in just six days.

(Deep breath)

It’s been almost two years since I’ve been able to say that. After I signed a publishing deal, there were delays. I was okay with this, even anticipated it—but still, I’ve managed to accomplish what I do best.

Make myself crazy. 

It's a special skill. Do not attempt this for the first time alone. I've spent years honing my craft, and it's not for the weak. Should you choose to fall into global anxiety, please be sure to have a tolerant support system around you. And possibly some bungee cords, potting soil, and an assortment of down pillows. (Don't ask. You'll find out.)

Of course, there are the usual obsessive concerns: Will my readers still remember me after all this time? Will their enthusiasm over my work wither and die? Will I wither and die? Will the publishing business continue to gyrate, explode, then shoot me straight into oblivion? 

This is just a partial glimpse into the neurotic and continuously spiraling mind that keeps me awake late into the night and swimming the shifting tides of global uncertainty during the day. And other melodrama. 

In a way this spinning cycle of insanity is good, because on some level it keeps me on my toes and hungry—but in other ways, not really so much. Let's face it, folks: Anxiety isn't pretty. It's dominating and ferocious and greedy, but it ain't pretty. 

So, in an effort to self-medicate and to talk myself off the ledge and out of the pain vortex, logical thinking went out the window, and reckless overindulgence flew the in through the cuckoo’s nest.

I took a little jaunt over to this joint:

And inhaled me a little of this:

And thought inappropriate things about this:

 And I was powerless over this sexy little chocolate ganache number:

And I adopted 73 of these and took them home with me. They are all named Clive, and they are all wonderful and thriving in a loving environment.

That's all. 

Here, There, and Everywhere

By Sheila Lowe, Forensic handwriting examiner and Mystery author

That’s not just the title of one of my favorite Beatles songs. Last week I had a mini whirlwind tour that zigzagged me across several Southern California counties. Starting on Wednesday morning, dragging myself out of bed at o’dark-thirty, I made my way forty-five miles from Ventura to the Woodland Hills Hilton, where I was scheduled to speak at a Elderhostel group. I don’t usually do mornings, so presenting a ninety minute lecture that started at 8:30, which is when I’m usually waking up is, let’s say, a challenge. But the reward was the intense interest of the small group of Seniors I addressed about handwriting analysis and the mysteries of personality. Sold a few books, met some lovely people.

The next day, Thursday, was an evening gig: Book’d in Burbank, a literary salon, where I was one of six authors invited to read from our latest work. Besides battling L.A. rush hour traffic, the challenge this time was cutting chapter one of What She Saw in half to stick to the allotted eight minutes. It proved a good lesson in editing as I ruthlessly sought out passages that could be deleted without ruining the scene. There were no book sales opportunities at this event, but about fifty people attended and one can only hope they were so bowled over by my fabulous dramatic reading that they immediately got on their iPads and smart phones and ordered my books.

Next day, Friday, was a book club appearance. I headed 70 miles in the opposite direction to Solvang, a charming Danish village in the Southern California mountains. Choosing a route that took me alongside the Pacific Ocean, I drove up early on a perfect afternoon and checked into a motel (slightly seedy, but for some reason the No Vacancy signs were out in full force everywhere else). As gorgeous as the drive is, parts of it wend through scary mountain passes. At night there are no lights and these aging eyes aren’t as sharp in the dark as they usta be.

I strolled along Mission Avenue, the quaint main drag, where lo and behold, I found the Book Loft, and bought a copy of John Sandford’s new Virgil Flowers story. Wandered into Olsen’s Bakery and exited with far too many amazing pastries, which didn’t make it home.

The book club meeting was held at a member’s lovely home. It was a small but lively group with whom I shared a yummy dinner of pasta, garlic bread, salad, and conversation. Oh, and apple crumble and ice cream for dessert. Clearly, sugar overload has never been a problem for me (except for gaining 3 lbs).

Having visited several book clubs, I’ve found them all to be unique. At this one, the leader wanted to know about my life to date. After the oh-so-fascinating details were exhausted we talked a bit about my books. Again, not a direct sales opportunity, but I do hope the conversation will eventually lead to some of them buying books.

