Dying for the Past - The Roots of the Sequel Part I

  By Tj O’Connor, author of Dying to Know & Dying for the Past

Countdown—39 days to the launch of Dying for the Past, my first sequel to Oliver “Tuck” Tucker’s debut in Dying to Know. Tuck is back in Book 2 and he’s on a new case with the help of his beautiful and brilliant professor-wife, Angel, and Detective Bear Braddock, his always faithful, always-protective ex-partner. Or maybe I’m describing Hercule, his black Lab companion. Both I think.

Tuck has just started settling down into his new life as a dead detective after wrapping up his own murder and ending the killing spree of a serial killer. Things have been going well for him—all things being considered that is.  

Tuck finds that being dead is often bittersweet. He explains a little in Chapter 1 of Dying for the Past…

“Sometimes, being dead is not so bad. Like poofing in and out of places on a whim without bothering with doors and stairs. And you never have to pee or get the flu again—big pluses. Then there are times, though, when dead is depressing and sad. It’s the things you miss—the taste of good wine, the adrenaline-rush of chasing a suspect, or the feeling when you’re in the middle of the dance floor with the most beautiful woman in the room. Those moments hurt.

A woman with shoulder-length auburn hair and sparkling green eyes stood in the middle of the mansion’s ballroom. Her long, silky gown was icing poured hot over sultry curves. All eyes fixed on her when she embraced a tall, distinguished-looking older man before a dance. He wore a tux—okay, yeah, he was striking with gray hair and a strong, muscular build, brilliant, rich, blah, blah, blah. Big deal. The two could have been on a wedding cake, but instead were the center of attention at Angel’s big band-themed charity gala, and leading a turn around the floor to Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade.

When they took their first step, I turned away …”

Then wham. Someone’s dead. Not just any someone, mind you, but a shifty rich guy with a carnation on his lapel and a beautiful, but angry young bride on his arm. The only things anyone knows about this mysterious philanthropist is that he has too much money, too beautiful a young wife, and one-too-many bullet holes in him.

“Mr. Carnation hailed a passing waiter for a refill of champagne. After downing the glass in a single gulp, he lifted Angel’s hand for a melodramatic kiss.

His glass shattered and spasms jerked his body all the way to the floor. His right arm thrust out and pointed at the crowd; his left still held the broken glass stem. His body twitched a few more times and stilled …

… I’d seen death before—and murder, too often. Not just my own, but dozens.

This one was unmistakable. It wasn’t the way Mr. Carnation collapsed in a jerky, melodramatic spiral to the hardwood. It also wasn’t the way his dull, lifeless face caught the dance ball light either. It was much simpler.

      It was the blood pooling around his body and the bullet hole through his torso.

Someone murdered Mr. Carnation—shot him in front of two hundred witnesses. A killer jitterbugged in and gunned him down to Benny Goodman.”

In Dying for the Past, Tuck realizes pretty quickly that it’s all about just that—the past. For Tuck, his past started to haunt him (pardon the pun) after his murder. You see, being dead also comes with some perks—spirited perks, like touching crime scene objects that show him a few snippets of their meaning (though often veiled) and being able to move about without the delays of traffic or bad weather. He can pop in and out of places at a whim. He just has to know where he wants to be. No, he has no after-life intuition or clairvoyance—it always comes down to plain old detective work. Now, he has to figure out how to use his new-found talents and a couple unusual characters to solve the case.

 

“Across the room, standing alongside the dance floor, was an uninvited guest. He was a stout, striking man in a black pinstripe, double-breasted suit. He wore shiny, buffed wingtips and a gray felt fedora. The only thing missing was a big cigar hanging out of his mouth and a violin case. Then, he swept his hand across his jacket and revealed a heavy semi-automatic in a shoulder holster. Did someone invite Al Capone?

He looked at me and winked. Winked …

… Voices hushed as eyes fell on the dead man.

Not me, though, I watched the crowd, looking for the killer and any telltale sign of the smoking gun.

But what I saw, or didn’t see, unnerved me more.

