The Malone Mysteries

 

 

Mixed Messages: A Malone Mystery (The Malone mystery series Book 1) 

by Patricia Gligor

A serial killer on the west side of Cincinnati is attacking women in their homes, terrifying the residents of the normally peaceful, family-oriented neighborhood where Ann Malone Kern and her family live. 

But Ann pushes those fears to the back of her mind as she struggles to deal with several personal issues. Her primary concern is her marriage which, like her neighborhood, is in jeopardy. 

When a series of bizarre and frightening events take place and Ann receives both threatening notes and love poems, she feels like she's living in a world of mixed messages. 

On Halloween night, a man forces his way into her apartment. Will Ann be the Westwood Strangler's next victim?

Unfinished Business (The Malone mystery series Book 2) 

by Patricia Gligor

The Westwood Strangler is dead. Or so everyone believes.

Ann Malone Kern is busy preparing for her favorite holiday. She’s especially looking forward to her sister’s annual Christmas visit. But, several things threaten to ruin her festive mood.

The National Weather Service issues a severe winter storm warning for the Cincinnati area, predicting blizzard conditions, and Ann worries that her sister and her new boyfriend won’t be able to make the drive from South Carolina.

Then, a woman is found strangled in Ann’s neighborhood and everyone, including the police, assumes it’s the work of a copycat killer. However, when two more women are murdered in their homes, the police announce their conviction that the Westwood Strangler is responsible.

When Ann hears the news, the sense of safety and security she’s worked so hard to recapture since her attack on Halloween night, shatters. If the intruder who died in her apartment wasn’t the Westwood Strangler, who is?

 

Desperate Deeds (The Malone Mystery series Book 3) 

by Patricia Gligor

As Ann Malone Kern starts her new business as an interior decorator, the temperatures have risen, tulips and daffodils are in bloom and there’s a feeling of endless possibilities in the air. She has no idea that her world is about to be turned upside down.

The day before Easter, Ann wakes up to discover that her young son is gone. Frantic, she searches the house and the yard but there's no sign of Davey. Desperate, she and her husband, David, call the police but their ongoing search continues to turn up no leads. It appears the little boy has disappeared into thin air.

Another child, Kelly Kramer, has been missing since December. Where are the children? And what, if anything, can Ann do to get her son back?

 Mistaken Identity (The Malone Mystery series Book 4) 

by Patricia Gligor

Ann feels like she’s in Paradise as she digs her toes into the soft, white sand and gazes out at the ocean. She’s looked forward to this vacation in South Carolina for a long time and all she wants to do now is bask in the sun, resting and relaxing.

But Ann’s peaceful vacation is disrupted when she goes for a solitary walk on the beach and something shiny catches her eye. She’s horrified when she discovers the body of a young woman with a gold locket twisted around her neck. And, she knows who the locket belongs to.

Ann feels an obligation to discover the identity of the killer and to see them brought to justice but, in the process, she places her own life in jeopardy.  

Marnie Malone (The Malone Mystery series Book 5) 

Patricia Gligor

Someone is stalking Marnie.

As an attorney, Marnie Malone has made enemies through the years and she’s received her share of verbal threats. But no one has ever acted on them - until her last week at Cliburn & Reeves. However, in spite of the threatening phone calls, black rose on her desk and other ominous messages, Marnie refuses to be intimated.

But when it becomes apparent that the stalker knows where she lives, Marnie becomes nervous and apprehensive. Sam is out of town on business and she’s alone in the big, old farmhouse with strange noises in the attic, creaking floorboards and someone watching her from the woods.

As she tries to determine the identity of the stalker, the list of men who have grudges against her grows longer each day. Is the stalker someone from the past or one of the men on her list? And, how far will he go?

To read the reviews for the Malone mysteries and/or to order:   https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007VDDUPQ

 

A mother's worst nightmare

“In this third in her Malone mystery series, Gligor ramps up the suspense and offers a host of suspects to keep the reader flipping pages to see what will happen next.”

