So You Want to Write a Book

By Sparkle Abbey

Part 2: Old School Research

Welcome back to So You Want to Write a Book!

There’s a book in everyone, right? If you’ve decided that there’s a book in you and you’re ready to embark on that journey, we’re excited for you!

Last month we talked about where to start when writing a book for the first time. We asked you a lot of questions, such as:

• Are you passionate about a particular storyline?
• What type of book are you interested in writing?
• What idea is constantly on your mind?

You may remember there was also an assignment. We hope you took our suggestion to write down ALL your ideas. If so, pull out that notebook where you jotted down them down, and let’s talk about what you wrote. (If you didn’t take that step, there’s still time. Just take that step today.)

By now you should have decided what you’re passionate about and what type of book you’re going to write. You should know if you’re writing fiction or non-fiction. A thriller or a memoir. Romance or a self-help book.  

Okay, are you ready for step two? Step two is what we call Old School Research. And we’re the first to admit, that not everyone agrees on this. We believe to write well in any genre or subject, you need to be well-read in that area. What is currently being written? What type of plot resonates with you? What characters speak to you? How do the best-selling stories unfold? What can you LEARN from books you love as well as books you put down after a few pages?

Back when we first started writing we read over 100 books in our genre. While we aren’t telling you to read 100 books before you start writing, we are telling you to read extensively in the genre or subject in which you’re going to write. There are some who disagree with this approach for various reasons. They may worry about copying another author’s work. Probably not. After 100 books, one thing you’ll notice is there’s really no new plot. And how you write your story is all about what you uniquely bring to the table. However, by reading deeply in your selected subject, you’ll have a better understanding of how to make your book stand out from the crowd. You’ll also begin to understand the importance of reader expectations. (More on that down the road!)

Well, what do you think? Are you onboard to read, read, read for the next few weeks while you’re thinking about your book? As you read, keep your notebook handy. Take notes on what you learn, how you’ll be different, what works, and what doesn’t.

If you’d like, share in the comments what you’ve decided to write and what you’ve learned from reading extensively in your subject, and how you’ll use that to write a book that stands out from the crowd. And as always, if you have questions, feel free to ask us.

Next month we’ll talk about knowing where you’re headed. Sound intriguing? 

Sparkle Abbey's latest story (written in first person) is a short but fun one. If you've not yet
checked out PROJECT DOGWAY, this is a great time to do that. 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

So You Want to Write a Book

By Sparkle Abbey

Part 1: Where to Start

All of the wonderful authors in this group have written books. Some have written many books, but we all started somewhere. 

Is there a book in you? If you believe there is, you’re not alone. 

There’s a statistic floating around the internet from a USA Today survey that took place almost twenty years ago that says 81% of Americans feel they have a book in them. We can only assume that percentage is closer to 90% now with many people taking stock of their life goals. Maybe more than 90%.

The first question is: Just because you want to write a book, should you? And the answer is: Maybe.

Writing definitely stretches your creativity and enhances your life. It also can impact the lives of other people. Which is a great reason to write that book!

However, here’s the reality — while anyone can write a book, not everyone will. Why is that? Mostly it’s because writing is hard. And writing, well, is even harder. In the words of Dorothy Parker, “I hate writing, but I love having written.” 

But though it is hard to write well, the truth is that writing is like a muscle. The more you exercise, the stronger you become. The more you write, the more you learn and the stronger your writing becomes. For many, setting aside the time to do that work is the hardest part.

For all of you who have said you’d like to write a book, but don’t really know where to start, we want to help you get moving. No more just thinking about it, we want to help you take action. In the next few months, we’re going to talk about the steps you need to take to write a book. So, let’s get started! 

You’re ready to put in the work.  Where do you begin?

Well, first you need to have something to say. Are you passionate about a story idea that you’d love to read, but no one has written? Do you have a message or belief you’d like to share with others? What idea is constantly on your mind? What is your story worth telling?

Here’s your homework. Pull out a notebook and jot down ideas. Right now, all ideas are good ideas. Don’t overthink it. While you’re recording your thoughts also think about what type of

book you’re going to write. Fiction, non-fiction, self-help, memoir, cookbook. 

