Categories
Mystery Readers Only

Location, Location, Location

Nancy is a wonderful author. Even this post about about her new book is fun to read. All about Bushwhacked in the Outback is right here. Enjoy!

–Thonie

Bushwhacked in the Outback

By Nancy Raven Smith

If you’re buying a house or opening a new business, you’ll hear location, location, location constantly. For me, it’s an important choice to consider when I write a cozy mystery. I love finding unusual, interesting sites as the stage for my characters to explore. It’s my hope that those places will make the stories more interesting for the reader.

I chose Lexi Winslow as the protagonist for my Land Sharks series. She’s a bank fraud investigator for a small private bank in Beverly Hills. When the bank’s wealthy and international traveling customers have money problems, it’s often her job to fix things. That lets me send her all over the world.

My newest book in the series, Bushwhacked in the Outback, takes Lexi to Coober Pedy in the Australian outback.

I learned about the area from my husband who’s an international jewelry design instructor and some of his friends who live and work there.

Here are some of the things that drew me to choose Coober Pedy and are included in my book. World wide, it’s considered the opal mining capital of the world. Opals can be worth more than diamonds per carat. You can even find opals on the surface of the ground. Large deposits of both gold and oil have also been discovered there recently.

The town has a population of approximately 1,762. Not a big number, but because it is a rich mining area, it includes people from over forty-four different countries.

Coober Pedy sounds like a great place to make your fortune. The only problem is that most people wouldn’t want to live there. It’s located in the middle of the continent of Australia and in the middle of the desert. It’s mid-February as I write this and the temperature is 105 degrees. Temperatures there range from 122 F to sub zero. Because of the extremes, most people choose live underground in homes called dugouts. Dugouts are literally old mines converted into homes because the median temperature underground is a steady 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit. There are even stories about people enlarging the rooms in their homes and discovering rich veins of opals.

Another problem with living in Coober Pedy are the critters. Australia is famous for its venomous animals. Many of them live in the outback. One of the biggest dangers of the Outback is venomoussnakes. Multiple snakes lurk in the desert bushes and rocky areas, including the inland taipans, Stimson’s pythons, orange-naped snakes, mulga snakes, curl snakes, desert death adders, and speckled brown snakes. Then there are the venomous spiders, etc.  

All of these things, even the snakes, made Coober Pedy a fascinating place to use as the setting for my book. If you read Bushwhacked in the Outback, I hope you’ll enjoy the location, too. 

 Bushwhacked in the Outback 

“If you can’t follow the money, follow the body.”

Lexi loves her job as a Beverly Hills bank fraud investigator. It lets her pursue scam artists and con men – known in the business as land sharks.

Sadly, one crook left her with a broken heart and a destroyed reputation. And the bank’s president is looking for any excuse to fire her.

Yet she risks everything when she follows a dead embezzler’s casket to Coober Pedy in the Australian outback. She knows it’s a gamble, but it’s her last hope to recover the bank’s stolen money. Unfortunately, she’s persona non grata in that country. She needs to get in, find the money, and get out before the Australian police discover her presence. But will the unexpected appearance of an ex-lover make her linger too long?

If you like cozy mysteries in exotic locations with deadly secrets and touches of humor, then you’ll enjoy the multi award winning Land Sharks Cozy Mystery series.

Available on Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794M2Q3M/

About the Author

Nancy Raven Smith

Nancy Raven Smith grew up in Virginia, where she ran and participated in horse sport events. On their farm, she rescued horses, dogs, and cats and is an advocate for animal rescue. Later in California, she traded her event experience for film work. Her screenplays and novels have won numerous major awards. When not writing, Raven Smith enjoys her family and friends, travel, art, movies, and white water rafting. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Women in Film.

Visit her at:

Http://NancyRavenSmith.com

Http://Facebook.com/NancyRavenSmith.com

Http://TheReluctantFarmerOfWhimseyHill.com

Buy links for

Bushwhacked in the Outback available on Amazon.com at  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PJTPVWR/

Swindle in Sumatra available on Amazon.com at  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794M2Q3M/

Categories
Mystery Readers Only

New-Stories from the Badge

To Serve, Protect, and Write

TO SERVE, PROTECT, AND WRITE

This just dropped on Kindle! I’m honored to be in such illustrious company. My Australian cop-writing colleague, Andrew Patterson’s long-awaited short fiction anthology is finally out!

If you like crime stories written by the good guys, this book is right up your alley. Thanks for suggesting me, fellow Public Safety Writers Association member Michael O’Keefe!

