Tag Archives: writing
A New California Serial Killer on the Prowl
We know California has been a serial killer’s paradise since the 1970’s. More serial killers hunted in the state than all the others combined. While others may have racked up higher body counts, (think Ridgway and Dahmer) we seem to have lived with more than our share. The Sacramento region attracts the most with 15% […]
A Conversation with Author James L’Etoile – I Read What You Write!
IR– What inspired the idea for your book?
James– The inspiration for Dead Drop didn’t come from a single source. I worked in the California prison system for nearly thirty years. I met up with a few colorful characters—characters who have inspired some of my crime fiction work. There were thousands of men in prison with what we called “Immigration Holds,” which meant when they were done with the prison sentence for their state crimes, they would face deportation back to their home country.
Before they committed their crimes, most of them crossed the border in search of a new life, free from the crime, drugs, and corruption they faced back home. Many of the men I encountered turned to crime out of desperation, or were extorted by criminal organizations like the Mexican Mafia or the Cartels.
I took this background and put together a story where the influences behind the border violence and corruption don’t come from the usual sources.
Guest Post: James L’Etoile – DEAD DROP – The Book Diva’s Reads
It’s all about character! Many thanks to The Book Diva Reads for allowing me to return to the blog. This time around, I wanted to focus on one element of writing that can make or break a story–character. I recently had a chance to teach a session on character development at the Gold Country Writers […]
BLACK LABEL
Book Release! Coming out of the lockdown and COVID restrictions makes me feel a little like a groundhog squirming out of its burrow. What to do with all the left over masks and hand sanitizer? Not to mention all the toilet paper some folks hoarded early on in the pandemic that’s now turning into dust. […]
When the Muse Is A Crack-Addicted Mess
The muse is a fickle creature. A few authors I know claim their muse guides their creative energy, breaking through self-imposed writer’s blocks, and delivering them safely to the land of a finished pristine manuscript. To them, I proudly give back a big fat jealous raspberry. I don’t have that relationship with my muse. Sure […]
Bouchercon 2018
It’s that time again–the annual pilgrimage to the worldwide mystery convention known as Bouchercon. The moveable Mecca of the mystery writing scene sets up its tents in St. Petersburg, Florida this year and it’s always a big draw bringing writers and avid readers together. Last year’s convention in Toronto drew over 1,400 participants to […]
BURY THE PAST Earns a Killer Nashville Award Nomination
I’m honored to announce that BURY THE PAST has been nominated for the annual Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award as the best procedural mystery of 2017. The procedural mystery genre is a thriller and suspense story in which a professional protagonist (detective, journalist, attorney, physician) solves a crime, usually gruesome and with graphic detail. Subgenres […]
Top 10 Angry Editing Songs
I’ve run across several blogs and articles talking about the music writers like to have playing in the background while they work. Some refuse to listen to anything with lyrics because it’s distracting, while others need to have a specific musical artist speaking for the characters in the novel under construction. Music in the background […]
The Sweet Spot In Between
It’s been a while since I posted about writing related stuff. Mostly, because I’ve been busy doing the words rather than writing about doing the words. I’ve hit that sweet spot in between manuscripts and I have a moment to come up out of the cult bunker take an inventory of what’s what. The past ten […]
Writing (or trying to) with #NotMyCat
I’m a creature of habit. I get used to a routine and there is a certain comfort about the ritual and expectations of a well-planned day. All that goes out the window when a creature of another sort appears–#NotMyCat. This furry little bag of attitude has thrown my routine into the litter box. […]
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile 