Life has gotten in the way of my career since September. My mother’s health declined, and then on Tuesday, November 29th, she fell and ended up with a compound fracture to her right leg. Both bones broken and exposed, and one hell of a wound. Her multitude of health issues affected her ability to heal (including diabetes), so the surgeon gave her a 50/50 shot of keeping her foot. Almost 17 weeks later, she’s getting close to being able to bear weight again. The massive wound is down to a flesh wound, and we are hoping the surgeon takes the rods out of her foot soon. Last fall, my parents were also taken advantage of by the person who bought their farm and were essentially run out of their home of 30 years by a hog confinement they were tricked into allowing. That’s a long story, but Karma is a vengeful bitch. When mom fell, we already knew they were moving near us (finally!) because the toxicity of a hog implement 600 feet away from their home wasn’t an option. Because of mom’s injury and the need for care, we set her up in a facility near me until the wound healed. For a few months, Dad drove up on weekends to see her. I suddenly found myself responsible for her care, all of their finances and legal paperwork, as well as getting them ready to move out of the house I grew up in. Compound that with Mom being stuck in a nursing home (which has been a great place for her), and I felt pulled in about a hundred directions. I hated the idea of her sitting there alone, so I spent a lot of my days with her. Getting back to any kind of routine was impossible, and my head was full of everything BUT writing. And there was the daily worry about this day being her last one, or an infection setting in.

I’m an emotional person, and I think that helps my creativity. But it also means I live my life on a rollercoaster, and a lot of my emotions have been tied up with my parents’ issues and hurtful accusations from people I never dreamed could be so callous. Anger, sadness, confusion, absolute fear of mom dying, feeling alone, and then back to anger — and the worst part was the inability to understand how much everything effected me. My husband has been a constant support system, encouraging me to get back to writing because I have a television deal in the works. “Everything’s about to happen to you,” he’d say. “You can’t waste this opportunity. You need to get busy on the next book because the production team is going to sell this, and then they’re going to want season 2.”

I knew he was right, and I tried. I plotted, wrote a scene or two, plotted some more. All here and there, when I could fit it in between the 900 other things going on, including the voices in my head. I lost so much sleep imagining how I could defend myself to people who’ve already made up their minds and will never see things any different. That’s a battle I had to walk away from, because it dried me up emotionally, and nothing’s going to change it.

I kept telling my husband that I’d used up whatever creativity I had. I couldn’t even visualize writing another book, much less one that would be better than the last and worthy of the exceptions of my (very understanding) publisher and excited production studio. I kept trying to work, but every time it looked like I’d be able to get back into a routine and find some spark, the Next Terrible Thing happened.

Finally came the cat bites to my index finger and thumb, and a fast moving infection that could have easily cost me my finger. I had emergency surgery and then spent 4 days in the hospital feeling helpless and finished. And then the surgeon tells me it will be 6 weeks to 3 months before I have full range of motion. At the time, my index finger was still very stiff from the extreme swelling in the tendon. How in the hell was I supposed to work?

Thankfully, I was able to get away from normal life for a while. I made it to the state swim meet to watch my daughter, and then she and I took a much needed vacation to Florida to see my closest friends. Maybe that’s what saved me. After we got back, things seemed to stabilize. A routine emerged. I started wanting to read again, and I started making more and more notes for the new book. I decided to try dictation because of my hand—although I got very lucky and my fingers work fairly well, and I can type. But talking into the mic about the book seemed to jumpstart something, and without even realizing it, I WANTED to write again. And I had ideas! Ideas for Hyde and Seek (Erin Prince #2), for a new indie series, and maybe even another Cage Foster novel.

This week, it all clicked. Between dictation and typing, I created a scene by scene synopsis and wrote 10,000 words on the new book. I hated to stop each day because I enjoyed it so much. That’s a feeling I’d forgotten.

When I told my editor, she declared the lights were back on.

And that’s exactly right. I’ve struggled to explain how I’ve felt this winter, using words like dull and numb and stupid, but she hit the nail on the head. My creative lights had gone black. I didn’t think they would come back on. But they are bright as day right now, and I’m taking advantage of it.

The point of this post isn’t to get a bunch of sympathy or brag about my writing and the television opportunity (although some people are going to take it that way, and those are the ones I’ve realized add nothing of value to my life). It’s to tell you that we all go through extreme lows. Most writers are emotional people, and when that balance is upset by stress and life’s jackhammers, you’re going to stop being able to write. And that’s okay. Give yourself the time to walk away from the keyboard and replenish. Fill up your well, as my editor says. Because eventually, things will swing back up. You’ll see daylight again, and you’ll want to create. Take care of yourself first, and the rest will fall back into place.

I promise.

The class had a mix of new and experienced authors, published and unpublished.

DISCLAIMER #1: when I say published, I’m including indie published.

As I listened to the great presentations, I kept hearing the phrases “attracting an agent,” or “staying out of the slush pile.” Many of the talks referenced all the tiny little things that can make an agent or editor toss a manuscript aside. I could see the unpublished authors squirming and turning green.

As the day went on, I had one unrelenting thought: I’m so glad to be indie!

DISCLAIMER #2: Your publishing path is yours alone. Neither is an easy choice or a get rich quick opportunity, and both mean HARD WORK and rejection.

Let me clarify, being grateful to be Indie has nothing to do with confidence in my writing. In the last couple of months I have learned to believe in myself more than ever. I’m very proud of all my books, and I’m exceptionally happy with the latest thriller, ALL GOOD DEEDS, and the Lucy Kendall character.

I’m grateful I chose Indie because I don’t have to worry about an agent rejecting me because of personal preference, or because the marketing department doesn’t know if they could sell my book, or because I used two spaces at the end of a sentence instead of one (true story.) I get to bypass all that and focus on the story and the writing.

And while there are writing rules we all must follow (Grammar, anyone?! And the three-act structure), I don’t have to worry about pleasing the status quo or taking risks. I don’t know if an agent or editor or marketing department would have believed in Lucy Kendall. But that doesn’t matter, because I do.

DISCLAIMER #3: Indie Publishing isn’t for the faint of heart. I believe in investing in your business, and that means paying for good, EXPERIENCED editors and cover artists.

Now, a word on editing. It’s everything. I pay for developmental, copyediting, and proofing. And I will continue to do so because I learn so much about writing every time my editor tears apart my manuscript. To me, Indie publishing means subcontracting the editing, formatting, and cover art. That means I’m a business, and to be successful, you have to invest in the highest quality available.

But the best part of this journey is that I don’t have to worry about pleasing anyone but myself and the readers. I get to put them first, and that’s extremely liberating!

Writing isn’t about the royalty (although that’s a beautiful bonus), but about being able to stay true to the story in my head and my heart. I’m blessed to have editors who understand my vision but won’t hesitate to tell me when I’m derailing.

Just to be clear, this post isn’t about traditional vs. Indie. I hate that argument. Only you can decide what’s best for your career, and what will make you happy in the long run. The beauty is that we have so many more choices than we did five years ago. Despite all the extra headaches that come with being Indie published, I’m so grateful to have made that choice.

What about you? Do you love your chosen publishing path? Or are you still trying to decide which is right for you?

I first heard about the people living in the Las Vegas storm drains last summer, when I was researching for INTO THE DARK. A Google search led me to several newspaper articles profiling Matthew O’Brien’s book, Beneath The Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas. O’Brien spent a summer exploring the many flood channels that run underneath the city and getting to know some of the residents who call the tunnels home.

In the summer of 2002, Matt O’Brien, then editor of Las Vegas CityLife, explored the storm drains with reporter Josh Ellis. In 2004, Matt took a sabbatical from CityLife and set out to explore more of the drains on his own. Those stories became Beneath the Neon.

The book is heartbreaking, humorous, informative, and at times, scary. It also gave me a whole new world to explore in Light and Dark, so I nervously contacted Matt about an interview.

He was nice enough to talk with me about Beneath the Neon, and I’m really excited to share the interview with you.

Hi Matt! How are you?

I’m good. How are you doing? Thanks for reaching out to me. I enjoyed reading over your blog.

(I’m happy we aren’t Skyping because I’m blushing to my hair).

Thank you. I’m just plugging away.

Well, it looks good. Reads well.

Thank you. I have to tell you, I found out about Beneath the Neon by accident. I Googled Las Vegas tunnels, thinking there would be historical references for the mobs. I was blown away.

A lot of people locally still don’t know about them even though the book received so much attention. But now that it’s become a little more common knowledge, I get the occasional email from people wanting to know what they can do to help. Seems like people are a little more sympathetic toward the cause. Just not a lot of people understand this is going on in Vegas.

I know the Vegas housing market has gone down in recent years. How has it affected the homeless?

The people who live in the tunnels live off the excess of the city. When the city is doing well, they dumpster dive, panhandle, credit hustle. With more tourists, they seem to do better, and they seem to be suffering in this economy.

You interviewed some really interesting people in Beneath the Neon. Have you been able to keep track of them? (I asked about a man called Lawrence, a talented writer trapped in the tunnels by his own demons.)

I only saw him once, when I was working at CityLife, probably a year or two after the interview. He came by the newsroom to say hello. I’ve been by his camp, and it’s obvious he’s not living there. Lawrence, like a lot of people you meet in the tunnels, you just have no idea what’s become of them. Some are dead, some are in prison, some have moved to a different place in the drains, some are on the streets, and then hopefully a few have fought their way out and are living in an apartment or at least in a weekly motel above ground.

Two of my favorite interviews in Beneath the Neon were Harold and Gary. Have you seen them recently?

I saw Harold maybe a year or two after our interview. He’s still living in the same area of the tunnel system. Gary—one of the best things to come out of the book was that I started a community project called Shine a Light. It’s a collaboration between myself and HELP of Southern Nevada. I take their social workers into the tunnels, and they offer housing, drug counseling, and medical attention to the people down there.

Gary was in prison for a little bit. He got out about year ago and had a heart attack. He went into the big public hospital here. I picked him up and we were able to get him into HELP of Southern Nevada’s program. He’s been housed for about a year. He’s got a cell phone and stays in touch.

That’s awesome! It’s got to be a good feeling. And Shine a Light – when did you start that?

Part of the reason I wrote Beneath the Neon was to call attention to the fact that people were living down there and hoped that something would be done about it. So in the spring of 2009 I reached out to HELP of Southern of Nevada and we started collaborating then.

You spent hours exploring the drains. I can’t imagine going through all that information to create such a cohesive book. Can you tell me about your process?

So it is cohesive? That’s good to know. (laughs)

One of the best things about the book is that Matt’s voice comes through loud and clear. I feel like I’m sitting next to him while he’s telling the story rather than reading another nonfiction book. He’s happy to hear this.

It’s challenging. I’d have two to three hour-long conversations with people, and then I’d go home and have to transcribe them. I’d go through the tapes, figure out the best stuff and polish to where I thought it would work.

How long did the whole process take, from research to having it ready for your publisher?

It was a bit of a strange process. I took a sabbatical from CityLife in summer of 2004. I just explored, and when I found really good stuff in a tunnel, I’d work on the rough draft before going back out. I spent that whole summer exploring and working on the rough draft. Sent it the editor, he gave me some feedback. I reworked a second draft, and then tried for final draft form with the third one. Took about two-and-a-half years to get into form.

When you first go into the tunnels, you’re nervous, and I don’t blame you. Is it scary every time you go in?

When Josh Ellis and I first went down into the drains, it was horrifying. I was paranoid. We’d seen some pretty crazy stuff in broad daylight here in Vegas. We had no idea what went on in a darkened tunnel. We were heavily armed. Every little noise was horrifying. Now, I’m more calm and controlled but there’s always tension. Going into a storm drain, you never know what to expect.

Were most of the people you spoke with willing to talk, or did you have a lot of resistance?

I talked to about fifty, sixty people, and there’s about seven or eight interviews in the book, so a lot were left out. People would tell me “you’re in the wrong place, get out of here.” One guy said, “I have a gun, I’ll shoot you. You don’t know who I am.”

Wow! (I don’t tell Matt this, but I would have wet my pants at that point.)

No one physically attacked me, but my worst fear was to be in the tunnels and a mad man come charging out of the dark and I’d have to defend myself on his turf. Nothing like that happened. Most people were really respectful and kind. They don’t want to do anything to get kicked out of one of their few options for a home.

Your second book is My Week at the Blue Angel. Can you talk a little bit about it?

The Blue Angel is a collection of creative nonfiction stories set in off the beaten path Las Vegas. Weekly motels, trailer parks, low rent apartments. Two stories take place in the flood channels. They’re the original pieces Josh Ellis and I wrote that served as background for Beneath the Neon, but they’ve been reworked a bit.

The title refers to one of the stories in the book. I checked into one of the seedier, more poetic weekly motels and stayed a week.

What are you doing right now? Are you still at CityLife?

No. I left about three and a half years ago to be an independent author and journalist. I live off my book royalties, freelance writing, consulting work and the occasional drug deal. Just kidding, mostly, about that last thing.

