Murder & Mayhem Recommendation: First Cut by Judy Melinek & T.J. Mitchell

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Hello!


I hope you're doing well and staying healthy during these crazy times! Because so many of us find ourselves sheltering in place right now, I thought I'd try to step up my recommendations a little to spread the word about some murder-&-mayhem-related awesomeness that I'm enjoying lately.


Today I'm gonna talk about First Cut, by Judy Melinek & T.J. Mitchell:

What made me want to read this: A while back, I recommended Working Stiff by these same authors; Working Stiff is a non-fiction memoir about Dr. Melinek's work as a medical examiner, and covers, among other things, her work in NYC in the days after 9/11. I found that book to be a fascinating, approachable read that I couldn't put down, so when I found out the authors were trying their hand at fiction, I had to read it. Because, in a nutshell, First Cut is a novel about a fictional medical examiner who helps solve crimes, written by a real-life medical examiner who helps solve crimes, writing together with her husband.


Plot basics: Jessie Teska, a medical examiner, moves to San Francisco to escape a painful past. She's barely into her new digs when a very odd case crosses her path: a man shot to death because he snatch-and-grabbed a laptop in a cafe. As she look into the case, a woman she caught crying in the rain turns up on her table, dead of a drug overdose. As she investigates, she begins to suspect the cases are related; when she tries to pursue her line of inquiry, she smashes up against bureaucratic resistance that undercuts her ability to do her job and puts her in danger.


Why I love this: Because one of the two authors is a medical examiner, this book is as authentic as it gets, but is an easy, compelling read. The insight into what medical examiners do and how vital it can be is fascinating, but in the wrong hands could become dense and dry--but the writing here is fresh, inviting and down-to-earth. I also love Jessie Teska as a character; she's tenacious, she's empathetic, she's a little bit grumpy, and she's a lot real. She's the sort of person I'd love to hang out with (at least, after she washes the smell of decomposing corpses off of her). And, because I'm a Bay Area resident, I love that the book is set in San Francisco and manages to celebrate the city I love even if Jessie's not yet sure it's her cup of tea. She lives in a converted cable car, a detail taken from real San Francisco history--how cool is that?


You can find First Cut in bookstores now, and of course you can find it on Amazon if you prefer to order that way.


I purchased First Cut myself, and this review reflects my honest opinion of the book.


Happy reading!

M.M.

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An Unhealthy Obsession?

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Hello!


I recently started listening to the popular podcast My Favorite Murder. Several times in the first few episodes, the hosts joke about people possibly finding the concept of a 'favorite murder' strange, or a general obsession interest in true crime a bit odd (or downright disturbing). This topic is something I've thought a lot about: What does an interest in true crime and/or crime fiction say about a person? And what does it say when that interest is paired with comedy?


My interest in true crime started in grammar school when I first heard about Jack the Ripper. My mother didn't think true crime was an appropriate interest for a young lady, and periodically throughout my life, I've see that expression on people's faces when the topic comes up. I've also had people make comments when I read certain of my flash pieces at open mics, and tell me I 'should read less horror.' I've even seen my fellow crime writers accused of being 'sick' because of the contents of their books--including a review that claimed the author of a novel that included a child-molester villain "should be put on a registry."


It's macabre subject matter, to be sure. But does it signal something unhealthy? Something sick and twisted?


I'd argue it signals the exact opposite. I can't speak for everyone, of course. But I know in my case, as a psychologist with a fascination for human behavior, my interest in true crime and crime fiction comes from two places: one, a desire to understand what goes wrong in the human psyche that creates people who commit such atrocities, and two, a deep-seated need to see such people brought to justice.


In fact, there's nothing that irks my soul more than unsolved murders. I completely understand the obsession that caused Michelle McNamara to work late into the night for years trying to catch the Golden State Killer, and I've spent far too many hours of my life poring over such cases coming up with theories someone might have missed. Part of why I write crime fiction is I get huge satisfaction from bringing killers to justice in my books, something that fails to happen all too often in real life. In essence, I think those of us who have these interests are trying to gain some measure of control, or at least understanding, of the uncontrollable and the horrific.


Maybe you're thinking: But surely it's odd to have a 'favorite' murder? And surely laughing during such subject matter--about people who've been viciously murdered--is wrong? Doesn't a podcast that combines humor with such things cross a line?


I can see how some people might consider laughing at such things distasteful, or even disrespectful. But while the notion of 'gallows humor' isn't new, its psychology is widely misunderstood. Laughter is a part of the human condition that helps us cope with things we otherwise couldn't--laughing at horrific acts gives us a measure of power over how those acts impact us. In the words of this article (an excellent read, by the way), humor is a weapon, a shield, and a psychological salve. The article quotes Antonin Obrdlik as saying 'Gallows humor is an index of strength or morale on the part of oppressed people.' I don't think it's a coincidence that my two favorite true-crime-slash-comedy podcasts (Wine & Crime and My Favorite Murder) are hosted by women: the victims of such crimes are overwhelmingly women and self-protection is a constant part of every woman's day. But I also think it's fair to say that everyone is oppressed to some degree by the specter of violent crime that hangs over society.


Of course, I'm probably preaching to the choir here--if you're reading this, you're most likely a fan of true crime or crime fiction. But, if so, I'm also sure you've had people give you that look and say "how can you read stuff like that?" or "I can't watch those things, they'd give me nightmares." There's nothing wrong with that approach: avoidance is a perfectly healthy psychological mechanism for dealing with dark realities, and one that works very well for many, many people. But the way true-crime and crime-fiction fans deal with those dark realities is perfectly healthy, too.


And in some cases, our way of coping even helps bring criminals to justice.


Thanks for reading,

Michelle

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Murder & Mayhem: Exhibit A

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Hello!


Time for this week's Murder & Mayhem recommendation: Exhibit A, a Netflix true-crime documentary.

Exhibit A is an intriguing twist on true crime shows--it's kinda like the flip side of Forensics Files. Each episode examines a type of forensic evidence and, through a target case, questions to what degree we can really trust that evidence.


By now most people have heard of the CSI Effect: the expectation juries have that all cases should have conclusive scientific forensic evidence, particularly DNA. Failing that, the juries will refuse to convict. Exhibit A looks at the other side of this coin: the assumption that evidence is more conclusive than it really is.


No evidence, not even DNA, is a clear-cut slam-dunk; it all involves interpretation, statistical analysis, and human error. Recently hair and fiber analyses have come under attack, and before that, bite-mark analyses were cast into doubt. My particular pet peeve is this arena is "touch DNA." At first glimpse, touch DNA seems like a godsend for identifying perpetrators--all you need is a few skin cells. But it's far more complicated than it seems on the surface (I talk about this very briefly in The Dancing Girls).


Part of understanding what a DNA profile means is knowing where the sample came from, and what type of sample it is. For example, if you get a DNA profile from a victim's underwear, it makes a huge difference whether that DNA comes from semen, blood, or epithelial cells. If there's visible semen or blood on the underwear, you can be fairly certain the sample came from someone who was in the physical presence of the victim. But even that doesn't tell  you for certain you have your perpetrator. Say the victim had relations with her boyfriend before being attacked later in the day; in that case, assuming the semen came from a rapist would be a huge error.


The problem becomes more complex if we're looking at sweat or saliva, and far more complex when we move into epithelial cells (the source of touch DNA). For example, researchers testing new underwear directly out of their original packaging have found DNA profiles, most likely from the factory workers who made or packaged the underwear. So if a victim's underwear gives a DNA profile from epithelial cells, it's difficult (or impossible) to tell where that profile actually originated.
And that's just one issue among many with touch DNA. Exhibit A has an episode that goes into another potential problem with the tiny sample sizes touch DNA often involves.


Does that mean we can't trust touch DNA, or other types of evidence? Not at all. But we do need to understand what we can really take away from any source of evidence, and weight it accordingly when people's lives are at stake. Exhibit A puts these issues squarely out on the table for consideration.


Have you seen Exhibit A? What did you think?


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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Forensics fashion? Crime-fiction couture?

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Hello!


You all know I'm a fan of all things crime friction and true crime. An evening spent watching Forensics Files followed by reading a thriller late into the night? Sign me up. But what you might not know about me is that I also love retro 50's and 40's inspired fashion. So you can imagine my pure, unadulterated joy when I discovered that these two things actually overlap in the real world...


I recently went to a 'curiosities' faire, which is like an arts & wine festival put on by creatures of the night. I was excited to go see what inspirations popped up for future stories, and just because I love that kind of stuff. There was quite a line to get in, but that was okay--because the line itself was an awakening. A large number of people were wearing 'dark' outfits--either literally or thematically. And a reasonable percentage of the ladies were wearing retro styles--but rather than the typical cherries, polka dots and gingham you'd find on those fashions, they were covered in skulls, spider webs, and implements of death.


I was like a child who'd never heard of princesses or fairytales walking into Disneyland for the first time.


The ultimate for me was a halter dress made from Edgar Allen Poe fabric based on The Raven. I instantly jumped on my phone and tried to hunt down the dress. I couldn't find it.


But I found the fabric.

Seriously, how cool is this?!

Growing up, I learned the basics of sewing. And only the basics--the last thing I wanted to do as a teenager was sacrifice any of my precious Agatha-Christie reading time to sew a garment I could buy for far cheaper at the mall. As an adult I've pulled out the sewing machine a few times, mostly to make Halloween costumes or alter a few ready-to-wear items. But I've never really been motivated to sew my own clothes.


Until I saw that fabric.


As I poked around the site, my eyes grew bigger and bigger. Skulls. Skeletons. Atmospheric brocades. Bloody handprints. Everything a crime-fiction obsessed author could ever want--and stuff I definitely can't get at the mall.


I bought the fabric and I found a close-enough pattern for a dress. But I'm not crazy enough to think I'd just bust out a perfectly fitted dress on the first try. So I bought a couple of other fabrics and patterns and set about refreshing my sewing memory with a large dose of help from the internet. The first couple of items I made were a regular, easy pencil skirt and top. But finally I took my first step into what I've come to think of as "crime-fiction couture"--a cute, fifties-inspired top covered in (subtle?) skulls:

Cute and Creepy!

I'm particularly proud of the buttons:

If you care about these sorts of things, the pattern I used is Simplicity S8882, and these are the buttons I used. The fabric is currently out of stock in red, but is available in slate and black. I cut one size too large, and had to fiddle with the fit, so the neckline isn't as cute as the pattern shape--but I'm thinking about making another one in the black, so maybe I'll get it right the next time.


I realize I'm one of only a handful of people on the planet who'd wear this shirt--and that's when I think sewing is very cool, when you're creating something you just can't find anywhere else. And I have to admit, I really love the idea of crime-fiction couture...What about you? Do you think it's fun, or just silly? If you could make your own themed wardrobe, what theme what you pick?


Stay tuned for the 'Nevermore' dress...I'm not sure how long it'll take or how it'll come out, but I'm gonna make it happen!


Hugs,
M.

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Introducing my new Murder & Mayhem feature...

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Hello!

So, I've been doing a little something on my Facebook page and Twitter that I've been calling M.M.'s Mayhem & Murder feature, and decided it was time to bring it over here to the blog, too.


The idea is this: I love true crime and fictional crime, and a whole range of odd things that touch onto one or both of those areas. Not surprising considering I write crime fiction, I know! But I figured since I'm constantly on the lookout for new things to read and watch and learn about, I might as well share my finds with you.


So, first a recap of the features so far, to catch the blog up:


Week one: I kicked things off with one of the most bizarre (in my opinion) true-crime cases of all times, Anatoly Moskvin. This guy didn't kill anybody, but...let's just say he had philosophical issues with burying young women.



Week two: I recommended one of my favorite true-crime podcasts, Wine And Crime, which mixes true-crime cases with a healthy dose of humor. Three life-long friends work their way through three bottles of wine while discussing a true-crime topic. Fascinating and funny, and I love it.






Week three: I recommended Working Stiff, by Judy Melinek and TJ Mitchell. This is an excellent look at how Medical examiners help determine questionable causes of death, among other things. I found this just fascinating! 







Which brings us to my current recommendation: Since people seemed to respond to Working Stiff, I thought I'd recommend Autopsy: Confessions of a Medical Examiner, a series of HBO documentaries about how autopsy evidence has helped solve cases. This is an oldie (especially the earlier episodes), but definitely a goodie. HBO appears to have released one episode per year for twelve years, and each goes into around 6-10 cases per episode, so each is brief and packs a punch. About half the episodes are available on Amazon, free if you're a Prime member, and you can find most of them on YouTube, too. 


Have you read/watched/listened to any of these? What do you think? Do you know of any related media I should check out?


Thanks for dropping by!

M.M.

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Guest Post: I am a Dreamer: Gearing up to Self-Publish

Hello everyone!

I'm doing something a little different today, sharing a post by another writer, one I know and admire: D.K. Dailey. Many are the times she's been a cheerleader in my corner, making sure I'm never tempted to give up my dreams of being a writer--so I thought I'd share a little of that cheerleading with you. :)

M. xoxoxox

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I Am a Dreamer: Gearing up to Self-Publish

Being a writer is the essence of being a dreamer. Writers have superpowers and the license, after growing up, to imagine the impossible without being called crazy. We see imaginary people and make up lives and worlds for them to live in. Our made-up stories, people, things, connections, events and worlds continue to entertain long after the book is closed, the e-reader is shut down, or the audio-file narrator speaks the last word. Readers revisit our worlds and characters time and time again. In this way, the power of words is astronomical. Writing is a power we wield, one that keeps us up at night and keeps ideas running through our heads.

When I look over all the characteristics writers need in their toolbox in order to navigate the world of writing, it starts reading like a magical potion for a person with an indestructible spirit. I imagine that if being a writer was summarized as a series of bumper stickers, they would say:

Never stop. Never give up. Passion moves mountains.
Believe in yourself first or no one else will believe in you.
Wear your armor, you're gonna need it.
Must be imaginative and a little crazy.

Now when that dreamer starts down the path to taking writing more seriously and starts striving to be a published author they are met with rejections and ups and downs. We get our feelings hurt and grow thick skin because being critiqued causes us to doubt ourselves and our work. The road is full of learning and humbling experiences. No shortcuts or secrets exist, especially if reaching an audience and being taken seriously is the goal. Although there aren't any secrets to it, there are tips and facts I wish I would've known about the industry that I've stumbled on or found out the hard way. But that's another blog post.

I have always loved writing and reading but never thought until 2009 that I could become a writer or ever call myself a published author. And then I took a class on the art of writing a dramatic play. During those months, I became engrossed in my plot and characters and although I had a career I loved in advertising, I realized I needed to write to feel fully fulfilled. Now if I could only find a career that merges my love for advertising and writing, I’d be a happy woman!

Flash forward to 2017 and thirteen books and counting later, here I am still without an agent or publisher. I assure you, it's not for lack of trying. To date, I've sent out nearly two-hundred queries to agents and publishers. I've had one revise-and-resubmit request from an agent, several partial manuscript requests and seven full manuscript requests. I've participated in at least six Twitter pitch parties which place authors in front of industry people who favorite our pitches, inviting us to send them a query. I have also won two writing contests and placed in six others. Officially, I'm a seasoned amateur writer and professional dreamer.

Since I have written many books without publishing, I have a unique vantage point on the adage “Just Keep Writing,” that a lot of writers have given as advice. And it reminds me of Dori's words, “Just Keep Swimming,” in the movie Finding Nemo. I have learned that most people don't sell or publish their first books. And if they do it's many drafts later. One very successful author I met said it was draft twenty that was published of her first book and it was only halfway through at draft ten when she felt she knew her characters and the fantasy world they inhabited. In general, it takes the process and experience of writing several books to feel grounded enough to venture out of our writer (hobbit) holes to pursue our dream.