To Serve, Protect, and Write

Gritty and unflinching morsels of crime fiction rage across these pages. There’s nothing warm and cosy here, but then that’s not the reality of policing: cops deal with the darkest aspects of humanity and then have to live with that exposure. Some of those cops become writers.

When crime fiction is penned by authors who have worked and risked their lives as cops at the coalface, the stories that emerge deliver exquisite realism and brutally honest emotions.

The fifteen authors featured in this first-of-its-kind anthology have variously worn their uniforms and carried their badges across law enforcement in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, as they have served and protected their communities.

These short stories are as varied and vivid as the hard-earned experiences of their creators. The settings include the past, the present, and the future. The plots have murder aplenty, corruption, drugs, paedophilia, mental health, and suicide. The line-up of protagonists includes uniformed officers, detectives, and criminals, amongst others. The actions, the observations, the reminiscing, and the self-reflection of these fictional characters bring the reality of the police experience alive on the page. It is those brushstrokes of daily police life that bring a special and unique flavour to this assortment of crime fiction.

Categories
Writer's Notes

Guest Post

Guest Thonie Hevron

Today I’m a guest on the “Ladies of Mystery” blog with thoughts about ‘Be Careful What You Ask For.’ It’s not the cautionary tale you might imagine. Take a look: The Ladies of Mystery. Spend a few minutes looking around. Revisit old author friends and discover new writers at https://ladiesofmystery.com/

Thanks,

Thonie

Categories
Mystery Readers Only Writer's Notes

Coming up for Sonoma/Marin shoppers!

Great shopping for your holiday gifts with no supply chain worries!

This will be my second in-person event in the past many months. The day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 (Black Friday/Saturday), I will be at the Rohnert Park Holiday Arts and Crafts Faire (admission is FREE!) signing books from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Faire is at the Rohnert Park Community Center on Snyder Lane. With over 75 vendors, this is a wonderful way to do your holiday shopping. Local handmade goods to choose from, light lunch fair will be available. I’ll have my new release, FELONY MURDER RULE, for sale. It features a wild chase scene set in Petaluma!

Nick and Meredith Mysteries by Thonie Hevron
Categories
Writer's Notes

Exploring Your Character’s Closet?

By DiAnn Mills

Trace of Doubt by DiAnn Mills

September 10, 2021

Do you grab your readers by the hand and lead them into your character’s closet? What will you and the reader find? Is the character messy? Is the closet organized according to the type of clothing and color? Does it smell? What kind of boots or shoes does the character buy? Are they worn? Purse, backpack, or wallet? What’s their favorite color? Are the shelves layered high with memorabilia or collectibles? Does the character not have a closet?

A writer’s goal is for readers to experience our story vicariously through the characters and form a sympathetic bond. That means all of the assigned traits ensure the character comes alive. One way is to study the items their personal items. Stepping into the character’s closet allows the writer to explore—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Physical

Glimpsing the choices made in clothing enlightens the reader to income, values, priorities, personality, and individualism as well as careers and hobbies. Those items are seen, touched, smelled, heard, and sometimes tasted. (A stash of chocolate hidden in a closet sounds good to me.)

Mental

Venturing into our character’s mental world after viewing a closet’s contents can reveal motivation, how the character processes life, more about their personality, and the inner secret-world not often visible to others. A character, unless suffering from a mental disorder, will not lie to themselves. The mental workings are a treasure chest of information.

Emotional

Showing realistic emotions adds credibility to the story. A closet often shows how the character internalizes events and happenings through the seven universal emotions: surprise, fear, anger, sadness, disgust, happiness, and contempt. Study how items are arranged, even hidden.

Symbolism can represent the emotional realm when the character uses a tangible item to represent the intangible. Why has the character kept trophies from high school sports? A great-great grandfather’s rifle? His/her first dollar earned at a full-time career?

Look at an example below of how to incorporate the physical, mental, and emotional world of a character and write a deeper, developed story.

A female character’s closet is divided into two parts: business attire for an office job and camouflage from head to toe on the other. She believes in her job, but she is also an ex-marine. Discipline, training, and structure guide her thoughts and mindset. She prefers camouflage and misses her role as a marine. What’s holding her back from re-enlisting? What emotions have her in chains and why?

Every seen and unseen item in a character’s closet reveals more of the inner character.

Flip on the light in your character’s closet and see what’s inside. Every seen and unseen item in a character’s closet can reveal more about the inner character and insight into writing a deeper more developed story.

Besides a visit to the closet, how else can we writers enhance our writing by getting inside our character’s world?

~~

Facebook: DiAnn Mills

Twitter: DiAnn Mills

BookBub: DiAnn Mills

Buy Link Amazon: Trace of Doubt

~~

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller and creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

Author DiAnn Mills

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Retreats: Marketing, Speakers, Nonfiction and Novelist with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion for helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

Connect with DiAnn here: www.diannmills.com

Categories
Mystery Readers Only

Guest Post: Temecula, What’s Real and What’s Not

The Trash Harem by Marilyn Meredith

By Marilyn Meredith

The Trash Harem mainly takes place in the city of Temecula. I am fond of Temecula having family who live there and in the neighboring town of Murrieta. I’ve visited there a lot, but haven’t done many of the touristy things and there are plenty of them.

The biggie is the Pechanga Resort and Casino—but it’s not in my story, though there is mention of the Pechanga native people. The ancient oak tree, which also plays a big part in the mystery and decorates the cover, is real.

Old Town Temecula is full of intriguing shops and restaurants, including an Olive Oil tasting shop. The olive oil is mentioned, as is one of the restaurants, though I don’t use its correct name.

The Temecula Valley Museum is mentioned, especially the great Erle Stanley Gardner display. And yes, he does appear in this tale in a most unusual way.

Other tourist attractions are the Sunrise Balloon Flight, the Outdoor Escape Room, the Haunted Cable Car Tour, and the Old Town Scavenger Hunt, none of which are in this story.

Of course what Temecula is really famous for is its wine country with many beautiful wineries, a multitude of tasting opportunities including several wine tasting tours. Yes, the wineries do make an appearance in The Trash Harem—but the winery where Tempe, Hutch and their hosts have dinner with the murder victim’s son is not real.

Though there are many gated-communities for folks fifty-five and over, Moon Glow Village is strictly fictional, though I have borrowed bits and pieces from similar gated-communities.

Though the whole idea for this tale came from my daughter and son-in-law’s experiences living in their gated-community, very little is real except the trash containers and what happens with them.

Like most mysteries, there are always bits and pieces of real people and places woven alongside the made-up folks and places.

If you’ve never been to Temecula, it’s a great place to visit, plenty to do and see, and it has some restaurants with great food. You can get a taste of Temecula by reading The Trash Harem.

Marilyn

Official Blurb:

Deputy Tempe Crabtree has retired from her job in Bear Creek when friends, who once lived in Bear Creek and attended Pastor Hutch’s church, ask her to visit them in Temecula. The husband, Jonathan, is a suspect in what might be a murder case. The retirement community includes many interesting characters, any of whom might have had a better motive than Jonathan. There is also a connection to Earle Stanley Gardner as well as the Pechanga Old Oak. What is a trash harem? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

To purchase The Trash Harem

Marilyn Meredith:

She is the author of over 40 published books including the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, and writing as F. M. Meredith, the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. She’s a member of two chapters of Sisters in Crime and the Public Safety Writers Association.

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith

Categories
Writer's Notes

Guest Post: The Road to Rejection

The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain
The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain by Elaine Faber

By Elaine Faber

Some years ago, I typed and mailed multiple query letters for my novels to traditional publishers. Some were returned with rejection letters, some actually with three to six handwritten words, e.g. Sorry! – Not interested! – You’ve got to be kidding! Many didn’t reply at all. Perhaps they just steamed the stamp off my self-addressed, return envelope to save and use again.

As time progressed, publishing houses preferred query by e-mail. No more opening envelopes, steaming off stamps or licking envelopes to return snide rejection slips for them. Now, my auto-rejection notices came by return e-mail.

Eventually, I found a couple of editors at small presses who requested the entire manuscript. One editor told me it contained too much romance, another, not enough romance. One editor loved the story, and suggested if I removed all the exclamation points and fragmented sentences, she’d reconsider. Another suggested I have it professionally edited. After I made all the suggested changes, paid to have it professionally edited and resubmitted the manuscript, none of the editors offered a publishing contract.

As I traveled this Road to Rejection, all those rebuffs forced me to re-examine my goals, re-evaluate my skills, and devote time, investment, and energy to improve my craft. Three different teachers taught me more about writing craft than I ever thought was possible to know. Surprise! You ‘don’t know what you don’t know.’ Which is to say, the early version of my novel probably wasn’t worthy of publishing in the first place. I revised, edited, re-edited, cut the story line in half, and fleshed out the characters and plot.

