Things to Do by Margot Justes

This will be a short blog, Sisters in Crime is hosting an event for writers and readers today at Centuries & Sleuths in Forest Park at 11:00, since my daughter is giving the presentation, I thought I’d attend. She will be discussing current research in Chemical Weapons Detection. A light topic.

This is by way of letting you know it will be a busy weekend, since after her speech we’re going to lunch with a friend and then I have to get ready because kiddies are coming and we’ll decorate the house for Halloween. Somewhere in there will be a trip to Target to get the latest decorations and of course cooking to feed the munchkins.

This weekend is for family but I am also working on my third book and trying to go through all the pictures of Venice.

In the meantime, my article on Paris just came out in the latest edition of Crime Spree Magazine. I’m doing final edits for A Fire Within after getting the novella back from Mary Welk, she did a fantastic job editing it and I am also doing edits for A Hotel in Bath.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com

GET a 2nd and 3rd Opinion Says the Manuscript Doctor by Robert W. Walker

Never take one editor’s or one teacher’s opinion of your work. As a college freshman, I was told that I would NEVER publish a book. This by my creative writing instructor. I put him in a scene in Killer Instinct, making him a small town, useless pimp. Forty five books later, I can safely say he was a pimp to begin with. I am a real teacher, a good editor, and a fine speaker at heart, and I love sharing all the hard-won knowledge of the business and the craft of writing. Miranda and I are speaking at the West Virginia Book Festival on Oct. 11th at the Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, WV at 2:30PM on how to get happily published without any “title” or “content” fights and it is a library sponsored program and free to the public.

I also operate The Knife Editing Services wherein your book goes through a complete autopsy on my literary slab. I have ghost written books and helped develop books into the healthiest books they can be. More info on The Knife aka me, myself, and I can be found below. I am also teaching as Adjunct Professor at West Virginia State University at present. All this while writing the next novel and most likely editing someone else’s as well as grading English 101 and 102 comp papers! Meanwhile, I have never seen a book with Professor Pimp’s name on the cover. Moral of the story –

Turn on your BS Detector. Be wary of those who want to circle the wagons of negativity around you. Be wary of those who are so sure that you are not “good enough” while they themselves have accomplished nothing. Or the hardened, embittered burn out cases whether that be a run in with a Harlan Ellison or a professor or doctorate candidate who is all too anxious to hear the sound of his or her own voice rather than give you useful, practical advice. Be cautious of those who BS you. You go to a Professor who teaches poetry to allay you fears of having to deal with poetry and all he can say is he does not know how to help you and perhaps you ought best to NOT take his class…just a lazy jerk.

Hope this helps you to be a more determined writer and until next time, happy writing.

Rob Walker
http://www.robertwalkerbooks.com/
http://www.acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
http://www.mirandawalkerbooks.com/
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"Dead On takes the reader's capacity for the imagination of horror to stomach turning depths, and then gives it more twists than a Georgia backroad that paves an Indian trail." - Nash Black

RUSSIAN ROULETTE, a review by DL Larson

"Do it or your fiancee will die."

Hannibal Jones, a Washington D.C. private investigator, finds a Russian assassin waiting for him in his office. The conversation doesn't go well. Actually there isn't much of a conversation. Hannibal listens to the demand; he must investigate an Algerian the assassin believes to be a fraud and unworthy of the woman they both claim to love. The woman, Viktoriya, is connected to the Russian Red Mayfia.

Hannibal Jones is a smart man and so is his creator, Austin S. Camacho who gives his readers a fast pace mystery of intrigue. RUSSIAN ROULETTE, a Hannibal Jones Thriller, takes place in parts of the Capitol city most of us have never been. His search for truth draws him deeper into the underworld of illegal dwellings where fortunes are made and lost in an evening. The more Hannibal discovers the more he doesn't know and the search continues. Viktoriya's father was killed, but no one is talking, not even Viktoriya's mother. The Russian assassin hands out knowledge as if he's feeding crumbs to a pet. The Algerian isn't really an Algerian, and further investigation takes Hannibal into international quicksand. All the while, his beloved Cindy is being watched, her life is at stake and she doesn't realize it. She simply thinks he has gone awol over this case. She has lunch with another man. Even more unsettling is the Russian assassin has taken up residence in his office, eating at his desk, sleeping on his couch. Hannibal's neighbors wonder what's up. If only Hannibal knew himself.

Hannibal Jones mans up! He grows tired of being held at gunpoint at every turn. The threat has lost its effect. He wants his life back, his woman and his office! But time is running out and Viktoriya's life is in jeapordy. Hannibal has run out of clues, and then the unexpected happens. The assassin becomes his ally.

Becoming friends with a Russian killer is not the smartest thing Hannibal has ever done, or is it? Read RUSSIAN ROULETTE, and decide for yourself. You won't be disappointed. Austin S. Camacho has given us a great mystery thriller. I am disappointed in one thing ... I'm disappointed I haven't read the other Hannibal Jones mysteries: The Troubleshooter, Blood and Bone, Collateral Damage, and Damaged Goods.

Austin S. Camacho captivates the reader from the beginning and delivers a satisfying conclusion. Be sure to read the epilogue. Hannibal has a few things he wants to discuss with his lady love.