And even when we venture out and experience the world as a writer, growing thick skins and filling our toolbox with tools of our craft, we still stumble, we fall and we fail. But hopefully we get up and learn and grow. We carry the dreamer mentality with us, but reality sets in.

From my experience in the writing world, I, the dreamer, have to face reality. As far as my advertising career is concerned, I’d love to hold a job with a mission where I can learn and grow. For my writing career, I’d like to be a hybrid author because I’d like to publish traditionally, with a small press and I’d like to self-publish. Over time, I have come to realize that I might have to switch up the order of how I’d like to be published.

With this in mind, I still querying, but am also gearing up to self-publish. Here are the steps I have taken to make this dream a reality:

1. Plan a full series of books
2. Write books
3. Find and work with beta and critique groups to improve books
4. Hire and work with editors
5. Create a marketing plan and execute it.

Although I'm still writing and editing I am now only one book away from writing the last book in the series. And now that I see the end in sight, I'm saving money to make it happen. In the end, I will not sell my books short, I will invest everything I can in them. Choosing to self-publish doesn't mean I skimp on quality.

So from one dreamer to the next, keep writing and keep pushing forward despite rejections and setbacks because everyone has their own path. This business is subjective and no path is the “right” one. Figure out what your goals are and go forth, step out of your writer hole and share your worlds.

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You can find more from D.K. Dailey on her website, and on Twitter. :)

Best books I discovered in 2015

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Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K...

I’ve been a bit busy lately, and my blog has suffered—the most relevant reason is that I was contacted by an indie publisher interested in publishing one of my books, and I’ve been researching like crazy to see if we’re the right fit. Exciting, and I'll keep you posted!

Before time got away from me, I intended to put together a year-end post about a few of the books I read and enjoyed last year…So today we're gonna jump into the not-so-way-back machine and travel to the last week of 2015 to enjoy a year-end review of my favorite literary-type discoveries!


Let's start with some serious stuff...



An Unnecessary Woman, by Rabih Alameddine

Summary: Aaliya Sobhi has spent her life set to the side by circumstance and culture, unwanted, unnoticed, and for the most part, unloved. She navigates war-torn Beirut and the loss of almost everything that matters to her with stolid doggedness; her life force comes always through books: selling them, reading them, and translating them. As she approaches the nadir of her life, an unexpected tragedy threatens to take the painstaking translations she's spent her life shaping, and she has to learn a new form of acceptance to save them.     

Why I love it: Aaliya's story could easily be a depressing indictment or veer off into cheesy redemption, but Alameddine manages to make it nuanced, engaging, and relatable. She explores the complexities of Lebanese culture and the disparities of gender while eschewing stereotypes and easy explanations. Aaliya shouldn't be likeable, but she is; she touched the part of me that knows what it's like to be marginalized and is afraid of finding myself alone. The ending is powerful in an understated way, and Aaliya has stayed with me for months.     



Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides

Summary: Middlesex follows the story of Calliope Stephanides, beginning two generations before she's born. Cal is a hermaprodite, her biological reality the fluke result of her Greek grandparents' incestuous marriage; their complicated love story and the consequences of their choices interweave with Cal's discovery of her body and the development of her gender identity. 

Why I love it: As a developmental psychologist and amateur family genealogist, the story of how a family's complicated history culminates in the identity of one modern-day protagonist pulled me in from page one (not a surprise--my first novel, Hazel-Green, is a family saga with similar themes). Eugenides celebrates taboo topics rather than 'deals' with them--he explores without judgement and as a result allows the reader to engage fully with important questions of nature, nurture, and the human spirit. 


And now for something completely different...



Soulless, by Gail Carriger

Summary: Alexia Tarabotti has no soul--and that's a good thing. At least, it is when you live in a world populated by werewolves and vampires, because it means you can neutralize their powers with a touch of your hand. Of course, that ability makes Alexia dangerous to many and useful to others, and within pages she's being hunted by those who want to destroy her and those who want to employ her. Add to that her hidden (even from herself) passionate love for one of the most powerful werewolves around and you have a fun, fast-paced steampunk romp with a fair amount of suggestive situations and even some steamy sex.

Why I love it: Steampunk. Strong female protagonist. Steamy situations. Isn't that enough? Oh, fine--Carriger's writing is also witty, her dialogue engaging, and her world-building strangely believable, given the content revolves around werewolves and vampires. This book is a good time, plain and simple. Grab some tea and biscuits, cuddle up in a cozy throw on the couch, and enjoy the ride.



Etiquette & Espionage, by Gail Carriger

Summary: Sophronia Temminnick is a spirited fourteen-year-old tomboy who doesn't fit the Victorian template for what a young lady should be. When her mother reaches the end of her rope, she sends Sophronia off to a finishing school; but as it turns out, while this school is about 'finishing' young ladies for their introduction to society, it's also about teaching them to 'finish' off anyone who poses a threat to that society. They learn how to dance, and how to use weapons; how to flirt, and how to deceive; how to be beautiful, and how to be lethal.

Why I love it: Steampunk. Strong female protagonist. But-- appropriate for teen readers. Sophronia deals with the politics of young girls and young love (ish) while learning how to climb airships, care for mechanical pets, master martial arts, and faint without wrinkling her frock. I wish I'd had this book when I was a teenager, and I'm not too proud to love it now. The world Carriger builds is full of fun surprises, and Sophronia is an empowered young woman you'll want to spend lots of afternoons with. 


There you have it! Hope you saw something that intrigued you. I'd also love to hear about which books you loved last year--tell me about them in the comments. 

Happy reading!
M.

What I Learned this NaNoWriMo: Death of a Pantser

I participated in NaNoWriMo last month, for the fourth time; as you can see from the widget in my sidebar, I ‘won’—I hit 50,000 words on November 16th. I purposefully tried to finish ahead of schedule because I had my own personal goal of 75,000 words for the month, and I knew the second half of November was going to be a bear; I made it to 75,002 words on the evening of November 30th. Huzzah!


Since then I’ve worked on it in between coughing fits and bursts of unconsciousness (I promptly got sick shortly after NaNo ended); I have two scenes left to write, and then my first draft of Accidental Revelation, the second book in my tarot mystery series, will be done. Huzzah again!


So NaNoWriMo was a success for me in terms of output, for sure. But, I’ve come to look forward to NaNoWriMo as a conduit for learning about my writing process as well. And this year I learned that I’m not quite the pantser I thought I was. Or maybe, at all.


I’ve never been 100% pantser—I’ve always had some basic structure in mind with every novel I’ve written, even if it was just knowing the premise, the conflict, and how the book would end. Last year during NaNo I took a completely new idea and self-scaffolded it as I went along; I used a blend of discovery writing mixed with pauses to reconceptualize and insert blank scenes into Scrivener where I knew I would need them (I’ve previously described this process as ‘Pl-antsing’, here). 


This year, I went into NaNoWriMo as an accidental plotter. I came up with the idea for the book back in June, and put it into my queue of goals as the manuscript I’d write during NaNo. I went on an overnight trip to the location that inspired my setting, partly as research for the first book, and partly to gather ideas for the second. As time passed, I continued to be excited about the book and so did a few brainstorming sessions to come up with ideas about how the plot would unfold; I created a Scrivener project so I could write down research information and create blank scenes for the plot points I would need. There were only a few at first, and they had only basic titles with nothing written—I’m talking stuff like ’Murder occurs’, ‘Semarra investigates clue’, and ‘Murderer comes after X’. As ideas percolated out of my brain, I added to the scenes, and by the time NaNoWriMo rolled around, I had four major divisions in the book with several important plot points in each one. 


Without realizing it, I’d created a basic outline for my novel. Before I’d ever written a word. Whaaa??


During each of my three previous NaNos, I had difficult days where I hated what I was writing, or was at a loss for what to write next. I was ready for that to happen again this time when I started on November 1st. I started at the beginning (I hear that’s a very good place to start), and it felt good to sink my teeth in. Then I switched to the end, and wrote out the scene where my protagonist explains who the murderer is and why the murder occurred; that helped me work out the remaining questions I had in my head about everything. And then I wrote the rest of the novel, jumping around where inspiration took me, adding scenes as needed. And those days where I hated what I was writing and had no idea what to write next never came.


Yes, there were days where I knew what I was writing wasn’t my best work, and would need to be heavily revised. But I knew where it was going, and I knew what section I was excited to work on next. And the next thing I knew, I had 75,000 words in the bag.


I was surprised to find that the magic of discovery writing still showed up, in spades. While writing a scene for my intended purpose, an additional possibility would rear its head, and poof, I had a deeper, richer story. I never knew what I’d stumble onto with each new writing session; every bit of the fun was still there, with the security of having an overall plan.  


So, it’s official. I’ve been pulled over to the plotting side. Who knows, for my next novel, I might even write out a full, complete outline…


*GASP*

Happy Writing,
M.  

Review: Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days by Rochelle Melander

Today I’m back with the final NaNoWriMo-related book review I’ll be doing this year; if you missed the first two you can find my review of Fast Fiction by Denise Jaden here, and Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt here. Today we’re going to look at Write-A-Thon by Rochelle Melander; this book is a better fit for the ‘pantsers’ or ‘discovery writers’ out there among you. 


If you’re new to NaNoWriMo, you may not yet have heard the terms ‘pantsers’ and ‘plotters’ yet. ‘Plotters’ is fairly intuitive—it refers to people who like to plot at least the basics out before they begin writing. ‘Pantsers’, on the other hand, are people who like to just dive in, or write by the seat of their pants. Another term for this (one I prefer) is ‘discovery writers’, because you’re discovering where your story will go as you write.


So if you’re a just-dive-in kind of person, there’s not really much prep to do, right, and what help can a book be? First of all, wrong. There’s all sorts of prep you can do, but it’s more along the lines of getting past your writing demons and making sure you schedule your life to set yourself up for success during NaNoWriMo. There are also lots of tricks and tips that can help you keep going while you’re writing your book, so you’ll successfully reach the end. These are the kinds of help you’ll find in this book. 


Write-A-Thon has three parts. The first takes you through some training: attitude training, writing training, course training (plotting your book—don’t worry, this is in a very basic, pantser-friendly way), and life training. Each of these will help you find the time, energy and head space to help you succeed when you do sit down to write your book. The writing training session will also introduce you to some basics about writing a book, with the assumption that you’re fairly new to this. 


The second part of the book is designed to be a companion during the writing process; Melander suggests you use it as a ‘writing coach’ of sorts. It’s broken up into 32 vignettes with different tips; you can read them all before you start, read one or more a day to get your mojo flowing, or she suggests you can even just flip at random when you need an extra push and see what you get. If you have an ereader this part is a bit hard, but you can always use a random number generator as a way of flipping through. There’s a lot of good wisdom in these sections, from avoiding ‘monkey mind’ to overcoming perfection, to ways to get past writer’s block. 


