What's Next?

A couple of weeks ago, I finished writing Mistaken Identity, the fourth book in my Malone mystery series, and I did the dance of joy! I was so excited that I even announced it on Facebook. What a great feeling it was to type “The End.” 

Months and months of writing, researching and rewriting had come to an end. I put the book aside and focused on getting some other things done, things I’d neglected while I was finishing the book. Then, it was time to go back in to read the book all the way through and to do my final editing. A couple of days ago, I sent the manuscript and the synopsis to my publisher. And, once again, I did my happy dance.

So, what’s next? Well, my editor will read the book and we’ll set up an appointment to get together to go over her suggested edits. (I’m very fortunate to have a local publisher and editor.) After that, I’ll make any necessary changes, send the completed manuscript to my publisher and we’ll work on putting together the cover. Once all of that is completed, I’ll wait until he gives me a publication date, sometime late Spring or early Summer, so that I can set up a book launch event, etc.

I know it sounds like I’ll have some time off while I wait but I won’t. Because writers are always writing even when they're not sitting at their computers. Before long, it will be time to start working on my fifth book. (I'm already starting to come up with ideas.) That’s one of the things I love about writing a series. I’m always eager to see what will happen to my characters next.

My Most Memorable Valentine's Day

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

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?

Breaking the Rules

"From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put." 
Winston Churchill

I love that quote because it pokes fun at one of the rules of writing that we were taught early on, "Never end a sentence with a preposition." And, as in the quote, there are times when it doesn't make sense to follow that rule. I guess it's true what they say: some rules were made to be broken.

Most rules became rules for a reason but sometimes we need to break a rule. However, it's one thing to violate the rules of grammar and punctuation because we don't know any better and it's quite another thing to break them because we make a deliberate choice to do so. You should know the rules before you decide to break them. 

Another rule that writers were taught: Never begin a sentence with a conjunction. As you read the next paragraph, you'll see I definitely choose to ignore that rule from time to time because, in my opinion,  beginning a sentence with "and" or "but" can be very effective.

Another example: Avoid clichés. And, while I think it's important to come up with creative ways of expressing our thoughts rather than mimicking someone else's, I happen to love clichés. In a few words, they can get an important point across. They're universal; everyone knows what they mean. That's why and how they became clichés. I know to avoid using them in prose but, sometimes, I choose to use them anyway, especially in dialogue. 

So, as writers, we need to learn to trust our instincts, to ask ourselves whether or not breaking a rule will improve our writing. And, if we believe it will, I say, "Go for it!"

Mystery of the Month: Dying for a Dude

When Laurel McKay agrees to perform with the Sassy Saloon Gals during Hangtown’s annual Wagon Train parade, her greatest fear is a wardrobe malfunction. Before she can lace up her corset, a 150-year-old skeleton turns up on her grandmother’s property. Did Laurel’s great-great-grandfather murder his mining partner? Gran insists not and wants Laurel to prove it.

Then the body of a prominent citizen is discovered dangling above a Main Street hotel shortly after Laurel’s ex-husband decked him. When her detective boyfriend throws her ex in jail for murder, Laurel, with the help of her zany friends and her family must find the real killer.

Juggling two kids, a new boss, a wilting romance, and two murder investigations would be enough to turn any woman into a chocolate addict. Extra pounds are the least of Laurel’s worries as she and her Mustang-driving octogenarian grandmother try to unearth some long-buried secrets before the killer adds their names to Hangtown’s bloody history.

Buy links:

Amazon   http://tinyurl.com/DyingforaDudeKindle

Nook   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dying-for-a-dude-cindy-sample/1120637140?ean=2940150381506

Kobo    http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dying-for-a-dude

 Cindy Sample

Cindy Sample is a former mortgage banking CEO who decided plotting murder was more entertaining than plodding through paperwork. Her national bestselling humorous mystery series, described as Erma Bombeck meets Agatha Christie, features single soccer mom, Laurel McKay. The series, set in the California gold country includes Dying for a Date, Dying for a Dance and Dying for a Daiquiri, both finalists for the LEFTY Award for Best Humorous Mystery.  Dying for a Daiquiri was also a finalist for the 2014 Silver Falchion Award for Best Traditional Mystery. Her recent release, Dying for a Dude provides the wildest ride yet! 

You can contact her at: 

www.cindysamplebooks.com

www.facebook.com/cindysampleauthor

Why I love being a Writer - Part 3

While it's very exciting to start writing a new book, it's also very satisfying to type "The End" on a manuscript. Months of research, writing, rewriting and editing have come to an end. I always breathe a sigh of relief as I send a book off to my publisher. I can relax for a while, at least until it's time to go through my book with the editor, to choose a book cover and to begin to promote the book. 

But, my mind is free! No more writing in my head even when I'm not at my computer. A respite from jotting down ideas when I'm in the bathtub or driving in my car. Because that's what we writers do. When we're in the midst of writing a novel, it's constantly with us. Day and night. If that sounds like a bad thing, let me assure you that it's not. In fact, it's one of the joys of writing. But we all need a break once in a while, even from the things we love.

And I do love the process of creating. It all starts with a single idea. It could be something as simple as a snippet of conversation overheard in a restaurant, an expression on someone's face or, as in my case, the sight of an old Victorian when I went for a walk one day and wondered what would happen if those walls could talk.

That single idea begins to grow until, eventually, it blossoms into a complete manuscript. I send it out, sigh and then another idea takes hold of me and the process begins all over again. And, I wouldn't have it any other way!







 

Why I love being a Writer - Part 2

Last week, I wrote my first post on why I love being a writer and I talked about the fact that writing, even more so than reading, offers me an escape from my everyday world. This week I'd like to talk about the art of creating and what a wonderful means for self-expression it is.

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 bare 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.

Why I love being a Writer - Part 1

I've always loved to read and I've spent countless 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), Mistaken Identity, everything changes.

Suddenly, it's a hot, sunny July day on the beach at Fripp Island, South Carolina and all of my senses are evoked. I can almost hear the waves crashing to shore, see the seagulls soaring through the bright, blue sky and feel the warm sun on my face. I've been transported to another place. All of my day to day problems, including the weather, are gone. I've escaped!
 
The Temptations pretty much summed it up. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May."

Of course, there are lots of other reasons why I love being a writer and I'll talk about them in future posts. If you're reading this and you're a writer, what do you like most about being a writer?