Linda Trout Talks About Writing Romantic Suspense

Thank you, Jackie for having me on Cozy Mysteries and Other Madness. I feel right at home among mystery writers since I also have an infinity for killing off people. On paper at least. {wink} When some of my friends and former co-workers read my first book, Grave Secrets, they couldn't believe I’d written it.

Where did that come from, they’d ask. You’re so sweet and nice so how did you think of such a dark character?

Um….

I think everyone who writes mysteries knows there’s a bit of a dark side to all of us. It’s a matter of tapping into it, then transferring that to paper.

I love putting my hero and heroine through their paces; throwing them into dangerous places, then proceed to make it worse.

Romantic Suspense Novel

 In Last Hope Alaska, my latest release from The Wild Rose Press, I’ve done exactly that. I keep throwing everything but the kitchen sink at them. Oh, wait. I think I even threw the metaphorical sink at them in the end. J  But being the romantic that I am, they had to have their Happy Ever After, even if they are a bit banged up. I suppose that’s why I write romance as opposed to straight mystery, that HEA.

Blurb:

Emily Redfern's ex-fiancé learned to kill on the back streets of New York. Now, she is his target. Broke, exhausted, and a step ahead of the man she once loved, she clings to one last hope: the wilds of Alaska. The quiet safety of her hide-a-way becomes addictive as she grows to care for the man who offers her refuge.

Released from prison after a wrongful conviction, native Alaskan Sam Tarkington is determined to regain his business, repair his reputation, and rebuild his life. But when he meets a desperate and vulnerable woman, guarding secrets of her own, she tugs at his heart. She's a distraction he can't afford. Sam must choose Emily or achieving his dreams.

Like Emily's life, the peacefulness of the wilderness is an illusion as danger lurks in the distance. Does Sam hold the key to her survival or will her past cost them everything?

Thank you again for having me, Jackie. I’ve enjoyed visiting. My book is available everywhere eBooks are sold and the print version is also available. I’d love to hear from your readers and can be reached on my website: http://LindaTrout.com or Like me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/LindaTroutAuthor/

TWRP: http://tinyurl.com/ptbzymx

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lox33e9
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/pvjncn5
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/qbe7o2m
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/oz5dk5l

September Is Blog Tour Month!

September is blog tour month celebrating my second Grace Cassidy Mystery THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR. Since I’m determined to get book 3 out ASAP, I asked the Partners in Crime Blog Tour group to help with this. They’re wonderful! There are plenty times for readers to sign up for a chance to win a copy of THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR. So follow the tour, leave a comment or sign up as directed, and maybe it will be you!

The first give-away on Words by Webb, will be open for the next 15 days! Other opportunities will be given on most of the participating blogsites.

Book one: THE INCONVENIENT CORPSE IS ALSO AVAILABLE: Both on Kindle at Amazon.com. $3.99 each

1. 9/02 Interview @ Words by Webb

2. 9/03 Review & Giveaway @ Words by Webb

3. 9/04 Guest Post @ Writers and Authors

4. 9/05 Review & Giveaway @ Marys Cup of Tea

5. 9/08 Review @ WV Stitcher

6. 9/09 Revew & Giveaway @ Deal Sharing Aunt

7. 9/10 Review & Showcase @ Undercover Book Reviews

8. 9/10 Review @ Brooke Blogs

9. 9/11 Review @ Buried Under Books

10. 9/12 Interview @ Omnimystery News

11. 9/16 Review @ 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

12. 9/17 Review @ Hezzi-Ds Books and Cooks

13. 9/18 Review @ just reviews

14. 9/20 Showcase @ A Blue Million Books

15. 9/22 Guest Post @ Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

16. 9/23 Showcase @ The Reading Frenzy

17. 9/24 Showcase @ X-Mas Dolly

18. 9/25 Review & Giveaway @ Thoughts in Progress

19. 9/26 Showcase @ Books Books and More Books

20. 9/29 Review @ My Devotional Thoughts

What Is Going on with Me!

Killer Nashville August 2014

by Jackie King

Killer Nashville rocks! I highly recommend this mystery con for mystery writers or for any writer who needs an excuse for a fun trip. The conference was scheduled over the weekend, August 22 through 24. T.D. Hart, my traveling buddy, aka Jennifer Adolph, and I left on the Wednesday, August 20. We went early to attend the Sister’s in Crime workshop on Thursday afternoon, which was titled: DOING TIME WITH SinC: GREAT BEGINNINGS. We brought the beginning of our current WIP, up to 200 words.

Hank Phillippi Ryan with T.D. Hart (Jennifer Adolph)

 The presenters were Laura DiSilverio, (president of SinC), Catriona McPherson, Cathy Pickens and Hank Phillipi Ryan.