The final part, ‘Recovery’, focuses mostly on why you should revise what you’ve written during your write-a-thon, and gives some basic suggestions for beginning that process. It also talks a little bit about editors and queries. 


This book is particularly well-suited for people who’ve never tried to write a book before, and are thinking of getting their toes wet in the NaNoWriMo pool. It’s very user-friendly and terminology-friendly for people who haven’t really thought about doing something like this before, and for whom the thought of plotting or outlining an entire book makes them break out in a cold sweat. It’s also a good resource for people who have tried NaNoWriMo before but had a hard time seeing it through—it gets to the root of a lot of those problems that can derail you. I wish I’d had something like this my first year to use as a daily mojo-stoker. 


Another thing this book has going for it is that it's designed to help writers of all sorts. It has a dedicated section on non-fiction books, and the advice it gives applies to all. Increasing numbers of people are using NaNoWriMo to write books other than novels (even dissertations and short-story collections), and this book is a good resource for all, not just the fiction writers among us. 


So, if you’re a NaNoWriMo newbie, a pantser/discovery writer, or someone who needs a little extra something to help them win this year, go have a look at this book. It might be just the thing to help you get through those 50,000 words, and beyond. 


Happy writing!  
M.

NaNoWriMo Review: Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

(Purchased by me; affiliate link)

I’m back with my second NaNoWriMo-relevant book review, this time Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. If the thought of 'pantsing' it gives you night terrors and you’re looking for something that can help you write a book with structure, direction, and developed characters all in a month, this may be the book for you. If you like order, exercises and worksheets, this book is definitely for you!


Book in a Month has a clear structure designed to guide you part by part, and even day-by-day, through the construction of your novel. There are two main parts to the book; the first section is designed to help you break through mental barriers you might have, such as problems with resistance and time management. It’s broken down like this:

Introduction
The five secrets of BiaM
Time management
Resistance
Setting and keeping goals
The Book in a Month system (an overview of the rest of the book)

 I personally have watched lots of very well-intentioned writers set out to write their book (both inside and outside of NaNo), only to be side-lined by fears they aren’t even aware they have, and time-management issues that can easily be overcome (that are probably also related to those fears!). In psychological circles, we call these issues self-sabotage and self-fulfilling prophecy, and they’re deadly. This section talks you through common pitfalls and gives you strategies & worksheets to help you deal with those pitfalls. For example, many people allow their fears to manifest in a need for perfection—they’ll go back and rewrite or rework a section over and over trying to make it perfect, and never make any actual progress on the novel. BiaM provides you with a worksheet that allows you to write down everything you need to go back and fix/research/build on later, so you don’t have to obsess about it now. This is a strategy that the successful writers I know use in one form or another to help keep their minds clear and their work moving forward. 


The second part of the book tackles the structure and content of the novel itself, in four sections: 

Week 1: The outline and Act I
Week 2: Act II, part 1
Week 3: Act II, part 2
Week 4: Act III

In each of these sections, Schmidt guides you through structuring your book with daily exercises and worksheets. You start small and build to big during week one; on day one you write a one-sentence summary, and put your raw story ideas into a ‘story idea map’ worksheet that helps you figure out the stakes, how your character and setting fit in, and what your inciting incidents and turning points are. As you progress, you will develop scenes for your ideas, and finally, an outline. You’ll then turn your attention to your characters development and backstory. By the end of week one, you’ll have fleshed-out characters and a basic outline to put them into. And yes, during this time, you write, so you aren’t falling behind on your daily word-count for NaNo. 


During weeks 2-4, you will continued to write as you buttress your story. You’ll fill out that outline with exercises that help you hone your theme, craft excellent cliffhangers and reversals, spice up your story, continue to improve your characters’ motivations and arcs, and identify plot holes.


I love the questions and worksheets in this book; the worksheets aren’t crazy complicated or overwhelming, yet they have power. In fact, I have a manuscript I’ve put on the back burner to so I can get some distance on it; when I’m finished with my current projects, I’m going to pull it out and use all the steps in this book on it. Yes, it’s already written and it doesn’t map on to the typical three-act structure, but I believe the questions this book asks will help me get to the heart of what isn’t quite working right with it. 


So if you’re looking for guidance, especially if plotting is a must for you, check this book out and let me know what you think! I’ll be back next time with another option to help with NaNoWriMo that’s a little more free-flowing. 


Happy prepping!

It's beginning to look a lot like NaNoWriMo...

That’s right, my favorite time of year is rapidly approaching—National Novel Writing Month, aka, NaNoWriMo. This will be my fourth NaNoWriMo; I made it to about 25,000 words on my first attempt, and then ‘won’ the next two. I’ll be trying my hardest to make this my third win in a row. 


Why do I love it so much? I wrote a blog post answering that question last year, which you can find by clicking here; if you’re still deciding to give it a try, check that post out. The quick summary is, NaNoWriMo gave me permission to just let my hair down and write, no judgments, no inner critics, just me and whatever my muse sent me. And along the way I learned a lot about my writing process, and gained a lot of confidence. I ensconced myself in writing habits that serve me to this day, and for that reason alone, I highly recommend the experience.


But today I’m going to assume you’ve already decided to take the leap, and share with you a few things I’ve learned the last three years about prepping beforehand. 


