How to Make a Killing Writing Murder Mystery by Vanessa C. Hawkins

 

 

 Vanessa Hawkins Author Page

    So if you've been keeping track of the Books We Love Website (which... if you haven't, why not?) then you know that the upcoming Canadian Historical Mystery Series is on its way! My book, entitled Twice Hung, is the tenth book in this exciting new venture, and I am excited to tell you a little bit about it. 

It's a murder mystery. 

    No, but seriously, it will be one of the first serious mystery novels that I've wrote, and while I've been doing a ton of research on how to create some good mystery, I have come across a few tips I thought I'd share with ya'll because... well, I luv ya all a bit! 

I was going to pick meme that highlighted how much I loved my blog readers but... 
this meme was way more me...

So NUMBER ONE!

The Victim: Yeah, they may not be around much, but they are still very important to the story. Whether or not your mystery started with their untimely demise, it's important to know about the events that led up to it. Who was your victim and why did someone want them dead? Why were they in the wrong place at the wrong time, and/or what was their relationship to the killer? What is also important was their character. Did they have it coming, or should we sympathize with the newly dead? 

TWO!

The Murderer: This may be the most interesting character in your story, after the main protagonist. Knowing who they are is essential in creating not only a great story, but one that keep readers turning pages. I love gray area people, and by that I mean creating characters (not just antagonists) with a bunch of flaws. I believe its a key to being human and gives writers a way to allow their protagonists to overcome personal obstacles. How is the murderer similar to the protagonist? How are they different? Do we sympathize with them at all? Keep your reader guessing. 

THREE! 

Red Herrings: Mysteries are the most fun when there are plenty of twists involved. However, that sometimes means keeping one step ahead of your readers. Subtle hints are key, but give too many and they may guess the end before it comes. Think George R. R. Martin and Jon Snow... (Maybe that's the REAL reason he hasn't finished the books, because everyone had already guessed the ending.)

FOUR!

Foreshadowing: As mentioned above, suble keys are great, especially when you finally get to the "Ah ha!" moment. If the ending doesn't make sense, or seems out of left field, it's probably because it is, and because you didn't leave enough puzzle pieces for the reader to collect. This can really make or break a mystery for me, because if the ending doesn't seem justified, it just makes me think that the author was too dumb to outsmart me and if that's the case then... wow... really?

... it's possible...

 FIVE!

Beta Readers: Get someone else to read your book when you are done. This applies to anything you write, but is especially important for mystery novels. It's hard to know if the clues you left behind were sufficient or way too obvious, but for a beta reader, they can tell you if they saw the ending from a mile away, or if it didn't pack enough punch. 

So that's it. My sure fire way to create a mystery novel. I'm sure there are way more tips, but these were my integral five. Twice Hung will be out next year, and I am so excited! In the meantime, check out the cover image, and head on over to Books We Love to discover more about the series and read some super exciting blurbs! 

Cheers! 

  

Being a Writer Isn't Always About the Story By Connie Vines #Writing, #BWLInsidersBlog, #connievines-author.com

 There is a common myth that writers feel like writing all the time.

My writing process is tied to my emotions and the well-known writer's anxiety.   

Sometimes traumatic events in a writer's personal life can stop the creative flow--not forever but for a time. 

Why?

Because how the process of writing works or doesn't work can be fascinating or frustrating. 

(license rights by Canva)

Being a writer is not just the creative process, the editing, and the re-editing; it's about the hustle and the sell. It's about readers leaving a positive review.

It is also about sharing, caring, and interacting with others. It is also about sharing joy.

It's about a birthday trinket from a younger (and taller) adult sibling 😀.

Author's personal photo

Enjoying your first cup of hot pumpkin spice (hold the whip) latte for the season. 🎃☕

The scent of a pot of vegetable soup simmering on the stovetop and a pan of cornbread baking in the oven.

And the joyous laughter of your eldest granddaughter during the chaos of her bridal shower. And the fashion a 'wedding dress' from rolls of toilet paper contest. 