At each of these events I left bookmarks and, I hope, a good impression. The final appearance if this cluster is tomorrow evening. I'm speaking at the Women’s Artistic Network in Camarillo, relieved that it's only 14 miles from home.

It’s unusual for me to do so many events in such a compressed time period, but I rarely turn down invitations such as these, even if there is no payment and I’m not selling books at the event. Do they pay off in the end? I honestly don’t know, but I’m staying optimistic. What have you found, fellow authors? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Welcome Jeri Westerson!

Why I Write Historical Mystery

By Jeri Westerson


Why do authors write what they write? Is there some hidden meaning in the genre they choose? Is it purely marketing? Or is it something else?

I guess in my case, it might be all three.

Let’s start with the “something else.” When you are raised in a household of rabid Anglophiles as I was you can’t help but get the Middle Ages under your skin. Books aplenty were on our shelves. There was historical fiction from the likes of Thomas B. Costain, Nora Lofts, Anya Seton, Mary
Stewart, and many others. They sported covers with square-jawed knights in sometimes comical clinches with maidens showing far too much décolletage (this was the sixties, after all. Sex, drugs, rock and roll…and jousting?) But even so, it was a fascinating world of manly men and pointy-sleeve gowned women; chivalrous rules and cunning villains. We also had a fully illustrated child’s version of the Canterbury Tales…with some of the more fabliaux stories excised, of course. The strange Bosch-esque illustrations only served to draw in a curious ten-year-old which led to a life-long devotion to calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts…and Chaucer.

La belle dame sans merci  (Waterhouse)

But there were also the non-fiction books about the Middle Ages, the histories, the biographies, the big beautiful tomes with lots of photos of cathedrals and manuscripts and paintings of knights (gotta love the knights!) And if that wasn’t enough, there were dinner table conversations about the British monarchy. Not the present day monarchy, mind you, but of days past. I could name more kings and queens of England than I ever could of American presidents.

So once set on the course of being a novelist, I naturally chose to write about the medieval period. Was there some hidden meaning in it all? A psychological one, perhaps?

rodjulian/123RF Stock Photo

I might have gotten my love for things medieval from my parents, but like many American homes in the seventies, divorce reared its ugly head. We all have an ideal of Camelot, but as Arthur learns, the reality is somewhat different. There is a lot to be said about immersing oneself in the fantasy of a knight in shining armor saving the day. I never lost that desire to see honesty and virtue triumph…with all the pageantry and pomp of another place and time. There is something that calls to us to remove ourselves from the present and take up residence in our imagination. A medieval setting is both exotic and dark in the sense that it is a bit dangerous, that behind the shining armor is the face of intrigue and thrones to be lost and won. And in the gloomy recesses of a London street, there is every expectation of mayhem.

Who wouldn’t like that?

And then finally, there is marketing. Let me emphasize that choosing to write an historical—whether a straight historical novel or a mystery—is not the best choice to make you rich. And choosing a subgenre like a medieval mystery is even more of a niche. But I know that there are folks out there, like me, who have coveted their love of history to the point of obsession (there is a freakin’ suit of armor in my living room for God sake) that they, too, would love to immerse themselves in a fictional account of the Middle Ages. And why not make that a mystery? And why not go an extra step and make it a hard-boiled mystery in a medieval setting? That gets all the pistons pumping as far as I’m concerned. That would be me writing something that I couldn’t find out there to read.



Los Angeles native and award-winning author Jeri Westerson writes the critically acclaimed Crispin Guest Medieval Noir mysteries. Her books have garnered nominations for the Shamus, the Macavity, the Agatha, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, and the Bruce Alexander Historical Mystery Award.
Jeri is president of the southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is vice president of the Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime. When not writing, Jeri dabbles in gourmet cooking, drinks fine wines, eats cheap chocolate, and swoons over anything British.




You  can read more about Jeri’s books on her website, including a book discussion guide on her latest medieval mystery, SHADOW OF THE ALCHEMIST, available October 15, 2013.

Triple Thriller Treat!

by L.J. Sellers, author of provocative mysteries & thrillers

Andrew and I both have new books coming out this month, and so does our good friend and fellow T&M author J Carson Black. So I’m taking a moment to share the descriptions for all three.

