Please Welcome Mystery Author, Michael Bigham, Who Offers Great Revision Tips

About Michael Bigham: Raised in the mill town of Prineville in Central Oregon beneath blue skies and rimrocks, Michael Bigham attended the University of Oregon and during his collegiate summers, fought range fires on the Oregon high desert for the Bureau of Land Management. He worked as a police officer with the Port of Portland and after leaving police work, obtained an MFA degree in Creative Writing from Vermont College. Michael lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and daughter. Harkness is his first novel.

And Now, Michael Bigham Shares Tips About Revision

 Revision By Michael Bigham

“Anyone can write—and almost everyone you meet these days is writing. However, only the writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability alone that turns the amateur into a pro.”

William C. Knott—The Craft of Fiction

To succeed as writers, we must master the craft of revision. Not an easy task, as creation and revision require two completely different frames of mind. To create well, we must let our creative self run free and lock our internal editors in a little room, not letting them know what we’re doing. If not, they’ll stifle our process or block us. More than once I’ve rewritten a scene again and again, never being satisfied, never moving on because my internal editor knows I should do it better. So now, I lock her away until my creative self has expressed herself. When I revise, I unlock the door and let my editor out. She hacks and slashes, criticizes my word choice and works to smooth out my narrative.

Everyone’s revision process is different. In my process, I hammer out a scene or maybe half a scene and let the piece perk over night. I go back the next day and add bits as necessary. At this point, I’m still more in my creative mode than a critical one. For example, here’s a first pass of the end of my opening scene from my novel-in-progress, Thunderhead:

“No disgruntled employees?”

He laughed. “Disgruntled enough to jump in a log grinder? I think not.” He waved his hand as if dismissing the idea. “But we did fire a couple of folks last week. My lead foreman, Karl Hanke, can tell you who.” That was as far as I was going to get with Dutch, so I thanked him and went in search of a telephone to call the State Police Crime Lab.

Most people write too much in the first draft and have to cut back, but I’m the opposite. I write too little and need to fill in the holes. I realized the scene ended too abruptly. It needed more. Here’s what I added to flesh out the scene.

After calling the lab and letting the local telephone operator know what was going on and where I’d be, I sat down on the floor of the grinder room, legs out straight and my back against the wall. The room was a decent-sized space, 20 by 20, with rough wood plank floors and a ten-foot hole cut out in the middle, the opening for the grinder.  An iron track on the ceiling ran from the hole into the mill proper. The logs for the grinder would come in through there held by some affair that looked like a giant hook looking like something you’d see in a penny arcade. Had that been involved in the death? I pulled a spiral notebook out of my shirt pocket and wrote brief summaries of my interviews with Ollie Binam and Dutch, then I added a to-do: Have the crime lab check the hook. I pondered a bit and made two more to-dos: Interview – Merle Cameron and Brightside Office – who’s missing? The notebook only had two pages left. I’d have to start a new one for this case and copy what I had written over to it.

By the time Jackson from the Crime Lab arrived, my headache had kicked into second gear. I’d need coffee soon to soothe the pain. After Jackson photographed the body and worked up a rough crime scene diagram, we packed up what was left of a human being in four large buckets and toted them to my pickup. Jackson promised me his preliminary report in three days. I wasn’t thrilled, but it would have to do.

When Doc saw the buckets in the back of my pickup, he, being a Nazi death camp survivor, didn’t seem shocked, merely just shook his head with sadness.  “Let’s get the mournful soul inside. Downstairs in the basement.” There was just enough room for all the buckets in a large fridge once he’d pulled out the beef he’d been storing there.  “Good enough,” he said.

“Good enough.” But it wasn’t.

After finishing the entire first draft of my piece, I craft my first revision. Before starting, I reread the whole piece and review the notes from my writer’s group. I retype the whole piece again, not only fixing the typos and grammatical errors, but also rewriting entire scenes or chapters from scratch if needed. Be bold when you revise, be fearless. To succeed as a writer, you must be willing to toss out your best prose if it doesn’t fit with the narrative. In the first draft of Thunderhead, a visitor surprises Sheriff Harkness:

I opened my mouth to ask a question of Solus, but someone interrupted me.

“Matthew Harkness, you son of a biscuit eater.”