The gangster in the black pinstripes was gone … vanished—poof. He arrived just in time for a killing and left before the body hit the floor. No sign of his spats and black tie remained. He didn’t leave his fedora or heater behind either. He was as dead and gone as Mr. Carnation.

The question was, however, would he stay that way?”

In Dying for the Past, Tuck begins to learn some of his own family secrets. First, after witnessing the murder of Stephanous Grecco in front of his wife and a hundred people at the Vincent House—no one saw anything—Tuck finds himself searching for the killer and wondering what it all has to do with his own family tree. What does he find along the way?

      ·       Vincent Calaprese—the spirit of a 1939 mobster boss with his hooks into Tuck’s family tree.
      ·       Sassy—the eye-candy delight always on Vincent’s arm and always after Tuck’s eye.
      ·       Doc Gilley’s secret just within arm’s reach. Can Tuck get the truth out of him?
      ·       Someone stalking Angel, but what does it have to do with Steve and Bonnie Grecco—the new rich elite in Winchester? And what does André Cartier, Angel’s only family and mentor, have to do with all of it?
      ·       Why are the FBI, US Attorney’s Office, and a television ghost-hunter all converging on the Vincent House?
      ·       Also, why is Poor Nic Bartalotta—retired New York mob boss extraordinaire—connected to the Russian Mob and missing federal snitches?
      ·       Above all, who will find The Book—Old Vincent’s gangster journal holding the secrets to a bundle in loot and the names and evidence on the who’s who of Washington D.C.’s World War II spies, mobsters, and corrupt-elite. You’d be surprised how many are still around these days.

The answers come from the past and the victims are Dying for the Past.

Stay tuned to this channel—same InkSpot Time, same InkSpot channel. Next month, I’ll disclose some of the past behind Dying for the Past. Like …

      ·       What’s the backstory to Vincent Calaprese and his pre-World War II escapades?
      ·       What’s the story behind Tuck, Doc, and his wayward ancestors?
      ·       Why am I so connected to the past myself? What skeletons and secrets do I have hidden deep away?

If you can guess any of these answers, drop me a line here or email me at tj@tjoconnor.com

Be looking for Dying for the Past out on your bookshelves January 8, 2015!

Tj O’Connor lives in Virginia with his wife and three Labs. Dying to Know is the fourth of his eight novels and is currently available in bookstores and online. Dying for the Past, the first of two sequels, will be released in January 2015—available now for pre-orders. Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism and investigations. Learn about his world at www.tjoconnor.com and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TjOConnor.Author.

Holiday Season Writing

--by Linda O. Johnston

Happy December, everyone!  This is the first day of the last month of the year.  We're now ensconced in the year-end holiday season.  It starts somewhat with Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving, then followed by other holidays which include Hanukkah and Christmas--and pretty much ends by New Year's. 

Those of us who are full-time writers may not be as affected by the holiday season as those who also have day jobs.  That's not entirely the case, though.  I kind of have a regimen of getting other stuff out of the way in the morning, then writing in the afternoon.  It's not engraved in stone, which is a good thing since, when I need to factor in cooking and family and additional plans, that schedule can be modified--as long as I convince my mind that's the case.

Plus, I belong to a number of organizations, most related to writing, that throw holiday parties, and I attend as many as I can, including my local Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America chapters, as well as chapters of Romance Writers of America.  I'm additionally a member of the alumni association for the company where I used to be an in-house attorney, Union Oil Company of California, and I wouldn't want to miss its holiday party.

Oh, and I can't forget my ongoing promotion of my published works such as my first Superstition Mystery LOST UNDER A LADDER.  That remains time-consuming, but it has slowed down somewhat since its October release.

Despite the holidays and shopping and other events, deadlines remain the same.  That's fine with me.  I just have to do some strategizing, as I do other times of the year as well when faced with additional kinds of plans including travels.  I also need to keep in mind that my dogs will continue to break my train of thought by giving me orders, but that happens all year round.

