Marilyn Meredith's Dangerous Impulses

Please Welcome F.M. (Marilyn) Meredith to Acme Authors Link 

F.M., also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. She first became interested in writing about law enforcement when she lived in a neighborhood filled with police officers and their families. The interest was fanned when her daughter married a police officer and the tradition has continued with a grandson and grandson-in-law who are deputies. She’s also serves on the board of the Public Safety Writers Association, and has many friends in different law enforcement fields. For twenty plus years, she and her husband lived in a small beach community located in Southern California much like the fictional Rocky Bluff. She is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Epic, and Mystery Writers of America.
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

And on Facebook and Twitter as MarilynMeredith

Marilyn's Shares Her Writing Journey With Us Today -

Looking Back Over My Years as a Writer  

by F.M. Meredith

Sometimes it’s a good idea to look back over your accomplishments and disappointments in order to see how far you’ve come.

My first book (an historical family saga) received nearly thirty rejections before finding a publisher. (This was back in the days of typewriters, carbon paper, submitting full manuscripts in a box with another pre-addressed and stamped box inside.) I knew nothing at all about promotion and expected the publisher to do it all. One thing I do know, the distribution was good because people spotted it in markets and drugstores. The editor who bought it left the publisher—a big setback.

The second book (also an historical family saga) was accepted by a publisher that turned out to be a crook—and guess what, I self-published with another company that also turned out to be dishonest. I bought a lot of the books and managed to sell them myself, but never received a single royalty.

I changed genres and wrote my first mystery, The Astral Gift. This poor book found a home first with another crooked publisher (back then, there were lots of them preying on writers), 50 books were printed and the publisher disappeared. The Astral Gift had two more publishers after that.

Somewhere in this time period, I found another publisher who wanted me to make my submission camera-ready, long before print-on-demand companies, I struggled but managed to complete the project only to learn the publisher died.

When I wrote my first Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery, it was accepted by an e-publisher before anyone had a clue what this meant, nor were there any e-book readers. This was an unsuccessful venture. I’ve already written about what happened next, the series went through two more publishers until finally begin published by Oak Tree Press.

My other series about Deputy Tempe Crabtree has had a similar rough path to publication and staying published. An agent told me she wouldn’t represent me unless I changed Tempe’s name. She thought it too unusual. I found another agent who loved the name but accomplished nothing in four years. I struck out on my own and sold the book to a small independent Press, Golden Eagle. Four books were published, and then the publisher who’d become a friend, passed away unexpectedly. Hard Shell Word Factory republished the series as e-books, including a prequel. The publisher sold the company and all this series was picked up by Mundania Press both as e-books and trade paperbacks.

None of it has been easy. Would I do it again? Only if it were in this time period of computers and the Internet. Today, self-publishing is much easier with far better results. There are many legitimate small presses out there looking for good books to publish. It is easy to contact authors for a recommendation of their publishers. You can find out about all the best ways to promote through the Internet and get lots of advice and support from fellow authors.

This is the briefest of histories, there were other books and other mishaps along the way, but this is what I remember the most clearly. One thing that I mustn’t forget is I learned a lot along the way, some from other agents I had, much from writers’ conferences, writing magazines and books, but the very most from the members of the critique group that I joined over thirty years ago.

Now a bit about Marilyn's latest, Dangerous Impulses:

An attractive new-hire captivates Officer Gordon Butler, Officer Felix Zachary’s wife Wendy is befuddled by her new baby, Ryan and Barbara Strickland receive unsettling news about her pregnancy, while the bloody murder of a mother and her son and an unidentified drug that sickens teenaged partiers jolts the Rocky Bluff P.D.

Buy Link:  http://tinyurl.com/byxomtk

 And A Contest!

The person who comments on the most blog posts on this tour may have a character named after him or her in the next Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel or choose a book from the previous titles in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series in either paper or for Kindle.

Rocky Bluff P.D. Series: Though each book in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series is written as a stand-alone, I know there are people who like to read a series in order. From the beginning to the end:

Final Respects

Bad Tidings

Fringe Benefits

Smell of Death

No Sanctuary

An Axe to Grind

Angel Lost

No Bells

Dangerous Impulses

Find F.M. (Marilyn) Meredith at: 

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

On Facebook and Twitter as MarilynMeredith

Check Out F.M. (Marilyn) Meredith's last stop on the tour tomorrow, March 28, when she visits Chester Campbell at http://chestercampbell.blogspot.com/

Please leave a comment to welcome F.M. (Marilyn) Meredith to Acme Authors Link.

Marilyn Meredith Offers Marketing Advice for Authors

 Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Raging Water from Mundania Press. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel us No Bells, the forth from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America.
Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com
Follow her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/

Marilyn borrows a lot from where she lives in the Southern Sierra for the town of Bear Creek and the surrounding area.

Here's What Marilyn Has to Say About Marketing:

Marketing is as Important as Writing the Book
by Marilyn Meredith

Today, some publishers are asking for your marketing plan right along with your query. In fact, I know one publisher who only accepts manuscripts from authors who have strong marketing plans.

So what does this mean for authors? While you’re writing your book you should be thinking about how you plan to market it. As an author who writes for a small press, I do some things differently than an author who is with a New York publisher.

Over the years what works to market your book has changed dramatically. Though there are still writers who are going on book tours, I don’t plan to many regular bookstore stops. I do have a couple of bookstores where I’ll give a talk usually to writers’ groups who meet in the store. So my plan will include scheduling a visit to those stores.

What I’ve found works better, at least for me, when selling books face-to-face, are craft fairs and book festivals. I always keep on the look-out for those and have a couple of regulars I always attend. This fall I’m trying a new festival that’s in the Northern part of the state. At Christmas time, the art gallery in the next town has a craft fair and I’ve been invited to sell my books there.

Libraries can be good venues too. Giving a talk about any aspect of writing is always welcome. Some libraries even sponsor author events.

With every book I plan a book launch in local places. This year, because my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Raging Water, is set in the mountain community of Bear Creek which has a strong resemblance to the town I live in, the launch will be held in the Springville Inn. Of course there is a Bear Creek Inn in the book. I plan to serve a cake decorated like the book cover.

One very special aspect of this launch is the fact that someone I based an important character on will be the guest of honor.

Then there’s the online promoting, something that takes a lot of time but is very important. I like to do blog tours for all of my books—and that’s what I’m doing now. I’m always happy when the blog host asks for a particular type of post. Planning your own blog tour is time consuming from finding the blogs that are willing to host you, coming up with a contest that might keep readers moving from blog to blog, and writing something interesting and unique for each blog.

Once the tour begins, it’s up to you—or me, in this case—to let people know where you’re going to be each day and ask them to visit and leave a comment. You can do this on all the listserves you are a member of, and of course on all the social sites you’re a part of like Facebook, etc.

If you have other marketing ideas, do leave them in a comment. And remember, the person who comments on the most blogs during this tour will have a character named for him or her.

About Marilyn's Latest, Raging Water: Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s investigation of the murder of two close friends is complicated when relentless rain turns Bear Creek into a raging river. Homes are inundated and a mud slide blocks the only road out of Bear Creek stranding many—including the murderer.

Contest: The person who leaves comments on the most blogs will have his/her name used for a character in my next book—can choose if you want it in a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery or a Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel.


Important SideNote From Marilyn - I know there are some people who like to read a series in order, but let me reassure you that every book is complete. Though the characters grow through each book, the crime is always solved. Here is the order of the books for anyone who wants to know: Deadly Trail, Deadly Omen, Unequally Yoked, Wing Beat, Intervention, Calling the Dead, Judgment Fire, Kindred Spirits, Dispel the Mist, Invisible Path, Bears With Us, Raging Water.

Contest: The person who leaves comments on the most blogs will have his/her name used for a character in Marilyn's next book—can choose if you want it in a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery or a Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel.

You Can Visit Marilyn Meredith at her website: http://fictionforyou.com
and blog http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com


Please be sure to welcome Marilyn and Leave a Comment!

Linger With My Guest Today, Marilyn Meredith, As She Tells Us About Lingering Spirit, Her New Novel

Meet My Guest, Marilyn Meredith

Marilyn Meredith is the author of nearly thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Dispel the Mist from Mundania Press.
Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, An Axe to Grind is the latest from Oak Tree Press.

She is a member of EPIC, Four chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Internet chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com/ and her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/.

About Marilyn's Current Release -

Nicole Ainsworth’s husband, Steve, has a premonition of his death and moves his family to a mountain community where he serves as a deputy sheriff. He is killed in the line of duty and his wife, Nicole, is left behind to struggle with the changes forced upon her life. While trying to cope with her grief, raise her two little girls, her husband’s spirit visits her on numerous occasions. She soon learns that someone else is watching over her too.

(Great concept and great cover, Marilyn -  Everyone, see below for order info.)

And Now, Here's Marilyn's Post:

A Change of Pace by Marilyn Meredith

Everyone knows me as a mystery writer, either as Marilyn Meredith writing the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series or F.M. Meredith writing the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. This time around I’m promoting my romance with a touch of the supernatural, Lingering Spirit.

Lingering Spirit was written a long while ago and first saw publication as an e-book. I parted company with that publisher and my romance languished.

When the Kindle came out, my Rocky Bluff P.D. publisher asked if I had any old books I’d like on Kindle and I suggested Lingering Spirit with the warning it wasn’t like any of my other books. She read it, said she loved it, and put it on Kindle. Every so often she’d tell me how much she liked that book.

While still actively promoting my latest book in my Rocky Bluff P.D. series, my publisher e-mailed me and asked if I’d like Lingering Spirit to come out as a trade paperback. Of course I said, “yes.” She put it on a fast track and it is making its debut this month. Interestingly, the launch is planned for the Public Safety Writers Association’s Conference. Not sure how a romance is going to go over with all those law enforcement officers. (This was written before the conference.)

So, guess what? I’m faced with the dilemma of promoting a romance—something I’ve never really done.

Based on a family tragedy, I now believe I wrote Lingering Spirit as part of my grieving process. Though there are similarities to the actual happenings, it is a work of fiction. The main characters are nothing like the real people who experienced what was the genesis of the story.

What I will be doing is much the same as I’ve done for all my books—I’m on a virtual book tour and I thank Acme Authors for allowing me to visit and talk about my romance. I’ll be selling the book from my website, the publisher’s website, Amazon, Kindle, etc. I’m talking about the book on Facebook and Twitter and in my monthly newsletter.

When I go the book and craft fairs I’ve already signed up for this coming summer and fall, I’ll be selling Lingering Spirit right along with my mysteries.

I’m anxious to see how my fans will receive this change of pace.

Have you ever dreamed of being immortalized in print? Well, here’s your chance! Award-winning author Marilyn Meredith is running a contest during her Lingering Spirit Virtual Book Tour, which runs from July 6th through July 30th. Marilyn will name a character in her next Rocky Bluff P.D. book after readers who comment at any of the blog stops during her virtual book tour. This book is currently scheduled to be released in 2012.

Leave a comment and get your name in Marilyn’s next Rocky Bluff P.D. book!

Marilyn (F.M.) Meredith Has an Axe to Grind - She'll tell you about it

I couldn't help using that line in the title. It was way to tempting. (G) Seriously, I'm happy to be hosting Marilyn a/k/a F.M. Meredith on our blog today. She's a vibrant member of the mystery community, with lots of energy and talent. I'm particularly happy that Marilyn is one of the members of the mystery blog, Make Mine Mystery, but that's not all she does.  - Morgan Mandel

F. M. Meredith who also writes under the name Marilyn Meredith is the author of nearly thirty published novels including the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, An Axe to Grind is the newest from Oak Tree Press. No Sanctuary was a finalist the mystery/suspense category of the Epic best in e-books contest .

She is a member of EPIC, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. For over twenty years she lived in a beach community similar to Rocky Bluff.

You can visit the author online at http://fictionforyou.com/ and her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Here's what Marilyn's Axe to Grind is about:

Detective Doug Milligan and his partner question suspects in the murder of a stalker including the stalker's target, her boyfriend, father and brother, as well as the stalker’s step-father. The investigation leaves little time for Doug to see his fiancée and fellow officer, Stacey Wilbur.



Stacey handles a molestation case which involves the son of a friend. She and her mother talk wedding plans, though all must wait until Doug's renter, Officer Gordon Butler finds another place to live.

When Doug disappears while tailing a suspect, Stacey sets out to find him, hoping she can reach him time.

Here's what our Axe Grinder has to say:
Why I’m Writing About a Fictional Place by F.M. Meredith

My Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series is about a police department located in a small Southern California beach community in Ventura County between Santa Barbara and Ventura. I didn’t want to write about a real place. I’ve found it easier to make up the setting because the restaurants and stores I mention won’t go out of business before the book is published.

When I wrote the first book in the series my goal was to show how the family affects the policeman on the job and the job affects the police officer’s family. When we lived in a similar beach community, our first home was in a neighborhood full of cops. We partied with them, our kids played together, and the wives and I had coffee. A few years later, my daughter married a police officer and I had an even more intimate view of the relationship of the job and the family.

Though there are on-going characters, each book features different officers and the crimes they are working on, as well as what is going on in their private lives.

Though I do try to use solid police procedure, because the town of Rocky Bluff is small, as is their police department, they don’t have all the up-to-date equipment of a larger department. Crimes are solved more by old-fashioned detecting rather than by using all the forensics as seen on most of the popular TV shows.

I belong to the Public Safety Writers Association where most of the members are linked to law enforcement in some way, so I do have experts to ask when need be. However, when I’m talking to them about my books, I always say, “Remember this is my police department and I can do it anyway I want.” The statement always gets a laugh and they are forgiving when they read my books.

One thing about writing about a fictional place, I must keep track of all the businesses I’ve made up, where landmarks are located, which way the streets go, and anything else that I might have mentioned in another book. This is as important as keeping track of all the attributes of the characters.

Sometimes my protagonists go to a real city. In An Axe to Grind, Detective Doug Milligan goes to the Santa Barbara University campus to locate a suspect. I had to do some research to find out what the part I was writing about looked like and how the campus police operated. In the same book, Detective Milligan and his partner go to Ventura. I’m familiar with the part of Ventura I wrote about.

Though Rocky Bluff is a fictional place, it seems very real to me. I can see it in my mind just as well as I can see all the real spots that I’ve visited over the years. The town is located right on the coast, though on the north side there is a bluff where the wealthier people live. Along the beach are older, small homes, once vacation spots for people from out of town, but now mostly rentals. I could go on, but you get the idea. I know Rocky Bluff as well as I know the people who live there and inhabit my books.

F.M. Meredith a.k.a. Marilyn Meredith
http://fictionforyou.com/
http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Please welcome Marilyn by leaving a comment below.

Please Welcome My Guest, Marilyn Meredith, Mystery Author - Morgan Mandel

A Tulare County Supervisor, with both Native American and Mexican roots, dies under suspicious circumstances. Because of Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s own ties to the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, she’s asked to help with the investigation. To complicate matters, besides the supervisor’s husband, several others had reason to want the woman dead.

Tempe has unsettling dreams, dreams that may predict the future and bring back memories of her grandmother’s stories about the legend of the Hairy Man. Once again, Tempe’s life is threatened and this time, she fears no one will come to her rescue in time.


Now that you've heard something about Marilyn's latest book, here's some great advice from Marilyn about Critique Groups.

The Value of a Writing Critique Group By Marilyn Meredith

Though I certainly realize all critique groups are not the same, I couldn’t get along without my critique group. I’ve belonged to it for twenty-eight years. I found it through an ad in the newspaper when I first moved into the area.

The group began as a college creative writing class that kept attracting the same students. It evolved into a group that met in the instructor’s home. When I joined, the group moved from home to home and the instructor was taking a break. At that time, there were at least ten members, often making it impossible for every writer to read what they brought. In that case, the ones who were left out got to read first the next week.

For a short while, the group consisted of people who were more interested in getting together than writing. One fellow couldn’t stand to be criticized. The new facilitator suggested that we move to her home and handpick who should join us—those who were serious about their writing. From that time forward nearly everyone who has become a regular participant really wants to improve their writing.

People move on for one reason or another, and at this time we are now meeting in the originator’s home, the instructor who started it all. We have five regular participants. Each one brings a chapter, about ten pages or so, with pages printed out for everyone to follow along as the author reads and writes comments.

We have some loose rules. No interruptions while the author is reading. When he or she is done, we take turns critiquing the piece—again, no interruptions. After, if the author wants to explain something, that’s allowed. However, we’ve all come to realize that if an explanation is necessary, some rewriting is needed.

I’m the most published of the group, but I find its help invaluable. I consider them my first editor. I’m the only one writing mystery, but that hasn’t been a problem. One member is great at finding grammar mistakes and inconsistencies in content. A younger author always picks up on dialogue or clothing that’s old-fashioned or doesn’t fit the piece. She also gave me some great tips on how to describe running on the beach. Our one and only man is invaluable for problems with firearms, cars, and male dialogue. Another member doesn’t give much criticism but writes great comments and suggestions on the chapter itself.

When I’m home, usually the next day, and start going through the chapter, using the papers they’ve made their notes on, I’m amazed at the different mistakes they’ve found and the variety of comments. Of course there are some I don’t agree with, but usually just the fact that something bothered the reader gives me a nudge and I find a better way to write the sentence or paragraph.

At my most recent writer meeting, I thought what I’d brought was a truly exciting action scene. When I was through, one of the members said, “You’re not going to like what I have to say.” Gulp. He thought the whole chapter was too choppy. I had to think about that for awhile. The others voiced their opinion and more or less agreed. I know that when I’m writing something exciting, I don’t write as much as I should. Most authors seem to have the opposite problem and become too wordy.

So now it’s up to me to flesh out the chapter, develop it so it won’t be “choppy.” I can do that.

Thank goodness for my critique group because I honestly thought it an exciting piece. Oh, the excitement was there, I just left too many questions unanswered as the others pointed out one by one.

Yes, they heard every chapter of my latest book, Dispel the Mist, as well as most of the others in my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. In fact, they know Tempe almost as well as I do. Besides being critique partners, they’ve all become good friends despite having different backgrounds. We all have one thing in common—we want to be the best writers possible.
Marilyn Meredith

Dispel the Mist is available from the publisher http://mundaniapress.com as an e-book and trade paperback as well as online and your local bookstore.

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over twenty-five published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Dispel the Mist from Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series. No Sanctuary is the newest from Oak Tree Press.

She is a member of EPIC, four chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, WOK, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville CA, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com/ and at her blog - http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com//.

Please leave a comment for Marilyn. Maybe you have some good or bad experiences with critique groups you'd like to share, or maybe you'd just like to say hello.

Please Welcome My Guest, Mystery Author Marilyn Meredith

Under the name of F.M. Meredith, Marilyn Meredith writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. The latest is No Sanctuary from Oak Tree Press. She is also the author of award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest is, Kindred Spirits, from Mundania Press.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog Address: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

First on the scene of a traffic accident that turns out to be murder, Officer Stacey Wilbur calls Detective Doug Milligan. Despite her former vow to never date anyone on the Rocky Bluff P.D., she and Milligan are romantically involved. Finding time to be alone together isn’t easy.