I turned around “Why as I live and breathe, Prudence Knight, you’re a sight for sore eyes. Put on a little weight haven’t you?” She looked like a garden snake that had swallowed a grapefruit.

She wound up and slapped me. “You bastard. Thanks to you, I’m knocked up.” Her eyes spit venom.

“Mr. Swift, let me introduce Prudence, the mother of my unborn child.”

“Ma’am.” He touched the brim of his hat, but didn’t bother to hide his grin. “I must bid adieu, this is where I came in.” Swift strode off, looking more than a little amused.

“Knocked up? It was supposed to be a roadhouse rebound weekend with no strings attached.”

“You may have thought that, but things change.”

I love this interaction, but I realize it doesn’t fit with my narrative unless I’m willing to have Prudence a player in the mystery. Alas, I have too much going on as it is. I plan on cutting out Prudence here and maybe introduce her after the climax as a set up for the next book.

After the first revision, I set the piece aside for a couple of weeks and then revise again with my internal editor fully engaged. Now, I’m intent on fixing technical errors. This process may take a couple of passes and I usually cajole one of my writing buddies to read the succeeding drafts. We can become blind to our own errors. Fresh eyes help. Finally, the draft is ready to ship off to a professional copy editor. There’s more revising to be done, but at this point it’s restricted to copy editing and proofreading.

Creation and revision exercise different writing muscles. When you create, lock away your internal editor or you may end up blocked. If you’re blocked, try freewriting; prepare a character sketch or work up a bit of dialogue. Get those writing juices flowing. When you revise, be daring, be willing to make wholesale changes. Don’t assume that you can revise by yourself. New eyes are important. Join a writer’s group and when your draft is finished, invest in a professional copy editor. It’s money well spent.

Experiment, explore and find a writing process that works well for you. Julian May once wrote that she outlines extensively and then writes just one draft before sending her novel off to her editor. More power to her, but I could never do that. Remember that everyone’s process is different. Good luck.

Harkness: A High Desert Mystery
by Michael Bigham

About Michael Bigham's Release: In this thrilling debut novel, by Michael Bigham, Sheriff Matt Harkness faces a perilous challenge. He isn’t your typical Western sheriff. Cowboy boots make his arches ache, he’s phobic of horses, he drives an old battered pickup and his faithful companion is a wiener dog named Addison. Set on the Oregon High Desert in 1952, life in the small town of Barnesville has been easy-going for Matthew until a star-crossed teen-age couple disappears. Harkness is the keeper of secrets in his little town and to solve the crime, he must decide which secrets to expose. One secret involves Judge Barnes, the county’s most powerful man. But Harkness has a secret of his own: he’s in love with the Judge’s wife. How much is Harkness willing to risk to catch a murderer?

Buy Links:

Kindle: http://amzn.com/B009T7HPN0

Paperback: http://amzn.com/0615721974

 Visit Michael Bigham online at www.michaelbigham.com.

Please leave a comment to welcome Michael Bigham to Acme Authors Link.

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.

Please Welcome Mystery Author, Athol Dickson, In His January Justice Tour

Reeling from his wife’s unsolved murder, Malcolm Cutter is just going through the motions as a chauffeur and bodyguard for Hollywood’s rich and famous. Then a pair of Guatemalan tough guys offer him a job. It’s an open question whether they’re patriotic revolutionaries or vicious terrorists. Either way, Cutter doesn’t much care until he gets a bomb through his window, a gangland beating on the streets of L.A., and three bullets in the chest. Now there’s another murder on Cutter’s Mind. His own.

Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AGAW6EC

Athol Dickson’s mystery, suspense, and literary novels have won three Christy Awards and an Audie Award. Suspense fans who enjoyed Athol’s They Shall See God will love his latest novel, January Justice, the first installment in a new mystery series called The Malcolm Cutter Memoirs. The second and third novels in the series, Free Fall in February, and A March Murder, are coming in 2013.

Critics have favorably compared Athol’s work to such diverse authors as Octavia Butler (Publisher’s Weekly), Hermann Hesse (The New York Journal of Books) and Flannery O’Connor (The New York Times). Athol lives with his wife in southern California.

Website: http://www.malcolmcutter.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AtholDickson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Athol-Dickson/416622918355206

Pump Up Your Book and Athol Dickson are teaming up to give you a chance to win a fabulous prize!