So... enjoy your holiday season and everything it brings to you, even interruptions to your creativity if you happen to be a writer.

Happy holidays, and happy writing and reading, to all of you!

My Writing Mood Ring

By: Deirdre Verne

When I first started writing, I found I could only be creative when I was happy. Not mildly happy. I’m talking ecstatically happy -- running through a field of sunflowers in a wispy summer dress type of happy. For the words to come, I had to feel bubbly and light. It didn’t take me long to realize that this state of euphoria, although wonderful, is rare. Given this strict criteria, I calculated that it would take me a decade to crank out a three-line haiku.

In the name of progress, I’ve since learned to write through my moods, good and bad. I’ve also mastered the art of writing while sick or injured. This includes a stint recovering from back-surgery and then a broken ankle. After all that, I can say one thing for sure: no matter how badly I feel when I start writing, I most certainly feel better when I’ve finished for the night. In fact, if I ever want to feel like I’ve run through a field of sunflowers, all I need to do is create that feeling on paper. And if I’m not entirely thrilled with what I’ve written, I know there’s a library full of books to take me to my field of flowers, imagined into being by other writers just like me.

Deirdre Verne (Lower Westchester, NY) is a college professor who is currently the curriculum chair of the marketing program at Westchester Community College. Previously, she held senior marketing positions at Time, Inc. Her latest novel, Drawing Conclusions will be available through Midnight Ink in Febuary, 2015.

Q&A with Kathleen Ernst!

This week, we sat down with Chloe Ellefson Mystery writer Kathleen Ernst. Ernst's latest, Tradition of Deceit, is available now!

Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?

Kathleen Ernst: I started writing stories when I was about 10, and wrote my first novel at 15 (the manuscript was awful, but the experience was empowering). Ten or twelve practice manuscripts later, I got my first book contract. That was twenty years and thirty books ago!

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

KE: As a child, authors including Laura Ingalls Wilder, Louisa May Alcott, Marguerite Henry, and Anya Seton inspired me by showing that history is all about stories. I still read a lot of historical fiction, and of course many mysteries. I love mysteries that are character-driven and have a strong sense of place.

MI: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

KE: Well, even if I never got another book contract, I’d still write—it’s what I do, how I process the world.  If I looked for another job it would be at a park, historic site, or museum.

MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?

KE: I’ve been a full-time writer for about a decade. That means having two jobs, really, with time split between actually writing and doing all the ancillary things (library visits, correspondence, writing blog posts, etc.). My earlier jobs as an interpreter and curator at a large living history museum (Old World Wisconsin), and as scriptwriter and project manager for instructional television programs, have influenced my writing. 

MI: What are your favorite things to do when you’re not writing or working?

KE: If there were a few extra hours in a day, I’d spend more time gardening, cooking, knitting, quilting, rosemaling, birdwatching, and hiking. My husband and I enjoy traveling.  Since we both like visiting historic sites, which I write about in the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, play time and work time tend to blur.

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

KE: Must I pick just one? I love Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell, Julia Spencer-Fleming’s Clare Fergusson, Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak—all smart, capable, complex women.

MI: Do you have a favorite murder case from a book (either yours or another author’s)?

Kathleen at the Mill, Minneapolis

KE: My new book, Tradition of Deceit, features two cases. Chloe Ellefson investigates one murder in Minneapolis, while her significant other, Roelke McKenna, investigates the murder of a friend in Milwaukee. The book also includes a plotline that, in the end, links these two seemingly unrelated crimes. This plot structure presented some challenges, and I’ve been delighted with reader response.

MI: What was your inspiration for the Chloe Ellefson mysteries?

KE: I worked in the historic sites world for twelve years, and loved it. After moving on, I missed the work, the places, the people involved. Enter Chloe Ellefson, fictional curator.  Every book comes from my heart, and I love having the opportunity to feature different historic places and themes within the series.

MI: Tell us about Chloe Ellefson.

