I've Been Tagged!
Tagged, that is, to participate in a blog hop for writers. Every Monday a new set of Authors blog about their own writing process, using a standard format. This is definitely a multi-genre hop. There are at least mystery, paranormal, young adult and romance writers involved. Follow the chain and see for yourself!
What am I working on?
I've just started The Falls: Body of Evidence, the 15th of The Falls small town mystery series. It begins with Ed Morganstein, the retired hardware store owner, discovering a frozen body just as he catches a perch during his first fishing trip of the season to Lake Pumpkinseed. A fishing trip he'll not likely forget! The body, when put together with the severed hand found on the shore at the end of the last volume, gives Sheriff Cash Green and Deputies Ericka Yamato and Horace Scofield the clues they need to begin to solve the crime.
At the same time, I'm working hard at getting the 14th volume of The Falls' mysteries, The Falls: Withdrawal (still not quite sure of the title), edited and ready for publication on KDP. It should be published in ebook format for $2.99 at the end of this month! A bank robbery at the very beginning of the story looks for all the world like one of The Falls' favorite characters may be turning to a life of crime!
I'm also in the process of, and struggling with, publishing the first Falls mystery, The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, on CreateSpace! I will readily admit, it's a technical challenge for someone who is simply an old storyteller, but it will work out sooner or later. I don't have the technical skills needed, but I'm learning and working hard at it with the help of my friend Kate Eileen Shannon. Eventually, I hope to have all of The Falls mystery series in paperback form for those readers who would rather hold a real book in their hands.
Amazingly enough, I have also started a Twitter account (TheFalls_VT) and would love to hear from you! 880 followers already and counting, chuckles. In addition I obviously work at maintaining my blog (georgewjackson@blogspot.com) and my author pages on FB and Google. A busy schedule for a retired school principal who is not all that techno-savvy!
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Good question. My small town mysteries fall very close to cozy mystery territory. In fact most of The Falls books could easily be classified as cozies. I call them small town mysteries because the citizens of the town, West Sugar Shack Falls, Vermont, are actively involved in solving the cases, in some way or another. The cast of characters is wide and colorful. Many of the characters will be people that will remind you of your Aunt Susan, Grandpa Jesse, or old man Mallory across the street. The characters are the most important element of the story, with lots of side stories as well as some good old fashioned action and adventure at times. No graphic violence, sex or vulgar language, much like any other cozy mystery. The first book in the series has more violence than the rest, but there's a reason for that. When I first began In the Dead of Winter, I wasn't thinking of making it a cozy mystery. It was simply a mystery that happens in a small town. So there is more violence, but not too explicit and not just for the sake of violence.
I also write a fantasy series entitled Dragon World that you can find at the Kindle Store. There are six volumes and it all takes place on the wild, rugged and lusty world of Rupar! Dragonriders, barbarians, dark sorcerers and white wizards, all fighting for control of this fantastical, stunning world! This series does have lusty love scenes, intrigue, dark schemes and battles galore! The first volume is entitled Dragon World: Dragon Magic. I'd say these stories fall comfortably into the typical epic fantasy adventure catagory. Soar up and away on your dragon and return to Rupar!
Tales from the Principal's Bench is a collection of short stories about kids, parents, school staff members and life in general. Humor is the order of the day! Available at The Kindle Store as an ebook.
The Twilight Tea Party is my children's book at the Kindle Store. It was originally written for my granddaughter Juliana, and is available to everyone now as an ebook. It weaves a story of a little girl who had just moved into her new home, an amusing hedgehog, a ballerina bear and a punctual, persnickity rabbit.
Why do I write what I do?
Again, an interesting question. I wrote the dragon rider series at night while still a principal. Perhaps it was my way of getting away from the 12-14 hours a day that I was the person in charge and ultimately made the decisions. It might be termed a break from reality, which we all need from time to time.
The small town mystery simply came about because I love mysteries and that small town is where my head and heart came from. I was born and raised in a small town in rural Vermont and grew up watching the people of the community. I live in Florida, but my heart and soul is still in that small town. There will be many more The Falls small town mysteries to come.
Above all, I have to write. It is the way I express what's inside me, what I feel and a way for me to leave a part of me still here when I'm gone. The characters, their words, their actions, are all bits and pieces of my traditions. They are part of my heritage. Like the storytellers of old.
How does my writing process work?
I write faithfully every morning unless we're traveling or have an appointment. Many writers outline, use notecards or write a summary to guide them through the process. I use my characters and a simple event or accident to guide me. Once I get started, the characters come to life and weave the story. For that's what I am, at the heart of it all. I'm a storyteller. I do have a box crammed full of 3x5 cards where I wrote down each character and a little bit about them. I have sticky notes to rem end me of scenes or things I want to remember as i go along. I also have a huge map of West Sugar Shack Falls on a trifold display to remind me where things are and who is at which business or home. I use Wikipedia for research. It's direct, concise and to the point. Am I organized? I always have been. But not to the point of outlining. Outlining, for me, wouldn't allow for the chance encounter, the road less taken, the change in direction that my characters so seem to love.
I edit every afternoon. I am staring to get to the point where I will begin asking for Beta Readers of my stories. Which for me is a major concession. I've always been independent and a bit stubborn. (Scottish heritage, so it should be no surprise!) Up until now I have done it all myself. Written, edited, created the covers and published the ebooks. That will change somewhat as I branch out and publish more traditionally. A good friend, Kate Eileen Shannon, has been patiently trying to nudge me in the right directions. Thank you Kate.
I have recently changed to use a 27" iMac and write with Word. I've used a number of computers over the years and loved WordPerfect for a long time, but Word is the standard now and just easier to deal with when formatting to publish. I can still remember typing my short stories (I used to write horror and suspense) on an IBM Selectric. What fun!
Keep on Hopping!
Thanks for reading. All of us truly appreciate it. Be sure to check out Susan Holmes post from last week (http://dogmysteries.com). Also, check out AJ Waines and Alyssa Maxwell March 17th! Keep on reading!
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