Solving My Murderous POV!

By Laura Spinella

In the thick of storytelling, the nitty-gritty, nose-to-the-grindstone act of putting words on a blank page, there are bound to be roadblocks. If there aren’t, you’re not doing it right. That's not to say there’s a magic bullet or formula. It’s just that you can’t get from point A to point B without hitting a few glitches and in some instances a landmine.

I am in the midst of writing book seven. Lucky seven. If all goes well, it will be the third book to make it onto store shelves. Of course, that doesn’t lessen the learning curve of those trunk novels. Surely, I garnered more from the misfits than the books that had legs and, eventually, a spine. The premise for my new book came fairly easy, so I came prepared for some other sort of problem. Perhaps my pace would be off kilter and my love story tepid at best. But no, that wasn’t it. I sailed into midpoint, anxious as a reader to find out how it all works out for Aubrey and Levi. My research has gone well too. My former editor-in-chief has graciously allowed me tap into his vast newspaper knowledge. That's a great thing, helping me fine tune character and storyline details. In fact, the biggest challenge had been physical. The mind is willing. The body not as able as it used to be. My arthritic neck and a nagging pinched nerve (paints a lovely haggard witch picture, doesn’t it?) have decided that sitting for hours is not in their best interest. But physical pain is not as compelling as mental anguish, and I was having hard time accepting it as this book’s issue. Frankly, I worried that the process was going too well.  

Then, last week, everything changed.  I just didn't step on my landmine, I fell face first into it. The problem came into focus as I backed the truck up and decided to read my WIP.  There it was, crystal clear: the POV in the past portion of the story is a hellacious mess. It truly, absolutely, completely sucks. Seriously sucks. For the most part, my writing relies on a back-and-forth method of storytelling. They’re not flashbacks but an intertwining of chapters moving between two distinct periods of time. I’ve been asked if this is intentional. It is, but only as a means to an end. It’s the way my mind or muse conveys a story. In BEAUTIFUL DISASTER and PERFECT TIMING, the past storyline is mostly about the romance. In this book, it chronicles the events leading up to a murder. It also includes a darker, somewhat twisted romance. Initially, this is what intrigued me, writing a socially unacceptable love story and seeing if I could get readers (not to mention my agent & editor) to buy into it. For that part, we’ll see. Right now, my problem is a murderous POV.

 I thought an omniscient telling would be the key to these in-the-past chapters.  I like the distance that an omniscient POV provides. There’s no need to get too chummy with the characters here. But an omniscient POV doesn’t come naturally to me, a fact proven when I reviewed my WIP. An out loud reading left me queasy and looking for a quick exit.  The dogs, my captive audience, practically howled in protest.  I didn’t recognize the writer, the voice tip-toeing between characters and that removed but all-knowing presence.  My go-to fix might be multiple POVs separated by scene. It would keep things rolling along, although I don’t know if it would be admitting defeat. I don’t like to lose. But I also like climbing into my characters' heads, one at a time, rooting around for their side of things. This is what I'm good at.  Those voices come clearly, and it could be that I’m shooting myself in the foot by trying to prove I can do it. For now I’ve abandoned the problem, pursuing forward motion with what is working. But before long I will have to revisit Missy and Frank and the ensemble that awaits me in Surrey, Mass, circa 1993. I will have to decide.  

So I’m wondering Stiletto Gang writers of mystery—or anyone who has a thought on the subject—what POV works best for you. Do you venture outside your comfort zone if the story dictates? Should I stick with my omniscient effort? Am I doing what’s best for this story, or am I only being stubborn about mastering a skill that doesn’t come naturally to my set? Like any good editorial, opinions are welcome!         

Laura Spinella is the author of the award winning novel, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER and the upcoming novel, PERFECT TIMING. Visit her at www.lauraspinella.net. 

      

The Healing Power of Aromatherapy by Chrystle Fiedler

By Chrystle Fiedler

I’ve been learning, researching and writing about natural remedies for the past decade or so. The more I learn, the more I want to know. Recently when I was researching my newest mystery, I delved into the practice of aromatherapy, which is the practice of using essential oils to improve health and well-being. Aromatherapy can ease stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, aches and pains, and more.

It’s fascinating to discover how aromatherapy works. You see, plants produce essential oils for a variety of reasons to attract pollinators, to protect against bacterial and/or fungal invasion, to deter pests, and to inhibit other plants from growing near them. Through a process of distillation these essential oils are removed from plants.