The murder victim is the wife of a popular Rocky Bluff minister, and several suspects immediately come to the forefront, the minister himself, his nosy secretary, the choir director, and a nerdy stalker. Stacey helps Doug with the murder investigation, but the Chief asks her to go undercover as a prostitute to expose a pedophile which leads to a surprising job offer.

Stacey must make two major decisions that will change her life forever, and a third that nearly causes her to lose her life.

Here's What Marilyn has to say today:

ABOUT GOING TO MYSTERY CONFERENCES OR CONVENTIONS

Probably everyone who reads this will know the difference, but just in case, here’s my explanation. Conferences are more of the “how to” variety, how to write a mystery, how to create convincing characters, how to make sure you get your forensics right, how to kill someone off in a new and innovative manner, and so on. A mystery convention is geared to fans, those wonderful readers who love to read (and buy) mysteries and actually enjoy listening to authors talk about how they came to write their mystery, or how they did the research for it, or how they created their characters, and so on.

Most mystery writers attend both. At a mystery conference they may be one of the presenters telling how they do all of the above mentioned how-tos and of course, they will figure out how to talk about their own book in a subtle manner so those listening will be curious and want to buy their books.

At the convention, the mystery writer hopes to sparkle and entertain in the hopes that those listening will be eager to buy his or her book.

I’ve gone to lots of both types of mystery confabs. The biggest of course is Bouchercon. This one is held all over the country and has the biggest attendance of both fans and mystery writers. This is the place to see some of the biggest and most popular mystery writers in the business. It can be pretty overwhelming at times too, you might make a new friend and never be able to find them again among the throngs of people.

Left Coast Crime is the second largest mystery con and always held on the left coast (though once that left coast was in Britain and another time in El Paso TX—this year it’s being held as left coast as possible—in Hawaii. It’s a bit smaller than Bouchercon, though many big name authors are always in attendance and lots of wonderful fans.

Then there are other smaller cons and conferences like Love is Murder which is always in Chicago. Some big names attend this one too—just not quite as many because there just aren’t as many people who go. It is also a writers conference as there are lots of opportunities to learn about writing mysteries and there are usually a few publishers and agents in attendance.

Mayhem in the Midlands is one of my favorites—this one is a mystery con put on by librarians, and it’s always in Omaha. This is not a how-to—but a how it was done convention, with a few big name authors and more not as well-known and lots of wonderful fans. What I love about this con is how friendly the fans are. At all the cons I’ve made a lot of author friends, but at this con I’ve made many life-long reader fans. Fans who I look forward to seeing every year.

A new writing conference that is rather unique is the Public Safety Writers Association. The organization was started by a law enforcement officer for law enforcement officers who write or want to write. Over the years it has embraced other public safety fields and people who write fiction and non-fiction about any of the public safety fields and have included mystery writers.

This is the smallest of all the cons that I’ve mentioned, but it has top-notch experts in forensics and all aspects of law enforcement as well as publishers and editors on hand. Because it’s small, there is ample opportunity to network. Anyone who wants to be on a panel is welcomed. To learn more about the PSWA conference go to: http://www.publicsafetywriter.com/

My advice to anyone wanting to go to any convention or conference, if you’re a writer register early. Plan to get to the conference a day ahead of time if possible, so you don’t miss anything. While at the conference, be friendly, talk to everyone. This is the best way to meet people. If you don’t have anyone to go to dinner with, ask someone to go with you. If they already have plans, ask the next person. Hand out your business card to everyone. If you’re fortunate enough to be on a panel, smile a lot, be funny, tell about your book but don’t go on and on about it, and don’t hog the panel.