If you’d like, please feel free to share in the comments what you might want to write a book about. And if you have questions, feel free to ask. 

Next month we’ll talk about what happens once you’ve settled on your idea!

Sparkle Abbey's latest story (written in first person) is a short but fun one. If you've not yet
checked out PROJECT DOGWAY, this is a great time to do that. 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

Whose Story Is It?

 by Sparkle Abbey

At our most recent Sisters in Crime meeting the discussion topic was "Point of View." An easy technique for some writers, a more difficult one for others. 

Whether using first-person point of view as we do in our books, or third person which is very common in fiction writing, the choice of point of view is an important choice that a writer makes when beginning to tell a story. It will impact every other choice you make along the way. 

First person point of view is narrated by a character in the story. In our case, Caro or Mel, depending on the book. So you never get the story from anyone else's perspective. First person sounds like this, "I don't normally break into people's homes, but today I was making an exception." 

Second person, puts the reader into the story as a character. This isn't one we've used very much. It sounds like this, "You went to work that morning and first thing, you decide you need more coffee." 

Third person limited only lets the reader know what one character at a time thinks and sees. This one is pretty common and can be a very effective way to add suspense to a story. It sounds like this, "He had played this same game before and had anticipated this time out it would be something of a let down." That's from the brilliant Mary Higgins Clark's "You Belong to Me." Certainly a master of suspense writing!

With third person omniscient point of view anything can be revealed about anyone. It's often used at the beginning of a story and then the writer shifts to other POVs to move the reader closer. Many times it reads like this, "Little did they know that..." It's the wide shot and can be an intriguing method to get a readers attention. 

In our opinion, the bottom line is that the very best point of view is the one that goes unnoticed. It's a matter of  - whose story is it? Who can best tell the story in such a way that we don't even think about it. We're just along for the ride!

So readers, do you notice point of view when you read? And do you have a preference for a particular POV? 

Sparkle Abbey's latest story (written in first person) is a short but fun one. If you've not yet checked out PROJECT DOGWAY, this is a great time to do that. 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

Holiday Books & Movies

 by Sparkle Abbey

It's hard to believe that it's December but here we are. Some of us are looking forward to big family gatherings for the first time and a while and others are planning something much more low key for the holidays. Some of us have Christmas shopping done and others have not even begun. Some of us love holiday books and movies and others are...meh.

What's your view? 

We love holiday movies but we both lean toward classic movies. And actually we share the same favorite of the season - "It's a Wonderful Life."

 We simply can't let the holidays go by without at least one viewing. (Maybe more than one because we're certain our families need to see it again, too.)

And then there are other great classics. 

Here are some that top our list: 

• Miracle on 34th Street
• A Christmas Carol 
• Holiday Inn
• Christmas in Connecticut
• A Christmas Story
• White Christmas
• The Preacher's Wife

And more recently films such as "The Man Who Invented Christmas" and "The Holiday" also make the list. 

We also love holiday-themed books though our taste there runs a bit more to crime. Mary Higgins Clark comes to mind as favorites over the years. Her website has a list of MHC Christmas Books. 

There are several resources if you're looking for ideas.  Bibliofile provided this list of the 50 Best Christmas Mysteries and our go-to is always Janet Rudolph's Mystery Fanfare for recommendations and the most complete listings. Here's the recent list of Hanukah Crime Fiction. 

Just like movies we all have different tastes in books and just like you all, we're always looking for new recommendations. So we'd like to hear from you. 

What's your favorite holiday movie and your (most recent) favorite holiday-themed book?

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook,and Twitter their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.

Living Our Best Lives

by Sparkle Abbey

Sometimes it’s a struggle to balance daily life with pursuing our dreams. We’ll be honest, there are days it’s a struggle to just live our best lives.  

After morning coffee, we find ourselves jumping into the day, tackling never-ending projects, putting out fires, and skipping lunch. By the end of the day, we lack the focus and energy to do anything more. 

There are actions we can take to turn the focus back on living our best lives. These aren’t difficult, we just need to make the decision to follow through and make them a habit. 

