I've been so blasted busy these past few weeks that I completely forgot to mention (on this blog, at least) that I have a new short story released from Untreed Reads entitled Rumspringa.
Here is the blurb, in case you are interested:
Excessive drinking. Chain-smoking. Methamphetamine addiction.
Such is the life of Wilma Burrows, a woman whose lifetime has been marred by an inexplicable string of bad decisions. Scarred and shattered, she tries to manage each day as it comes, desperate to keep herself from plunging into the abyss, but the demons are always a few short steps behind her.
Sixteen years ago, one of her many indiscretions resulted in the birth of pure and untainted innocence. But that shining glimmer of decency was whisked away, only to fade away as a distant memory.
But some days, even the most faded memories have a way of reemerging in unexpected ways.
And for Wilma, that day is today.
You can also find it at Amazon, B&N and all your other favorite eBook retailers!
Showing posts with label crime fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime fiction. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
New Author Interview with Corie L. Calcutt
It HAS been a while hasn't it.
A number of projects, not the least of which is my day-job, have monopolized my time, but be not afraid. I have not forgotten the blog. And I have some pretty exciting stuff coming up, so stay tuned!
A number of projects, not the least of which is my day-job, have monopolized my time, but be not afraid. I have not forgotten the blog. And I have some pretty exciting stuff coming up, so stay tuned!
And to bring the blog back to life in style, I'm posting an interview today with Untreed Reads author Corie L. Calcutt, who just recently released a new suspense/thriller novella entitled TAKEN.
The Accidental Author: Obviously, this tale is a nice mixture of macabre and mayhem. Where did you get your inspiration for TAKEN?
Corie Calcutt: Honestly, I was inspired by a mix of things. I had heard of several real-life abduction cases in which more than one state line was crossed (I am, sadly, a true-crime junkie); however, in all of those cases the victims were women. I was interested to see what might happen if the victim was male; more specifically, a young man who might statistically have a better chance of fighting off their abductor.
Another thing I was interested in was seeing an abduction tale told specifically from the victim's point-of-view. In so many plots like this, readers see it from all sides: the victim, the abductor, the party or parties working to resolve the crime. I was curious to see if a story told from only the victim's point-of-view would work; to see the crime unfolding through only one pair of eyes. I felt it gave more mystery and was more suspenseful if the reader had to learn the information in the same way a potential victim of a crime like this would.
Another thing I was interested in was seeing an abduction tale told specifically from the victim's point-of-view. In so many plots like this, readers see it from all sides: the victim, the abductor, the party or parties working to resolve the crime. I was curious to see if a story told from only the victim's point-of-view would work; to see the crime unfolding through only one pair of eyes. I felt it gave more mystery and was more suspenseful if the reader had to learn the information in the same way a potential victim of a crime like this would.
AA: When you set out to write, do you tend to have a strict outline, or do you allow the story to evolve organically?
CC: All of my work evolves organically. Sometimes it doesn't even evolve in the right order! 
In the case of TAKEN, it was not only an organic process, the story really almost wrote itself initially. I just couldn't stop writing the first draft of it; like a good suspense thriller, I too was sucked in right until the end!
In the case of TAKEN, it was not only an organic process, the story really almost wrote itself initially. I just couldn't stop writing the first draft of it; like a good suspense thriller, I too was sucked in right until the end!
AA: Do you feel that your works are more character-driven, or more plot-driven? In other words, do you allow the strength of the characters to bend the plot to their will, or does the strength of the plot transform the characters?
CC: It's a little bit of both, actually. Most times I find that the plot will sometimes drive the characters; in some cases, the characters are SO strong that the plot bends around them.
One example of this from TAKEN is the character of James: in all three versions of this story that I wrote, I found readers were more drawn to him than they were the main protagonist! In writing for James's character, his personality really determined what would happen next, even though I usually had a rough idea of what that next step would be.
One example of this from TAKEN is the character of James: in all three versions of this story that I wrote, I found readers were more drawn to him than they were the main protagonist! In writing for James's character, his personality really determined what would happen next, even though I usually had a rough idea of what that next step would be.
AA: In terms of mechanics, when do you know a work is complete (or at least, ready to submit)?
CC: Actually, I am a horrible judge of when my stories are good enough to shop out. Oftentimes I rely on a very small circle of friends in the art and writing world to proof and give me feedback on my works, and when they like it, it's done.