I’m working on a novel. It’s urban/alt lit. Set in off the beaten path Vegas, has national and international themes. Sort of my take on the recession. It’s a bit of a hybrid between journalism, memoir and fiction.

Do you have any advice to writers just starting out?

Make sure you’re into it for the right reasons—you love writing and the researching process. Make sure it’s something you feel you really need to do. It’s a commitment. A lot of times you’re not going to make much money and might not get published. It can be a challenging profession but a rewarding one if it’s something you’re passionate about.

Last question. What’s your dream exploration?

During my research for Beneath the Neon, I’ve been very curious about the quarries of Paris where there’s a lot of artwork and underground raves, films shown down there. If I ever make it to Paris, one of the things I would want to do is go into the quarries and check them out.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me.

Thanks for the call and the interest in my work.

To buy a copy of Beneath the Neon, My Week at the Blue Angel, or to donate to Shine a Light, click here.

To check out my novel Into The Dark, which drew a lot of inspiration from the tunnels, visit Amazon or MuseItUp Publishing.

Enter the INTO THE DARK Charity Raffle!

The homeless living in the storm drains of Las Vegas played a vital part in INTO THE DARK, and I want to give back. From November 1^st until February 28^th, participants will have several options to enter the raffle, including donating to HELP of Southern Nevada. The grand prize will be a $100 donation from me in the winner’s name to the homeless shelter of their choice.

Kim Cresswell’s Book Talk Tuesday

Hi everyone! I’m over at Jenny Hansen’s awesome More Cowbell Blog today giving an exclusive interview on the story behind INTO THE DARK and my inspiration for the Charity Blog Tour. Please stop by when you have the time for a chance to enter AND a shot at a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Thanks so much to Jenny for welcoming me to her awesome blog today! I’m excited to talk about INTO THE DARK and the charity blog tour I’m running.

1. Give me each of your main characters in 50 words or less.

Emilie is a master escape artist–she’s escaped a manipulative ex-husband and a cruel mother. She’s also vulnerable and on the edge of emotional disaster. Nathan is perceptive, loyal, and brave, but damage from his past drives him to atone for what happens to Emilie.

2. Your book features the homeless living in the Las Vegas tunnels? Tell me about them.

Read the rest here…

The homeless living in the storm drains beneath Las Vegas play an important role in INTO THE DARK. Stretching hundreds of miles beneath the city and known as the tunnels, the drains are a refuge for around 200 of the city’s homeless. Yes, people are living below Las Vegas in the storm drains, many of them directly beneath the Strip.

Reporter Matt O’Brien introduced the tunnels to the world in his excellent book, Beneath the Neon. He decided to research the homeless living in the drains after covering the Weber murder case of 2002 for Las Vegas CityLife.

A Cold-Blooded Killer Escapes.

Here’s your true crime case for this Thursday. In April 2002, Timmy “T.J.” Weber raped his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter and then killed his girlfriend and one of her sons. Police found the woman stuffed in a storage container in a bedroom closet.

Her son was discovered facedown on the mattress, arms taped behind his back and a t-shirt in his mouth. A plastic bag was secured around his neck with speaker wire. He smothered to death.

Weber originally left Las Vegas but returned a week and a half later. He attacked his girlfriend’s surviving son and his friend when they came into the home to choose items for the funeral. The men fought, and an injured Weber fled on foot. He eventually made it to a storage ditch and disappeared into the storm drain where he spent five hours underground.

Weber was captured after more than 3 weeks on the run. He told investigators his journey through the drains reminded him of the movie The Fugitive.

Timmy “T.J.” Weber was sentenced to life in prison for one count of murder and was sentenced to death for the second.

INTO THE DARK

I first discovered the tunnels in 2009 when I was researching for INTO THE DARK. I knew at once I’d found my stalker’s escape route, but I didn’t realize what an important role the storm drains played in the book until after the first draft was complete.

There are only a handful of scenes that take place in the tunnels and yet, they’ve added true depth to the book. As SWAT and detectives are searching for the man who becomes known as the Taker, readers get a glimpse of the dark and sadness festering beneath the city. Seeing this reality gives both my hero and heroine a new perspective on life and ultimately helps make them into three-dimensional characters.

So when it came to figuring out how to market INTO THE DARK, I knew I had to do something to give back.