So, for anyone else who might be struggling to live their best life, here are three habits we want to challenge you, and ourselves, to take on for the next 30 days. 

    1.  Visualize your day

Take 10-15 minutes in the morning and visualize how you want the day to unfold, what you want to accomplish, and how you see the day ending. By doing this you’re more apt to be productive. You can do it over your morning cup (or cups if you’re like us) of coffee, in the shower, or lying in bed before your feet even hit the floor.

Not sure how to visualize your day? Ask yourself the below three questions. See yourself accomplishing those things.

Example: If one of your tasks is to write for 30 minutes, visualize yourself sitting in your writing space, turning on your computer, opening your document, and typing the first sentence. Acknowledge that emotion you feel when you’ve accomplished that task.

• What are three tasks you want to accomplish?
• Who will you interact with?  
• How do you want to end the day?

Okay, now that you have pictured your day, you need to take ACTION to live out that image. You can do it. You’ve seen it.

    2.  Eliminate negative thoughts, emotions, beliefs

We decide what to believe about ourselves. If we’re going to live our best lives, we have to eliminate those beliefs that make us feel incapable, less than, and unworthy. 

I’m not smart enough. People will judge me. Someone else is more deserving. Any of those statements sound familiar? 

Track when you have those thoughts. If you identify when those negative emotions happen you’ll be able to reframe them sooner.

Once you’ve identified your negative self-talk pattern, quiet those thoughts with positivity. What would your best friend tell you if you shared those thoughts with him or her? That’s what you tell yourself. Choose to react with positive feelings, even if it’s something small like, “I love the smell of my coffee this morning.”

    3.  Prioritize your health

Look, if you’re not putting your health first, there is no best life, no dream to conquer, right? Move your body, stay hydrated, eat better, and get sleep. Visualize what a healthy life looks like for you. Put that into action! Here are some ideas:

• Talk a walk around the block
• Drink one more glass of water each day until you’re drinking a minimum of 64oz a day
• Meal prep
• Get eight hours of sleep every night
• Substitute veggies or fruit for chips or crackers
• Instead of picking the closest parking space at the store, pick a spot at the end of the row
• Journal your thoughts

What do you say, are you up for the challenge? Are there other actions or habits you think we should try? If you do join us, keep us updated on how you’re doing. We want to cheer you on!

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, and Twitter their favorite social media sites. 

Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

Clicking Our Heels - Summer Vacation Preferences

CLICKING OUR HEELS – SUMMER VACATION PREFERENCES

Can you believe summer is almost over? Three more days and no more white shoes or white pants! Before summer ends, the Stiletto Gang members thought we’d share our favorite summer vacations – indoors/outdoors, beach/mountains, or staycation.

Debra H. Goldstein:  The Beach! Something about the white capped swirling water and glistening sand is my nirvana.

Anita Carter: Definitely outdoors. One of my favorite vacations was when my husband and I traveled to Hawaii for 10 days. We island hopped. We had the best time at the beach and hiking through the mountains and around the volcanos. I’d love to go again.

T.K. Thorne: I have to see the ocean regularly or something inside doesn’t get fed. Also, I live on a mountain, so I get my tree and fresh air fix every day.

Debra Sennefelder: Staycation. I really don’t like summer weather. I much prefer air conditioning.

Kathryn Lane: My husband and I spend the summers in the mountains of northern New Mexico near Taos, where we enjoy outdoor adventures as well as watching wildlife drift by from our cabin deck.

Dru Ann Love: I like sightseeing various locations, so outdoors. Staycations are good as well.

Kathleen Kaska:  It’s the beach for me – anytime.

Robin Hillyer-Miles: Beach or staycation!

Lois Winston: I much prefer a warm getaway in the winter, but I’m not a beach person. I love exploring museums, ancient sites, and foreign cities.

Linda Rodriguez: Anymore, I’m a stay-at-home person most of the time, thanks to health issues. In summer, you’ll find me inside in the air conditioning or sitting on my spacious porch, spinning or knitting and chatting with my neighbors.

Shari Randall: I’m a culture vulture, so I’d love to somewhere with great museums and theater. I live near a beach, so I’ll admit it, I’m spoiled.