Looking back, I’ve come to believe that the Road to Rejection is not necessarily a pothole-riddled, mud-filled, weed-infested sticker-path meant to trip up and discourage new writers, (though it certainly does). Rather, it is a road of lesson-learning, character building and knowledge-testing meant to wean out the weak, ill-equipped writers, (of which there are many).

The Road to Rejection forces the committed writer to polish her skills and master what you ‘don’t know what you don’t know.’ This can be done by accepting critiques from knowledgeable writers, studying with individual teachers, and reading scores of books on the subject.

Your first novel is published? Congratulations. You’ve vanquished the Road to Rejection.  You now begin to market your baby. Fame and fortune must be right around the corner.

Wait! There’s another signpost up ahead? It’s called the Road to Frustration.

Synopsis of The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain by Elaine Faber

I intended The Spirit Woman of Lockeer Mountain, a story about a woman who drives a sewer truck, to be a humorous cozy mystery with funny circumstances. Overflowing toilets─ septic tank mishaps ─ a haunted bathroom fixture warehouse. Perhaps she’d unwittingly locate a rural marijuana farm.

Then an owl smacked into Lou’s window and the characters took over the story and completely changed its direction. Nate’s sister disappeared three months prior, following a minor MVA, but mysterious sightings of a woman and a mountain lion are reported. Nate’s constant obsession that his sister is amnesic, living wild in the woods with a mountain lion, is taking a toll on his budding relationship with Lou. Is the woman Nate’s sister, or is she the Native American Spirit Woman come to life, to help solve the town’s troubles?

There are troubles aplenty. Without input from the town, the government announced plans to build a mysterious medical facility nearby, along with a 100-unit housing tract, and a Wallynet big box store. Lockleer Mountain merchants are in an uproar, sure that such actions will alter the quaintness of town and destroy their small businesses. They intend to stop the government at any cost.

Then, a tragedy reveals that someone is selling illegal drugs to the local teenagers. Nate and Sheriff Peabody are challenged with a life and death decision when the reservation’s chief, White Cloud, threatens to take matters into his own hands. Can Nate and the sheriff resolve the troubling issues, or must the Spirit Woman and her feline companion help bring peace to the troubled town?

Author Elaine Faber

About Elaine:

Elaine Faber lives in Elk Grove with her husband and four feline companions. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Cat Writers Association, and Northern California Publishers and Authors. Her short stories have appeared in national magazines, have won multiple awards in various contests, and are in at least 16 anthologies. She leads a local writer’s critique group.

Elaine’s ‘Mrs. Odboddy mystery series’ has won annual awards with Northern California Publishers and Authors. Black Cat and the Secret in Dewey’s Diary, and All Things Cat, an anthology of cat stories, won Cat Writers’ Association 2018 and 2019 Certificates of Excellence.

Elaine enjoys sharing highlights of her novels and her writing experience at author venues. She is currently working on two fiction novels to be published in 2021 and 2022.

More About Elaine’s books and where to find them:

Black Cat Mysteries: With the aid of his ancestors’ memories, Black Cat helps solve mysteries and crimes. Partially narrated by Black Cat, much of the story comes from a cat’s often humorous and poignant point of view.

Mrs. Odboddy Mystery/Adventures: Elderly, eccentric Mrs. Odboddy fights WWII from the home front. She believes war-time conspiracies and spies abound in her home town. Follow her antics in these hysterical, historical novels as a self-appointed hometown warrior exposes malcontents, dissidents and Nazi spies…even when she’s wrong.

The Spirit Woman Mystery/Paranormal/Adventures

The Native Americans believe the legendary Spirit Woman ‘protects the community.’ When Govt. demands create social unrest in a small mountain town, and drugs threaten the lives of their youth, the Spirit Woman and her mountain lion companion come to their aid.

Black Cat’s Legacy    http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm

Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer                   http://tinyurl.com/q3qrgyu

Black Cat and the Accidental Angel http://tinyurl.com/y4eohe5n

Black Cat and the Secret in Dewey’s Diary

NCPA Cover and Interior Design Silver award 2019 http://tinyurl.com/vgyp89s

All Things Cat (anthology of short stories)   http://tinyurl.com/y9p9htak

Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot      NCPA 1st Fiction 2017   http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv

Mrs. Odboddy – Undercover Courier NCPA 3rd Cover and Design 2018  http://tinyurl/com/jn5bzwb

Mrs. Odboddy – And Then There Was a Tiger      NCPA 2nd Fiction 2019   http://tinyurl.com/yx72fcpx

The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain     http://tinyrul.com/y7rp7f3x

Categories
Mystery Readers Only

Jacqueline Vick Interview

Deadly Decorum

Today, I’m interviewing mystery author Jacqueline Vick. I’m sure you’ll find her as entertaining as I did. We thought it would be fun to cross-post, so check out her blog for my interview on Jacqueline Vick’s blog. Feel free to leave a comment.