J.R. Lindermuth, author of the Sticks Hetrick mystery series

“The worst possible thing anyone could image, happened to Ann Kern, the protagonist in Desperate Deeds, the third in the Malone Mystery series. Her child went missing. Ms. Gligor kept me reading well into the night to find out what happened. Her character development is so true to life that I could feel everything Ann did as she searched for her son. The suspense kept me tense and guessing throughout the novel, until I finally let out a breath at the end.”

Evelyn Cullet, author of the Charlotte Ross mystery series

https://tinyurl.com/ydbvjzq5

As Ann Kern starts her new business as an interior decorator, the temperatures have risen, tulips and daffodils are in bloom and there’s a feeling of endless possibilities in the air. She has no idea that her world is about to be turned upside down.

When Janis Riley, a woman for whom money is no object, contacts Ann to redecorate her house, she is elated. But the initial visit with her first client leaves her with mixed emotions. Why did Janis react so strangely to seeing a photo of Davey, Ann’s six-year-old son?

 But Ann has bigger problems. Her husband, David, a recovering alcoholic, has lost both his mother and his job and Ann worries that he’ll start drinking again. To add to her concerns, their next-door-neighbor, Dorothy Baker, is severely depressed but Ann’s efforts to help her are rebuffed.

Ann is terrified when she wakes up the day before Easter to find Davey gone. Another child, Kelly Kramer, has been missing since December. Where are the children? And what, if anything, can Ann do to get her son back?

When Writers Can't Write

First of all, this post is not about writers' block.

Instead, I'm going to write about those times in all writers' lives when LIFE gets in the way of our writing. Raising small children, caring for an elderly parent and moving to a new home to name a few. The list goes on and on. Many times, we’re able to continue to write in spite of our circumstances. But, even if we can’t, we know that things will eventually turn around and we’ll get back to our writing.

But sometimes that's not what happens. Sometimes, our inability to write is permanent, which is what this post is really about. 

There’s no other way to say this so I’ll just say it. I have cancer and my oncologist told me in mid-January that my condition is terminal. There’s nothing else medical science can do for me. He gave me “months” to live. A hard pill to swallow.

 I had plotted my tenth book, the fifth in my Small Town mystery series, and written several chapters when I got the news. After the initial shock of my diagnosis settled down a bit, I made up my mind to make the most I could of each day I had left and to continue to write -  my way of taking a break from reality. But, after several tries, I realized that I had to accept the fact that it wasn't going to happen; I wasn't up to it physically or mentally. That, unless God granted me a miracle, The Legend would be the last book I would ever write. Another hard pill to swallow.

Because being a writer is who I am. I don't write for money or fame. I write because my books aren't just mysteries to me; they're family sagas with what I consider to be important messages. My goal has always been to entertain, educate and, hopefully, enlighten readers. Every author hopes that their books will live on long after they're gone and I'm no exception.

My fervent prayer is that God will grant me a miracle. But, even if He doesn't, I accept His Will. I have had a blessed life with family and friends who've always loved and supported me. I've traveled to every place I really wanted to go and, although my dream was to become the author of one mystery novel, I've published nine. I couldn't ask for more than that and I'm truly grateful. 

So, even though I'm not able to work on my book, I continue to take things one day at a time and to do my best to make each day the best day I can make it. Some days are easier than others. I ask that you please include me in your prayers.

 

St. Patrick's Day

     As far as I know, I don’t have a drop of Irish blood in my veins but Ann Malone Kern, the main character in my Malone mystery series, is of Irish descent as is her husband, David. Like me, the Kerns live in Cincinnati, a city where the Irish played an important role. Next to the Germans, they were the largest group of immigrants between 1840 and 1910. 

Cincinnati was a major destination for immigrants from Ireland who left their homeland because, due to the potato blight and resulting famine in their country, they couldn’t pay their mortgages and they were starving. Many were poor, spoke English with a brogue and were Roman Catholic with large families. Some came with nothing more than a few pieces of clothing.