Mary Lee Ashford: My summer vacation preference would be outdoors with a beach and a book! Staycations are fun but since I’ve been working from home since March 2020, I am more than ready to see some walls that aren’t my own.

Gay Yellen: Mountains. Hiking in a cool mountain forest is the best break from summer in the city.

Lynn McPherson: I love the beach and the mountains. I'm home most of the time so when vacation time rolls around I'm ready to go explore new places.

Cathy Perkins: What is a vacation these days? When I can travel again, definitely the beach!

Summer Is Perfect for Shorts!

 by Sparkle Abbey

Here in the Midwest we're finally seeing some regular summer weather but most of this summer has been hot, hot hot!

So no matter what your style vibe is, it's truly been the perfect weather for shorts. 

We're probably apt to flash a little less leg in our choices. 

Mostly because after a year of going nowhere and working inside, we not only don't have any tan lines - we don't have any tans at all. 

Caro and Mel, the heroines in our Pampered Pets mystery series would undoubtedly be much more daring And, after all, they do live in Laguna Beach. 

So, we're thinking they'd have great stylish choices in shorts. 

How about you? Do you wear shorts? 

And, if so, what's your favorite style? 

And by the way, since we're talking short, summer is also the perfect time for short reads. We've been reading some of the award nominated shorts stories. Something quick for the deck or the beach or even for a road trip. So, we're loving great novellas and short stories! And we've also just released our very first short - PROJECT DOGWAY. 

Here's a little bit about it. 

Canines are on the “catwalk” at this Laguna Beach dog fashion show—a heartworm awareness fundraiser—where former Texas beauty queen and currently-not-speaking-to-each-other cousins, Caro and Mel, are in attendance. When award-winning show beagle, Shadow’s, owner drops dead from eating a deadly scallop ceviche, the cousins find themselves embroiled in much more than a fashion “faux paw.”

Project Dogway is available on all ebook platforms: 

Amazon Link

All other platforms

Watch for our next short, coming soon! Any guesses on what Caro and Met will be up to next? 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook,and Twitter their favorite social media sites. 

Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.

Summer time and the livin' was easy...

 by Mary Lee Ashford

Summer time and the livin' was easy... so goes the song.

Here it is - already the first of July and here in the Midwest we are definitely feeling the heat of summer. And the humidity...

I can't even imagine what it's like for some of you who are seeing triple-digit temps. I'm thankful every day that my air-conditioning is working and that I'm not relying on a fan like we did when I was a kid. 

Because I grew up in a very small town, my summers were mostly spent hanging out with friends and reading. 

When I think of summers growing up, I think of the sweet tea that my mom would steep in a pot on the stove and then cool and pour over ice.  In my mind I can smell the green grass that cushioned the blanket in the backyard where I'd park myself for hours with the latest book I'd checked out from the library. A comfy spot and usually a  radio along for a little background music. Now, I'm dating myself, aren't I? 

Different summers, different tastes in reading but always the backyard and a book. One summer I devoured Trixie Belden books. Another time it was Nancy Drew. My mom was an Agatha Christie fan and one summer I started on her collection of mysteries. 

There were chores to do, of course. But in retrospect, life really was pretty slow and easy. Not much rushing about. Time for really diving into a good book. 

What memories come to mind for you when you think about your summers growing up? Were you busy with activities or were your summer days slow and easy like mine? Any favorite reads come to mind? 

Leave a comment below and on Friday, I'll draw a name to receive a fun summer bag and a copy of my most recent book, Quiche of Death. (Or if you already have that one, thank-you for that, and we'll figure out a different one.) 

Mary Lee Ashford is a lifelong bibliophile, an avid reader, and supporter of public libraries. In addition to writing the Sugar & Spice mysteries series for Kensington Books, she also writes as half of the writing team of Sparkle Abbey. Prior to publishing she won first place in the Daphne du Maurier contest sponsored by the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA. 