Andrew’s new book, Darkness and Shadows, a terrific sequel to his bestseller, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted, takes up Patrick’s story where he left off. Here’s the provocative book description:

The only woman Patrick Bannister ever loved has died ... again. Struggling professionally and reeling from the psychological wounds left by a horribly abusive mother, Patrick is driven over the edge by a news report. A wealthy socialite couple has been murdered, and while the wife's name isn't familiar, her face certainly is. It's his first and only love, Marybeth, the woman who he lost to a horrific fire years ago.

Is he losing his mind? Patrick's obsession to find the truth sends him scouring records and documents that lead to a shocking discovery: there's no evidence Marybeth ever lived or, for that matter, ever died. Was the love of Patrick's life just a product of his abused psyche?

Reviewers say: “I've never read a better mix of engrossing suspense that also slammed me with heartfelt and raw emotion.”—Jessica Park, New York Times bestselling author

L.J.'s new novel, Crimes of Memory, is the eighth investigation for Detective Jackson. Here’s the cover copy:

Fresh off the leave-of-absence he took following his ex-wife's tragic death, Detective Wade Jackson's life is in upheaval. He struggles to keep his grief-stricken daughter, from succumbing to the same alcoholism demon as her mother. When a body is found in a local storage unit, Jackson hopes a simple open-and-shut homicide case will help him get back on track. But when the victim is identified as ex-con Craig Cooper—a former meth addict who did time for bank robbery, the spoils of which were never recovered—the case becomes challenging.

The same night Cooper is murdered, a firebomb goes off in a bottled water factory on the other side of town. The prime suspects are from an organization called Love the Earth—eco-terrorists. Fears that group is plotting another attack bring to town Jamie Dallas, an undercover agent with a wild streak, and Carla River, an FBI agent with a complicated past. When Jackson discovers a shocking link between the murder case and the bombing, they will all have to work together to solve both crimes before they blow up in their faces.

Reviewers say: “L.J. Sellers just keeps getting better. In Crimes of Memory, she pits unforgettable characters against a brilliant plot. Put this on your A-list! Then go search out the rest of the series.”—Peg Brantley, bestselling mystery author

J Carson Black’s release is a thriller called The Survivor’s Club. Check it out:

Detective Tess McCrae investigates a grisly crime scene in the ghost town of Credo, Arizona. To an ordinary investigator, the evidence suggests a cartel drug hit. But Tess, with a nearly faultless photographic memory, is far from ordinary, and she sees what others might miss: this is no drug killing. Someone went to gruesome lengths to cover up this crime.

The killer’s trail leads Tess from Tucson to California; from anti-government squatters in the Arizona mountains to the heights of wealthy society, including the rich and powerful DeKoven family, who've dominated Arizona commerce and politics since the 1800s. But as Tess follows the trail of gore and betrayal, perfect and indelible in her memory, she uncovers far more than one man’s murder, and solves much more than one isolated crime.

Reviewers say: “An utterly engrossing thriller. The Survivors Club grips us from the very start and simply doesn't let go. The novel seamlessly achieves that rarity in crime fiction: making our palms sweat while bringing the characters and their stories straight into our hearts. Bravo!" —Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

Editing like a madman

By Gayle Carline
Mystery Author and Gal Who Forgets her By-Line

It's a lie that persists. There is an image of the writer, with a box of empty paper on one side of a typewriter. The writer fills each page, until the empty paper on one side has become a novel on the other side. It's sent to the editor, who adores it. Kind of like this:



Or not.

Even with the knowledge that we all write on computers (sometimes even using author-friendly software), we can't shake the myth that we think it, write it, and ship it out.

NOT. TRUE.

If you are an author who cares about the quality of your book, you edit before you send it to an editor. Even if storytelling is your strength but grammar is your weakness, you make the attempt to at least give your editor and your beta readers something coherent. "The End" is not the end.

This week, I began editing my latest mystery, Murder On The Hoof. It's set at a horse show, and it's my first attempt at adding romance to a whodunit. I don't know how long the process will take, but I can tell you the steps involved:

1. Forget the manuscript. After I've written "The End" I close the file and walk away from it for at least two weeks, if not a month. I want to feel like I don't even remember what I wrote, so that when I open it for editing, I'm surprised by the words on the page.

