There’s Dog Hair in My Inkjet, or Truth in Fiction

Sheila Boneham

My first novel will be out next year, and when I tell people who know me they usually ask about animals in my books. Before I get to the questions themselves, let me tell you why they come up.

There’s the dog hair, for one thing. On my clothes, on the couch. A few minutes ago I blew some off the scanner bed of my ink jet. If I were a better housekeeper I might complain, but I believe animal fur adds texture to life and is a natural benefit of living with dogs, cats, horses, hamsters. My animals have always been my companions – pets, if you will – above all else, but many of them have also been my partners, my teammates. I’ve shown dogs and horses in a variety of sports and volunteered with therapy dogs in schools, hospitals, libraries, and nursing homes. I’ve been a rescuer, a serious breeder, a dog-show judge, and award-winning author of seventeen nonfiction books about dogs and cats. I write with dogs under my desk. If I didn’t have fur on my clothes I’d feel naked. So back to the questions....

The first is usually whether there are animals in my mysteries. Of course there are! In fact, my "Animals in Focus" series is (pardon the expression) peopled with animals. Janet MacPhail, the accidental amateur sleuth of the series, is a professional pet and wildlife photographer and amateur dog-sport enthusiast. When we meet her in the first book, Drop Dead on Recall, she's at an obedience trial with Jay, her Australian Shepherd. Besides Jay, she lives with Leo, an orange tabby. Tom Saunders, the "hunk" who steps into Janet’s life when the obedience trial turns deadly, has a Labrador Retriever named Drake. And there are several Border Collies, a Maltese, a Poodle....you get the idea.

The next thing people often want to know is whether the animals are real. Of course they are. Sort of. At the micro level, the animal protagonists, Jay and Leo, are loosely based on three of my own companions and technical advisors. The real Jay turned 13 in October and continues to inspire me. That's Jay (above) competing in obedience a few years ago. You can read more of his story at http://www.perennialaussies.com/jay.html. Janet's Leo is based on my own two lovely orange tabbies, Malcolm and Leo, who are now rolling in catnip at the Rainbow Bridge. Drake is a composite of my own three Labrador Retrievers – Raja, Annie, and Lily – and the many Labs I’ve worked with in rescue and as an obedience instructor. Other dogs and cats in the stories are similarly based on dogs and cats I’ve known or heard about. Here are Raja and Malcolm,

and Leo with a five-week-old Aussie puppy.

The animals I write about are "real" in a broader sense, too. They act like animals with canine and feline motivations (as far as we can determine, anyway). Since I expect human characters in books to act like people, this seems fair.


Don’t get me wrong – I’ve spend many happy hours with a cat on my lap and a dog curled around my feet as I read about crime-solving critters pointing out clues or commenting on the feeble abilities of their human sidekicks. It’s just that I have spent a lot of time with animals and have seen the problems caused when pet owners regard their pets as deficient people rather than excellent critters. My experience informs my fiction. How can it not? So the animals in this series are as realistic as I can make them.

And here’s the thing.... Real animals are fascinating just as they are. Their motivations are complex and individual. They can be by turns altruistic and self-serving and sad and playful and indifferent and loving. Like any strong character in fiction (and life), they are multidimensional. I could go on and on about this, but I there's a furry chin on my knee so I’ll leave this line of thought for Janet MacPhail to pursue. She's a woman of strong opinions when it comes to animals. For now, it's time for a walk.


Sheila W. Boneham, Ph.D., is the author of the forthcoming "Animals in Focus" mystery Drop Dead on Recall as well as award-winning books about pets including Rescue Matters! How to Find, Foster, and Rehome Companion Animals  (Alpine, 2009),  The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Cat (Alpha, 2005), and fifteen others. Sheila's books are available from your local bookseller and on line. Learn more at www.sheilaboneham.com.

MOVING AHEAD SO LIFE WON'T PASS ME BY

Darrell James

My decision to become a writer, sixteen years ago, wasn’t exactly an off-the-wall idea, conceived of inebriation and flight of fancy. In fact, in part, it was a premeditated choice based on some long-held attitudes. Yes, I had a passion for writing, a yearning for creativity. But I was also looking for something to do, that I could imagine myself doing the rest of my life.

So, many of my friends claimed that they couldn’t wait for retirement so they could play golf four or five days a week. And while I love a good round on the links as much as anybody, I couldn’t imagine my days with nothing better to do than play.