She's the founding president of Sisters in Crime - Iowa and loves encouraging other writers. Mary Lee has a passionate interest in creativity and teaches a university level course on the topic. In her day job, she is a Deputy Chief Information Officer, and is happy to answer technology questions but probably can't fix your computer. She resides in Iowa with her husband, Tim, and Zoey the cat. Her delights are reading and enjoying her family, especially her six grandchildren. Her family has come to terms with the idea that plotting murders is a frequent topic at family gatherings. 

Quiche of Death - Book 3 in the Sugar & Spice series

When editor Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer went into business creating cookbooks, they found a sideline as amateur sleuths. Now a bitter family grudge could leave a fatal aftertaste…

At Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks, the friends and business partners have secured a tasty new commission: producing a cookbook for the Arbor family. The Arbors have made their fortune in quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance. But it’s soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.

Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble . . . and is found dead the next day. As the investigation unfolds, secrets—and recipes—are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be. As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces . . .and a target on their backs?

Amazonkindle Apple Google Kobo Nook

A Story is Feelings

by Sparkle Abbey

One of the many advantages of a writing team is that you always have someone to talk books with. While we tend to read the same types of books, we don’t always read the same authors, so our chats are a great way to discover the-book-you-didn’t-know-you-needed-to-read.

Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova
from Pexels

During one of our hours-long book conversations, the topic of award-winning books came up. There was one book that we had both recently read, that we agreed was really well written, had a great plot, good twist, interesting characters, but left us. . . .unfulfilled. After a deep dive into what we loved about it, we realized that neither of us had become one hundred percent invested in any of the main characters. Anita likes to call that “imprinting.” By that, she means the character whose emotional story is being told is firmly impressed into her mind in a way that she strongly connects with them.

Don’t misunderstand, that bestseller, award-winning book we were discussing it’s NOT a bad book. We’re still talking about it. We’re just talking about the plot twists and the great writing. But for us, it wasn’t a book that either of us devoured, willing to stay up all night to finish knowing we’d be blurry-eyed, and sleep-deprived the next day. So why not?

The conversation turned to an excellent craft book (who doesn’t love a great book on writing?)

by our dear friend, Cheryl St. John, called Writing With Emotion, Tension, and Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel.  If you’re a writer and have not read this book, read it. It will change the way you write. One of the many amazing takeaways from Cheryl’s book is found on the first page of the introduction. Cheryl writes, “Probably the most important concept I’ve taken away from any book on writing is from Dwight V. Swain’s Techniques of the Selling Writer: A story is feelings.”

So much power in four words. A. Story. Is. Feelings.

Emotions come from the inner conflict, the fight within the characters themselves. When done well, those feeling are strategically woven throughout the story in a way that the reader can “imprint” on the character. As the reader we must know what happens next because we’re emotionally invested in the characters—good, bad, or fatally flawed—and the story those characters are telling.

That’s what we were missing. We didn’t know which character to imprint on, so we didn’t connect to any of the characters on a deeper level. A great lesson for us to apply to our writing. Also, it reminded us that it’s probably time to reread Writing With Emotion, Tension, and Conflict.

If you’ve recently read a book that kept you up all night, tell us about it in the comments. We want to know!

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, and Twitter their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.

Happy Mother's Day to the Moms Whose Kids Have Paws

 by Sparkle Abbey

Today we're wishing an early Mother's Day to all the moms out there and especially to the moms whose kids have paws!

We know they may not always tell you but the dogs and cats and other animals that you walk, feed, and care for in so many way, love you to the moon and back. 

Though the namesakes of our pen name, Sparkle (ML's cat) and Abby (Anita's dog), are now gone, they were such a big part of our lives. We miss them every day. (Please don't get us started or we'll have to tell  you the story of  how with the help of the lovely Catriona McPherson, we left a whole panel, and most of the audience, in tears at a conference a few years ago...) 

However, we also want to share that we do have some other furry rescue pets in our lives now. Zoey (ML's cat) and Sophie (Anita's dog) have their own unique and very definite personalities. And, in fact, they had a little get-to-know-you meeting on the deck last week.

Here's the thing. We can't imagine our lives without our pets. And we'll bet that your pets can't imagine their lives without you. So, let us speak for them and with a "woof" and a "meow" wish you an early happy Mother's Day! 