I hate the idea of marketing, by the way. I’m not going to go around telling you all to buy my book and to please tell everyone you know about it. Maybe it’s a mistake, but I simply can’t do it. I’ll tweet and Facebook here and there, share some excerpts, do some giveaways, but I’m not going to run off at the mouth on social media. That’s just not me.

So here’s the plan: from today until the end of February (covering both of my blog tours) I’m running the INTO THE DARK Charity Blog Tour to benefit the homeless. It’s through Rafflecopter. There are several entry options, including tweets and Facebook shares.

Even better is the option to donate to HELP of Southern Nevada, the organization that aids those living in the storm drains. The raffle’s grand prize is a $100 donation from me in the winner’s name to the homeless charity of their choice.

Enter the INTO THE DARK Charity Raffle!

Will this help sell books? I have no idea. But I know it’s the right thing for me to do. I realize times are tight for everyone, but I hope we can raise a little money for HELP, and I’m excited to donate to the winner’s homeless charity.

If you’d like to help spread the word, feel free to grab some of the tweets listed at the end of the post.

And there’s more big news today! My official website is live! Visit stacygreenauthor.com for the full list of my blog tour. In addition to the Charity Raffle, I’m also hosting A Gift From Stacy–a chance for readers to win a $25 Amazon gift card, so don’t miss out on those events.

What do you guys think? Are you ready to spread the word and raise a little money for charity?

An Introduction to the Darkness Below.

WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS, a short story. (Contains exclusive excerpt from INTO THE DARK)

“5 Stars …”
“Creepy and Terrifying…”
“A Riveting, Fast Read…”

Dark, dirty, and terrifying, the storm drains below Las Vegas stretch hundreds of miles and house the city’s homeless and criminal element. Walking into the underground abyss is the last thing Tate wants to do, but his junkie sister has disappeared into the drains. Armed with only his flashlight, Tate wades into the gritty depths beneath Sin City to rescue his sister from her demons.

Every step into the smothering darkness challenges Tate’s resolve. With his sister’s life and his own sanity at stake, Tate must face his fears or risk becoming another victim of the Las Vegas tunnels.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
iTunes

An Excerpt from INTO THE DARK (11.30.12 in digital and print)

Emilie’s resolve faltered as they reached the tunnel entrance. She peered over Nathan’s shoulder at the triad of pipes branching off in different directions. Big enough for a tall man to walk through easily, their murky blackness was as foreboding as anything Emilie had ever experienced.

She pressed the button on her flashlight and shined it into the abyss. Four other lights joined hers, and the inner concrete walls of the tunnel became visible. Graffiti was scrawled over them. A bevy of cockroaches scuttled away from the intrusion.

Emilie followed Nathan and Chris across the threshold and tried not to give in to the claustrophobia that immediately wrapped itself around her. The tunnel was wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side with room to spare, but the sense of being closed in was amplified by the heavy silence. The group’s splashing feet echoed and then faded away into the never-ending darkness. How deep were the channels?

A smell resembling the rotten egg she’d once dropped on Evan’s porcelain kitchen floor hit her full force. Emilie’s hand flew to her mouth.

“Something else, ain’t it?” Chris’s voice broke the uneasy stillness. “I liken it to a men’s locker room filled with dirty socks and jocks after a five-mile run.”

“If you guys stink this bad, you need medical help. Christ.”

“At least my stomach’s not rumbling anymore,” Nathan said.

“Shit, I could eat,” Chris said.

“You can always eat. You’re like a human trash compactor.”

“Do you guys have any idea where to find Snake?” Avery’s voice came out muffled.

Chris turned around and shined his light on Avery. “Dude, that hanky over your face ain’t gonna stop the stink. Embrace it. Feel the burn.”

Emilie laughed as the knot in her stomach began to uncoil. The banter made it easier to forget why she was here.

Her right foot suddenly came down on something hard in the shallow stream of water. She stumbled into Nathan’s back before an arm caught her from behind.

“Watch it,” Avery said. “Last thing you want to do is fall face-first in this.”

“Sorry.” Emilie clutched the hem of Nathan’s thin T-shirt. “I tripped over something.”

She shined her light into the two-inch-deep water. A pair of soulless black eyes stared back at her. A child’s doll lay abandoned, its once-blond hair soaked with the filthy water.

Children lived down here?

“Into the Dark by Stacy Green explores deep, dark secrets and exposes a fascinatingly creepy killer!”

