Running in Circles

Too many projects, I guess.

Have been working on certain re-writes of the mystery novel. It doesn't surprise me that I'm going back and forth like this. It's sort of normal for me and first tries a something (like books).

At first, and for months, I couldn't decide who was my murderer. I mean, I had someone, then decided it was too easy. Everyone would guess who it was. That would be your "red herring". So, I went through a number of people/characters in the book. No. No. No... but maybe this one.

And the clues. I came up with another clue just the other day, because it's another piece of jewelry, other than the necklace that's clutched in the dead woman's hand. It's something she wore--oh, yeah, have to write this in.

Ooops, don't want to give away too much.

I began this book last year. Had to take about half the year off from writing, last summer, before I felt like writing anything. Just go through those times when I need to recharge, and not writing anything much helps.

I've also been working on other things. Trying to make my facebook pages look more professional. You know you can add a button to sell your book to a page you have? Or anything, even your website. I've been working on this with all my pages. It's time consuming.

Also, I'm redoing my "Baby Boomer at Large" blogsite. I've just revamped it. This is a very clean, paired down version in blogger. I sort of like it. You have the article you've written w/o all the other junk getting in the way. I just wrote about the healthful benefits of elderberry. However, I think I didn't mention that you can buy this juice, or the dried berries from healthfood markets. Be aware that it is very expensive. Our HyVee store has a whole health market, and they've jacked the prices up on everything there. Elderberry juice was once $18, and I think they've jacked it up out of my reach, thus I'm making my own this year. I'll be drying the berries and storing them for use, as they are growing everywhere, not just on our property, but in the park as well. If you've never heard about how elderberries boosts your immune system, and how people have discovered it for abating flu and colds, you might want to check out this story, and the links about it. I'll be working on more posts at Baby Boomer at Large a little more often. I've been wanting to write about healthful foods and herbs for a long time. I think it's about time I worked on it, and have found the best way/place to do it.

That's about it for today. Have a good week!

Murder Most Foul

First off, you'll note that I've changed a few things here. I think it took me ten minutes to figure out how to change the header picture--or where to go to do it. This picture is looking down the tracks in DeKalb. The curious building in distance is a coal shoot. I think I've heard that kids would play inside it. I would have been one of those kids, my curiosity so that I should have been a murder mystery writer at the beginning.

But I digress...

The print here is different too. Let me know if you hate, love, or are indifferent to it. I happen to like it and probably won't be changing it.

Now for today's post: "Murder Most Foul..."

Author J.B. Fletcher as played by Angela Lansbury

I revert to J.B. Fletcher a lot. Even though the way in which the TV show was formulated, you don't necessarily want your book to be done that way--with the murderer confessing at the end, or Jessica just happens to walk in on the murder victim. Or my personal favorite when she trips up the murderer, gets them to say something that nails them as the murderer and nearly gets shot before the police detective bursts in at the very last second.

I began my mystery "Murder on the Mississippi" last summer (I believe), and after a few chapters I had to stop and figure things out. I'm not a mystery writer. I have never attempted such in my life. Sure, I place some sort of mystery in my books, but that sort of keeps the reader involved. Writing a murder mystery takes a lot more thought, background and figuring out who is the murderer, and if it actually throws everyone off, is another matter entirely.

I think I changed my murderer about 3 times. Once I decided everyone would guess so-n-so did it, that put me back to square one. It's not easy, let me tell you, trying to decide on who murdered the victim and making it not look quite so obvious. All the red herrings can be obvious, of course. I may even make at least one of them act guilty as hell. Two will have personal relationships with the victim, and one was seen publicly arguing vehemently before her murder.

If only J.B. really existed, I could ask her how she decides. I could talk with her. She looks easy going. In fact she was very nice to budding authors (back in the day) in a number of her shows. I wish I could read her book "The Corpse Dance At Midnight". Sounds like a real riveting story. I have read the murder mysteries which are "based" on the TV show, but believe me, they aren't. Sort of ruins it when the author changes that Dr. Hazlett is married, and that Jessica flies an airplane-which she never did in her shows.

But I digress.

After writing for 40+ years, and pretty much mastering (I use the term lightly), my vampire works, I guess I felt it was time to try something different, and challenge myself. Nothing like trying to walk on water, or fly without benefit of wings. But boredom overwhelmed me last year. I took a portion of the year off. Needed it. You need to recharge energies that were depleted during the upsurge of energy you had in your youth, especially when you thought you had life by the neck. In which case I didn't, so there was some depression going on.