Kathleen, when she worked at
Old World Wisconsin

KE: Chloe is curator of collections at Old World Wisconsin, where I once worked. When the series begins she is recovering from a series of personal crises, and starting fresh at the historic site. She meets Roelke McKenna, police officer, while investigating a missing artifact.  They have a complicated relationship, but he’s good for her! Chloe is passionate about preserving historic places and telling the stories of people who might otherwise be forgotten. Her knowledge of history is needed to help solve the murders presented in each book. While she and I have some things in common, she is smarter and braver than I am, and much better at speaking her mind.

MI: How does this series compare to your past works?

KE: Most of my books have been historical fiction, including historical mysteries, written for young readers. The Chloe Ellefson books are my first novels for an adult audience. They are set in the 1980s, so I’m writing from memory, although that does make them “historical fiction” for some of my younger readers.

Sophie

 MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.

KE: My silver muted torby, Sophie, is my writing muse, companion, and lap warmer. Several times each year I travel to a quiet cottage or cabin for a week of intense writing, and Sophie always accompanies me.

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

KE: I’ve been a vegetarian for forty years, and should start with something healthy.  Perfectly ripe peaches are my absolute favorite food. But if we’re talking about the rest of my life, I’d have to add mocha lattes, peanut butter, and really good cheese. 

MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?

KE: Since Tradition of Deceit focuses on the flour milling industry, and the Mill City Museum, I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with old recipes. One of my recent favorites is Old-Time Cinnamon Jumbles, which is an old Gold Medal Flour recipe.   The recipe is posted on my blog:  http://sitesandstories.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/old-time-cinnamon-jumbles/

MI: What’s your favorite part about being an Inker?

KE: The camaraderie and support among the Inkers.  I’ve made great friends and discovered wonderful books since joining the group. 

Tradition of Deceit, the fifth Chloe Ellefson mystery, is available online and in bookstores now!

Fiction, Gratitude, and Real Change

 

Like most of you, I've begun preparations for Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season. I'm also working like mad to get ready for the January 8th launch of A Killer Retreat. All things considered, it seems appropriate for this blog article to focus on gratitude. 

I’m grateful for so many things: my sweet puppy-girl Tasha, my supportive wonder-spouse Marc, the cool sweetness of the cherry/beet smoothie I drank for breakfast, the warm, soft snuggle socks wrapping my feet. I rarely, however, remember to be grateful for my admittedly saggy mattress, heat I can turn on with the flip of a thermostat, or a safe place to shower every morning.  I take all of that for granted.

 

Many people aren’t nearly so lucky.  

Like George, the murder victim in my first book, Murder Strikes a Pose.

 

George is a completely fictional character, as is the Dollars for Change newspaper that he sells.  His story, however, was inspired by vendors of a similar newspaper in Seattle called Real Change.

 

I’ve always been impressed by the tenets of Real Change.  Real Change publishes stories about the challenges of the homeless in Seattle while employing those same homeless individuals as sales people.  The organization doesn’t offer the homeless a handout; it offers them hand up: the opportunity to earn money while helping promote true social change. 

 

I have befriended many of their vendors.  Some have worked for the paper for well over a decade.   Others get the help they need and move on. One striking woman has not only pulled herself out of life on the street, she has also become an effective advocate for those who are still homeless.  Even though her situation has changed, she knows there is still much more work to be done.

 

It’s easy to walk by and ignore those less fortunate--more comfortable not to look.  But each one of those individuals is a unique human being with an often tragic backstory.  Given the right circumstances, any one of us could find ourselves living on the street next to them.

 

In the opening scene of Murder Strikes a Pose, yoga teacher Kate tries to get rid of the vendor hawking papers outside her yoga studio’s front door. Not because she’s an uncaring person, but because doing so would make her life significantly easier.  Lucky for Kate, George and his crazy German shepherd Bella refuse to leave. Inviting George and Bella into her life will soon change Kate, in every way for the better.  May we all be as lucky.

 

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, filled with abundance, joy, gratitude, and compassion.  May all of our actions help promote real change.