My two pups play with a toy and wrestle on the couch while I try to sip my morning cup of coffee and listen to the news. Of course, a toy hits my head and lands in my mug.

Chanel (not guilty, lol)

Gavin ( guilty: note Orange fox toy)

Every aspect of a writer's life is fodder for a future story, a newly minted character, or a scene. Emotions experienced by a writer weave their way into a fictional character. This is what defines the 'voice of an author.' 

The author's voice is just as important, if not more important, than the plot, setting, or storyline.

I believe this to be true because the author's voice is a writer's style, the quality that makes their writing unique. A character's voice is a character's speech and thought patterns in a narrative. The latter voice is one of the most vital elements of a story for fiction readers. (cite Google search).

Life is also about book teasers 😉...

Happy Almost Halloween!

"You and Elvis have done a great job on this house," Meredith said as her older sister led the way downstairs toward the kitchen, where the tour began. 

"Sorry I couldn't get over until now, but I've been sort of...well, busy." Slipping her Juicy Couture tortoise-shell framed sunglasses into a bright pink case, Meredith crammed them into her black Coach handbag. She hoped her sister didn't ask her to define busy. Becoming a zombie, and dealing with the entire raised form the dead issue over the past six months, was not a topic easily plunked into casual conversation.

Pippa waved the comment aside, "I'm glad you like it. We had such fun decorating. Of course, we couldn't do it all at once."

Even though Meredith was in the best relationship with her sister, she couldn't help but feel a sharp nip of jealousy. It hadn't been long since she'd had her own happy home. Unfortunately, she'd filed for divorce from Vicktor, and then there'd been that bizarre little accident where she'd ended up dead and then undead.

How do you feel about an author's voice?

Are you drawn to certain authors?

Or do you like a particular setting? 

Tell me all about it!

You can post to my Twitter/Instagram/or Facebook page :-)

What are you currently reading?  

What do you like best? Badboy/good girl (or reversed), Friends to Lovers, or?

Remember to visit my BWL page :-) Ebooks make great gifts!

Happy Reading,

Connie

XOXO

My BWL page/buy links: https://bookswelove.net/vines-connie/

My blog: http://mizging.blogspot.com/

My website:https://connievines-author.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ConnieVinesAuthor/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/connie_vines?ref

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connievines_author/?hl=en

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Connie-Vines/e/B004C7W6PE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

BarnesandNoble:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/connie%20vines

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tanayia-Whisper-Upon-the-Water-9780228600091/989398745

(Paperback novel: School (Educational) and Library Edition)

Setting as Character by Helen Henderson

Windmaster Legacy by Helen Henderson
Click the cover for purchase information

One of my favorite characters to write is setting. Once a reader suspends belief, the world can encompass whatever the author's imagination can create. Or, possibly more important, places that I would love to visit.

In the Windmaster Novels, readers are invited to journey the high seas, and from mountain heights to cavern depths on an epic quest to save the future of magic. One inspiration for the land of Tarekus in Windmaster Legacy was the Australian outback. The landmark where Lord Dal and Lady Ellspeth were to join the caravan was based on Uluru, or Ayers Rock, the massive sandstone monolith in the heart of the Australia's Northern Territory.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

In the veldt, Dal, Ellspeth and the caravan encounter long-necked animals that eat the tender leaves off the top of trees. These creatures are called by tree-trimmers by the locals.

Settings can not only be where an author wants to go, but have been. Looking through old travel photographs of the Desert of Maine reminded me of the area around Montrat. The area is a perfect place for a rogue mage, such as Leod in Windmaster Golem to practice his spells without anyone being aware of his activities.

Spelunking is a  non-starter for a fun activity. That is unless the ground opens up and swallows you, and traveling the underground is the only hope of escape. On the other hand, Ellspeth willingly entered a cave to save the future of mage. And, she had to do it without the knowledge of what was to come or the comfort of Lord Dal and his magic.

That is not to say that I didn't have real-world experience that served as inspiration for the cave in Windmaster. I have visited caves open to the public from Ohio to New York and used the experience as inspiration for Ellspeth's adventure. Each had their own unique world. Access to the underworld varied from rough-hewn, water-slicked stairs to a modern elevator. Some chambers were narrow and walked. Other sites had large, vaulted rooms with a river running through them and visitors traveled by boat.

The real world does not consist of one environment, one microsystem, or one geography. Varying the setting is important to me. And I hope my readers enjoy their journey in the dunes of Montrat, the scrub of Tarekus, and from mountain heights to cavern depths.

To purchase the Windmaster Novels: BWL

~Until next month, stay safe and read. Helen

Find out more about me and my novels at Journey to Worlds of Imagination. Follow me online at Facebook, Goodreads or Twitter.

Helen Henderson lives in western Tennessee with her husband. While she doesn’t have any pets in residence at the moment, she often visits a husky who have adopted her as one of the pack. 

The Art of Lying- (AKA Creating the Perfect Villain) by Connie Vines

A compulsive liar is defined as someone who lies out of habit. Lying is their normal and reflexive

way of responding to questions. Compulsive liars bend the truth about everything, large and small. For a compulsive liar, telling the truth is very awkward and uncomfortable while lying feels right.

So, you have your “perfect” hero and “perfect” heroine’s character sketches and novel outline at your fingertips.  What about your “not-so-perfect” villain, aka the bad guy?  He’s just the bad guy.  Ah, but the villain is a key player in your novel.  And, you’d like him to be a compulsive liar.  However, you really want to keep the reader guessing. . .

In law enforcement, these actions are called “tells”.

How do you make the “perfect” liar?  You need to know the rules before you can break them.
What will your villain have perfected?  Why, the art of lying, of course.

Ten Tips your Villain Can Teach you about the art of lying

1. Keep your head up:

“In all shows, there is always that moment when the magician risks being discovered,” explains Jacques H. Paget*, illusionist and negotiations expert. For example, when he makes a ball “disappear” as it remains hidden in his other hand, he may tend to tilt his head to the side, a movement which, however small, may be unconsciously perceived by the viewer as an indicator of cheating. “This is an instinctive gesture that we all do when we are afraid of being caught.”
Conclusion: Your villain knows to keep his/her head straight up. This will prevent the other person from getting suspicious.

2. Use the phone:

Sometimes lying is much simpler over the phone.  Deception makes our voices drop a pitch, in order to sound more stable and assured, but lying also exposes us to three negative emotions – fear of getting caught, shame and guilt – and these may just manifest in our voices.  Your villain knows this.  Your hero/heroine may believe the action was unintentional—the first time.

3. Repeat the scenario:

If you are telling a story, the villain knows he/she first needs to integrate it as a complete theatre role. Being an actress does not mean just to learn words. It is also necessary to be at one with your thoughts and emotions. These are the things that will generally reflect your words. And some techniques can better reflect what it feels like:
– Begin and end sentences clearly.
– Take note of punctuation marks, especially full-stops.
– Sustain consonants that make words ring.
– Speak clearly.
– Work on your expressive diction.
Playing your role with sincerity.

 4. Control your actions:

“Our body speaks its own language and never lies,” says Dr. David J. Lieberman, hypnotherapist and a doctor in psychology. If you’re not careful, some little gestures will only end up betraying you.
Embarrassed by your hands, you slip them into your pockets or you lay them on your hips.
You sputter, your smile trembles and cracks as you declare how much you love the gift you received.
You touch your face, you scratch your ear, place a finger on your lips, you rub your eyes or nose to justify your delay in response.

Your face, your hands, your arms punctuate your words belatedly, and in a somewhat mechanical way.

You display a grimace instead of a grin while expressing your joy of learning promoting a colleague.
You pull a folder, a book and computer against your abdomen, as if it were a shield. Without understanding why your partner says there was something wrong with your story…

5. Do not say too much:

You call a friend to postpone a lunch for the third time. Listening to you presenting your perfectly oiled explanations, she begins to find this suspicious, there is just too much justification. To avoid getting caught, you think, better increase the size of your tale: the bigger it gets, the more credible it will seem. Because of its magnitude, it cannot possibly be invented. Your villain knows less is more. . .believable in this case.