At this point in life I'm just going for whatever life hands me. Hoping that this year is a little better, where sales are concerned. Since handing over the fifth book in my Sabrina Strong series, I'm thinking there's a chance I could make better money. And I'm taking my social security as soon as I can. My birthday isn't until August 27th, so that's a long wait, but we've got plans I should be able to take the summer off. I hate driving the bus in the summer. I hate driving the bus PERIOD!

Again, I digress. Where were we?

The choice of murderer.

Yes, in most murder mysteries, it's usually the very last person you expected. And that becomes a problem when the reader understands this rule as well. Confounding them is your job as a writer, but you also have to throw in little clues along the way, try not to make them too glaring or obvious, just shoot something out there, and your characters don't react to any of it. They act like everything is normal, or that there's a clear explanation why someone's hat is out in the middle of the woods, on the trail to the murder site.

My one biggest clue is (among others, like the hat), is the shoe. Or rather the foot print which the shoe leaves behind in the mud.

These are Doc Martins. I've been sitting on something I scribbled on a note card from a book I'd read way last year: Chukka boots. I didn't know what those were, and only yesterday looked it up. Apparently they're any sort of boot. Dr. Martins also can look like any sort of boot, but I chose this one as it simply caught my eye.

And the character/murderer, who wears them isn't about to chuck them because they got blood all over them. These cost over $100, and the murderer doesn't want to buy new. My murderer makes a lot of mistakes. I came away from one of the MSW shows in which Jessica said, "It's the little things that will slip you up." Yes. The little things. Although not getting rid of the boots is a big thing, but if no one suspects you, and you hide them in your closet for a while, who will know? Right?

This is where my young lady, Lainey, comes into the fray, and slowly begins to unravel the clues because she doesn't believe any of the people the sheriff has arrested is the murderer. Even the one who is obvious. Why? Well, I'm working on that.

Hope you have a good week! Talk later.

Murder is My Game

Okay, you'll see that I've completely switched gears from the vampire-themed stories to my mystery series (I hope it will be a series, but we'll see how the first one goes). Yes, there is a big difference in HOW to write a mystery. It takes more thought on where the story has to go, plotting it and so forth, which is something I haven't really done in the past. I had some idea, of course, where I wanted my stories to go, but you need to really know what's going on in the background with your characters--especially the murderer--before you begin. In fact it wasn't until the other day I knew what the murder weapon would be. It wasn't a gun, but a very large, very elaborate hunting knife.

The other day I wrote chapter 5 from beginning to end in one day. Woohoo! In fact, I had my little hand recorder, with me when I woke and made some detailed notes on it before I got out of bed. I haven't had that happen in a while. And yesterday, had multiple ideas for clues and so forth swimming around, so had to jot them down while I was doing other things. Again, this hasn't happened in several months. Now, I guess you can say I've emmerced myself into the writing of this book. At least I hope I won't fall face-first into the mud of embarrassment because I screwed up something.

In doing a mystery I, of course, gathered information around the Internet. Many blogs where the theme is murder mysteries. One is very good, and gives a lot of tips, not just how to write mysteries, but writing tips as well this particular post was helpful: here
I often check what's happening over on MAKE MINE MYSTERY, not always there is a good piece on writing mysteries, but sometimes one makes me stop in and read.

There are multiple ones on police procedures and crime scenes. There are places where you can link to several things, depending upon what you need. Like HERE.

There are a lot of sites out there to help one get things right. Every once in a while I catch something that pops out at me. Like motive, at MMM (MAKE MINE MYSTERY) site.+

When you write a mystery, depending upon the modus operandi is, invariably, there may be a gun involved, and you need to know the ins and outs of guns, the various kinds and so on. Since I'm not a fan of dangerous weapons, and don't carry, I'm flat stupid about them. But I'm learning. Jungle Red Writers has a good forum at the site I've copied for this segment. You don't want to write about something you haven't a clue about, it's best to have something to fact check. I happen to have a nephew who works as a deputy with the county, and have access to him, whenever I need. He's been very helpful. For instance, did you know that police lock their weapons up every night (or when they are home) to insure that no family member has access to the gun so that there are no accidents with it? Anyone who doesn't lock up a gun where children might be able to access it are only asking for a horrible accident.

Anyway, where was I? Right. Handguns. Even though in the mystery I'm writing the weapon is not a handgun, it's good to read up on such things, just in case some issue of guns comes up in the writing. Here was one on MMM about carrying one, how it feels, etc. The editor of an author caught him writing about something he didn't know--GUNS.

Well, I've got a head of steam today, got lots to write, so I'll end this for now.
Happy Writing!