–Debra Webb, USAToday bestselling author of the Faces of Evil series

“Stacy Green writes suspense like a pro. You’ll be captivated from the first page to the end of this harrowing story. Don’t forget to breathe!”

–Diane Capri, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of The Justice Series and The Hunt For Reacher Series.

Pre-Order Into The Dark

Add INTO THE DARK to your Goodreads List

INTO THE DARK Charity Blog Tour Tweet Ideas

Helping those in need for the #holidays. Enter the #IntoTheDarkCharity Raffle and help an #author give back http://bit.ly/PlKhrP

#IntoTheDarkCharityRaffle Discover a great new #author and give back for the #holidays. http://bit.ly/PlKhrP

Cover Reveal at Night Owl Reviews Blog!

Hi Stacy, and thank you so much for welcoming me to your blog!

Predators

Creeps that prowl on the fringes of society even…

There’s the garage guy, the man who works in an office, the boss, the laborer… There are mothers and fathers, the brother who’s out of work, the waitress who doesn’t earn enough, and that strange woman who doesn’t drive a car. There are neighbors, family and friends, and there’s a rumor.

In my new novel, Divide by Zero, the rumor says there might be a predator in Paradise Park. But it could be any place near you. The predator could be anyone you know, someone who lives in the light of everyday society but prowls on the fringes again when nobody’s looking.

When I read the heading to Stacy’s blog—I write about the creeps that prowl on the fringes of society—I  knew what I wanted to write about in my guest post: The predator. The dangerous stranger. The person we tell all our children to avoid. And the rumor we always hope won’t be true.

But what if this predator’s not a stranger? Statistics suggest more children are preyed on by family members or close friends than by people they don’t know. They’re preyed on not by prowlers on society’s dark fringes but by upright citizens dwelling in the light. So perhaps instead of teaching our children to be afraid of strangers, we need to teach them not to be afraid of themselves.

Yes child, you can say no, and you should if something seems wrong. Don’t be afraid you’re just being silly. You’re not silly, child. You’re wise.

Yes, you can change your mind, even after you’ve said something’s okay. That doesn’t mean you’re foolish. It means you’re clever enough to learn.

Yes, you can tell, and you’re big enough and strong enough to live with the consequences.

Yes, you can cope, and you don’t need to let somebody else give you a ride, take you to their home, or offer to look after you.

Yes, you can run fast and you can run away if you need to.

Yes, you can shout as loud as a thunderstorm and we won’t always tell you to be quiet.

Yes, what you think, what you feel, what you imagine, who you are really matters. And we, the grownups, the ones who despite our best intentions can’t always protect you, will listen and will care.

Don’t be afraid to hurt someone’s feelings, Little Child. You’re important. Your feelings matter too.

The predator might be the garage guy, the man who works in an office, the boss, the waitress… or just someone you know and trust. But every child is precious.

Divide by Zero by Sheila Deeth

It takes a subdivision to raise a child, and a wealth of threads to weave a tapestry, until one breaks. Troy, the garage mechanic’s son, loves Lydia, the rich man’s daughter. Amethyst has a remarkable cat and Andrea a curious accent. Old Abigail knows more than anyone else but doesn’t speak. And in Paradise Park a middle aged man keeps watch while autistic Amelia keeps getting lost. Pastor Bill, at the church of Paradise, tries to mend people. Peter mends cars. But when that fraying thread gives way it might take a child to raise the subdivision…or to mend it.

Buy it here!

Sheila Deeth grew up in the UK and has a Bachelors and Masters in mathematics from Cambridge University, England. Now living in the States near Portland Oregon, she enjoys reading, writing, drawing, telling stories and meeting her neighbors’ dogs on the green.

Thank you so much to Sheila for visiting and sharing her thoughts with us. The idea of someone preying on our kids is terrifying, and telling them about the bad people in the world can be just a scary. What did you think of Sheila’s advice? What do you tell your kids about strangers?

We’re on week four of Thriller Extravaganza, and I’m excited to welcome one of my favorite authors, Allison Brennan. I could have asked Allison to write on just about any thriller related topic, but since I’m starting my own series and I’m selfish, I asked her to tell us about how she approaches creating a series. She’s giving away a copy of one of her books, so make sure to read and leave a comment.

And don’t forget to sign up for Thriller Extravaganza’s Grand Prize: a silver spot in one of Kristen Lamb’s WANA International blogging classes or a $25 gift card and a bag of healthy goodies from August McLaughlin.