Til next time ~

DL Larson

Do You Read or Write on Vacation? by Morgan Mandel

We're heading off for our last vacation trip to the NorthWoods on Friday. Mingled with the fun of enjoying the cottage, my friend. Jeanne, and the autumn hues, will be the sad realization that we won't be back again until Spring.

Fall's a beautiful time of year and I usually snap lots of pictures for memories. I also hope to get some writing and reading done, in between book signings, shopping, eating and going to the casino. (The order varies depending on which day) Hopefully, my cold will be better by Saturday, so I don't scare potential readers away from buying Killer Career when I'm signing at Book World in Eagle River.

What about you? Do you read or write on vacation?

Publishing terminology

For some of you who don’t know, I am the chapter President of Chicago North RWA. It is a great group and I have learned so much through the group. The mission of the chapter is to support our members on their writing journey and in their publishing careers.

Lately we have been incorporating publishing terminology into our chapter meetings to expand the knowledge to the group. I thought it might be a good idea to share some of those definitions with you each week and give you some examples when I can. So, without further ado…

Query or Query letter — a letter addressed to an editor that inquires about a publishing program's policy for receiving manuscripts, or a letter to an editor that accompanies a manuscript (partial or full) and synopsis for review by the addressed editor.

Here is a sample of what I put in my query letter for Ordinary Me book:

While behind the wheel during driver’s ed, high school sophomore Kate Sterns inadvertently foils an escaped convict’s getaway. When her heroic actions land her face on the front page of the Wainscott Gazette, she thinks her life is over, and it is, at least her life as an ordinary anyway. Overnight she is plucked from the ordinaries and plopped into the “in crowd.” At first Kate is in denial of her status change, but then she likes it, that is until she’s labeled a snob, her locker gets trashed and one other minor thing-- she’s being stalked.

The philosophy that writing about high school experiences, to show that so called freaks in high school can turn out normal, inspired me to write Ordinary Me, a 41,000 word young adult book. Being a high school survivor myself, I strongly agree with this wisdom and I believe Ordinary Me will not disappoint as Kate muddles through the obstacles and triumphs of her sudden notoriety.

Thank you in advance for you time and consideration.

******
Here are some other sites for more information on queries:
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/search/label/queries
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/
http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/
http://www.agentquery.com/


Have a great week!

Best,
June

www.junesproat.com

Fall into Autumn

It's been a great weekend. There's a little chill in the air. The leaves are just starting to turn. Yesterday we picked pumpkins, apples, and drove over the state line to get some fresh honey. Later today I'm going to curl up on my couch under a cozy blanket and watch some football.

The perfect way to kick in a new season. Fall has arrived. At least for the moment. Being from Chicago, of course we know that if we give it a minute, the weather will change again. But for now, autumn is in the air.



The fridge is loaded down with gala and jonamac apples, the pumpkins are on the porch, waiting to be displayed and then later split open to procure the seeds for roasting, and the honey is sweetening our tea to perfection.



Soon there will be leaves to rake and the backyard fire pit to smell. Next weekend we'll head up north to Door County, Wisconsin for another favorite fall tradition: family vacation. A time for the cousins and aunts and uncles and grandma and grandpa to come together and have some fun. And it's always a blast.

So, until next time, enjoy the season, where ever you may be.

Happy Reading!

Debra

www.debrastjohnromance.com

Venice by Margot Justes

I came back from my ‘vacation’ with what I thought was a bad cold, but it turned out to have been an infection, one I’m still fighting. That is by way of explaining why I haven’t looked at all the prints yet and why not much has been done by me the last couple of weeks.

However, if you’re thinking of visiting Venice, I can recommend the best investment you will ever make-buy the Actv pass, for whatever length of time you choose, depending entirely on your length of stay.

Get off the plane and right in the airport you can buy the pass-that will allow you to travel by bus or the Vaporetto, a public transport system that travels across the Grand Canal and will even take you to other islands, like Murano; my favorite mode of transportation other than walking. A three day pass is less than fifty dollars, and it is money well spent.

Let me tell you about money not so well spent, or at least I didn’t think so at the time and maybe I still don’t.

Piazza San Marco, the Piazza to end all Piazzas’. I was there at noon, heard the bells toll, that deep rich resounding tone that always gives me goose bumps. At any rate, there is a famous café at the Piazza, Café Florian, where the waiters wear white coats, an orchestra is playing and just to sit down will cost you nine dollars per person, after all the orchestra is playing and it is Piazza San Marco-ambiance-you have to pay for ambiance.

So, I bit the bullet and sat down. Now comes the menu, I knew it was going to be expensive, but I was thirsty and how expensive can a glass of water be? Very expensive. I ordered Pellegrino, Italian sparkling mineral water; that is what I drink at home. I buy it by the case at Costco.

The staggering price for a glass of Italian sparkling water was thirteen dollars, and to add insult to injury they brought a generic brand, not the Pellegrino listed on the menu. The total price was twenty three dollars, and let’s not forget the tip.

I went back that evening to see the Piazza lit up, this time however, I stood and listened to the orchestra, watched as a couple danced, soaked up the incredible atmosphere and it didn’t cost me a penny.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
http://www.mjustes.com/
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
available on amazon.com