Here’s how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. This promotion will run from March 18 – Mar 22. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email, and announced on March 25, 2013. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog for the duration of the tour. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If the Rafflecopter form doesn't load, please visit the JANUARY JUSTICE TOUR PAGE to enter the giveaway: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2013/02/27/pump-up-your-book-presents-athol-dicksons-january-justice-book-blast-%E2%80%93-win-25-amazon-gift-card/

  

JANUARY JUSTICE BOOK BLAST SCHEDULE

Monday, March 18^th

The Book Connection

Literal Exposure

ASC Book Reviews

Tuesday, March 19^th

As the Pages Turn

Melina’s Book Blog

GivingNSharing

Miki’s Hope

Wednesday, March 20^th

Literarily Speaking

Between the Covers

Review from Here

Acme Authors Link

The Dark Phantom Review

Thursday, March 21^st

The Writer’s Life

Broken Teepee

Inside BJ’s Head

Paperback Writer

Friday, March 22^nd

Beyond the Books

Maureen’s Musings

The Busy Mom’s Daily

Bookingly Yours

Marilyn’s Musings

Please leave a comment to welcome Athol Dickson to Acme Authors Link.

Out of the Ordinary

I was thinking this morning about how my life is pretty ordinary. I do so many things out of habit. I get up around the same time each day, eat the same type of foods, even drink the same beverages. I walk the dog, with or without the DH, I log in, work and play on the Internet, then watch TV or a DVD in the evening.

That's only a small part of my routine, but you get the idea. Most of the time I don't deviate, except for when something extraordinary occurs. It doesn't take much to qualify for me, but sometimes the DH and I go to the American Legion's pancake breakfast once a month, or we go out to lunch, get a carryout, meet a friend for dinner, or go to an indoor winter event or outdoor summer concert.

Another departure from the norm is when we go on vacation, but even that isn't much out of the ordinary, since we always go to our cottage in Wisconsin.

I'm not complaining, because I like it this way. I'm not much for traveling the globe or partying all night.

Such ordinariness in a book would be so boring a reader would stop reading right away. A life-shaking event must occur as soon as possible to the main character(s) to pique a reader's interest. It's such a fast world we live in, most readers are not patient about waiting for the good part in a book. They want the entire book to be the good part.

So, we must find ways to twist and re-align our character's routines, then do so again and again, until our poor character almost reaches the breaking point, and only then offer relief.

The start in a romance can be meeting someone new or learning something new about someone who's already been part of a person's life. Then, countless obstacles and questions present themselves.

Jake, the handyman, and Zoe, the rich artist,  meet in my romantic comedy, Her Handyman, when her dog drops a toy in the toilet, causing a bathroom flood in the middle of the night. Jake and Zoe are attracted to each other, but they lead very different lives. Also, he's got a fiance, which presents a problem.

In a mystery or thriller, a real or perceived threat works, with or without dead bodies littering the landscape. In my thriller, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, Dorrie's husband dies, she loses her job, and life is turned upside down. She's desperate and takes a pill to be young again. You'd think her life would be all rosy then, but it turns out even more problems present themselves. Soon she's got the villains and the law after her.

Those are a few examples from my books. Please share how change impacts the ordinary routine of one of your characters or that of another author's character. Or if you wish, mention how something out of the ordinary changed your own life.

Morgan Mandel

Morgan's current release is the romantic
comedy, Her Handyman,
at http://amzn.com/B0097EVXBK

Her current thriller is Forever Young: Blessing or Curse
at http://amzn.com/B006MO28CQ

Soon to come is Blessing or Curse, the sequel to
Forever Young: Blessing or Curse.

Morgan's Website: http://www.morganmandel.com
Twitter: @MorganMandel

Sunshine on a Cold Day

Rascal on a warmer day

Rascal and I went on our usual walk this morning. Believe me, it was cold when we started out. The ground was frozen, with snow and ice still clinging to bits of the grass. I knew we needed the exercise, but the effort felt more like a chore than anything else. Something to get over with, so I could get back into my nice, warm house. 

Then the sun came out!

The temperature remained the same, but everything looked brighter. Not only that, I could feel the warmth of the sun shining on my face and even on my legs under my slacks. It's effect was amazing, transforming a frigid day to a pleasant one. Whereas before, I could hardly wait to get home, the sun's warmth made me want to walk further and enjoy it more.