“But wait!” I hear you say. “You’re not supposed to start before Nov. 1st! Isn’t that cheating?”


Not at all. Yes, you do the actual writing between Nov. 1st and 30th. But there’s plenty more you can, and should, do well before Nov. 1st rolls around. Some involve time management planning, and some involve novel planning.

Time-management/mental preparations

• Decide on a basic ‘ritual’ for your plan of attack. 

By this I mean something like ‘I’ll set the alarm 20 minutes earlier so I can write first thing everyday.’. Be honest with yourself here. Are you a morning person or an evening person? I know that if I set my alarm clock earlier, I’ll just throw the clock across the room and go back to sleep; my extra writing time needs to come at the end of the day, not at the beginning. 

Can you take advantage of times when your energy peaks? If you know you’re most creative at lunchtime, plan to scarf that lunch down and pound out some words during your lunch break. Are your weeks jam-packed, but your weekends more leisurely? Find small bits of time to keep your momentum going during the week, and plan longer stretches on the weekend. Figure it out now instead of thinking that writing time is going to plop into your lap when the time comes. 

• Find some stuff to cut. 

Can you DVR your second-favorite show and use that time to write (and then look forward to a mini-binge on Dec. 1st to celebrate your win)? Will your house seize up if you go an extra day or two between vacuuming? Maybe half as much Candy Crush? It’s not forever…but who knows, maybe you’ll find you don’t miss those extra games of CC as much as you thought you would.   

• Evaluate your obligations for the month, and plan around them. 

For Americans, Thanksgiving is one of the biggies here, especially if you host it. Don't think it will take care of itself--putting your metaphorical fingers in your ears and singing ‘I’m not listening’ isn’t going to do anything other than derail you once it gets here. If you know you’re going to lose 2-3 days to family time during that week, and still only plan to do 1,667 words a day, you’re going to find yourself behind. Take it into account ahead of time; write a little more each day, or give yourself an extra couple of hours one afternoon to bust some word count out. And whatever you do, don't rely on making it up after--the psychological weight of that word deficit is heavier than you think. 

For me, one big obligation I can't ignore is my nail art blog. I'm making sure I have posts scheduled throughout the month so I don't have to worry about that content when I need to be focusing on my book. I've also planned out the product reviews I've agreed to do, so I can finish them before NaNoWriMo begins.

• Plan extra time in the beginning of the month. 

Nothing will keep your mental momentum better than having a word-count cushion. Unexpected things happen, and rarely do they create extra time. Being behind the word count can be disheartening; finding out that even though you had to spend the whole day replacing your kamikaze microwave you’re still 1,000 words ahead of the game is divine.  I personally stay up on Halloween, and at the stroke of midnight I start writing—I’m so excited to begin and have so many ideas swirling around my head that I have no problem busting out 1,000-2,000 words before bed. And I wake up on Nov. 1st ahead of the game, which is exciting…and on it goes.

• Investigate some support options. 

If you have friends doing NaNoWriMo, you’re already golden: set up times to write together in person or virtually, and set out some solid ways you’ll keep each other accountable. But if you don’t know any other NaNoers, never fear! There are many options for building a community of support for yourself. One of my favorites is the virtual write-ins that NaNoWriMo holds on their YouTube channel—they talk about writing, do sprints, give prompts, and more. If you watch them in real time, you can chat with other people watching. But you don’t have to watch them as they happen—the videos stay on the channel, and you can watch them anytime; you can even find the videos from previous years. NaNoWriMo also holds twitter ‘parties’ and sprints, and of course, check out the forums. 

Writing preparations

• Buy a notebook to carry during November. 

Claim those wasted moments in your day. Scribble while you’re in line at the grocery store or the pharmacy or whenever—you know, all those times you’d normally spend checking Facebook on your phone. Those minutes = words, and those words add up. They also keep your brain working on your manuscript even when you aren’t. Choose one you can’t wait to write in and you’ll be excited to seek out those moments whenever you can.  

• Do some very basic (or more!) outlining. 

Are you a pantser who loves to set out with nothing but an idea and a cup of coffee, blissfully following wherever the muse leads you? Awesome, I’ve done it that way and love it. But I’ve also come to understand the value of having some sort of very basic skeleton in place, even if it’s just a general idea of what you want to happen in the beginning, middle, and end (basic three-act structure) of your book. This year I’ll be starting out with a basic plot idea fortified with the main divisions I know I’ll need. I’m writing a mystery, so I know I’m going to need a set-up, an initial murder, etc., and I’ve worked out the basic structure I want for those events. Calling it an outline would be optimistic; I’ve created empty chapter folders for each of these in Scrivener, but it gives me some pegs to hang my metaphorical hats on when I hit those roadblocks.

• Get to know your characters. 

Even if you just have a glimmer of an idea, you know of at least one character that’s going to be present in your book, probably more. Spend a little time with them. Do character interviews, ask yourself questions about who they are and why. Most importantly, what’s the goal that’s driving them in this book? What do you want them to learn? When it comes time to write your book on Nov. 1, you’ll have developed characters to take charge of that plot. 

• Start some basic research. 

Do you know your book is going to be set in 1600s Spain? Are you writing a murder mystery that involves poisons? You can do a little reading about the relevant topics and have that information ready to go when it comes time to actually write. And it’ll probably get you all jazzed to get going, so that when Nov. 1st rolls around, you’ll have a surge of momentum that’ll get you off to an awesome start. 