  • Name:

Jacqueline Vick

  • Where are you from:

Santa Clarita, CA

  • Tell us a little about yourself, like your education, family life, etc:

I was born in Aurora, Illinois, the second oldest of many, many grandchildren. When I was 29, I moved to California with my husband. After writing some screenplays, I tried my hand at writing a mystery and fell in love with the genre and mystery writers. They are a supportive, friendly bunch. I wrote my first mystery, FAMILY MATTERS, for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition and was a semi-finalist. It went on from there.

  • Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it?

My website is jacquelinevick.com. I blog there, mostly interviewing authors. In fact, aren’t you there in a The Authors Behind the Books interview now?


Question: What inspired you to write your first book?

My sister was the victim of a drunk driver. Her ankles were crushed in the accident, and she spent months in this humongous wheelchair recovering from surgery. She became Vanessa in Family Matters. While Andrea did develop powerful arms lifting herself in and out of the chair, she is much nicer than Vanessa. And before you write me off as a sick, sick person for finding humor in the situation, my sister thought my portrayal of “her” in the book was hysterical.

Question: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I have discovered so many great mystery authors this year, and I’ve also delved into historical gothic novels, such as AFTER ALICE FELL by Kim Taylor Blakemore, and A FEIGNED MADNESS by Tonya Mitchell. In the humorous mystery category, I just finished my first Dandy Gilver mystery by Catriona McPherson. A riot! Unfortunately, they are difficult to get in the US, but I’m not giving up.

Question: What are your current projects?

I’m working on the next Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic mystery, which will be the fifth in the series. The featured animal is a Fiji Crested Iguana. The book should be out by late November/early December this year.

Question: Do you see writing as a career?

Writing is a career if you treat it like a career. Aside from regular writing, there’s marketing, networking, budgeting, advertising, checking the return on investment of advertising, researching markets and sales trends through professional organizations and industry magazines and websites, keeping up with the competition (reading), social media, continuing education, and future planning. All the things you would need to do in “real” career. It takes an entrepreneurial mindset.

Question: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep writing. You only get better with practice.

Question: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music

When I was a kid, my favorite color was black. Everyone told me it was not a color, but I didn’t care.

Tell us your latest news:

Deadly Decorum came out on May 19. It’s the third in the Harlow Brothers mystery series. A vague outline of the next Harlow Brothers is in my head. Edward will have his chance to mingle with sports writers, but after twelve years writing etiquette books, he won’t quite fit in. The release date should be around the same time next year. I like to get out at least one novella a year. I’d like to get a Frankie Chandler novella out around Independence Day.

Blurb and link:

Jacqueline Vick

When Edward Harlow, ghost writer of the Aunt Civility etiquette books, is guest of honor at a costume ball for charity, the fun ends when his Zorro sword is discovered buried in the back of an obnoxious guest. While Nicholas Harlow scrambles to clear his brother’s name, he comes up against suspects and motives he’d rather not reveal. Then he discovers a secret that could mean the end of Aunt Civility.  

Mistaken identities, romantic rivals, and a host of misunderstandings make this third Harlow Brothers mystery a fun read. Universal book link  https://books2read.com/u/b5vJXk

Categories
Writer's Notes

Good News!

By Thonie Hevron

News about the new book: for those of you who have been waiting for the Kindle version, it’s here! Now on Kindle! Felony Murder Rule $8.99

ThonieHevron.com

ThonieHevron.com is where to come for news, book info and ordering, as well as a blog for mystery readers called (of course) Mystery Readers Only. Explore new authors and old favorites, usually less well-known but talented writers.

For authors, Writer’s Notes features tips on craft and culture. Learn what goes into the writing business.

For law enforcement memories, check out Street Stories. A great place for authors to find inspiration and for readers to get a glimpse into the day-to-day world of police officers, corrections and other specialty law enforcement positions. Great for story ideas and characterization.

On Facebook, look to ThonieHevronAuthorPage for announcements and appearances.