In a way, it reminded me of authors. We work hard in isolation to get our books finished, all the while wondering what readers will think of them. When our books are done, they're thrust out to walk on their own in the cold, cruel world. Will they have enough stamina to continue on, or be forced to retreat in defense from an onslaught of criticism?

Then, magically, a reader says a kind word, or posts a nice review, and everything changes! 

Such kind words are like sunshine to an author. They not only make the struggle worthwhile, but encourage us to carry on. They also give our books strength and longevity in the marketplace, making it possible for more readers to enjoy them.

Thanks to everyone who has spent the time to write a review for any of my books, or told me in person or writing that you liked it. Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated! 

Morgan Mandel

Morgan Mandel's current release is

Her Handyman, a romantic comedy,

at http://amzn.com/B0097EVXBK

Find Morgan's romances, mysteries & thrillers at

Her Website: http://www.morganmandel.com

Follow On Twitter: @MorganMandel

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!

GUEST STAR BLOGGER on Deck Today.
Please welcome a special guest at ACME. My guest blogger today is a 5-Star Bks. Author with an impressive amount of determination and talent. Kelly Irvin is articulate and entertaining. Her bio says it all:

Kelly Irvin's writing career in nonfiction and fiction spans the last twenty-five years. The Kansas native has a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. She spent a year and a half in Costa Rica as a college student, learning the Spanish language and gaining an understanding of other cultures. She moved to Laredo, Texas, in 1981 to work at a local newspaper. After five years in Laredo, she spent another year in El Paso. That stint at border newspapers gave her keen insight into this multicultural region. All of these experiences were fodder for her fiction and are reflected in her…

Bombshells With a Side of Empathy

My Blazer hurtles through the streets of San Antonio at a neck-breaking speed of three miles an hour during rush hour traffic. Which is why I listen to audio books. The other day I enjoyed an old Dana Stabenow novel that got me to thinking about character versus plot and that ironclad rule that says you have to hit the reader with something earth shattering in the first few pages. Kate Shugak had been lollygagging about in her Alaskan park eating pie and drinking tea for several chapters before Stabenow hit me with a murder that left tears in my eyes. I admit I’d been thinking what the heck, when is something going to happen? Then I realized the time she gave me to build a relationship with her characters made the murder incredibly effective.

Granted the book is a few years old and Stabenow is an established author who can get away with this delayed bombshell in an era of instant gratification, thirty-second sound bites, and twenty-four hour cable TV. I can’t and sell my work. I imagine most of us can’t. So how do we make readers care about our characters when that bomb blast hits on page two? In A Deadly Wilderness, my first novel, I introduce a nasty murderer-for-hire in the prologue, then proceeded directly to Ray Johnson’s trek through a wilderness park where he falls from a cliff and lands on a dead body. Why care about Ray? He uses his day off to take two young boys on a hike. One has lost his father and the other is a foster child whose mother is in jail. It’s apparent Ray is in love with Marco’s mother—and the love is as yet unrequited. Plus he’s hurt. All in the first couple of pages of chapter one. The main character is fleshed out by his actions and reactions to the events occurring around him.

In No Child of Mine, which debuts in September, seven-year-old Benny Garza is introduced on page one. Very quickly the reader knows he’s a foster child who has experienced more than his share of pain. His mother’s in jail. He’s been terrorized by gang-bangers and Mom’s boyfriends. Yet, he’s still excited by the same things as most little boys are—horses and food. He wants to fly. He’s worried his foster dad will be mad because he gets his church clothes dirty. By the time the inciting incident occurs on the second page, it’s enough (I hope!) to make the reader want to scream aloud: “Stranger Danger, Stranger Danger! Run, Benny!”

All this to say, it is possible to make readers care and care quickly. We just have to spin the tale with fewer, carefully selected details that build character and propel plot at the same time. Happy spinning!

Kelly Irvin
http://www.kellyirvin.com/

No Child of Mine
Coming September 2011

Currently available:

A Deadly Wilderness
(Also available in large print)
"A solid romantic suspense debut . . ."
--Publishers Weekly

what Editors Know

Recently, I read this line on a chat group I hang with:  An editor who does not charge is not a true editor.  That sort of logic if taken to writing would say that an artist or writer or composer is not a true WHATEVER unless he or she is making money at it; unless and editor is making money at editing, he or she is not a real editor.  This sort of snobbery has existed in NYC book business forever as they pay editors so well (HA!).  I have had many many editors, some who woud place a comma between many many and some who would not, and I have as yet to find one properly compensated by anyone.  I have also operated my own editorial services (Knife Services) from my website, and I charge half or a third of what some editors charge, and lately, the business is slow as molasses.