The city offered many opportunities for work on the riverfront, digging for the Miami and Erie Canal and on railroad construction. Although most had hoped to become farmers, with no money and desperate to feed their families, when they arrived in the Queen City, many Irish took jobs that were dangerous and unskilled with low pay. 

Through the years, the Irish have contributed greatly to our city’s growth and culture. During the Civil War, the Irish formed several militia units, which became the core of the Ohio 10^th Regiment. Later, many became policemen and firemen, some were prosperous in industry and others were active in politics.

Today, we have The Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati. The IHC was founded to promote the Irish Culture through the study of customs, dance, education, film, genealogy, history, language, lectures, literature, music, mythology, poetry, social interaction, song, sport, theater and the visual arts.

 

                               “May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

                                        Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

My most memorable Valentine's Day

A Valentine's Day mystery

I originally posted this in February 2012. But, in honor of Valentine's Day, I'm reposting it. 

The other day, I overheard someone say, “I hate Valentine’s Day! It’s just another Hallmark holiday.” I hope that person reads this post because, well, no, it’s not!

There are many legends surrounding the origin of Valentine’s Day and the identity of St. Valentine, but the fact remains that valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages and written valentines began to appear after 1400. The oldest known valentine, still in existence today, is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after his capture at the battle of Agincourt. I could be wrong but I don’t think Hallmark was in business back then!

I love Valentine’s Day! In fact, it's my favorite holiday. There’s something so special about it. You can almost feel the romance in the air whether you’re romantically involved on that day or not. I’ve had some wonderful, memorable Valentine’s Days. Through the years, there were candlelit dinners and gifts of candy, flowers and jewelry. But, as much as I enjoyed and appreciated those celebrations, they pale in comparison to the Valentine’s Day when I was six years old.

My first Valentine’s Day party! Our first grade classroom was decorated with hearts, which we’d cut out of red and pink construction paper and pasted on lacy, white backings. We ate pink and white frosted cupcakes and heart shaped cookies. Then, we passed out our Valentine’s Day cards with images of kittens, puppies and cupids. I can still remember how excited I was when I opened the cards, especially the one from Stevie Thompson. I had such a crush on him!

At the end of the day, as we walked down the front steps of our elementary school to head home, Stevie called out my name. I stopped and turned around. And then, he walked up to me, kissed me on the cheek and took off running down the steps. I think I floated all the way home. Happy Valentine’s Day, Stevie, wherever you are!

What was your most memorable Valentine’s Day?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Why I love being a writer

I've always loved to read and I've spent countless happy hours with my nose stuck in a book. I'd say "it doesn't get any better than that" but it does. Because creating a story and the characters who will live that story is the ultimate joy for me. I love being a writer! 

So, here it is early January in Cincinnati. Now, keep in mind that I am NOT a winter person. Looking out the window across from my desk as I type this, I see bare trees, gray skies and a dreary landscape. And, it's cold out there. But, like reading, writing offers me a way to escape. When I close the drapes and immerse myself in my current WIP (work in progress), Murder at the Mine, which will be the fifth novel in my Small Town mystery series, everything changes.

Suddenly, it's a hot and humid August day at a gem mine in North Carolina and all of my senses are evoked. I can feel the sun beating down on my head as I trudge up a hill, shovel and bucket in hand, along with my main character, Kate, and her fiancé, to dig for emeralds. Perspiration drips down my face and I swipe at it with the back of my hand. I’m no longer in Cincinnati; I've been transported to another place. 

But escape isn’t the only reason I love being a writer. God has given each of us a dream and I thank Him every day for making my dream come true. The art of creating gives me the opportunity to share bits and pieces of my life and experiences with my readers – without revealing what is based on fact and what is solely a product of my imagination.

Imagine this. Five writers sit at a table. I give each of them the same list of characters and the same plot and I ask them to write a story using that information. I'm sure you know what will happen. Each writer will write a totally different story in a totally different way. They'll each use their own imagination and their own voice to do that and the end result will be five stories that have little resemblance to each other.