 

Namaste

Tracy Weber

          

About Tracy:

My writing is an expression of the things I love best: yoga, dogs, and murder mysteries. I'm a certified yoga teacher and the founder of Whole Life Yoga, an award-winning yoga studio in Seattle, WA. I enjoy sharing my passion for yoga and animals in any form possible.  My husband and I live with our challenging yet amazing German shepherd Tasha and our bonito flake-loving cat Maggie. When I’m not writing, I spend my time teaching yoga, walking Tasha, and sipping Blackthorn cider at my favorite local ale house.

For more information, visit me online at http://tracyweberauthor.com/ and http://wholelifeyoga.com/

November Releases!

By: Maegan Beaumont

Check out these exciting new reads!

Bloody Politics
By: Maggie Sefton A Molly Malone Mystery #3 
"A strong protagonist."—LIBRARY JOURNAL

 Hell on Wheels
By: Sue Ann Jaffarian 
The Odelia Grey Mysteries #9

“Action-filled . . . Jaffarian neatly pulls all the plot lines together for a satisfying outcome."—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Trapline
By: Mark Stevens 
An Allison Coil Mystery #3

“Trapline rings as true as the beautiful mountains and valleys that frame this exciting, tense drama of today’s Colorado.”—Manuel Ramos, award-winning author of
Desperado: A Mile High Noir

Tradition of Deceit
By: Kathleen Ernst 
A Chloe Ellefson Mystery #5

"Ernst keeps getting better with each entry in this fascinating series."—LIBRARY JOURNAL

Maegan Beaumont is the author of the award-winning Sabrina Vaughn thriller series. The third installment, Promises to Keep, will be released in the late summer of 2015 by Midnight Ink.

Q&A with Mark Stevens!

This week, we sat down with Mark Stevens, who just made his Midnight Ink debut with Trapline!

Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?

Mark Stevens: Since 1984. Yikes! Thirty years. I wasn’t published until 2007 (seven short years ago). Stubborn? A bit.  I learned so much before finally “breaking through” and even more since then.

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

MS: Wow. How long do you have? An hour? All day? From Joseph Conrad to John Updike, from Patricia Highsmith to Nevada Barr and Tony Hillerman, writers I love show me there are many ways of capturing humanity on a page. I’m the son of two librarians (it’s true) so books and reading have been a way of life since I was old enough to hold a book.

MI: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

MS: Bass player in the band Cracker, one of the best rock bands on the planet.  Speaking of writers—the songwriters in that band, David Lowery and Johnny Hickman, are strong writers. Great imagery and ideas in the lyrics. That bass-playing job is not currently open, alas. But while I have your attention, Cracker has a new double album coming out next month: “From Berkeley to Bakersfield.” Can’t wait. And the band is playing Denver on New Year’s Eve this year. Please don’t me going about this band. I might never stop.  I think David Lowery knows the secret to the universe. (But he’s just not telling us.) 

MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?

MS: I have my own public relations and communications business and work with a number of very cool clients—a small school district in the Denver area, a non-profit that works with poor families, and Denver’s shared-bike system, Denver B-cycle. Among others.

MI: What is/are your favorite thing/s to do when you’re not writing or working?

MS: I’m a decent cook and enjoy it. I’m a decent bass player (and should get better). And I love hanging out in Denver (restaurants, movies, theater) and around Colorado.  Must do more camping and hiking next year, especially in the Flat Tops Wilderness where the Allison Coil Mysteries are set.  I know that sounds self-serving but it’s one of the most beautiful places on the state. Just don’t tell anyone. Please. Whatever you do, keep this between us.

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

MS: I’m a big fan of Walt Longmire—in the series of mystery novels by Craig Johnson. (I thought the television version didn’t quite nail the Longmire character.) Johnson’s Longmire is a restrained intellect and regards humanity with a near-poetic eye. I also liked Jim Chee in Tony Hillerman’s books and Anna Pigeon in the Nevada Barr series. Anna is highly underrated. She is such a strong character and delivers strong “point of view” every time. I like good crime-solving in mysteries. But I also dig good crimes and criminals. Got a dark side.