No one wants to pay for editing services.  To this I can attest.  To qualify that, few want to pay for editing services, but one way or another every author needs a great editor or two or three in order to truly get a MS to sing.

An editor for your work is worth his or her weight in gold, even if he or she edits your work for nothing but the opportunity and "privilege" and charge you nada...for no charge. Despite the line this blog began with, there are capable and surprisingly fine editors among those who do not charge a fee; I know because I have availed myself of some excellent editorial help at no charge over the years.  These people are my early readers.  People I have cultivated a strong friendship with as a result of our making great books together, people who wind up in my acknowledgment pages.

It may upset some pricey editors (some priced at ten dollars a page if you can imagine it) to hear such talk from a professional writer and published author, but I have relied all my life and career on people who have a sixth sense about what works and what does not work in a manuscript, items you want OUT before the MS goes to press or release to Kindle or Smashwords or wherever you are publishing nowadays.

My Children of Salem, my highest grossing Kindle title, was put through the grist mill by two editors in particular who suffered and struggled with me like Jonah and the Whale until we GOT it.  My work in progress, Titanic 2012 has had the tremendous help of two editors in particular who have wrestled that one to the mat where they MAKE me wring out rather than ring out the right words and save me countless embarrssing moments as well as point out plot weaknesses and sags. They are simultaneously copyeditors and developmental editors these folks.

I go back as far as 1965 or 6 working with my Wells High School managing editor on the school newspaper for editorial advice, and damn but she was good with langauge and writing; one lesson she taught me then stayed with me all my writing career - Acitve over Passive. I get cudos for making my work "compelling, fast-paced, a page-turning roller-coaster ride" etc. etc. due in great part to my editorial board -- and now that I am a writer turned publisher putting out Original to Kindle titles, I rely even more on my early readers, my editorial board. They have recently truly impressed me, digging damn deep to make the work the best it can be to the point it is no longer about me but the novel itself that comes first.  Of course, it helps that the publishing industry has long, long ago beat the living ego out of me.

My apologies to those who consider themselves legitimate editors because they charge a fee, whether fair or exorbitant, but sorry as I am, I must say that there are people who are not just willing to be early readers for an author but who become invaluable editors an author can and does TRUST, often just as much as he trusts an editor within a publishing house or with a logo.  I love editors, love them all, and feel they all deserve a raise but the practice of authors cultivating two, three, four early readers is not likely to stop but increase as we go to press as Indie author-publishers.  Certainly been the case with me, but then I had always cultivated early readers.  By the same token, over the years, I have learned a great deal from my contacts with all editors, those who were paid--even if poorly by the publsihing house--and those who have graced me with thier help out of the goodness of heart and understanding and unfettered desire to be a part of the process of creation.

Sneak peek of Children of Salem and/or Titanic 2012 is available at http://www.robertwalkerbooks.com/

Thanks so much for coming by and do leave a comment, good, bad, ugly, indifferent but leave some word....

Robert W. Walker (Rob to my friends)

More on Killer Career by Morgan Mandel

Just a short post today. I’m at my day job at the moment, but the rest of the time I’m in the thick of things getting Killer Career ready. I’m done with my edits, but now have issues with the book cover. I can hardly wait until everything is all set. I’m hoping to get it out by mid August. Keeping my fingers crossed. I’ll let everyone know if and when it happens.

What it’s about:
A lovely lawyer’s career change could be a killer when her mentor, a NY Times bestselling author, does more than write about murders.

Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

My new novel, Russian Roulette, finally arrives!

Friends, I am very happy and proud to announce my newest mystery thriller, Russian Roulette . It won’t be in any bookstores until June 13th, but you can already order it at Amazon.com. And if you are one of the technorati and own a Kindle, you can download now and start reading it today!