Maybe it was the Jim Croce lyric that echoes: "...moving ahead so life won't pass me by..." that was stuck in my head. But, see, I’ve always loved to work. And, I’ve known for many years that I wouldn’t be happy with the traditional idea of retirement. (Which for me is synonymous with having no particular purpose for life.)

Now, that may sound judgemental, maybe cynical, but I’ve seen far too many of my peers drop out of the workplace only to find their days spent in the recliner, consumed with CNN and Sports Central. It just isn’t for me.

So, when I set out to become a writer, it was with the idea that writing was something I could do well into my twilight years.

Elmore Leonard quickly became my model of success. Elmore is 86 years old, to date, and he still turns out a book (or more) a year. In his time, he’s published more than forty novels and numerous short stories. His stories have been made into moves, adapted for television. And he is revered and respected, at his age, by virtually every writer and reader of contemporary crime fiction.






I just turned sixty-five and my first novel was released in September. It is part of the longterm (and longtime) plan that I have constructed for my life. To write well into my seventies, eighties, perhaps beyond. Whatever success I may achieve along the way is mostly secondary. See, for me, it’s the work that counts. It’s the sustainment of purpose. It’s the living of life in a meaningful way that’s important.

I know I’m not the only one to harbor such beliefs. ABC World News, in fact, just ran a story of senior adults working well into their nineties and beyond. The sentiments that many of the seniors had for continuing their work efforts mostly echoed my own. But there also seemed to be a plausabilty to it that suggested that their lifetime of experience contributed strongly to their life satisfaction. Quite simply, they “felt good” about the work they do.



I feel good about the work I do. And, health and other influences aside, I hope I will be able to write for many years to come. The reward comes along the way, not at the end of the journey, I believe.

It comes with living ones life with purpose.

Darrell James is the author of NAZARETH CHILD, a debut Del Shannon novel, released in September by Llewellyn Worldwide Publishing. It is available in bookstores and from online retailers, in trade paperback and all popular electronic formats. SONORA CROSSING, book two in the Del Shannon series, is scheduled for release in September next year.

Transitions

Cricket McRae

I do love the transitions between seasons. Nothing like a Christmas cactus in bloom right next to the last green tomatoes ripening on the window seat. I count myself lucky to live in a place with distinct seasons. Just when you get tired of heat or cold or wind or Indian summer, it’s on to the next thing.

Wait. No one gets tired of Indian summer. What was I thinking?

And I love the transitions between projects. One of my favorite things about my years at The Mother Ship was the cyclical nature of software development. The writing of a book has a life cycle, as well, made up of all kinds of different pieces. The inception of an idea, the sketchy plans, the implementation of those plans, replanning, writing and rewriting and playing with language and fine-tuning effect and arcs and, in the case of books that are part of a series, planting the seeds that will germinate in the next one, or even the next one after that.

Then there are editor revisions, acknowledgements, asking other authors you love to blurb your book, covers and back copy and dedications. There is the marketing in anticipation of release, marketing around the release, and constantly being on the lookout for signing and interview opportunities, blogs to guest post on, and all the rest.

The cycles overlap, just like the cactus and the tomatoes above. That can be tricky, but being at the end of one project and at the beginning of another is a great feeling. I’m there right now, and it’s heady stuff indeed. It combines the satisfaction of completing one project and the anticipation of moving forward with another.

Where are you in your projects, be they writerly or otherwise? Do you like beginnings and endings best, or do you enjoy all the bits and pieces of the whole process?

Romance, Romance

by Kathleen Ernst

I had lunch this week with two friends who (good pals that they are) told me they loved The Heirloom Murders, my second Chloe Ellefson mystery. They also agreed that they’re ready to see some action between Chloe and and cop Roelke McKenna.

In the first book, Old World Murder, Chloe was recovering from a bad breakup and definitely not ready for a new romance. In book 2, she tries to figure out what kind of man she might want to be with. Book 3, which I’m still revising, offers some new ideas about her life, her wishes, and the possibility of a relationship. (Roelke is definitely still in the picture.)

Here’s the challenge: I hope to write many books about Chloe, which presents a common dilemma. Stringing the possibility of romance along for too long can become annoying. Getting two people together too quickly can kill the tension, the energy.

Some of my favorite authors have handled things between two main characters differently. One kept them apart a little longer than I liked—five or six books, maybe. Another killed the guy off, leaving the heroine to start fresh (and upsetting many fans, based on online reviews.) Another chose to get her couple married quite quickly, and then let the inevitable frictions between spouses provide tension in the books that followed.