Go to the panels that interest you the most. Hang out in the bar in the evenings—you don’t have to drink—just get acquainted with folks. And again, talk to people. Find out why they’re at the con—are they a writer, find out what they write, are they a reader? Tell them about your book.

Because I have a new book out, No Sanctuary, I’m heading out to several cons this year: Epicon, which is for electronically published authors—all my books are e-books as well as trade paperback; Mayhem in the Midlands, California Crime Writers (brand new writers’ con), and of course, PSWA. Hope to see some of you at one or more of these conferences. Be sure to say “hello.”

F.M. Meredith a.k.a. Marilyn Meredith
No Sanctuary is number 5 in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series
To learn more about the series visit http://rockybluffpd.blogspot.com/

No Sanctuary by F.M. Meredith is available at http://www.oaktreebooks.com/, Amazon, or an autographed copy from the author’s website: http://fictionforyou.com

Please welcome Marilyn by leaving a comment below.

Meet Woman of Mystery, Marilyn Meredith

Blog Address:
http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Marilyn Meredith is the author of the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest is, Kindred Spirits, from Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, the latest, Smell of Death, from Tigress Press.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com/

Kindred Spirits

Click Here to Order
Trouble in Deputy Crabtree’s marriage is soon forgotten when the body of a murder victim is found in the wake of a forest fire. Sent to Crescent City in search of information introduces Tempe to the victim’s Tolowa relatives and friends–along with two stalkers and Big Foot.

Upon her return home, a pig’s heart on Tempe’s front porch serves as a warning. Detective Morrison becomes an unusual ally, and the victim’s spirit visits Tempe in the night. She and husband Hutch set off for Santa Barbara in an effort to flush out the murderer and once again she finds her own life threatened.

And Now, Here's What Marilyn Shares With Us Today...

Why on Earth Would You Do Something Like That?

Recently I flew all the way from California to St. Louis MO, rented a car and drove two hours to be a presenter at a small writers conference in Illinois. My husband went with me because I really don’t like to drive places I don’t know anything about. We suffered on the airplane in the extremely cramped seats and brought our own snacks because nothing is free on an airline flight.
This was an expensive proposition. I only sold one book and not to one of the attendees but another presenter. An $11 book didn’t come anywhere close to paying back what I’d spent for the airplane tickets, the rental car, the motel and meals. While there though, I signed a new contract for a book and went to dinner twice with my new publisher.

Like many other writers, I’ve gone to mystery conventions in Alaska, Chicago, Milwaukee and other places scattered around the country and I’ve never ever come anywhere near selling the number of books to pay for what the trips cost.

My best event happened recently when I launched my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Kindred Spirits. Hubby and I drove two days to reach Crescent City, CA. Two luncheons were held back-to-back in a lovely Victorian Bed and Breakfast. Included in the price was an autographed copy of the book. I spoke at both sessions and so did the Tolowa woman who had inspired part of the story. We also appeared at the library and I sold more books. That was the most money I’d ever made at any event, but still didn’t pay for all our expenses.
Most of my friends and family think I’m a bit crazy to do these things. Though most authors probably understand, here are my reasons.

When I go to a writers conference, I have the opportunity to help aspiring authors just like many others helped me over the years. There’s nothing I like better than talking about writing except discussing my latest book–which is what I have the opportunity to do when I attend mystery conventions.

At both of the above, I have the opportunity to meet a lot of potential fans and I always make new friends and get to see a lot of writing friends that I’ve made over the Internet and at various cons and conferences. Hubby and I’ve seen a lot of the country we’d never have seen any other way, we’ve made a lot of friends that we enjoy being with, and possibly most important, we’ve had a great time.

So maybe I am a bit crazy to spend so much money and time on such promotional endeavors, but I don’t think so–I think the pluses far outweigh the expense and discomfort.

Now it’s time to get back to writing my next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery. You can find out more about her and read the first chapter of Kindred Spirits at http://fictionforyou.com/

Marilyn Meredith
http://fictionforyou.com/
http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/