2. Sweeping, silent read-through. My first pass is to get rid of my go-to words (apparently I like to say apparently a lot), find typos, POV changes, and basic inconsistencies.

3. Read aloud. Next, I read the manuscript out loud. Some things sound great in my head and awful in my mouth. Before you think, hey, who cares, most people don't read aloud, read Jenny's post yesterday. Audiobooks, folks. Not to mention that this pass strengthens the work.

4. Read aloud into a digital voice recorder. Chapter by chapter, I read the whole thing into my DVR (about $20 on Amazon). Then I sit with a pad of paper and play it back. What's the difference between this and just reading aloud? Now my mouth is no longer in gear. My ears can focus. You'd be amazed at the stuff I find. I really batten down the hatches with this.

5. Analytic read-through. This is where I go all geek-girl, due to my engineering background. I parse out the chapters and figure out how many words, how many scenes, and whether those scenes are ramping up the tension to action. I want to know if the pacing is correct. Have I ended the first act about a third of the way into the book? Do I have chapters that are too expository without pushing the drama forward?

6. Final read-through. When I think it's all done, I read it through one more time. Yes, I've actually caught errors here, too.

Each one of these steps may have multiple rounds, as I edit, then re-do it. As you can see, when I turn something over to my beta readers and my editor, it's as clean as I can possibly get it.

I know what you're wondering: why on earth do all this work when I'm bound to get comments and corrections anyway?

With an editor, I want to get my money's worth. If I'm paying for a content edit, I don't want them stumbling over typos. Some editors I've worked with charge by the hour. They've actually come in under budget because my manuscript was so clean. (And yes, they still had changes/comments.)

With beta readers, again, I want them to concentrate on the story. If it's got inconsistencies and plot holes, how is that going to help them? Plus, it's like having company over to the house - I gotta make sure the place is clean!

So that's how I do it. Writers, how do you make sure your slip isn't showing? Readers, how many errors do you allow before a book turns you off?

Listening vs reading

By Jenny Hilborne
Author of mysteries and thrillers

Two years ago, at the LA Times Festival Of Books, I got my first request for my book in Audio. The request came from a non-sighted reader, and I was sad I couldn't help her. Back then, I'd never even considered audio. I promised her I'd make them available...and then, as I often do, I procrastinated. Actually, I just didn't know enough about it, or how popular an audio book would be.

Move ahead two years, and the request for audio books seems to be on the rise. The question comes up at almost every book signing I attend, including the 11th Annual Duarte Festival Of Authors last Saturday. This time, most of us had at least one title available in audio.

As my booth buddy and I were discussing the trend, he happened to have a sample of his audio book with him, and he set it to play at our table. The narration was fab and brought his book to life. It got attention from readers who were passing by. As I was listening, it struck me as a fun idea to have an audio sample playing in the background at book signings. Not so loud it drowns out any conversation or interferes with other authors - just enough for a reader at that particular author's booth to get a nice sample. Much more enticing than a pen or a bag of candy (although those freebies never fail to draw people to a booth). It was just very cool listening to a sample of the book you were about to buy.

Most of the readers who asked us about audio like it for the convenience. They listen when they commute or work out at the gym. A lot of them weren't aware of the significant discount Amazon makes available to those who have already purchased the eBook. For example, the regular price set by Amazon for Madness and Murder audio book is $17.46, reduced to only $1.99 with the purchase of the Kindle eBook. With Whispersync for Voice, it's easy to switch between reading and listening, once the reader buys the Kindle EBook and adds the narration. Bargain.

I've started downloading audio myself. While it's not for everyone, I love hearing a narrator's interpretation of mood and character and letting them set the tone for the story. The energy of a good narrator brings the book alive. I felt that way when I listened to the audio samples of my own book as it was produced. I've gone back and listened to audio on a few other author's books that I enjoyed. Kind of like watching the movie after reading the book, only better because nothing gets left out.

What's your experience with audio?

Readers: do you enjoy hearing a narrator depict the mood and tone of a story, or do you prefer to create your own relationship with the book and the characters?