I’ve tried to build some complexity into both of the main characters, Chloe and Roelke. Falling in love isn’t a simple thing for either of them. Still, I don’t want to frustrate readers, either.

There’s no single right answer, of course…but I’d love to hear your thoughts!

http://kathleenernst.com

Images from 123RF.

EXCESS BAGGAGE by Sue Ann Jaffarian

The few days before Thanksgiving, I took off for Las Vegas for a combination vacation and book research trip.  I needed the R&R in a baaaaaad way – much more, it turned out, than I realized.

“Now this is more like it.”

The familiar voice rocked me out of my Zen-like moment. I was sitting naked, immersed up to my neck in the hot bubbly water of the hotel spa waiting for my massage appointment. Opening one eye, I looked across the pool to find Odelia Grey similarly dunked – the two of us floating in the water like large, seeping tea bags.

Before speaking, I cast a look over my shoulder, making sure we were alone. “I thought I left you at home,” I told my creation with a bit of a snarl. “I’m on vacation.”

She ignored my obvious annoyance and forged ahead. “No, you’re not. Not really. I happen to know you’re in Las Vegas to research a new book.“ She leaned forward in the water, her face lit with eagerness. “It’s about time you took Greg and me someplace interesting. Are Zee and Seth coming, too? That could be a lot of fun.”

Again, I looked over my shoulder, half expecting to see a spa attendant. “Go away, Odelia. People will think I’m crazy.”

“Trust me, Sue Ann, that ship has sailed. And it wasn’t a row boat, but more like the Titanic.”

“Hey, did either of you catch that Titanic exhibit upstairs? It was awesome! I was hoping to find a few fellow ghosts hanging about, but didn’t see any.”

It was another familiar voice.  I groaned and thought about slipping under the heated water until the voices went away or until I drew my last breath – whichever came first. Instead, I answered. “No, Granny, not yet. I’m checking that out tomorrow.”

“You gonna put that in my book?”  On the tile floor by my head, Granny danced with excitement.

“That’s not the plan at this time, Granny. But you never know.”

“Her book?” Odelia was not pleased.  “You’re here in Vegas researching a Granny Apples book?”

“Book 4 to be exact,” the ghost answered with pride. “It’s called Ghost of a Gamble.” She turned to me for confirmation. “Isn’t that right, Sue Ann?”

Slowly, I nodded with resignation.

“What?!” Odelia glared at me.  “What about my seventh book? You’re in the middle of that right now, so I thought you were here to do research for that.”

“I am currently writing Odelia number 7,” I explained to both Odelia and Granny, “but I’m here to do research on Granny Apples number 4.  This week was the best time for me to get away and do it.”

Odelia slapped the water with a flat palm, sending a heavy spray my way. “Granny and Emma always get to travel. First it was to Julian, then Catalina, then Pennsylvania, and now to Las Vegas. I never get to go anywhere.”

“You went to Massachusetts,” Granny said, correcting her. “That corn maze seemed like a lot of fun.”

“Humpf.” Odelia crossed her arms across her large chest as she bobbed in the churning water like a buoy. “It’s hardly the same thing as Vegas, is it?”

Eyeing the wall clock, I started to get out of the water and prepare for my massage. “Don’t worry, Odelia. As soon as I get home, I’ll be burying myself in book 7.”

“See.” Odelia pointed a wet finger of accusation at me. “You don’t even have a title for my book yet and it’s due in a few weeks.

“Oh, quit your bellyaching,” Granny said to Odelia with a scowl. “It’ll get done. You know it will.”

With a sigh, I slipped into the spa robe and made my way to my massage appointment.  Once I was face down on the table in the dimly lit room with soft background music, the masseuse went to work, laying her capable hands on my shoulders. I winced in pain.

“Ms. Jaffarian, your neck and shoulder muscles are so stiff. You have to learn to relax.”

I sucked in the scent of lavender from the sheets beneath me. “Tell me about it.”

 

Sue Ann Jaffarian is the best-selling author of the Odelia Grey mystery series, the Ghost of Granny Apples mystery series, and the Madison Rose Vampire Mysteries. Gem of a Ghost, the third Granny Apples book will be released February 2012, with the 7^th Odelia Grey adventure released in fall of 2012.  You can follow her at www.sueannjaffarian.com and on Twitter and Facebook.