A review:

By Jonas Weisel

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Worthy addition to a solid mystery series

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2021

A great read. This novel is part of the Nick and Meredith Mystery series, but you don’t have to have read the earlier books to enjoy this one. The mystery has all the authentic police procedural details we’ve come to expect from the author. This story, though, is more personal for Meredith. She and Nick are married now and have a small child. When her father dies, the death brings back the pain of Meredith’s troubled relationship with him but also soon uncovers long-held secrets that threaten the lives of her and her family. The story is fast-paced, with a nice mix of action and character development. The villains are dangerous and ruthless and deftly drawn to make you feel the peril they pose. Hanging over the story, too, are the entanglements left behind by the father’s misdeeds and the way the past comes back to haunt the next generation. A worthy addition to a solid mystery series.

~~~

Read another short review from Jeane Slone, Local Author Distributor, on Facebook. Scroll to January 26th.

~~~

3/3/2021

I’m honored that Felony Murder Rule is in the Book of the Moment Club! Thank you, Caleb and Linda Pirtle!

https://www.calebandlindapirtle.com/botm/featured-felony-murder-rule-by-thonie-hevron/

~~~

Blogs in which I’m the guest poster:

G. Cramer on March 8th, 2021

Lois Winston April 19th, 2021

Marilyn Meredith January 25th, 2021

Donnell Bell February 26th, 2021

C. Hope Clark article in upcoming April edition of Funds For Writers

~~~

I’ve also got a new host server and wasn’t able to export all those readers who have been following this site since 2014. If you like what you see, please sign up to receive the weekly (or so) posts from authors, readers, story tellers and me.

Categories
Writer's Notes

A Chat with Author George Cramer

Mona Lisa Sisters by George Cramer

By George Cramer

The Mona Lisa Sisters by George Cramer

The Mona Lisa Sisters is a tender journey into the making of a family. The novel is full of careful historical detail and the pleasure of European trains and cities and plenty of mystery to keep the pages turning, but the greatest delight is Lura Grisham herself.

– Ramona Ausubel, author of Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty

An enrolled descendant of the Karuk Tribe of California, George Cramer, brings forty years’ investigative experience to crime and historical fiction. He holds an MFA-Creative Writing Program from the Institute of American Indian Arts.

George conducted and managed thousands of successful investigations throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He kept his investigative skills honed by volunteering as a Missing Person’s investigator at the San Leandro, California Police Department.

In addition to the Public Safety Writers Association, George is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the California Writers Club. He is a contributing author to several anthologies and the Veteran’s Writing Project. Other than writing, his love is long-distance motorcycle riding his 2001 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic.

George’s debut novel, The Mona Lisa Sisters, was published in 2020.

When and how did you begin your writing journey? Before my sixty-eighth birthday, I was laid off from a fantastic job when H-P bought out Palm, Inc., beginning a journey through the world of age discrimination. One day, I saw a note about a writing class at the Dublin Senior Center—whose doors I swore never to cross. I took the class and fell in love with writing. Overcoming forty-five years of report writing was difficult. One day, the instructor randomly passed out photos to the class. “Take fifteen minutes and describe the scene.” I did not do as instructed. The second I saw the image of two young girls staring up at the Mona Lisa, I knew I was going to write a novel. In fifteen minutes, I had a rough sketch of what began an eight-year ride to The Mona Lisa Sisters.

I knew I needed help and formal training. For help, I joined the Tri-Valley Branch of the California Writers Club, followed by the Public Safety Writers Association. I went to the local community college for formal training, Las Positas, and pursued an English degree. I followed by the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for an MFA.

Writing at sea

IAIA introduced me to a group of superlative authors and mentors. My cohort mentors were Ramona Ausubel, Ismet (Izzy) Prcic, and Marie-Helene Bertino. These fantastic people guided my writing throughout the program and remain in my life.

Thonie asked about projects and what book I’m reading. That’s tough. For pure enjoyment, I just reread Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. Two book clubs selected The Mona Lisa Sisters, so I’m reading eleven of the other books selected for the year. I’m reading a half-dozen other novels for a project I’m excited about.

When I began work on Mona Lisa, I set aside a thriller/police procedural spread over forty years, 1930 to mid-1970. I hope to have it published by the end of 2021. I’m also working my way through a crime trilogy. I never knew retirement would be so hectic.

George Cramer

The Mona Lisa Sisters is available through Amazon and the IAIA Book Store. You can reach me at gdcramer@msn.com and visit my blog at https://gdcramer.com. If you stop by, please leave a comment and follow.