Essential oils can be extracted from the leaves (eucalyptus), grass (lemongrass), seeds (fennel), fruit/zest (mandarin),flowers (rose), wood/trunk of tree (cedarwood), roots (ginger), resins (frankincense), and herbs (rosemary). Three of my favorite scents are lavender,jasmine and roses, so I thought I’d share a few simple tips on how to use them today.

Not only does Lavender (the Latin verb lavare means “to wash”) smell terrific, it’s calming and soothing and good for cuts and burns, insomnia, diaper rash, tension headache, PMS and cramps (use with clary sage and Roman chamomile). The phytochemicals (plant-based chemicals linalool and linalyl acetate) in lavender are absorbed in the skin and in the membranes inside your nose, slowing nerve impulses, and reducing stress. An easy way to start using lavender is to put five to ten drops of essential oil in your bath. Add the oil after you have filled the tub so you can enjoy the full benefits of this wonderful aroma.

The aroma of jasmine (Jasminum officinale v. grandiflorum) is intoxicatingly sweet, exotic, and floral. It’s also incredibly therapeutic for a variety of conditions. Jasmine essential oil eases mild depression, anxiety, and tension. It also balances energy and helps you feel more optimistic. It calms coughs and laryngitis, soothes sore muscles, stiffness, and sprains. You can apply it topically, use it on a warm or cool compress, put it in the bath, inhale it from your palm, or put it in an electronic diffuser to disperse small aromatic particles into the air.

I love the rich, sweet floral bouquet of roses and the approximately 275 compounds have a myriad of therapeutic uses. For example, if you apply it topically, rose oil can help banish eczema, wrinkles, and acne. If you feel blue, rose essential oil will naturally lift your mood. If you have painful periods, it helps to balance hormones (just put the oil on a warm compress and apply to your lower abdomen). Rose oil also eases nervousness, anxiety, anger, sadness, and grief and can be helpful if you have respiratory problems such as allergies and hay fever. You also use rose oil to help you sleep better and feel happier. For all these conditions, simply put some on your palm and inhale it or put rose essential oil into a diffuser. Your bedroom will smell like an English garden.

To make an aromatic spritzer with any of these scents, just add 10 to 25 drops of essential oil per 4 ounces of water in a squirt bottle. Be sure to shake it each time before you use it.

The effectiveness of aromatherapy depends on the quality and wholeness of the essential oils you use, so it's important to use the very best essential oils possible. You want to avoid any synthetics, reconstructions, perfumes, and other adulterated versions. One of my favorite places for essential oils is Floracopia www.floracopia.com. Start with one essential oil that appeals to you and see how you feel after using it. The wonderful thing about natural remedies like the practice of aromatherapy is that they are, in most regards, safe and easy to use (don’t take internally though, and keep away from children) and the varieties are endless. Enjoy!

*** For a chance to win a copy of Scent to Kill: A Natural Remedies Mystery just leave a comment on this blog.

Here’s the scoop on Scent to Kill: A Natural Remedies Mystery

Willow McQuade, naturopathic doctor, along with her hunky ex-cop boyfriend Jackson Spade, attend a party for a psychic TV show that is filming on Long Island’s idyllic East End. However, Willow is much more interested in visiting the estate’s lavender farm, seeking inspiration for the new aromatherapy workshops she'll be holding at her store, Nature’s Way Market and Café.

Before the party is over, Roger Bixby one of the producers is dead and the police suspect murder. Roger was working on the show, MJ’s Mind, with Carly Bixby, his ex-wife and the new girlfriend of Willow's ex from L.A., TV writer/producer Simon Lewis. After Willow leaves the party, she gets a frantic text from Simon asking for her help. Since Simon had a fight with Roger earlier in the evening, and because of his death is now the primary shareholder in Galaxy films, Willow's ex becomes the prime suspect. Simon begs her to crack the case and clear him of the murder. MJ McClellan, the psychic and star of the show also asks Willow for help. She hires Willow to provide natural remedies, including aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture and yoga to soothe the agitated crew of her show.

To find the killer, Willow has to deal with ghosts in a haunted mansion, a truly dysfunctional family, death threats and “accidents,” while trying to untangle a homicide identical to one committed during prohibition. Thankfully, Jackson has been hired to provide security and is there to watch her back and help Willow solve this spooky mystery.

As a bonus, you’ll find dozens of natural aromatherapy cures throughout the book that can improve your health. I think you’ll be surprised as how much they can help you feel better in mind, body and spirit!


Chrystle Fiedler is the author of SCENT TO KILL, (Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster) the second in the NATURAL REMEDIES MYSTERY series, DEATH DROPS: A Natural Remedies Mystery, the non-fiction title THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO NATURAL REMEDIES (Alpha, 2009), co-author of BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW! (Fairwinds Press, 2010), currently in its fourth printing, the BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW!COOKBOOK (Fairwinds Press, 2012) and THE COUNTRY ALMANAC OF HOME REMEDIES (Fairwinds, 2011). Chrystle’s magazine articles featuring natural remedies have appeared in many national publications including Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Better Homes and Gardens and Remedy. Visit http://www.chrystlefiedler.com

I Miss the Elegance of the Oscar Ceremonies of Old

When did the powers that be decide that crass and obnoxious should be be the theme of the Oscars?

Needless to say I was not impressed with the young man who was chosen to be the master of ceremonies this year. I don't enjoy people being made fun of--and even though the audience laughed, I'm not sure they did either.

I miss the David Niven kind of host who can be sophisticated even when a streaker ran across the stage. Surely we still have some of those celebrities in Hollywood.

The female stars did look elegant in their beautiful gowns. Those who won were gracious in their thank-yous. And there was some marvelous entertainment. I loved Les Miserables, the movie, and the presentation at the Oscars was wonderful. And how great it was to see and hear Barbra Streisand and her wonderful voice.

I had to chuckle at Daniel Day Lewis's comment about all the different men his wife has had to live with when he's playing a role. Years ago, my husband was in community theater and he stayed in his role through the duration of he play. I lived with a gangster, a detective, a black man (hubby was in A Member of the Wedding playing a part none of the blacks would play because it was too Uncle Tom), and he placed a Chief in the Navy in Mr. Roberts when he was a Chief in the Navy. The easiest of these men to live with since it was type casting. He even wore his real uniform.

I love the Oscars even when I'm critical of the hosts or actors who have to throw in political comments.

My father worked for Paramount Studios when it was one of the top studios. He was a master plumber and as such got to know many of the stars. There were only a few he respected because of their lack of morals and kindness towards others. Besides finding and fixing broken pipes and other such problems, he often had to figure out how to make something that involved water could work in a movie. He knew exactly how things worked and when we were at the movies pointed out things like vapor trails in the sky that shouldn't be there, telephone poles before telephones, painted backgrounds, toy trains instead of real ones, an ocean scene that was done in a tank on the back lot. Of course filming on location and computers have changed all that.

We always watched the Oscars as a family once they were on television. My dad told us his opinion of each star as they appeared. My sister and I loved it. He made us feel like insiders.

I liked the winners this time. I loved Daniel Day Lewis' portrayal of Lincoln.

What was fascinating about Argo is that though everyone knew it was going to end well, it didn't keep our hearts from beating faster and wanting to urge them to hurry as they headed for the grand escape--and that's what made Argo Oscar worthy.

What was your opinion of the Oscars this year?

Marilyn 

Learning to Walk in Heels

The Stiletto Gang welcomes LynDee Walker, author of Front Page Fatality.

 

by LynDee Walker

I see it every day: women strutting around confidently in three-and-four-inch stilettos that could double as works of art, as un-tottering and sure-footed as if they were wearing Nikes.

Until a couple of years ago, I had no idea how they did it.

When my friends were learning to walk in gorgeous shoes, I was curled up somewhere with my nose in a book, seeing no need to put anything on my feet that would make me stick out more than I already did. I’m almost 6 feet tall, and while I’ve grown to appreciate that, in high school it was the bane of my existence. I was taller than half the boys in my class, and always, always the tallest girl. I had absolutely zero desire to accentuate what I saw as a flaw.

Then I grew up. I figured out that some boys like tall girls. I learned to stand up straight and hold my head high in a crowd. I focused on the good things about my height: I can reach things other people can’t (if I had a dollar for every time a little old lady has asked me to get something off a high shelf at the grocery store, hubby and I could retire right now) and I can keep an eye on my little ones more easily in crowded places.

With my newfound appreciation for my height, I browsed the pretty shoes, but still never bought any because I was afraid I’d teeter until I toppled right over on my face.

So when I started writing fiction after leaving my reporting career to be a stay-at-home-mom, my heroine could not only wear the shoes, she could run in them and kick butt in them, too (I didn’t believe this was possible until I saw a dear friend of mine do it. I still kind of think it’s a superpower, but she swears that when you wear heels every day, you can do anything in them).

Nichelle is as tall as I am, and she wears her eBay-gotten Louboutins with confidence, which is one of many things I love about her. So when I finished writing Front Page Fatality, I settled on a pair of killer stilettos as my celebratory present.