WHEN IS IT ABOUT SELLING BOOKS?

One of the writing organizations I belong to had a recent online discussion about “When is it about selling books?”

As authors, we’re often boxed into a damned if we do, damned if we don’t situation. Too much promo turns readers off; not enough promo doesn’t get the word out about our books and thus adversely impacts sales. And when books don’t sell well, authors don’t get offered new contracts.

Many people outside of publishing have the mistaken impression that by virtue of being published, we authors are rolling in Franklins. If only that were the case! The outside world only reads about the publishing deals scored by celebrities and the occasional really, really big name authors. They think a book contract means an automatic bloated bank account, no matter who you are or what you write. That’s why friends and family are always asking for free books. They believe we wealthy authors can well afford to give away truckloads of our books.

Some writers claim they write for the pure enjoyment of writing. If they didn’t get paid for their writing, they’d still write. This may be true, but if they weren’t getting paid for their writing, they wouldn’t be killing themselves to meet deadlines. They’d write at their own pace.

Others admit that their writing is a business, and they expect to make a decent living at it. Unfortunately, most don’t. I’m juggling three full-time jobs. I have friends who consistently make the NY Times lists and still can’t afford to quit their day jobs. And yet we all continue to write. To meet our deadlines. To angst over our reviews, our print runs, and our sell-thru numbers. To hope and pray for that next contract.

Are we crazy? No. We’re writers.

So here it is the end of November, and in five weeks DEATH BY KILLER MOP DOLL, the second book of my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, will be released. As part of my promotional efforts for the release of the book, I’ve scheduled a series of guest blogs throughout January. I hope readers find them entertaining rather than hard sell, but I also hope they’ll buy the book. Is that really too much to ask? I hope not.

Lois Winston writes the critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries series. The first book, Assault With A Deadly Glue Gun, was a January 2011 release and received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Death by Killer Mop Doll will be a January 2012 release. Visit Lois at http://www.loiswinston.com and Anastasia at the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog, http://anastasiapollack.blogspot.com.

Whoa, I'm Hot!

By Deborah Sharp

Like so many other missteps, my self-delusion involved alcohol.

It was a warm night in my hometown of Fort Lauderdale. The waiter at a waterfront restaurant placed a second draft beer on my table.

''It’s on the bartender.''

I stared at the glass in disbelief. I thought maybe a sweat droplet or a stray mosquito had lodged itself in my ear. I must not have heard him right. The first George Bush was in office the last time a man bought me a drink.

It wasn't always so. In my day, I was a looker. Not “Get-This-Gal-A-Vogue-Cover!’’ gorgeous, but pretty enough that construction workers hung off scaffolding and yelled stuff as I passed by.

It's been a long time, though, since I've heard anyone shout, ''Ooooooh, baby, how'd you like to hold my hammer?’’

I peered at the free drink like it was a terrorist's cocktail. ''Do I know the bartender?''

''He's new,'' said the waiter, oddly evasive.

Dim memories surfaced of clubbing with my girlfriends when all of us were single. Free drinks would stack up, like planes trying to land in Atlanta. I'd often take a sip, nod thanks at the guy who bought it, and leave the remainder sitting on the bar. I took the attention for granted; never thought about the day it would stop.

But it did. And I don’t miss it, for the most part.

Yet, all those memories came rushing back when the waiter delivered that beer, on the house. I was flattered. I felt twenty-nine again.

''Tell me the bartender’s name.'' I'm pretty sure I batted my lashes. ''I want to be sure to thank him.''

Long pause. ''Actually,'' the waiter looked embarrassed, ''the free beer was a mistake.''

Everyone in the bar must have heard the crash of my ego plummeting back to earth. Turned out the new bartender mistakenly poured a second beer I hadn’t ordered. Instead of tossing it, the waiter brought it over. On the house. In a way.

So, I'm still fifty-plus and invisible after all, merely the beneficiary of a new bartender’s learning curve. I drank every drop.

And as I did, I wondered: Why can't we spread those free drinks around? Take a cocktail from the line in front of some young, nubile thing, and pay it forward to someone old enough to be her grandma. One more free drink means nothing to a gorgeous girl in her twenties. But to the formerly pretty, now middle-aged and dowdy?

Well, let's just say that one draft beer on the house – briefly – made me believe I've still got it.

How about you? Any ego-deflating moments you'd care to share? Look at it this way: It's all material.