Writing Series by Allison Brennan

Until 2010, I always wrote in trilogies. Three books, very loosely connected, with a common theme or family of characters. For example, my “Prison Break” trilogy was connected by an earthquake at San Quentin that precipitated the release of some death row inmates. Each book was a stand alone romantic thriller stemming from that one event. My “No Evil” trilogy centered around the Kincaid Family, a close-knit Irish-Cuban family of (mostly) law enforcement. Each book stood alone as a complete story with a separate hero and heroine, but the books were all set in San Diego and the secondary characters were woven through the three books.

I didn’t plan to write in trilogies, but when I sold my debut novel The Prey, my publisher asked me to write two more connected stories. I decided to focus on three women who were at the FBI Academy together and now, ten years later, their individual pasts are coming back to haunt them.

I always wanted to write both a stand alone and a series. A stand alone because it’s completely self-contained. A series, because I can build on one character over time, both layering and deepening characterization. Readers like all types of stories, but it’s often a solid series that finds resonance in the mass market. Readers know Jack Reacher as well as his creator, Lee Child. They know Stephanie Plum as well as Janet Evanovich. And one of my all-time favorite series, the In Death series, by J.D. Robb, has the formidable and sexy Roarke and Eve Dallas.

When my publisher agreed to buy the Lucy Kincaid series, I was initially thrilled. I loved Lucy, and wanted to see how she’d overcome her brutal ordeal from Fear No Evil, the last of the Kincaid Family trilogy. I sped up time a bit, made her 25 in the first book, and on the cusp of becoming an FBI agent. I wanted to take her from the beginning of her career—through the academy—and into her first real assignment.

Then I became scared. How could I keep the series fresh and original? I didn’t want readers to become bored with Lucy or her boyfriend Sean Rogan; I didn’t want to write the same book over and over. I also feared that, over time, I would tire of writing in the same world. A true, traditional series takes the same core group of characters and puts them in different situations over multiple books. A connected series is usually built around the same world, but with different characters taking a lead role. Laura Griffin’s Tracers series is a good example of a connected series; J.D. Robb’s In Death series is a good example of a traditional series.

I had to make some choices early on: First, I tightened the timeframe. For example, though the first seven books will be published over a three-year period, only 11 months will have passed in Lucy’s world. Each book takes place anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months apart. The primary reason is that I wanted all the major events to be part of the series. Also, I didn’t know when some of the books would be published, so I didn’t keep them true to real time. And mostly, I wanted to show Lucy’s growth during the pivotal years as she begins her career as an FBI Agent.

Michael Connelly successful wrote Harry Bosch in real time, so he aged in real time, and the stories took place a year apart (or however long his publishing schedule was for that series.) Lee Child writes out of order—some of his books take place in Reacher’s past, for example, so they’re not published in chronological order. And in J.D. Robb’s In Death series, I believe only 18 or so months have passed over 30+ books.

Other choices I had to make dealt with reader expectations. Because I write primarily romantic thrillers, and the first few Lucy books were published as romantic thrillers, I needed a love interest for Lucy who stays for the series. Reader expectations are important because if you mess with the readers, you’re toast. I decided that Sean Rogan was the perfect guy for Lucy as soon as I wrote him in an early book, Cutting Edge, where his brother, Duke, was the hero. I had to figure out how to get him out to DC, and which Kincaid’s would be part of Lucy’s series, and which would be completely off-page. I also needed to build Lucy’s world – what has she been doing for the seven years since the events in Fear No Evil? How did they change her? Strengthen her? What are her fears that will play a part in the series? Her strengths?

I don’t plot, so a lot of this I didn’t know until I was writing the first book—and some I didn’t know until I was writing the fourth book! But for my readers, Sean and Lucy are together. They will certainly have rough patches, but they will weather any storm. I hope I’ve laid that foundation well.

The difference in reader expectations plays a part in a new series I’m developing around Maxine Revere, an investigating crime reporter. This will be a thriller series, so I can play around more with relationships and don’t have to “pick” a romantic interest right off the back … though there will certainly be one (or two or three) that may be possible. The series is more about Max and the crimes she investigates, as well as her relationships with her staff and friends and, yes, the men she’s involved with.