I took my shoe superhero friend with me to pick them out, and fell in love with a pair of peep-toes with four-inch heels. She stayed in Macy’s shoe department with me for two hours, teaching me how to wear them without falling. I’m not sure what made me feel more accomplished: writing a novel, or wearing those shoes out of the store.

With three small children, a household to run, and a writing career that’s just taking off, I don’t wear them every day. I definitely teeter a bit for the first few minutes when I do put them on. But when I get the hang of walking in them, I channel a bit of Nichelle’s confidence and stand up straight.

******

Excerpt of Front Page Fatality:

I paused outside Bob’s door, where Grant Parker was chatting with the features editor about the baseball season. I couldn’t remember ever having spoken more than a dozen words to Parker, an almost-professional pitcher who was regarded around Richmond as just slightly less than Zeus’ son, but the column he’d talked about in the meeting caught my attention.

I cleared my throat lightly and he turned his head, his bright green eyes widening a touch when they met mine. He was tall, but in my heels, I was almost nose-to-nose with him.

“What can I do for you, Miss Clarke?” He flashed the smile that made most women here channel their corset-bound ancestors and swoon—and sold a fair number of newspapers, too.

“I wanted to say thank you,” I said, shifting my file folder to the other arm. “For the column you’re doing today. My mom is a breast cancer survivor, and it’s nice you’re writ- ing about it. The sports section isn’t usually where you’d look for a breast cancer story. So thanks.”

“You’re so welcome.” His eyes dropped to the square- toed perfection of the shiny blue stilettos I’d shoved my feet into between my early morning body combat class and my mad dash to the meeting, then raised back to mine. “Nice of you to say so. I didn’t know you read my column.”

“I don’t.” I smiled. “But I will tomorrow.”

“I guess I’d better be on my A game, then.” He ran a hand through his already-messy blond hair and grinned at me again.

“I guess you’d better.” I took a step backward. “I’m told I can be tough to impress.”

“I do love a challenge.” He raised his eyebrows and twisted his mouth to one side.

“I bet you do.” I shook my head, making a mental note to call my mother as I turned and headed for my ivory cubicle, Parker and his too-perfect smile forgotten. Charles Bronson. Dead guys. The nagging feeling there was something beyond the obvious on the murdered dealers got stronger the more I thought about the scattered details I’d heard on the scanner.

******

LynDee Walker grew up in the land of stifling heat and amazing food most people call Texas, and wanted to be Lois Lane from the time she could say the words “press conference.” An award-winning journalist, she traded cops and deadlines for burp cloths and onesies when her oldest child was born. Writing the Headlines in Heels mysteries gives her the best of both worlds. When not writing or reading, LynDee is usually wrangling children, eating barbecue or enchiladas, or trying to walk off said barbecue and enchiladas. Her debut novel, Front Page Fatality, is an amazon top 10 bestseller. She and her family live in Richmond, Virginia.  You can visit her online at www.lyndeewalker.com.

FRONT PAGE FATALITY: A Nichelle Clarke Headlines in Heels Mystery (Henery Press, January 29, 2013)

lyndee@lyndeewalker.com

Get a signed copy and support a wonderful independent bookshop: Fountain Bookstore

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Number Sixteen and Still Smiling

By Laura Bradford

Happy March, everyone!

I'm going to rely largely on pictures for today's post but I think it'll be easy to see why...

This morning, on the way to my once-a-week Yoga class, I will be taking these 400 + postcards to the post office and dropping them in the mailbox. Dear Daughter # 2 was hired as my personal assistant this past week to label and stamp all of these.

Why? Well because of this...

Yes, that's a box. A big brown box delivered to me last night by my adorable UPS man (love him).  But as nice as that box is, it's what's inside that gets me giddy...

My brand new Amish Mystery, ASSAULTED PRETZEL. This second book in the series (my 16th overall) officially releases on Tuesday, although I've been hearing reports (hi, Mom) of people who have found and bought (again, hi Mom) it early.

The book has done pretty darn well for itself in review season with RT Magazine giving it 4-stars and Publisher's Weekly saying, "well portrayed characters and authentic Amish lore make this a memorable read."

As for what this book is to me? It's a labor of love. I'm fascinated by the Amish and have loved integrating them and their beliefs/customs into a mystery novel.

For more information (including a sneak peek at the first chapter of the new book), visit: www.laurabradford.com.  If you sign up for the newsletter while you're there, you'll get your very first installment of this three or four times a year gem on Tuesday!!

~Laura

Girl Scout Cookies and Ducks who Refuse to Die

by Maria Geraci

With a title like that I'm sure you're going WHAT? Currently, I'm in full writer mode frantically typing away on a manuscript that was supposed to be due to my agent a few weeks ago. Granted, that deadline was one of my own making, but still. I hate getting behind on my writing but this winter has seen the death of my computer along with numerous other set backs including a lot of extra time spent on the day job (labor and delivery nurse) that just can't be helped.

But the good news is that I am now on a roll. With the help of a genius husband who it seems can fix anything computer related (love my nerdy engineer!), the help of an old story, and a few boxes of Tagalongs I'm back in the proverbial saddle again.

Hemingway had his liquor. Me, I have my Girl Scout cookies. It seems there is nothing like a good old fashioned peanut butter and chocolate sugar high to keep my butt firmly planted in the chair in front of my desk. Of course, soon, my butt might not fit in said chair, but that's another story. Inspiration is not something to be taken lightly. No matter where it comes from.

Speaking of which, my current wip has taken a little inspiration from a real life duck tale I blogged about a few years ago.

A duck (later nicknamed Perky) who had been shot by a hunter and presumed dead was found alive by the hunter's wife in their refrigerator. The duck had been in the fridge for 2 days when the wife heard something strange, opened the fridge, and found the duck staring at her (I think I would have lost my Girl Scout cookies at this point). She took the duck to an emergency vet where the duck had surgery and was later adopted by the local wildlife sanctuary, giving Perky a happily ever after.

For some reason, I've always been intrigued by this story. Maybe it's the sheer improbability of it all. Or the quirkiness of it. I'm not sure. All I will say is that whenever I think my story is dead in the water, something miraculously brings it back to life. Sort of like Perky. It just doesn't want to die.

The point of all being is that when Inspiration comes, in no matter what form, jump on it.

Whodunit? Me!

by Bethany Maines

On my recent trip to Iceland we were watching the BBC channel in the hotel room before going to bed (the entertainment value of the Icelandic Shopping Network could only last so long) and I caught a fun segment about the British Library which is showing an exhibit called Murder in theLibrary: An A-Z of Crime Fiction. The exhibit looks at the development of the whodunit genre and features the “10 Commandments” of Monsignor Ronald Knox. 

If you haven’t looked up the good Monsignor’s rules they basically consist of some guidelines to prevent the author from pulling solutions to a problem out of thin air and keep a story based in reality.  The rules hold up pretty well even over 80 years after being written – except for that one about the Chinamen.  I’m not really sure what that rule was attempting to accomplish, but we’ll hope that it wasn’t as racist as it sounds. 

Anyway, once I returned home I did a quick google on the exhibit and found an interesting article that covered the rules and posed the question: Is the Whodunit dead? Has the reading public moved on to thrillers, true crime and procedurals?  Is the Whodunit now a passé relic of an older time?

Well, I have to say that if I took a survey of the authors on this blog that the answer would be a definitive, “No!” The Whodunit is alive and well on the Stilletto Blog – whether it’s Joelle Charbonneau’s roller skating heroine cleaning up a small town mysteries or Maggie Barbieri’s college professor solving murders with the help of a handsome NYPD homicide detective – our gang write crimes that get solved.

It’s my personal theory that books, like music, no longer have one mainstream genre that is overwhelmingly popular. The world has more readers than ever and that allows readers to pick the specific genre that appeals to them.  The Whodunit may no longer be THE thing to read, but I don’t think it’s being read any less.  In fact – I’m about to start reading a new one today.  

THE TESTING - Giveaway!

by: Joelle Charbonneau

As I am frantically typing the final chapters to GRADUATION DAY (book 3 of The Testing Trilogy), I have found that my ability to multitask has become severely impacted.  Getting to THE END tends to give me tunnel vision. Nothing exists but completing the story.  Then the fun of editing will begin. I look forward to that part a great deal and can't wait to dig in. 

Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, I will have reached the final moments of this trilogy.  This has been an unusual project for me since I will finish writing and revising the third book long before the first book comes out on June 4th.  Hopefully, readers will embrace Cia and that I have done justice to her story.  She is a heroine I have loved watching grow and change.

To celebrate my (almost) completion of the final book, I am going to give away an ARC of THE TESTING.

It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await. 


THE TESTING is a bit different from my adult mysteries.  No camels or angry standard poodles.  No singing and dancing or roller skating.  But I'm hoping you'll still like it.  Please leave a comment below to enter (US and CANADA only - sorry!).  I'll choose the winning commenter on Friday.  Also please leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.   

Okay - back to racing to THE END!