Category mystery novels
Running on Empty
One of the most miserable sensations known to man comes at the precise moment your car starts to sputter, spit and lurch like a taser charged ferret. Your eyes immediately flick to the gas gauge, because deep in your soul-of-souls, you experience a charge of enlightenment worthy of a Shaolin monk. You, Young Grasshopper, have run out of […]
Little River iBook Giveaway
E-books Galore There are so many choices for an e-book platform. Sure, Amazon’s Kindle is the biggest gorilla in the petting zoo, but there are couple of other creatures begging for a handout. I’ve been fortunate to have the e-book version of my human trafficking thriller, Little River, listed on Amazon (US, UK, EU, and AUS), […]
Writing California Interview & Book Signing Announcement
Recently, I had the opportunity to contribute to Sydney Avey’s blog series, Writing California. The Golden State has much to offer as a setting in contemporary fiction, yet most of California is overlooked. Los Angeles, San Francisco and the palm tree encrusted costal beaches serve as the backdrop to hundreds of books each and every […]
The After Life
I have this new story idea bouncing around in my head. It refuses to leave me alone. The damned thing left a ransom note in a dusty corner of my brain, threatening to hold my attention hostage until I do something. So, here goes…the background. During the years I worked inside maximum security prisons, I […]
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
Darkness. The word evokes emotion. From an early age, we are taught to fear the dark. “Be home before dark,” “Nothing good happens after dark,” Things that go bump in the night and, don’t forget the children’s prayer which includes, “If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul to take.” Darkness, […]
Tools For Easily Distracted Writers – Scrivener
I tried an experiment over the last couple of weeks. I’ve finished rewrites and revisions of the black market organ transplant novel, and no, that’s not the kind of experiment I’m talking about. I used Scrivener writing software to manage my edits and revisions. If you write, you’ve probably come across the writing platform […]
Pipe Fitting Bookends
My daughter gave me a set of really cool bookends for Christmas. They’re made from iron pipe fittings and make a great addition to the new writing space. We’ve finished the install on the new wood floors and found the salvaged wood for the “new” desks in the room. The wood comes from a barn […]
Readers Know Best
You release your hand-fed, carefully crafted book out into the wilds and you’re bound to get feedback. Reviews, critiques and comments from readers come in different flavors – Loved it, Hated it, or the worst feedback of all, the sound of crickets. By the time your book hits the streets, at least a dozen sets […]
You Are What You Read
When did choosing a literary genre become so difficult? In the “olden days” of books, there were vast collections of works contained within a single place. The Library. In this mystical building, there existed a structure, a set of expectations to guide those who sought out new tales and adventures. All books were created along […]
The Stuff That Binds
You need something to bind your story together. No I’m not talking about adding more fiber to your literary diet. What I’m talking about is the thing that makes your story stand out in a field of similar work. There are a finite number of story lines and when you filter down to stories within […]
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile 