5 Tips to Craft a Mystery

Writing a mystery doesn't have to be mysterious. There are some elements that are clear and non-negotiable. Here are 5 of them.

1. Craft an interesting sleuth.
We've all read mysteries with the quintessential gumshoe. He wears an overcoat and likely a fedora. There's a cigar involved. And he's probably cranky. Why not mix it up? Think of the most unlikely sleuth in the world and jazz that character up a bit. In OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, my co-author and I used two retired sisters-in-law.

2. Create an interesting story world.
Mysteries don't take place in a vacuum. They take place in a place. That's known as your story world. Make it unique and memorable. Tweak all of the reader's 5 senses. In OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, the story is set in a retirement community next to the Shady Rest nursing home, not to be confused with the Shady Rest cemetery five miles farther south.

3. Suspects that are suspected.
For a mystery, you need at least three suspects. Each one must fall into one of two categories:
       - someone who wants the victim killed
       - someone who had the capability of killing the victim.

4. Spreadsheets are NOT just for nerds.
To write a mystery you must have an outline, and a very detailed one at that. You've got to establish and keep track of your red herrings and your real clues, then dole them out like breadcrumbs throughout the story. To do that you need a plan.

5. Your sleuth has to fail.
Failure is a must. Your sleuth's first, or even second solution, must be wrong. He's got to hit rock bottom before the killer is discovered, otherwise your reader will feel cheated.

Readers of mystery love to figure out who the culprit is but don't make it too easy or they'll get bored.

And there's nothing boring in my latest mystery release OUT OF THE FRYING PAN. Pop over to Amazon to snatch up your copy or enter the drawing here:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Quirk Factor

Charles Dickens was a master of quirky characters. Miss Havisham in Great Expectations is the woman who's never taken off her wedding dress . . . in decades. Mr. Smallweed is carried around on a litter and shouts to be continually "shaken up." Even Scrooge has a miserly quirk. Why did Dickens use such oddities?

Because quirk makes for memorable characters.

Next time you craft a character, make sure to add in a trait that stands out. It will set your story apart from the norm. That's what Kelly Klepfer and I did in our newest release. Meet the quirky cast of OUT OF THE FRYING PAN:

Fern Hopkins

A spry, sixty-three-year-old artist with a love of simple beauty, Fern adds elegance to the community by teaching art classes and reining in Zula’s creative impulses. As much as she appreciates the creation around her, intimacy with God is a struggle, so she keeps spiritual things confined to Sunday mornings.

Azulabelle “Zula” Hopkins 

At sixty-one, Zula is a southern lady with a flair of her own involving big hair and plenty of make-up. Living with Fern is difficult for Zula, but she fears loneliness. Though she’s a staunch believer, she often puts too much importance on this side of heaven.

Detective Jared Flynn

New to the homicide division, this lanky six-footer, combined with his marital status—single—excites the ladies of Sunset Paradise to match him up with any available granddaughter. He figures if God wants him married, He’ll send the perfect woman. Fern and Zula are pretty sure that’s KC, and once KC arrives, Jared thinks so as well.

Katherine Cecile “KC” Hopkins

Spinster at age thirty-something according to her aunts Fern and Zula, KC lives with Mr. Wright, her cat. She’s recently broken off an engagement and sworn off men—forever.

Irma Benton 

She’s only in her late fifties, but with her list of health complaints and sour attitude, she seems at death's door. Irma-sighting reports abound during meal times, turning avoidance into a fine art. The only one who talks to her is Mr. Simmons, but from their red faces and flying spittle, their conversations don’t appear to be pleasant.

Philippe AuClaire 

Silver-haired and mysterious, he’s new to the community. He spends his time writing poetry and claims to dabble in international sales. He speaks fluent French-Canadian, is a gourmet chef and professes that the zinnias are not pink but a variegated shade of raspberry sorbet. Fern’s heart doesn’t stand a chance.

Robert Fenway 

Zula always has palpitations whenever Bob is around, but since his wife’s death, she just might need a pacemaker. Fern is suspicious of his amazing rebound from his recent bereavement and his attraction to Zula—or maybe it’s to her bank account.

Intrigued? Snatch yourself up a copy at Amazon or enter the Rafflecopter drawing for a chance at a signed copy . . .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Co-Author a Book

It's no secret I co-authored Out of the Frying Pan with my writerly buddy Kelly Klepfer. We had a hootenanny of a time. She's ridiculous. I'm insane. Win, win, right? But even though it was a great experience, there were a few new tricks I learned to put into my writerly bag. Here are some tips if you're considering co-authoring a book . . .

Don't edit the other person's voice to death.
This was my problem. Big time. I'm the sicko who happens to love to edit. Soup can labels, dog food bags, you name it and I'll edit it. Generally this skill comes in handy, but not so much when I red-inked my buddy's scenes. The beauty of having 2 authors in one book is that you get distinct voices. Resist the urge to make it sound like one.

Transitions are your new best friends.
When we finally put all of our scenes together, some of them didn't mesh so well. Segues are a must, especially when there are 2 different voices. Just a sentence or two will do it at the beginning of each scene.

Have one main plotter.
Kelly worked out the big picture for Out of the Frying Pan. Good thing, because too many authors ideas can spoil a novel. Not that we didn't brainstorm together from time to time, but someone has to ultimately be in charge of steering the writerly ship.

Have loads of grace and buckets of mercy.
Sometimes I screwed up a scene. Sometimes Kelly did. We both had to go back to the drawing board when our scene didn't work for the other person. Know that's part of the game ahead of time so tempers don't flare.

Divvy up the marketing chores.
Just because you finish writing the book together doesn't mean the work is over. That's when marketing begins. Don't weigh down your partner with the bulk of getting the word out. Do what you learned in preschool: share.

Would I do it again? Sure. Writing a book together is a fun adventure. Just make sure to do it with someone you love.

And if you love a sweet deal, there's still a chance to enter the OUT OF THE FRYING PAN giveaway . . .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now Launching OUT OF THE FRYING PAN

Slap on a helmet. Buckle up.
And three . . . two . . . one . . . BLAST OFF!

Welcome to a week of launch craziness for the zany mystery OUT OF THE FRYING PAN.  Here's a blurb:

Murder in Paradise whips life into a froth for FERN and ZULA HOPKINS. When the retirement center’s chef is found dead, the two ladies get folded in with the case. Their zany attempts to track down the killer land them in hot water with Detective JARED FLYNN. Should he be concerned about their safety—or the criminal’s?

But there are deadly ingredients none of them expect. Drugs. Extortion. International cartels. And worst of all…broken hearts, especially when the Hopkins sisters’ niece KC arrives on the scene.

Life at Sunset Paradise Retirement Village will never be the same.

I know exactly what you're thinking right about now -- "But Michelle! You write historical fiction. What's up with this nonsense?" Valid question. Here's the dealio . . .

My faithful readers know I tend to have a snarky side to my humor, and that comes out no matter what genre I write. The opportunity to team up with my authorly buddy, Kelly Klepfer, was just too hilarious to pass up. This girl is seriously nonstop laughs and giggles. So when she asked me to co-author a contemporary mystery (her chosen genre) I figured I'd give it a whirl.

And you can too. OUT OF THE FRYING PAN is now available at Amazon in paperback and e-book formats. Go snatch yourself up a copy -- or you can try your hand at winning one of two signed copies by entering this Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Grill-O-Rama Labor Day

What are you doing here? It's Labor Day. Time to kick back and grill before winter smacks you upside the head.

But come back tomorrow. It's launch week for OUT OF THE FRYING PAN and it will be a book launch wingding of a week.

Podcast Bonanza

Long car rides and/or being stuck in traffic are great times to blast a podcast -- and here some to check out if you have writerly interests . . .

GRAMMAR GIRL

Tips on grammar and storytelling from Mignon Fogarty.

A WAY WITH WORDS

Language as seen through the lens of culture and history, sponsored by National Public Radio. Here's a fun one: Writerly Insults.

WRITING EXCUSES

Love their tagline: 15 minutes long, because you're in a hurry and we're not that smart. These are quick tips hosted by 4 different writers.

THE CREATIVE PENN

Podcasts by author Joanna Penn about everything and anything writing related.

THE BEAUTIFUL WRITERS PODCAST

Conversations with professional writers.

SELF PUBLISHING PODCAST

The hosts of this show share personal stories and practical tips for anyone interested in self-publishing.

There. That ought to keep you busy for awhile.

Of Rags and Riches

Next week is party time here at Writer Off the Leash for the release of Out of the Frying Pan, a zany cozy mystery I wrote with the talented Kelly Klepfer. 

But that doesn't mean this week can't be just as much fun.

Pull out your floozle horns and bang your dingbeaters as I draw back the red velvet curtains to reveal a release headed your way next summer. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the OF RAGS AND RICHES ROMANCE COLLECTION . . .

Here's the back cover copy:

Love Flourishes during America’s Gilded Age

The Gilded Age of the late 1800s was a time of opulence, growth, and great change for all aspects of American life. Modern conveniences and improvements paved the way for western expansion and leisure activities. The rich became richer, and the poor worked hard to make a better life for themselves. Nine couples meet during these exhilarating times and work to build a future together through fighting for social reform, celebrating new opportunities for relaxation, taking advantage of economic growth and new inventions, and more.

And here's a blurb for my story:

A House of Secrets

St. Paul, MN 1890

Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston, resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing and determines to demolish the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.

The collection releases next July. Yikes. I'd better get busy writing.