• Check out some resources that can help you on your journey. 

I’ve already reviewed Fast Fiction by Denise Jaden (you can find that review here); I will be reviewing two more books designed to help with the book-in-thirty-days concept. The pros at NaNoWriMo itself have also put out several items that can help you. If this is your first time doing NaNoWriMo and you have no idea where to start, check out No Plot No Problem; it answers a lot of questions about how to make NanoWriMo work for you. If you’re more the plotter sort, Ready, Set, Novel! is for those who want to set up some structure, but aren’t quite sure how. 


No matter what, remember this: Any word you write is one more word than you had when you started. Even if you don’t come anywhere near to the 50,000 word mark, NaNoWriMo is a great way to get yourself writing. Never let your word count discourage you—focus on how much you’re accomplishing rather than fret over how much more you have to go. Write what you can. Revel in what you’ve written. 

And have fun! 

Review: Veronika Layne Has a Nose for News

(Review copy provided for honest review; affiliate links)

Hello! Good to see you again! I’ve been away for a few weeks both finalizing my second novel, now called Deadly Avatar, and jumping deep into the query process. But that’s a post for another time, and I’ll be back with more about that soon.


Today I’m back with a review of the second Veronika Layne book (click here to see my review of the first book), Veronika Layne Has a Nose for News, by Julia Park Tracey. This review won’t contain spoilers for the new book, but will contain a few soft spoilers for the first book, so if you want a virgin reading, go read that book first!


Okay. So. Veronika Layne is an independent, opinionated, environmentally-conscious twenty-something journalist who has recently been merged into a large media conglomerate; in the process she has been knocked down the the bottom of the corporate ladder, relegated to covering the fluffiest of fluff pieces. She wants two things out of life: to report real news, and to bask in the affection of her new boyfriend, Aidan.


Too bad that Aidan is flying off to Columbia University to get a Master’s Degree in journalism, while Veronika is stuck behind in California. Veronika is not the sort of woman to tie her identity to a man, and is horrified to find herself pining over him. She throws herself into her work, and while covering a local city council meeting she stumbles on a celebrity house flipper; he seems to have a disregard for local laws, and Veronika’s nose tells her his motives aren’t pure.


Nose for News is a fun, fast read, with smart writing. Julia Park Tracey explores the agonies of long-distance romance in the age of text messages, IMs, and mysterious Facebook photos with insight, wit, and humor. We can all relate, and want to both smack Veronika (stop checking his FB page obsessively!!) and hug her at the same time, because we know the pain. And while the story would have been an entertaining one just with the mystery and the romantic tension, the book goes a level above by allowing Veronika to grow from what she’s experiencing in a meaningful way. And this time around Veronika gets to work with an intern, Ingrid; Veronika converts her from a designer-label princess to a budding hippie in a funny-bone-tickling subplot.


If you’re looking for a strong female protagonist to spend your evening with, give Veronika a try. Just be prepared for the girlcrush you may develop. Right now the book is free if you have Kindle Unlimited, (so is the first book!) and I believe I've mentioned how much I love free. :)

Happy reading!
M.

Sountracks? For books?!

I’ve noticed two trends in Authorland lately: book trailers and book “soundtracks”. I’m on the fence about book trailers; I like the idea of reaching readers with the same sort of clips they’re used to seeing for movies, but a part of what I enjoy about reading is painting my own mental pictures as the tale unfolds in front of me. Negotiating that shared mental space is a lovely dance between author and reader, and I’m not sure how I feel about something cutting in on that dance.

But a playlist for a book—now that I can get behind wholeheartedly. 


Maybe it’s because I’m a child of the 80's and spent my childhood frolicking through the creative playground of mix tapes, I don’t know. But there’s something about pulling out just the right song to communicate a mood or sentiment that feels like a cool retro scavenger hunt to me. I’ve spent more hours than I can count sorting through stacks of CDs (or nowadays, iTunes playlists) and scouring lyrics to find the perfect blend of music for parties and sweethearts. Why not for a book?


So, I decided to put one together for the book I just finished, Deadly Avatar (Previously called MMORPG); it’s about a serial killer who hunts for his victims online in World of Warcraft. In fact, as I began I realized I already had a head start on my list; there are several songs woven into the book as part of the plot. I added those into Spotify first thing, and I was on my way. 


As I scoured my stash of songs for entries that would represent the different phases of my story, I discovered something very cool. Finding the right song to capture what I’m looking for is a lot like choosing just the right word or phrase to communicate the emotion or mood I’m targeting in my writing. In some instances it’s a case of tapping into a shared cultural vibe; for example, I chose ‘The Heat Is On’ to represent the police investigation in the book, because it comes with a web of instant preset associations. Other selections rely on lyrics that communicate something relevant to my story, or a mood set by the melody. And in most cases, when I chose song X over song Y, I did so because song X conveyed an extra layer of meaning; in some cases, that extra meaning is only clear once you've read the book, and I enjoyed adding in those little insider nods. So in many ways, the act of creating a playlist that conveyed what I wanted it to was an extension of the book itself.  


And that was just plain FUN to puzzle out. 


Here’s what I ended up with, created on Spotify:

If you haven’t tried this out yet, I highly recommend it. What better excuse to pull out a bunch of old tunes and listen to some great music? And nobody can say you’re procrastinating, because it’s all in the name of promoting your book! Therapeutic and productive, all at the same time, you can't beat that! ;-) 


Happy writing,
M.