We'd love to hear about your furry kids! 

Please feel free to share in the comments.

Mary Lee, Anita, Zoey, and Sophie aka Sparkle Abbey 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook,and Twitter their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.

Welcome Kathleen Kaska!

by Sparkle Abbey

We're thrilled to share that Kathleen Kaska has joined The Stiletto Gang group and will be blogging on the first Friday of the month starting tomorrow! So we thought we’d take this opportunity to introduce the award-winning mystery author and learn more about her. 

Q: What do you write?

I write mysteries: mainly cozies, but also traditional and police procedurals, and some nonfiction. I like to try different styles of writing.

I write the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s. This is lighthearted and humorous in the style of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plump series. Each book takes place in a different historic hotel. I also write the Kate Caraway Animal Right’s Mystery Series. I just finished a hardboiled detective mystery set in 1945 Manhattan and am halfway through a zany British detective story set on the North Cornish Coast.

Q: What got you started on your writing journey?

I knew I wanted to write mysteries but didn’t know how to start, so I joined the Austin Writer’s League, now the Writer’s League of Texas, and started taking creative writing classes. I collected how-to writing books, subscribed to writer's magazines, and joined a critique group. In doing so, I tried my hand at different things. Travel writing, articles about education (I was teaching at the time), and even became the editor of a local wildlife organization's newsletter.

Within a short time, I was asked to be a staff writer of an outdoor adventure and fitness magazine. A textbook publisher contacted me to contribute to middle school science textbooks. This didn't help in writing mysteries, but I knew I had to start somewhere. Breaking into the world of fiction writing, and getting published, was not going to be easy, so I started with nonfiction, writing three mystery trivia books. I landed an agent, and all three books sold. Only then did I start writing my own mysteries.

Q: Are you a “spoiler” and read the end of the book before you finish it or do you read cover to cover?

I’m a cover-to-cover reader. I read slowly, often rereading my favorite passages. If I miss the meaning of a sentence, I read it over until I understand. I read from the perspective of a reader and a writer.

Q: Did you have a favorite author as a child?

I wasn’t an avid reader as a child until I read The Island of the Blue Dolphins, followed by The Hound of the Baskervilles. Then I picked up Agatha Christie. Little did I know that I’d eventually write a book about Arthur Conan Doyle, and Agatha Christie.

Q. What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?

I’m a runner and put in several miles every week. This is my quiet, contemplation time where I work out plot issues in my novels and design scenes and conversations between my characters. I am also a birder and enjoy being outdoors with my friends and family. My passion for birds led to the publication of the biography, The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story (University Press of Florida).

Q. What are you working on now?

This year will be a busy, exciting year. I’ve started a new mystery series, I'm just barely into it, and I have a publisher eager to see it when finished. I have another publisher who’s interested in picking up and reissuing my Sydney Lockhart series. And I hope my third Kate Caraway mystery will be released by the end of the year; that’s a big hope.

One of my mystery trivia books, The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book, was picked up, updated, and reissued on November 1, 2020. 

I have podcast interviews coming up in the next few weeks. My website lists the podcast interviews and YouTube interviews, scheduled in the next few weeks, as well as previous events.

Where can readers connect with you?

http://www.kathleenkaska.com

https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor

http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska

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About Kathleen Kaska

I’m a Texas gal. Except for an eighteen-month hiatus living in New York City after college, I lived in the Lone Star State continuously for fifty years. Since then Texas has been hit and miss—a little hit, but a heck of a lot of miss. There was a time when I thought I would happily die in Austin, Texas. But circumstances and weather—especially weather—changed that. Now I spend most of the year on Fidalgo Island in Washington State with a view of the bay and the mountains. When I get homesick, my husband and I listen to Willie Nelson. Soon we are dancing the two-step, imagining we are at our favorite honky-tonk in Tokyo, Texas where the mayor is believed to be a dog. Who wouldn’t miss that?

I write the awarding-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Classic Triviography Mystery Series, which includes The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book, which was updated and released by Lyons Press on November 1, 2020. My Kate Caraway animal-rights mystery series includes Run Dog Run (2017) and A Two Horse Town (2019). Eagle Crossing is scheduled for release in 2021. On my website, you can also find my Five-Minute Writing Tips and blog posts about publishing, marketing, birding, and quirky things that come to mind.