Russian Roulette is the fifth novel in my mystery series about Hannibal Jones, the African American private detective working in Washington DC. In this book, Hannibal is forced to take a case for a Russian assassin. He must investigate Gana, the wealthy Algerian who has stolen Viktoriya, the woman his new client loves. Evidence connects Gana to Russian mob money and the apparent suicide of Viktoriya’s father. More deaths follow, closing in on Viktoriya. To save the Russian beauty, Hannibal must unravel a complex tangle of clues and survive a dramatic shootout on Roosevelt Island, side-by-side with his murderous client.

That much is the plot, the storyline upon which I hang the mystery. But the heart of the book, and what drove me to it, is the reason Hannibal must take the case. You see Aleksandr, the murderous client, has killers watching Hannibal’s beloved Cindy. If Hannibal fails to do Aleksandr’s bidding, Cindy will die. I wanted to explore how my hero would react to his woman being in jeopardy. I also wanted to see how he works when he’s truly alone.

In past novels, Hannibal has relied on a team of supporters as diverse and talented as Doc Savage’s men. Plus, he has always been able to rely on Cindy’s legal acumen. In this book I purposely cut him off from the support team he’s used to, and there are some surprises. Even more, time shows us the many similarities between Hannibal Jones and Aleksandr (as an assassin assigned to eliminate disloyal and untrustworthy members of the Russian Mafiya, he too is a “troubleshooter” of sorts.)

To pull this one off I had to research the Russian community in Washington DC where Hannibal works, and I think that immersion affected my prose. Toward the end, as the story veers toward an outdoor winter shootout in the dark and confrontations between respected enemies, I think I was able to give my book the atmosphere of one of the old Russian novels. It ain’t Dostoyevsky by any means, but there is a grim, fatalistic feel in the Russian culture that drives this story deeper into noir than I’ve gone before. At least I think so.

Anyway, I got some very kind advance comments from friends and reviewers , including a couple whose names you may recognize:

“Russian Roulette delivers a whipsaw of a plot with more layers than a Vidalia onion.... Solid storytelling and compelling characters. Don't miss it!”

Libby Fischer Hellmann, Author of the Ellie Foreman mystery/suspense series

“Troubleshooter Hannibal Jones is the most engaging character to come upon the mystery scene since Patterson's Alex Cross.”

JoAnn Ross, NY Times Bestselling Author of the High Risk Series

“Hannibal Jones is no John Shaft wannabe. He stands on his own as a welcome addition to the ranks of the fictional private eye.”

Robert J. Randisi, Founder of the Private Eye Writers of America

“Russian Roulette has everything: a terrific story with great characters in vivid settings. Clear time on your calendar for this one."

John Gilstrap, author of No Mercy

“Russian Roulette starts with a revving engine and picks up speed till racing across the finish line. If I was in trouble I’d want Hannibal Jones on my speed dial.”

Jon Jordan, Editor, Crimespree Magazine

“Camacho employs his usual rich layers of plot; fascinating characters; and plenty of action to keep the reader mesmerized in his latest Hannibal Jones installment.”

Shelley Glodowski, Midwest Book Review

“Austin is one helluva writer. What Austin shows off in his novel is not just the ability to forge a sentence or a paragraph, but how to create an interesting story with a steady pace that keeps you hooked for hours at a time.”

Hugh Howey, CrimeCritics.com

“I may have to add Austin S. Camacho to my list of authors to follow and catch up on after reading his latest novel, Russian Roulette. I received the book for review before I left on vacation, and I would have been perfectly happy to have all of the Hannibal Jones series with me to read.”

Thomas Duff, an Amazon.com Top 25 Reviewer

And I hope some of you can even share my good news with me in person.

IN MARYLAND - Borders Waldorf will host a book release event for Russian Roulette on Saturday, June 13th. I’ll sign copies of my new novel starting at 1 pm in the store at 3304-A Crain Highway, Waldorf, Md. They’ll also have my previous Hannibal Jones novels - The Troubleshooter, Collateral Damage, Damaged Goods and Blood and Bone – available for me to sign.

All the details are on my web site - http://www.hannibaljonesmysteries.com/ – along with the video trailer and promo and lots of other cool stuff. But even if I can't meet you in person, thank you all for sharing my happy news! I already feel as if the Acme Author Link readership is like family to me. Of course, that goes quadruple for my fellow bloggers. I can’t wait to hear from some of you after you’ve read Russian Roulette. In the meantime if you have any questions about the book, or my characters, please post a comment or two and I’ll respond pretty quickly.

Austin