Today's Mystery Author Guest: Mark W. Danielson

As promised yesterday, fellow mystery author Mark W. Danielson is visiting my blog today, with an article about how he developed the plot for his latest release, Spectral Gallows. To read Mark's bio and see his photo, please page down to yesterday's post. Also, Mark is running a contest for a free autographed copy of Spectral Gallows, the cover art for which appears above. Mark will select the winner tomorrow evening from among those who leave a comment today or tomorrow and will announce the name in a comment on this post.

In the book, Maxx Watts and partner Blaine Spartan blow through the door of The Chuck Wagon Diner, grabbing a table before the lunch crowd hits. They quickly pick up on a heated dialog at the next table concerning police fabricating a suicide ruling. "I tell you, it was murder!" spits out a hulky man dressed in black, slamming his fist on the table. Confronting the two men, "Hulk" bails out, leaving his companion behind. The detectives are told the argument concerned an uncle who hanged himself in the Scott Theater over forty years ago. Riveted by the man's claim, Watts and Spartan visit the dungeon where the death occurred. The phenomena they see and whispers of murder commit them to resolving the case. Had the dead man's spirit been leaving clues or had this all been a diversion so another murder could take place? Uncertain whether to believe in the netherworld, Watts must confront his father's past to determine his future with CSI tech Daisy Woods.

Sounds like an interesting read to me! Below is Mark's article.

Spectral Gallows

By Mark W. Danielson

I’m probably going out on a limb by saying that every novel is inspired by real-life events, but I do believe it.  I found this especially true for my latest release, Spectral Gallows – a story I never planned to write.  At the time, I was well into the sequel for Writer’s Block, the first in my Maxx Watts detective series, when I returned from an international trip, exhausted.  For those who have spent long hours on an airplane, you know how changing time zones and endless vibration can transform you into a Zombie.  Multiply that times ten and you can understand how physically demanding an airline pilot’s two week trip can be.

As I lay in bed, my body trembling, my brain struggling to shut down, an idea came to mind.  Why not write about a character who is drunk on sleep?  The premise excited me so much I jotted it down before I drifted off.  When I was mentally prepared to resume my writing, I set the first sequel aside.  Who knew that agonizing unrest could be a muse for murder mysteries?

For reasons I cannot explain, my shattered physical state easily transferred to a down-and-out Vietnam Veteran suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  In the opening scene, the vet and his much younger buddy are arguing over a forty-plus year old death in Fort Worth’s Scott Theater.  The veteran was insisting it was murder, not suicide when Homicide Detectives Maxx Watts and Blaine Spartan walked in, referring to the actor who hanged himself in the theater’s basement.  Later, as the detectives visit the theater to see where the death occurred, they hear unexplained sounds like someone calling out murder, except there is no one else around.  By the way, the Scott Theater is a real location that has been certified as haunted by a dead actor’s spirit.

As I said, I didn’t stumble onto this story – it was sent to me in my sleep.  And since my writing comes from subconscious thoughts, I allow my characters to lead me through their stories.  Of course, I could not write this novel without first researching paranormal activity and quantum mechanics.  My paranormal and physics experts’ contributions were stunningly illuminating.

By coincidence, paranormal themes seem to be “in” right now, but that isn’t why I wrote Spectral Gallows.  Not a day goes by when I don’t think about our suffering veterans, past and present, and imagine how difficult their lives must be.  Hopefully my readers will recognize these veterans’ sacrifices as they are drawn into this story.  It was fun pitting believers against non-believers while keeping the reader guessing as to its outcome.  I should mention that although I’ve never had a ghostly encounter, evidence suggests there is far more to our existence than our present dimension.

While every author’s writing style differs, there are only two ways to create.  You either outline or you don’t, and from my experience, the split is nearly equal.  But regardless of which technique is used, a well-written story will always transport its reader to another place.  That’s the beauty of fiction.

Beth, thank you for having me as your guest.  Spectral Gallows will be released on November 15, 2013 in published and e-book formats.  More information about me and my books can be found on my website.

Thanks, Mark! Now, who has a comment or question for Mark W. Danielson? Good luck in the contest!

Tomorrow's Guest: Mark W. Danielson

Tomorrow, fellow mystery author Mark W. Danielson will guest on my blog with an article about how he developed the plot for his latest release, Spectral Gallows. Also, Mark will run a contest for an autographed copy of Spectral Gallows. He will choose the winner from among those who leave a comment.

Currently a FedEx pilot, Mark began taking flying lessons at age thirteen with money earned from delivering newspapers. He earned his Commercial Pilot's License prior to entering the University of Northern Colorado in 1970. He went on to fly the F-4 Phantom II fighter with the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron in Korea. After moving to Lubbock, Texas, to serve as a T-38 advanced instructor-pilot, Mr. Danielson put his writing career on hold while completing his 300 hp Steen Skybolt bi-plane. He flew that airplane in numerous airshows over Texas. Mark left active duty in 1980 to pursue a civilian pilot career, but later returned to active duty, this time in the U.S. Navy. He earned his MA degree while serving as a jet-strike flight instructor in Beeville, Texas.

While assigned to Miramar Naval Air Station, Mark revamped his non-fiction writing career with numerous periodical articles and was twice recognized as the US Navy's top author. His writing was never limited to military publications, though. Novels provided Mr. Danielson with an outlet that non-fiction could not. Using real events as a basis makes his writing both believable and enthralling.  An actual FedEx DC-10 fire inspired Danger Within. The suspicious crash that claimed the life of US Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown inspired The Innocent Never Knew. His third novel, Diablo's Shadow, was based on a child disappearance and was released in 2008 to critical acclaim.

Mr. Danielson frequently participates in author events, which include the Los Angeles Times Book Festival, Men of Mystery event in Irvine, CA, Barnes and Noble Mystery Author's Night, Cutting Edge Murder, Kids Love a Mystery, and High Jinx on the High Seas. His interests include hiking, fine arts, tennis, and restoring cars and boats.

Today's Colorado Mystery Author Guest: Mark W. Danielson

As promised yesterday, fellow Colorado mystery author Mark W. Danielson is visiting my blog today. To read his bio and see his photo, please page down to yesterday's post.

Above is the cover photo for his most recent book, Writer's Block, A Maxx Watts Mystery, which is being released this month. Maxx Watts is no stranger to murder. As a Fort Worth homicide
detective, he has smelled death often. But this murder was twisted. A dead publisher lying face-down on a bloodied manuscript, the marble paperweight beside him labeled Writer’s Block. All evidence points to The Guillotine Press authors, but determining which one is only the beginning for Watts.

A writerly mystery! Below are Mark's answers to my interview questions. Please leave a comment for Mark, and if you have a question of your own for him, ask it!

1. Who or what inspired you to start writing and when did you start?

Like many novelists, my writing career began with writing non-fiction freelance articles in 1977. Most of my early work involved subjects on flying because it was a way to share valuable information. Since then, over one hundred of my articles have been published in various periodicals and I still contribute an occasional article.

2. What tools and process do you use to “get to know” your characters before and while you’re writing the books?

No doubt many of my characters evolve from my own investigative experience and/or encounters with others. Many of my friends and relatives have worked for police departments so it is easy to draw from them. My former position as an aircraft mishap investigator has certainly aided in creating believable situations and characters in my mysteries. Before beginning a new story, I have a good idea about what the main characters are like, but everyone in between is usually a surprise. I never know until the end who lives, who dies, who gets lucky, and whose luck runs out.

3. How do you construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat of your pants”?

For fiction, I’m a “seat of the pants” guy. For non-fiction, everything must first be outlined. It’s a lot more fun giving my characters liberty to walk me through their stories. Since everything is told through their eyes, I often feel as if I’m watching from afar.

4. In the age-old question of character versus plot, which one do you think is most important in a murder mystery and which one do you emphasize in your writing? Why?

We’ve all seen movies with Oscar-winning casts that could not save the ghastly plot. Conversely, an unknown cast can be magnificent if the plot is masterful. Whether cinema or a novel, the plot must be sound or it will fail. In both mediums, the audience must connect with the characters. Even the antagonist must have a reason for being the way he or she is. Evil for evil’s sake never works. But to answer the question, I’m not sure you can separate the importance of plot versus character.

5. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer and what inspires you and keeps you motivated?

Everything in life involves risk. We think nothing about car-jousting with opponents closing at two miles a minute because we’re certain we will pass shoulder to shoulder with inches to spare, but as we walk dark alleys and parking lots, our level of fear skyrockets because of the unknown. Mystery authors risk everything by opening their souls to strangers and choosing topics that publishers may not want. At the same time, mystery writers capitalize on their readers’ deepest fears. Go overboard and you either cross into horror or lose your audience. Although I take my writing very seriously, I am not overly concerned about the topics I write about. My main concern is to have fun and craft an entertaining story. There are endless tales yet to write, but I doubt I’ll live long enough to complete them all.

6. What is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you devote to writing?

As an airline pilot, my workdays are quite atypical. When I’m home, I spend much of my time on outings with my wife or getting things done around the house. When I’m on the road, I devote as much time as possible to writing. If my layover is long enough, I may write continuously for ten to fourteen hours whereas at home it may only be an hour or two. Given enough uninterrupted time, I can complete a first draft in thirty days, but most often it takes roughly three months.

7. What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?

I’m no different from anyone else when I say, “Read and write.” Reading other authors, particularly those in your genre, offers perspectives on what topics and styles are publishable. Writing is mostly a matter of persistence and dedication. Given the right mentoring, anyone can learn to write well. The most important thing is to have fun and never give up.

8. Now here’s a zinger. Tell us something about yourself that you have not revealed in another interview yet. Something as simple as your favorite TV show or food will do.

For me, writing has been an extension of painting. I’ve been painting my entire life, but it’s much easier to carry a laptop on a trip than an easel, brushes, and paint. For some reason, the TSA prefers it that way, too.

9. What are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?

Writer’s Block, a Maxx Watts murder mystery, was just released, and I am currently working on two sequels. The first one concerns a haunting in Fort Worth’s Scott Theater. Did this young man hang himself as legend says, or was he murdered? Maxx and his team are determined to find out. It’s been fun researching the paranormal for this story. The next story is a moving hostage situation where everyone, good and bad, has lost track of them. Both stories are a lot of fun.

10. Is there anything else you would like to tell my blog readers?

On November 19th, I’m making my tenth consecutive appearance at the Men of Mystery event in Irvine, California. Some of the biggest novelists in mystery have attended this event, and I am honored to be included. I am also among a group of talented authors who write for the Murderous Musings blog. My personal website shares my travels, pertinent articles, chapter previews for my books, and also some miscellaneous stuff just for fun. Please drop in!

Thanks, Mark! Now, who has a comment or question for him?

Tomorrow's Guest: Mark W. Danielson

Tomorrow, fellow Colorado mystery author Mark W. Danielson will be a guest on my blog. Mark and I both belong to the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America (RMMWA) and have come to know each other from hanging out together at the meetings.

When Mark has to miss a meeting, it's usually because he's off flying somewhere. He is an international airline pilot, retired fighter pilot, and reality-based mystery novelist. Many of the topics he has written about have since come to fruition, which gives credence to his stories. A long-time Texas resident, Mark finds Fort Worth an intriguing setting for his Maxx Watts series.

In his guest post tomorrow, Mark answers my interview questions, and I'm sure you'll be intrigued by what he has to say. Then, feel free to ask him some questions of your own in the comments.