The Page 69 Test

Today I'm over at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, talking about The Page 69 Test. Marshall McLuhan, author of The Gutenberg Galaxy, recommends reading page 69 of a novel, and if you like that page, buying the book. I posted Page 69 of both of my 2013 releases (Fatal Descent and A Basket of Trouble) to try out the strategy. Would you keep reading after those excerpts? Will you buy the books? And what do you think of the strategy? Is the Page 69 Test a valid way to make your reading choices? Leave a comment there, and let me know what you think.

Blabbing at Inkspot

I'm over at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, today, with a round-up of the reviews, blogs, and excitement surrounding the November 8th release of A Basket of Trouble, the third book in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series. Please take a look!

Interviewing Characters to Get to Know Them

I'm over at Inkspot today, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, talking about how I used the tool of first-person interviews to get to know the characters in my books. Please check it out and let me know what you think about the article there.

Planning a Book Tour on the Cheap

I'm at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, today, with an article about "Planning a Book Tour on the Cheap". I hope you'll read it and share there any good ideas you have for book touring on the cheap!

Editing a Galley Proof

I'm over at Inkspot today, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, talking about editing the galley proof for my November book release, A Basket of Trouble, the long-awaited third book in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer series. My main concern is that A Basket of Trouble be a fun and exciting read. Hopefully no readers will be pulled out of the story by stumbling across a typo, spelling or punctuation error in the final book. Have you been pulled out of a story recently by such an error? Tell me about it in a comment there!

Talking on Inkspot About Reviews and Visiting the Barnes and Noble Mystery Book Club

Today I am over at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, talking about book reviews. I provide links to some recent great reviews for my new release, Fatal Descent! I hope you'll visit me there and leave a comment about whether or not book reviews influence your book reading and purchasing decisions.

Also, all of this week I am a guest at the Barnes and Noble on-line mystery book club. If you're a mystery reader and aren't a member yet, I hope you'll consider joining. It's a great community! And, if you're already a member, I hope you'll say howdy on my discussion thread there and ask me a question or let me know what you think of my upcoming release of Fatal Descent.

Storytelling in Anoher Medium

I am blogging today at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, about reviewing films for the Breckenridge Festival of Film, applying my storytelling skills to another medium. Have you ever attended a film festival? If so, which one? What did you think of it? Please share in a comment there!

Celebrating Libraries

I'm blogging today about National Library Week at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors. I hope you will read the blog, then share in a comment how YOU intend to celebrate National Library Week at your local library!

How a Rural Colorado Sheriff’s Office Works

I'm blogging over at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, today about how a rural Colorado Sheriff's Office works. Please read the post and leave a comment there for me about your own experiences with and impressions of your local Sheriff's Office or Police Department.

Author Visits to Book Clubs

Today I'm blogging at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, about author visits to book clubs. I give tips for arranging for an author to visit your book club either in-person or via speakerphone or Skype. I hope you'll read the post, and if you are in a book club, I hope the post will motivate you to ask an author to visit!

Visits to Inkspot and Dru's Book Musings

Today I am appearing elsewhere on the web in two places at once. I hope you'll visit both and leave a comment for me at them!

At Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, I have posted an article about Internal and External Conflict, using examples from my Claire Hanover gift basket designer novels, A Real Basket Case and To Hell in a Handbasket. Do you have any favorite examples of external or internal conflicts in books you’ve read? Please share them with me there!

At Dru's Book Musings, my gift basket designer sleuth, Claire Hanover, visits to talk about a day in her life. This day is an especially bad one, from the beginning of To Hell in a Handbasket. I'm holding a contest at Dru's blog, in conjunction with Claire's visit, for a free autographed copy of the trade paperback version of To Hell in a Handbasket. Just leave a comment for Claire or me there to enter the contest!

Going to Hell in a Handbasket

Today I am blogging at Inkspot, the Midnight Ink author blog, about the November 8th re-release in trade paperback and ebook of To Hell in a Handbasket, the second book in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series. I hope you will join me there--and enter the contest I'm having by making a comment and following the blog if you aren't already a follower!

Naming Characters After Real People

I'm blogging at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, today about the only times I name characters after real people. It's when they make the winning bid on a character name in an upcoming novel of mine in a silent or live auction for a literacy-related charity that most mystery fan conferences conduct.

Please read my post to learn about the fun I had with the latest two character names. Also, if you've ever had a character named after you in a mystery novel, please tell all! What did you think of the experience?

Editing a Manuscript -- and a Body

Today I am blogging at Inkspot, the Midnight Ink author blog, about editing a manuscript--and my body, and the parallels between the two efforts. I hope you will share your advice for both efforts with me in the comments there!

I Suck at Picking Book Titles

Today I am blogging at Inkspot, the Midnight Ink author blog, about how I suck at picking book titles and about how others have pulled me out of the fire many times by suggesting alternative titles. Do you have a book title story to share? I hope you will, in the comments!

Red Herrings Stink!

I m blogging at Inkspot today, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, about the stinky topic of red herrings, or false clues. Do you have a favorite red herring that you came across while reading a mystery or that you used in writing a mystery? I hope you'll leave a comment there sharing your thoughts!

Lamenting the Closing of Another Independent Bookstore

Today I am blogging at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, about the closing of one of my favorite independent bookstores, Weber's Books & Drawings, which is the only bookstore in my hometown of Breckenridge, Colorado. Please read it and leave a comment about your favorite local bookstore and/or how you feel about the recent trend of bookstore closings.

Multitasking as a Series Author

Today I am over at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, talking about multitasking as a series author, which I equate to juggling. Please visit the blog and let me know how you keep those balls in the air in your life!

The Telling Detail

It's my turn to blog at Inkspot today, the blog for Midnight Ink authors. I talk about the telling detail and how authors work to craft those tiny descriptions that distill the essense and emotion of the item being described into a thing of beauty. Please read the post, and if you have a favorite example of the use of "telling detail," would you share it with the rest of us in a comment? Thanks!

The Importance of a Good Critique Group

Today I'm over at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors, talking about the importance of a good critique group. Take a look at the post, and if you're a writer, please leave a comment letting me know what experiences have you had with critique groups, good or bad.