The president read our copy, which felt a bit like taking your clothes off in public and letting everyone critique your body. In other words, it took courage. But wow! Did we ever get some great tips. As soon as I came home I immediately rewrote my beginning. What I learned was well worth the cost of an extra night at the Omni Hotel (First 5-star hotel I’ve ever stayed in.)

Killer Cozy Panel

I was on the KILLER COZY panel at 10:00 on Friday morning. Panelists: Jennie Bentley/Jenna Bennet, Kay Elam (panel leader), Caroline Fardig and Nancy Parra.

MWA Party-Killer Nashville 2014

Book one in Grace Cassidy Series

Book Two of the Grace Cassidy Series

REVIEW AND GIVE AWAY FOR "THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR"

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Desperately Seeking Discipline

by Jackie King

The most successful authors I know all share one trait. Self-discipline. Discipline is more essential for a writer than creativity. Discipline is to be desired above either talent or creativity.

 

Finally! Book two of my Inn-Keeping Series

A disciplined individual, who decides to write, can learn fiction and nonfiction techniques and master the craft. She/he can learn basic plot types and can use these tools to practice creating stories. Creativity can’t be taught, but a clever person could learn character development, basic plot formation and then learn to apply these techniques to produce an entertaining story. And then another entertaining story.

A creative individual, who writes only when she/he feels inspired, will be lucky to finish even one book, much less enough work to form a career. Inspiration is a fickle work tool. And many editors and publishers tend to agree with me. Mine is included in that group. Regardless of the talent involved, before a work can be edited and published, it first must be completed. That’s where discipline comes in handy. And, oh, how I wish that quality was my long suit. But alas, it is not.

So each day I must strive to put my behind in the chair that sits in front of the computer, my fingers on the keys, and coax pouting characters to come out and play.

 

The first book in my Inn-Sitter Series

These characters, like cats that have been left behind while the family vacations, are angry and refuse to acknowledge my presence. To be honest, I don’t blame them, and must continue paying penance until I am forgiven. Let’s hope that is soon.

J

Hugs,

Jackie

THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR

I wish my dear friend, Peggy Moss Fielding could be here to celebrate this day with me. But she passed to a new life on May 20, 2014. I miss her terribly. But she would expect me to press on and keep writing, so that's what I'm doing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My publisher has verified that my new Grace Cassidy mystery THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR, will be ready to purchase online by May 30. The trade-paperback will be available later in June.

 

Available in ebook  on May 30, 2014

This book, second in the series, moves a bit slower than the first, but the stakes are higher. Grace fears her son Brand is getting too involved with the ditzy housemaid, Sandy Walker, and she’s not ready to be a grandma.

Our heroine longs for a quiet, orderly life. She yearns for time to become acquainted with the woman she really is, not the cardboard caricature of her former self. No wonder she bored her husband Charlie. She always did everything he expected.

But that was all in the past. Now she’s surprising and delighting herself with this new persona. Being a woman is a lot more interesting than being a perfect-lady. But life interferes with her plans.

The boss-from-hell, Wilbur Wimberly’s identical twin, thought to be long dead, shows up at the family reunion. Her son is accused of attempted murder, and later of rape. Her cat Trouble finds a dead body in the bathroom of her room. And ex-husband Charlie wants to come back.

All of this and Police Sergeant Sam Harper, who wants to move their friendship to a relationship.

Once again, Grace has her hand’s full.

I've Been Gone, but I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!

TD Hart (L) and Rehenna Morgan 

 

Baton Blog Hop

T.D. Hart, a critique buddy who writes cutting edge thrillers, tapped me for what she calls a Baton Blog Hop: basically a game of tag for writers. The idea is to answer four questions about your writing, then tag another author to do the same. But first you need to know about her blogsite, http://tdhart.blogspot.com

T.D. Hart Mysteries and Thrillers

Because Darkness Makes the Light More Beautiful…

This is a must-read, especially if you love thrillers.

TD Hart is currently finishing revisions on a Noir Mystery about a San Diego homicide detective who investigates the murder of a rock star she had a crush on as a teenager. Seventeen years ago my character's sister disappeared from a crowded beach, and the singer's voice was literally ringing through her speakers the moment she realized her sister was gone. The working title is LIFE FOR A LIFE. Does that sound good or what? I can hardly wait for this novel to be published.

~~~~~

Now for the questions that I’m supposed to answer:

What am I working on?

My current work-in-progress, a novella, has the working title DANGER VISITS THE GOLDEN DRILLER. I’m writing this story for Smart Women Writers, an ultra-cool group of first rate writers. I‘m editing the draft now.

The tough decision facing me is which mystery should I write next? Characters from two different plots are vying for my attention. One is Grace Cassidy, my evolving character from her own series. My family brainstormed with me on Thanksgiving day with this plot idea, and the working title is THE DISAPPERING CORPSE. The story will be set in Tulsa, Oklahoma and I’m very excited about the plot twists.

The competing protagonist hasn’t told me her name yet. She’s pitching her story idea, and it’s a good one. Needless to say, she’s fast becoming my Best Pretend Friend. (I fear that Grace is getting a little tired of me. Perhaps we’ve been spending too much time together and we both need a break.) Of course, I could introduce this new person in THE DISAPPEARING CORPSE and let her spin off into her own series, sans Grace.

The third possibility is working on both of these novels at the same time. I’ve never done this, and would love to hear from other writers who have. Give me the pluses and the pitfalls.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

My books are different from other cozies because I wrote them. This sounds like a smart-alecky answer, but I don’t mean it that way. When a writer finds her/his authentic voice, that work is unique from any other. I write from the heart (some call it from the gut), as much as is humanly possible. I try to tell the absolute truth as I see it. Even though the story is made up, I try to put myself in the skin of each view-point character. I let my lead character, Grace Cassidy, evolve with the series. She is a middle-aged woman whose lifestyle ended abruptly. Her determination to rebuild herself from ashes, is something that many women face during their lives.

And then, of course, all of those corpses keep showing up.

Why do I write what I do?

I write the kind of book that I enjoy reading. Agatha Christie is my all-time favorite author and role-model. Because of the great pleasure her mysteries gave me, I write cozies. I include women’s problems in my mysteries, because I was blessed to strong women in my life. These real-life heroines never gave up, no matter what fell into their path.

How does my writing process work?

First I turn on my computer and bring up Word. That’s the only constant in my routine. I’ve searched for that magic button, but the only magic I’ve received was a yellow button from a book doctor named Robyn Conley. She handed each person in her class a button and said: “Put your butt on the seat, your fingers on the keys, and type. I lost that yellow button (so typical of me), but I have remembered her words.

Well, that's it. I'm going to tag two of my writer buddies!

Bob Avey, who writes about a tough police detective with a soft underbelly. He will post next Monday, May 19 on his blog, which is attached to his website.

http:bobavey.com

The other writer is Linda Trout, who looks like a fashion model and writes take-your-breath-away thrillers. All of this with a touch of romance.

• 

http://ltrout.wordpress.com/

Do yourself a huge favor and check out these two writers.

Cheers,

Jackie

The Birthing of NO ESCAPE: The Sweetwater Tragedy

Jean Henry Mead's new historical novel, NO ESCAPE, is ready for downloading now! Today, the author tells how this book came about. Read her riveting account of "Cattle Kate's" courage. If you love mysteries, history and strong women, this is the book for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jean Henry Mead

 

No Escape, the Sweetwater Tragedy

By Jean Henry Mead

I was researching a Wyoming centennial history book during the mid-1980s, by reading old microfilmed newspapers dating from 1888. During that time I read about a young woman named Ellen Watson, who had been hanged by cattlemen along with homesteader James Averell. The cattlemen who hanged them claimed that the pair had been operating a rural bawdy house and taking cattle for Ellen’s services.

After her death, the hangmen labeled Ellen “Cattle Kate” and vilified her by claiming that she was not only a prostitute but a cattle rustler. The Cattlemen’s Association, headquartered in Cheyenne, controlled a local newspaper and reports of the hangings were published worldwide, resulting in considerable condemnation that a woman had been hanged, despite the cattlemen’s claims.

I was curious when I read the 1889 newspaper reports, when the murders took place, and decided to write a novel about them, someday. A number of authors had written about the hangings from the cattlemen’s point of view, and films have been produced, portraying Ellen as a pistol packing outlaw. But that didn’t jibe with news reports from the Casper Weekly Mail, which published James Averell’s “letters to the editor,” complaining that greedy cattlemen were gobbling up all of Sweetwater Valley, so they could graze their cattle on government land, without paying for it.

I researched the story intermittently over the years but pieces of the puzzle were missing until George W. Hufsmith was commissioned to write an opera based on the hangings. He was hooked on the story and spent the next 20 years interviewing residents of Sweetwater Valley, Wyoming, who had knowledge of what had actually happened. Thanks to Hufsmith’s nonfiction book, I was able to write my novel. I dedicated the book to him.

 

I didn’t want to end the novel with the Averells’ deaths so I included a young, single woman homesteader in the plot to tell the majority of the story.  During my research I discovered that some 200,000 single women tried their hands at homesteading: some successful, some not.

Thanks Jean, for the background to your new and exciting novel.
And thanks to our readers for dropping by.
Jackie King