 

Eat, Drink and Be Murdered

by Sparkle Abbey

What is it with food and mysteries?

In some mysteries, food is front and center like Sparkle's, uhm, Mary Lee's, Game of Scones or Risky Biscuits. But even if the theme isn't food-related like in our Pampered Pet mysteries, food and drink play an important part because of what food, and interactions involving food, tell us about people.

You'll often find our main characters, Caro and Mel, at their favorite coffee shop, the Koffee Klatch, chatting with Detective Malone, Betty Foxx, or even sometimes a suspect. And what someone chooses to eat or drink, and how they enjoy their food tells us a lot about the character. 

Is it a fancy coffee and a tasty treat? No-fuss black coffee? Do they stop and savor their selection? Or grab something to go? 
 

Do you notice what people are eating in the books you read? What do their food choices reveal about the characters?

In honor of Valentine's Day we wanted to share a fun, pink drink we discovered while perusing the Food Network's website for some inspiring recipes our character might want to try. The Queen of the Rodeo was inspired by the fabulous Dolly Parton!

Queen of the Rodeo - From Food Network

Shake 2 ounces vodka, 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur, 3/4 ounce each lime juice and grapefruit juice, and 1/2 ounce pomegranate syrup in a shaker with ice. Strain into a glass, garnish with a lime wheel, and dust with edible pink glitter.

*If you'd like a non-alcoholic version, leave out the vodka and substitute cherry syrup.

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.

How to Meet Those Yearly Goals Everyone is Talking About

by Sparkle Abbey

We love the fresh start of a new year! With 2020 in the rear-view mirror, a fresh start has never felt more important than it does right now. We are strong believers that our present path doesn’t have to determine our final destination but can represent where we started. And we’re starting with a clear vision of what we want out of 2021.

For those of you who have followed us, you know we LOVE to set goals. Not just writing goals, but spiritual, health, personal, financial, and career goals, too. We’ve talked about the importance of setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) in the past, so this time we’d like to share some tips that help us keep on track with achieving our goals. Because honestly, setting the goal is the easy part. Following through is a challenge.

 1.       Write Them Down

We do mean, write. There’s something to be said about handwriting your goals that helps you visualize what you want to accomplish. And if you’re like us, without writing them down, you’re bound to forget by the end of the month. When you see those goals in writing it helps you focus. There’s a fascinating article about the psychology of writing down goals that explain the relationship between writing down goals and achieving them better than we can. Take a quick minute and check it out.

2.       Tell Someone

It’s all about accountability. Share your goals with someone. We all need a cheerleader in our corner to motivate us to keep going when we’re tired or discouraged.

3.       Do Something Every Day

You’ve heard the saying before, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” It’s similar to meeting your goal. You meet goals by taking one step at a time. For a financial goal, that can be as simple as putting $1 a day into an envelope, or instead of buying that latte, Venmo that money to your savings account. If it’s a fitness goal, schedule a twenty-minute meeting with yourself to take a walk. You get the idea.

4.       Accept That You Will Have A Setback

Hey, life happens. All you have to do is remember 2020. Enough said. When you have a setback, readjust and don’t feel guilty about it. The time you spend feeling guilty is time you could have spent towards reaching your goal.

5.       Check-in

Remember when we said to tell someone? This is where you check-in with that person or persons and hold yourself accountable. What did you do to get yourself closer to your goal? What worked? What didn’t? Maybe they can offer some advice if what you’re doing isn’t working the way you had envisioned.

6.       Celebrate Your Successes

When you reach that goal, make sure you take the time to celebrate. Rewards, big or small, will help you stick to your goals. Pro tip: don’t let the reward set you back from meeting other goals. If you’re trying to improve your fitness and diet, don’t celebrate your new promotion or outstanding book sales on a couple of margaritas. Maybe have a vodka with club soda and a squeeze of lime. Just sayin’.

We hope these tips work for you. Now go forth and conquer 2021. We believe in you!

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.