The hardest part of writing a series, for me, is knowing how much to share in each book without being boring to continuing readers (or “telling” too much back story) but also giving enough information so new readers won’t be lost. It’s a delicate balance that I don’t know if I’ve mastered, but I’m constantly striving to find the right balance. My former editor gave me some great advice early on: give as much information as necessary for readers to enjoy THIS book. I think about that often!

For anyone considering writing a series, remember that character is the most important thing. Not just your protagonist, but the supporting cast. You want readers to want to return time and time again to see what your characters are up to!

What is one of your favorite book series, and why? Everyone who comments (even just to say hi!) will be put in a drawing for one of two giveaways, winner’s choice. You can pick either a signed, print copy of Silenced, the most recent Lucy Kincaid book (or the first book, Love Me to Death), or you can pick digital copies of Silenced AND my stand alone romantic suspense novella, Murder in the River City.

Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels and many short stories. The next Lucy Kincaid thriller, Stalked, will be out on October 30. She lives near Sacramento, California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets.

www.allisonbrennan.com

Thanks so much to Allison for this great post! She’s got some vital point in here that I hadn’t considered the past few weeks while working on my own series. Please leave her some love and give yourself a chance to win a copy of one of her books.

Trouble at the Scriptorium. An interview with Anne E. Johnson

1. Tell us a little about your book?

Trouble at the Scriptorium is a historical adventure novel for kids aged 9-12. It takes place in the Middle Ages, specifically in a fiefdom north of London in the early thirteenth century.

Harley is a twelve-year-old servant boy, and Lady Margaret, also twelve, is the daughter of the castle’s lord. Together they discover and decode a message hidden in a book of Gregorian chant. There’s definitely something shifty going on at the scriptorium where the book was crafted!

2. What kind of research did you do for Trouble at the Scriptorium?

I have a master’s in musicology, with an emphasis on medieval music, so I already had a lot of background in the topics of Gregorian chant and the crafting of books in the Middle Ages.

I did do some reading about the feudal system (which is much more complex than they normally teach you in fifth grade!), the geography of the area, types of castles in use at the time, harvesting crops, and other subjects that came up as I wrote.

3. How did you approach making this complex material digestible for kids?

Seems to me that the best historical fiction blends the history seamlessly with the fiction. So I tried to concentrate on story and characters above all else. Any detail I gave had to pass one of two requirements: 1) It moves the plot forward or 2) It contributes to the reader’s AND the characters’ perception of the action. Absolutely no historical details should be listed just for their own sake.

In a way, the act of describing the world of a historical setting is a lot like world-building in science fiction (which I also write). You have to let the sights, sounds, scents, textures, culture, and atmosphere seep into your prose. The trick is to let the reader know where he is without making him stop to think about it.

4. Who are your favorite characters in this book?

I like all my characters, but I really relate to Lady Margaret as the brainy, quiet girl who constantly surprises people by figuring things out. She’s also going through a bit of an identity crisis, since she’s getting older and realizes she can’t just hang out with servants and call them her friends.

My favorite adult character is probably Jabir Al-Zarkali. He’s a scholar and physician whom Lady Margaret’s father, Sir William, met in Spain and hired to take care of Berkhamsted Castle when Sir William is away. Professor Al-Zarkali helps the kids unravel the mystery, both by being knowledgeable and by being wise (two very different things).

5. Which was the most challenging scene to write?

The two fight scenes were the hardest. One takes place in a forest, the other in a field. It was very challenging (but fun!) to imagine the weight of the armor and weapons, the relative height of those on horseback versus those on foot, the darkness under the trees, and the fear of a kid watching a battle take place around him.

6. What other novels do you have available?

I also have a paranormal mystery for tweens (Ebenezer’s Locker, from MuseItUp Publishing) and a humorous science fiction novel for adults. (Green Light Delivery, from Candlemark & Gleam).

7. What’s next for Harley and Lady Margaret?

I’ve just signed a contract with Royal Fireworks Press for the sequel to Trouble at the Scriptorium. The new book is called The London Hurdy Gurdy (a hurdy gurdy was a popular stringed instrument), which takes Harley and Lady Margaret to the exciting and mysterious city of London.

8. Where can readers buy your book and learn more about you?

Trouble at the Scriptorium can be purchased directly from the publisher, Royal Fireworks Press: http://www.rfwp.com/browse/novels

You can learn more about me at my website. http://anneejohnson.com/

For updates on my publications and appearances, “like” my Facebook author page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-E-Johnson-Author/249053641780972

Thanks again to Anne for the great interview, and please leave her some love in the comments!