MI: Do you have a favorite murder case from a book (either yours or another author’s)?

MS: How about a favorite plot? I love Suspension of Mercy by Patricia Highsmith. A frustrated mystery writer decides one weekend, while his wife is away, to go through the motions of pretending to murder her.  So, of course, he can “feel” what it’s like. And what happens? Well, the wife goes missing. And our “hero” is investigated for her death. I really can’t give away the ending. OK, yes I can. I’ll be obtuse. Pretend turns real. That doesn’t give away too much, does it. A spine-chilling read. 

MI: What was your inspiration for the Allison Coil mysteries?

MS: She’s based on someone I met! Today she’s a veterinarian in Western Colorado but at the time she was a hunting guide in the Flat Tops Wilderness.  (Again, the most beautiful area in the state, but don’t tell anyone.) I remember the moment I met her and thought, boom, here’s a perfect character for a mystery novel. I mean, a strong woman in a man’s world of hunting. So, you’ve got guns handy. And harsh conditions, rugged terrain, and usually some alcohol around the hunting camps. So the inspiration for Allison Coil was both the woman and the setting. The day that happened was like finding out you had two winning lottery tickets.  

MI: Tell us about Allison Coil!

MS: First, she’s a refugee from the city. She survived a commercial airplane crash in New York City. The crash haunts her. Surviving haunts her. Seatmates died. She didn’t. She was a typical big-city young professional and, then, as part of recovering from her injuries she recuperated in the Flat Tops Wilderness (have I mentioned this is an amazing part of the state?). She now considers the Flat Tops her healing spot. She isn’t leaving. She learned to ride horses, learned to guide hunts and now owns an outfitting business. She will do whatever it takes to protect the Flat Tops. 

MI: How does this series compare to your other works?

MS: It’s more “outdoors.” My other three completed mysteries are all city-based.  All set in Denver. 

MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.

MS: In late October, we said goodbye to our black lab mix Hercules, who was with us for nearly 15 years. He was two when we got him and he watched our two daughters grow up from little girls to young women. Isn’t incredible how dogs become part of the family? Just unbelievable. We also have two black cats, Zipper and Sadie. Two very different cats who have found a way to cohabitate. Sort of.

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

MS: A perfectly spicy tortilla soup. Or anything Mexican, really. Or Italian. Or Mediterranean, you know, like Greek food is wonderful. Or . . .

MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?

MS: This one from Cooks.com is like one I’ve been making for decades.  The best part is slathering on amazing mango chutney or something . . . store-bought or homemade.  Apple chutney is great, too.  So when the recipe mentions about sour cream at the end, imagine a few scoops of chutney, too. This recipe is an excuse to eat great chutney.

CURRIED TURKEY TURNOVERS  

1 lb. ground turkey

2 green onions, diced

1 (7 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up—drain the juice off !

1 med. green pepper, chopped (totally optional)

1/2 c. shredded carrot

1/4 c. raisins

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 (9") unbaked pie crusts

1 beaten egg

Plain yogurt or sour cream

Chives, optional

For Filling: In 10 inch skillet cook turkey and onion until brown; drain fat, stir in undrained tomatoes, pepper, carrot, raisins, curry powder, cumin and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove cover and cook until liquid evaporates. Spoon into bowl and cool.

For Pastry: Roll out two 9 inch circular pastries and sprinkle with flour. Spread filling on half of pie crust and fold. Seal and flute edges. Cut side in crust to let steam escape. Transfer to cookie sheet for baking. Brush with beaten egg. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with dollops of plain yogurt or sour cream mixed with chives. 4-6 servings.

MI: What is your favorite part about being an Inker?

MS: Having the whole team behind me—editors (Terri and Connie), publicist (Beth), and cover designers. (I sure hope Lisa Novak designs the cover of my next book because how much I love the cover for Trapline).

Trapline, An Allison Coil Mystery, is available online and in bookstores now! And, if you're in the Denver-area, don't miss Mark's launch party this Friday (November 21) at 7:00 p.m.!