6. Put on your sincere face:

Instead of looking your interviewer in the eye, aim for the tip of his nose. It is less destabilizing and you do not have the look diagonally, distant and elusive, whilst you spin your yarn. “Establishing good communication requires eye contact for 60-70% of the time of the dialogue,” says psychoanalyst Joseph Messinger. Also, be wary of your eyebrows wrinkling, your eyes crinkling and your eyelids blinking – they raise doubt.

7. Deviate from the truth:

A good lie always contains an element of truth. “In this case, the truth functions as a decoy.” For example: “I have an appointment with the dermatologist…” is a good primer. Then the embroidery comes in: “… to check my moles,” but you casually omit “…and to complete my Botox sessions.” It’s just a shot you have to take.

8. Do not say I:

Your villain knows to entrench himself/herself behind objective, impersonal, irrefutable facts.  “My company recruits only its sales executives with a certain diploma/certificate” … that your friend’s son happens not to possess, of course.

9. Camouflage:

Sharpen a pencil. Hang a picture. Drink coffee. Practicing an activity to pass the time is unquestionably the best camouflage for a lie. Is what any expert in non-verbal communication will tell you. The ideal situation? Lying whilst you are behind some sort of wall or partition, in order to neutralize body language, which is less controllable than words. It is essentially a way of saying that those with mowing the lawn or trimming hedges are at an advantage for if they want to lie.
Little lies?  Big lies?  Huge lies?

It’s your story.

It’s your chance to create the “perfect” villain.


Here are a few of my fave classic villains in literature:

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The White Witch
Key quote: "You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill... And so, that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property."

The Final Problem by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Key quote: "[Moriarty] is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. He has a brain of the first order. He sits motionless, like a spider in the center of its web, but that web has a thousand radiations, and he knows well every quiver of each of them."

Dracula by Bram Stoker


Key quote: "We are in Transylvania, and Transylvania is not England. Our ways are not your ways, and there shall be to you many strange things"

Do you have a favorite villain?

Who was was your 'unexpected' villain is a story?


Happy Reading,

Shopping Links to Connie's Books:

BookBub

BWL

Smashwords

books2read

iBooks

Walmart

Writing About the Weather in Fiction by Connie Vines

Writing about the weather in your novel, and writing about it well, is critical for an atmospheric story.

It’s also a great shortcut…

A simple description of storm clouds gathering on the horizon, say, can foreshadow troubled times ahead in the plot, or act as a symbol for the character’s mood. And it can do it in a short space.

It’s easy to forget just how important a part of our everyday lives the weather is.

We think about it so much that we’re rarely conscious of thinking about it at all. But it affects everything.

·         Our mood.

·         Our health.

·         Sometimes even our survival.

Ignoring the weather in the stories we tell just isn’t an option.

In the real world, we chat about the weather even when there’s nothing much to say. Which is fine – small-talk helps to oil the cogs of society. But having two characters in a novel talk about unremarkable weather, or having the narrator describe a perfectly ordinary rain shower, say, can send the reader straight to sleep.

Another problem with writing about the weather is that it’s easy to resort to cliches.

·         The rain lashed down on the rooftops.

·         The heat rose off the tarmac in shimmering waves.

·         The wind made the tree branches dance.

Good descriptive writing should be fresh, original, memorable – even unexpected. But because we talk about the weather all the time (and read so much about it in fiction, too), finding unique and exciting ways to describe thunderstorms or blizzards or perfect summer days can be tough.

WHY WEATHER IS IMPORTANT IN A NOVEL

Here are four reasons why weather matters in fiction.

1. It’s Part of the Setting

Not only that, it’s a crucial part of the setting, particularly when the weather shifts from being ordinary to extreme.

Imagine two characters in a novel, a husband and a wife, driving along a deserted highway. They’re fighting about whose fault it is that they’re lost. Outside, it is…

·         Freezing. Everywhere is white with snow and it’s tough keeping the car on the road.

·         Scorching. It’s the hottest August day on record… and the air conditioning is on the blink.

·         Stormy up ahead. And they’re driving right into it!

·         Foggy. They can barely see the road in front of them.

Each of these conditions would give the scene a totally different feel. But even when the weather is not especially remarkable – a warm summer’s evening, a cold and bright morning in autumn – it still gives scenes very different moods and atmospheres.

But if you don’t mention the weather at all in your writing, not even briefly, an important element will be missing from the mental image in the reader’s mind.

2. It Affects Character

Just as the weather affects our mood in the real world, so it affects the mood of a character in a novel.

·         If a character is feeling blue, a cold and wet day will form the perfect backdrop.

·         If the sun comes out, it’s a sign that their spirits are rising.

The viewpoint character’s mood complements or contrast with the weather outside is just another small way to add dimension to your fiction.

3. It Affects Plot

Even the most ordinary weather can affect the plans of people in the real world and, also, characters in novels.

·         Rain can spoil a wedding.

·         Fog can disrupt travel plans.

·         Drought can play havoc with a prized garden.

Make the elements more extreme and you ramp up the stakes. Writing about extreme weather can be a primary source of conflict in a novel.

4. Weather Is Symbolic

I mentioned earlier that weather can affect a character’s mood. Taking this one step further, you can have it actually symbolize how a character is feeling inside.

Suppose a mother is worried that her young son is late back home. As she stands by the window waiting for him to return, she notices the wind picking up. At this point, she is merely concerned.

One hour later, though, the garden furniture is cartwheeling across the lawn… and by implication, the woman is really starting to panic. The writer doesn’t even need to describe her panic. The scene outside tells the readers everything they need to know about how the woman is feeling inside.

5. Don’t Ignore It

If you can, mention it in every scene. Even if the weather isn’t that important to a scene, still write about it, however briefly.

When Mary left for work the next morning, it was still raining.

It was colder than Frank had expected when he stepped out of the house.

The snow started right after lunch.

There are no fancy descriptions here – no adjectives, no metaphors.

·         It’s raining.

·         It’s cold.

·         It’s snowing.

The reader can then take their experience of rain, say, and use it to imagine a rainy scene.

6. Show, Don’t Tell

When Mary left for work the next morning, the sky was as dark as slate and the icy north wind was blowing the rain straight into her face.

The entire sky was white with snow.

The sound of a dog pawing at the back door waiting to be let inside.

Use the best details you can imagine. Engage all of the senses (how the weather sounds and smells and tastes).

From my historical novel, “Tanayia—Whisper upon the Water

The wind began to blow, hot and restless.  It drowned out the sound of my fists pounding against the door.  It drowned out my cries for help.  I felt clammy, yet the heat of the day was trapped inside the attic.  The heat clawed at my like the talons of a vulture—cruel and without mercy.

Sweat poured down my body.  My legs were heavy with fatigue.  Allowed myself to rest upon the floor.  White spots danced before my eyes like moths.  My head pounded with a wild throbbing pain.

Sister Enid reminded me of Old Woman from my band.  She had appeared to be like everyone else.  She ate, she moved about, she spoke.  Only she wasn’t really like other people.  She was a woman in an empty body.  Old Woman’s sound had been taken from her. . .

Did my details draw you into the scene?  

Did you experience Tanayia's reality?  

Do you have a favorite 'weather scene' in a novel you've read?

Why is it a favorite?

Thank you for stopping by today at BWL Insider Blog.

I hope you enjoyed this month's post :-)

Happy Reading,

Connie 

BWL author site

https://books2read.com/Tanayia/purchase link

How Secondary Characters Become a Star in Your Next Novel by Connie Vines

"How do you develop different personalities in your characters?  Do any of your secondary characters have a novel of his or her own?"

This was a question posed to me when I was participating at a local writing workshop.

I gave an answer to the 'newbee' writers which helped them with long-term writing goals, but I'd like to go into more detail in this month's BWL Insider Blog post.

The ‘How’ of the writing is always interesting for me to analyze --especially in my own process (I don't always know how my processing works).

While I have detailed plot lines before I write a story or novel, I am instinctive when creating my characters. 

As I’ve blogged before, I begin with a sense of time and place.  When the story in bubbling in my subconscious, I heard snippets of conversations, a song playing in my head (you know that annoying song simply leave you alone), or a impulse to cook a certain regional food.

A few examples:  When writing ‘Lynx” Rodeo Romance book 1, “Amarillo by Morning” kept playing in my mind.  I located by paternal grandfather’s Tex-Mex chili recipe and made chili once a week.  And then a brassy woman speaking with a Texas-twang and popping her chewing-gum would pop into my head (ala’ Flo’ in an old TV sitcom).

We all know a novelist always falls in love with her ‘first hero’.  My first romantic hero was Lynx Maddox.  While his younger sister was only mentioned in the first book of my Rodeo Romance Series, she became by break-out character in the second book, “Brede”. Whereas Rachel Scott and Lynx Maddox were the stars of my contemporary romance; Brede Kristensen and Amberlylnn Maddox stars shine in my romantic suspense novel, “Brede” Rodeo Romance book 2.

My characters also ‘drive my story’—often in a different direct, thus destroying months of detail research. “Nooo! Not again.”  

Yes, this is my first reaction.  And, of course, I rebel at the very thought of shoving my months of detailed research back into my file overflowing file cabinet.  I’ve learned I am not able to force my characters to act against his or her nature.  Painful though it may be, I listen and I shift my story-line.

When did this happen?

The first time I experienced this ‘traumatic’ writing experience, I was plotting, “Tanayia—Whisper upon the Water” my sweet historical romance. 

Tanayia was to be a member of the Paiute tribe of Native Americans.  She was being groomed for the ‘taking of the shawl” (becoming a medicine woman).  I was involved in Native American Education Programs, served on a PAC Committee (parent advisory council), and participated in powwows.  I interview tribal elders and traveled to historical sites, etc.  I’d plotted by novel down to a puppy’s freckle, so to speak.

While Tanayia allowed me to keep the historical event which formed the opening event of my 1^st chapter, I learned she younger.  She was also a member of the “Nde” Apache tribe.  Tanayia was also strong-willed and determined.

My novel was not set in a different tribal area, difference climate, different customs, beliefs. . .well, you know what that meant.  Yes, more research.   I live within driving distance of Sherman Indian School in Riverside, CA.  In fact, I attended powwows where the Apache (Fire) dancers from the White Mountain Reservation danced each year. 

In the end, Tanayia was correct.  My story was her story.  It was her life, her experience—it was history, accurate, painful.  It was the personal growth of a young woman, torn between two-worlds.  I must, in the end, thank Tanayia for the awards this novel was awarded:  The Independent e-Book Award for YA Historical Fiction, The Dream Realm Award, and a National Book Award Nomination.

Are more break-out characters evolving in my novels?

Yes, there are a few nudging me now.

Any guesses?  Who is your personal favorite?  Mary Billy? Anna Thunder?  Or, perhaps Charlene?

Meredith's sister?  

I also have a new hero, or two, with a foot hold in my plotting-world right now, too.

Several live in the Cajun country of New Orleans, Louisiana; another on a wind-scarred reservation. There is also an a unexpected heroine in an action-packed story sent in Hollywood, CA! 

Happy Reading and Writing,

Connie Vines

Links to interesting topics and settings for my BWL novels via YouTube:

Apache Dancers:                                             Oldest Native America Drummer Video, 1894

Rodeo PRO Bull Riding   (Lynx)                    Forest Falls, CA  (Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow)

Native American Art (Brede)                         Cowboy Stew   (He looks like a younger version of                                                                                                Caldwell in my novel "Brede", doesn't he?)

Links to my BWL author page: 

Purchase link

Links to my website:   www.novelsbyconnievines.com

Spanish Version