Why? Because, like our fingerprints and our DNA, each of us is unique, one of a kind, and our writing styles will reflect that. Each writer pulls from his or her own experience and knowledge to create a story that no one else could possibly write. And, it isn't just about the experience and knowledge we each have. It's also about our individual perceptions of and reactions to those things, all of which makes the art of creating a beautiful and exciting adventure. 

The books we write are pieces of us. There's nothing more satisfying to me than creating a story (and the characters who will live it) that is unlike what anyone else on the planet has written or could write. I wish I could say that everyone who reads my books will love them but, of course, that's not true because our reading tastes differ too. Some people will enjoy and appreciate my books and others won't. But I write them in my own distinctive way, the only way I can.

I've heard that, when you find the thing you're most suited to do in life, you'll feel as if you've come home. When I write, I'm home.

Murder at Maple Ridge

 A New Year's Eve that Kate would never forget!

https://tinyurl.com/wmkwmvf

Kate Morgan loves a good mystery. She’s an avid reader and she recently finished writing a murder mystery. The story takes place at the fictionalized version of Maple Ridge, the real life home of Chad Hollingsworth, the man Kate has been dating for the past year.

Chad has invited Kate to his parents’ annual New Year’s Eve party where Kate will meet the other members of his family. On the drive to Maple Ridge, he tells her, “I have to warn you. When the Hollingsworth family gets together, there’s always a lot of drinking and drama.” He has no way of knowing there will be a murder.

In a strange twist of fate, there are numerous similarities between Kate’s manuscript and what actually happens. Kate is determined to separate fact from fiction by figuring out the identity of the killer. But she soon discovers that solving a murder in real life is a lot harder than figuring out whodunit in a mystery novel.

A Christmas Mystery

The Westwood Strangler is dead. Or so everyone believes.

Ann Malone Kern is busy preparing for her favorite holiday. She’s especially looking forward to her sister’s annual Christmas visit. But, several things threaten to ruin her festive mood.

The National Weather Service issues a severe winter storm warning for the Cincinnati area, predicting blizzard conditions, and Ann worries that her sister and her new boyfriend won’t be able to make the drive from South Carolina. 

Then, a woman is found strangled in Ann’s neighborhood and everyone, including the police, assumes it’s the work of a copycat killer. However, when two more women are murdered in their homes, the police announce their conviction that the Westwood Strangler is responsible. 

When Ann hears the news, the sense of safety and security she’s worked so hard to recapture since her attack on Halloween night, shatters. If the intruder who died in her apartment wasn’t the Westwood Strangler, who is?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JC9M3HQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i6

Gratitude is an Attitude

Thanksgiving has traditionally been a day to celebrate all the things for which we are grateful. One day, out of three hundred sixty-five days in a year, when many families sit around their dining room tables, hold hands and tell, one at a time, what they’re grateful for. Which is great but. . . .

What about the other three hundred sixty-four days? We’re all busy living our lives; we can easily get so caught up in work, writing and/or other responsibilities that we take things and people for granted. We forget to stop to appreciate all that we have and to be thankful for our many blessings. We need to remember that each day is a gift, a present. 

Do we get up in the morning, thankful to be alive? Are we determined to make the most of each day or do we slog through life, bitter and complaining? Do we notice all the little things that go wrong in our day or do we focus on the ones that go right? 

There’s so much beauty in the world. Do we take time to appreciate and enjoy nature? Do we tell the important people in our lives how much they mean to us? Do we stop to give thanks (and credit) to others who encourage and support us? 

I think of gratitude as an attitude we should strive to possess and express every day, not just on Thanksgiving. In our complicated world, often, the simplest words can have the greatest meaning. The following lines, from a poem I learned as a child, sum it up. “Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything.”

"The Notorious Noel Caper" by Sally Carpenter

Bowling for all abilities

By Sally Carpenter

Within cozy mysteries, all the characters seem to be in perfect health. They never get colds or sore throats or headaches or break their arms or suffer any maladies. They have 20/20 vision and good hearing. Occasionally a grandparent might use a cane. Characters who use wheelchairs are showing up more, but are still the exception.

In my Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series, I added a major secondary character who is blind. I have poor vision, so this type of character hits close to home. Celeste Farmington, Sandy’s sister, first appeared in the third book. “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper.”

It’s fun to view the world through her eyes, so to speak, and be aware of how she moves, speaks and reacts. I had a blind friend in college, so I use him as a reference to how Celeste acts.

She has a fold-up cane, but she doesn’t always use it. She isn’t at all like the blind character in the W.C. Fields movie who swung his cane around inside a store and breaks the merchandise. Celeste has darks glasses, but doesn’t always wear them.

Celeste feels uncomfortable in crowds, and hasn’t fully mastered good social skills. As a result, she can be blunt and demanding. But she’s sweet and her family loves her.

Despite her challenges, I’ve tried to find ways to work her into the stories. My latest book, “The Notorious Noel Caper,” opens with Sandy taking part in a celebrity charity bowling tournament. I couldn’t work Celeste into the scene—could I?

A little research proved that blind people can indeed bowl.

The American Blind Bowling Association Inc. was established in 1951. It’s open to legally blind individuals, including those with limited vision. The association maintains teams, leagues and tournaments with prizes.

Blind bowlers use the same standard lanes as sighed people, same rules, balls and scoring. The only difference is the use of a handrail, comprised of metal tubing, that stands about waist high and runs the length of the floor from the approach to the foul line. The rail is moveable, and is weighed down with bowling balls at the base.

The blower holds the rail with one hand and the ball in the other. The rail serves as a guide to keep the bowler in a straight path as she takes her steps to the foul line.

A sighted person assists by keeping score, calling out the numbers of the fallen and standing pins, and sometimes giving suggestions on how to throw the ball. However, the assistant never touches the bowler while she’s bowling or throws the ball for her.

Videos of blind blowers can be found on YouTube; simply type in “blind bowlers.” Bowling is one of the few sports in which blind people can participate, and those who do love it.

So, Celeste accompanies her brother to the tournament and joins her blind team mates, the Bowler Babes. Her presence adds a nice touch to the scene, gives Sandy someone to talk to, and demonstrates that blind people can live full, rich lives.

I’m giving away a free story to readers who sign up for my mailing list. Go to sandyfairfaxauthor.com and scroll down to the “Get My Story” button.

Sally Carpenter is a native Hoosier living in Southern California. She’s worked as an actress, college composition instructor, jail chaplain, movie studio page and is now with a community newspaper. She’s the author of two cozy mystery series, Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol (five books) and the Psychedelic Spy (two books), both with Cozy Cat Press. “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper” was a 2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel. She has short stories published in three anthologies. You can reach her at facebook.com/sally.carpenter.54. 

To purchase “The Notorious Noel Caper,” go to https://www.amazon.com/Notorious-Caper-Sandy-Fairfax-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09CN1W7V1/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2MBYN26X5IDY7&keywords=notorious+noel+caper&qid=1634786090&sprefix=notorious+noel+%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-2

A Halloween Mystery

It was the week before Halloween, shortly after I'd moved into a new apartment. I went for a walk in the neighborhood and spotted an old Victorian. I've always loved old houses so I stopped, gazing up at it. And I wondered what those walls would say if they could talk.

Intrigued, I wanted to find out more about the house and the area so I went to the Cincinnati Historical Society and immersed myself in research. The more I learned, the more certain I was that I wanted to write a mystery novel that took place there. 

I continued to take walks in the neighborhood, always with my camera. Little by little, I began to come up with plot ideas and the characters who would live in my fictional version of the house.

So, that's how I came to write Mixed Messages, my first Malone mystery. Proof that you never know where an idea for a book (or a series) will come from.

Once Upon A Time

 When I was a little girl, my mother used to read bedtime stories to me. Every time she read “Once upon a time,” I knew I was about to be drawn into a good story. I settled back against my pillow, confident that, no matter what happened to the characters in the course of the book, at the end all would be resolved and I would hear the words “And they lived happily ever after.”

Those were fairy tales but they made a lasting impression on me. Starting with Mixed Messages, the first book in my Malone mystery series which takes place at Halloween, I put my characters in some dangerous situations and gave them lots of problems, but I’m confident readers will be satisfied when they finish each book. Because it is a series, some things carry over to the next book but, by the end of Marnie Malone, the fifth and last book in the series, all loose ends are tied up. 

Once upon a time, a family of four lived in an old Victorian on the west side of Cincinnati - where a serial killer is attacking women in their homes.

It’s the week of Halloween and, in addition to worrying about a maniac on the loose, Ann Malone Kern struggles with several personal issues. Her primary concern is her marriage which, like her west side neighborhood, is in jeopardy. Her husband is drinking heavily and his behavior toward her is erratic. One minute, he’s the kind, loving man she married and, the next minute, he’s cold and cruel.

Ann dismisses a psychic’s warning that she is in danger. But, when she receives a series of ominous biblical quotes in addition to the love poems someone has been sending her, she grows nervous and suspicious of everyone, including her own husband.

As the bizarre and frightening events unfold, Ann discovers a handmade tombstone marked with her name, pushing her close to the edge.

          Will Ann be the Westwood Strangler's next victim?  

If you enjoy character-driven, family-oriented mysteries, you can read about and/or order the Malone mysteries at: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007VDDUPQ or you can click on a book cover on the right side of this page. Happy Reading!

Dance to the Music

Yesterday I saw (and shared) a cartoon on Facebook, which gave me the idea for this post. It read “If you want to eliminate stress, turn off the news and turn on the music.” Great advice!

Many years ago, I made a commitment to myself to be happy and I’m determined to do everything I can to honor that commitment. No matter what! So, if that means missing out on the latest plane crash, mass murder or other tragedy, so be it! Terrible things have always happened and, unfortunately, they probably always will. My knowing about them won’t change that but it could put a damper on my day and my spirit.

 I don’t want any unnecessary stress in my life. Like most people, I have enough challenges in my personal life, things that could and would steal my joy - if I let them. I don't need to take on any more.  None of us knows how long we’ll have on this earth and I want to make each day the best I can make it. Here are five things I do every day.

1.      I start each day with a prayer, thanking God for all my many blessings. I look out my window and thank Him for the beautiful world He created.

2.      Then, I turn on the radio to my favorite station. Some days I dance and other days I don't but the music definitely lifts my spirits.  

3.      Throughout the day, I do my best to see the good things and the good people around me ( I am blessed with a supportive family and good friends who are always there for me) because I’ve learned that, if we focus on the positive, we’ll attract good things and good people but, if we focus on the negative, well, you get my point. Some days are easier than others.

4.      When a negative thought comes to me, I do my best to replace it with a positive thought because I know that what I think will dictate how I feel. That includes finding humor, smiling and laughing, wherever and whenever I can and taking things one day at a time. 

5.      I read! I love a good mystery and, when I immerse myself in the world of the fictional characters, my problems and the world’s problems disappear, at least temporarily.

If we want to be happy, each of us has to do whatever it takes to be (and stay) positive and we each have our own way of doing that.  What works best for you?

If only. . . .

 How many times have you said these words? “If only. . .”

“If only I had more time. . .”
“If only I had more money. . .”
“If only ___________.” You can fill in the blank with whatever you chose.

Well, you get the idea. The point is that, when we use the term “if only,” we’re wishing things were different than they are. I’m pretty sure that most, if not all of us, have uttered the phrase at one time or another. Reality is not exactly the way we want it to be so we wish for it to be different. And then we'll be happy.
  
When I was a little girl, I looked forward every week to watching Walt Disney Presents on TV. I loved all the segments, especially the Davey Crockett episodes (Fess Parker was my first love) and the Mickey Mouse Club. My favorite part was the beginning of the show when Jiminy Cricket sang, “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires, will come to you.” 

Back then, I had a habit (still do) of saying, “I wish. . .” And my father would always respond, “Wish in one hand and you-know-what in the other and see where you have the most.” In other words, don’t live in the Land of What Isn’t. Live in the Land of What Is.

As an adult, every time I hear myself say, “If only” or “I wish,” I think of Dad and I have to smile. His was great advice but something I have yet to master. Because, sometimes, I’m not all that keen on reality. Which, I'm sure, is one of the reasons I’ve always loved fiction and why I knew, at an early age, that I wanted to be a writer. 

Of course, like it or not, we all have to deal with reality but sometimes we need a break. When I read a good novel or work on writing one of my own, I escape to another place: the Land of Fiction, a truly remarkable place.

Book and/or movie?

I think most authors dream of the possibility that one or all of their books will someday be made into a movie or a TV series. I mean, think about it. Imagine seeing the characters and the story you created on the big screen or, more likely these days, on television. What a thrill, right? Not to mention the money you’d be paid for the movie rights. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? The fact is, I think it just might be. 

Off the top of my head I can only think of two instances where I read a book, later watched the movie and was pleased with the casting choices and the way the producers adhered to the storyline. The Godfather and Gone with the Wind. I’m sure there are lots of others but, for me, they were the exceptions because most movies I’ve watched recently, which were adapted from novels I’d read, did NOT stay true to the book. And, to be honest, that bothers me.

For example, I love the Hallmark mystery movies and I think, overall, they do a great job producing them. I especially enjoy the movies based on books I haven’t read because watching them is my introduction to the characters and the story.

However, some of the ones I’ve watched - where I had previously read the book/s - were disappointing. Why? Because there were too many discrepancies between what the author wrote and what I was watching. In some cases the producers omitted elements of the novels that I believed were crucial to the plot. And, in other cases, their choice of an actor/actors was lacking. The actor simply was not like the main character or supporting character I’d grown to love and care about. So, for me, the movies lost a lot of their appeal.

Well, you might ask, doesn’t the author have a say in choosing the actors and approving the script? From what I understand, they do and they don’t. In other words, although their opinions are requested and sometimes honored, the producers have the final word.

Authors:

Now for the big question: If you were offered the opportunity to have your books made into movies, would you accept?

Readers:

Given the opportunity to read the book or watch the movie – or both – which would you choose?

It takes a village

Everyone knows that it takes an entire community of people interacting with children, supporting and encouraging them, in order for them to thrive. Well, the same principle applies to books. It takes a village to effectively promote a book. But what exactly does that mean?

There are over two million books published every year. Over 300,000 in the U.S. alone. Stop to think about that for a minute. Of course, that includes fiction and non-fiction and I don’t have the statistics by genre. Still, imagine how many mystery novels are released in a twelve month period. Now, picture one book lost in that sea of books. The bottom line: an author can’t successfully promote his or her book alone. We need your help.

So, as a reader, what can you do? Here are a few suggestions: 

1. If you read a book and love it, spread the word. Tell everyone you know about it. Because the most effective means of promotion is word of mouth.
2. Write a positive review on amazon and Goodreads. I know this sounds like a lot of work but, believe me, once you do it, you’ll see how easy it is. A lot of readers have the mistaken impression that writing a review is similar to writing a book report. It isn’t. One or two sentences telling what you enjoyed most about the book can make all the difference in the world.
3. Purchase a paper copy of the book you enjoyed and give it to a reader on your shopping list. An avid reader will love nothing more than receiving a book for Christmas or their birthday.
4. Follow your favorite authors on amazon and Goodreads. That way, you’ll get a notification whenever they publish a new book.
5. Take a chance on a new (to you) author. It’s fine to read the novels by Big Name authors but you’re missing out if you don’t give small press and self-published authors a chance. Not all writers can be a Mary Higgins Clark or a James Patterson but we all have stories to tell that you just might love.