With TAKEN, it was a twofold process: there were three different versions of the story written. As far as the plot of the story went, I simply wrote it until I felt it needed to stop. Originally I (and the main characters) was going to Saskatchewan; once I hit Omaha, the story was telling me to wrap it up.
Two of my versions were nothing more than a perspective change: I found that writing it in first-person POV was much easier storywise than the third-person POV I was accustomed to writing in. Much less thought italics.
As with my other works, I had it looked over by my small circle of writing friends. Once they liked it, I shopped it out.
With TAKEN, it was a twofold process: there were three different versions of the story written. As far as the plot of the story went, I simply wrote it until I felt it needed to stop. Originally I (and the main characters) was going to Saskatchewan; once I hit Omaha, the story was telling me to wrap it up.
Two of my versions were nothing more than a perspective change: I found that writing it in first-person POV was much easier storywise than the third-person POV I was accustomed to writing in. Much less thought italics.
As with my other works, I had it looked over by my small circle of writing friends. Once they liked it, I shopped it out.
AA: Do you revise while you write, or do you complete a full draft before you go back and revise?
CC: Usually I revise as I write, but it honestly depends on the project. In this case, I did both, making my own changes and accepting the suggestions of my writing friends. If I were to write out a full draft before revising or requesting feedback, I'd never finish anything!
AA: When you write things like TAKEN, do you write about things that you fear personally in a sort of personal catharsis, or is it something else entirely?
CC: It's not so much what I personally fear rather than it's what piques my curiosity. As I stated before, I am a true-crime junkie; I grew up on mysteries and the like. I tend to write more tales about false confinement (kidnapping, hostage situations, etc.) because I find that the mindsets of those involved fascinate me, both the criminal's and the victim's POV's. There's just so many outcomes and things one doesn't normally consider unless they are in a situation like that that is worth exploring.
AA: What are you working on now?
CC: Right now I am working on two different projects in the midst of Real Life: one is a collaboration with a graphic-artist friend to turn one of my previously published short stories, "Consolation Prize" (first published through Kasma SF) into a short graphic novel. The other is a more fragmented work consisting of several short stories that, when read together, create one overarching story involving the meaning of family and the costs of obsession and vengeance.
Corie L. Calcutt is the author of several short stories, including Consolation Prize, Hostages at the Kitchen Table and Taken. She has a bachelor's in Creative Writing, is a lifelong Michigan resident, and has a very active imagination.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Writing Process Interview #5: Mystery Author Wade J. McMahan
It's time for the next installment in my 2011 interview series, "Inspiration to Publication". We are currently working our way through the "writing process" phase of the series, and for this interview, we will be spending some time with mystery author, and fellow Untreed Reads colleague, Wade J. McMahan. His Richard Dick mystery series has been a bestseller in both the US and the UK, and his Richard Dick mystery bundle has performed incredibly well at the Sony eBookstore.
The Accidental Author: After a short hiatus, during which my wife and I welcomed our second daughter into the world, it's time to get back to finding out what makes certain authors tick. Today, I'm asking some questions of Wade J. McMahan, author of numerous eBooks from Untreed Reads, including the Richard Dick mystery series. Even though I will spend most of the interview asking you about the “nuts and bolts” of your writing process, tell us a little bit about Richard Dick. Where did he come from? Is he loosely based on someone (or multiple people) you know?
Wade J. McMahan: Thanks for inviting me for an interview, Jesse, and congratulations on the arrival of your newest family member.
The concept behind Richard Dick actually sprang from a short-short “news release” I wrote for an e-mag. In the story, the news reporter divulges that the Yellow Fever virus has been placed on the Endangered Species List. That little piece got my “What if” juices flowing. What if…instead a news reporter, the protagonist is a private detective? And, what if…this detective uncovers similar madcap situations?
Richard Dick (please just call him Dick) is someone we all know, your “every man,” who just happens to be a private detective. He’s the average Joe who lives next door, the guy who trudges along and attempts to cope with whatever obstacles life throws in front of him.
Dick is loosely based on famous prototypical private dicks from literature, radio and TV. Think of Sam Spade, Phillip Marlowe, Boston Blackie, and Magnum PI who are glamorous, tough, clever, and daring. Essentially, I blended those characters into one, flipped their qualities upside down, and Dick spilled out onto the page.
AA: You've written three installments in the Richard Dick mysteries. Tell us a little bit about how you make sure that the character of Dick remains consistent from one book to the next?
WJM: I know Dick well, and what makes him tick. I know what motivates him and how he will react in a variety of bizarre situations. That’s not to say he doesn’t occasionally surprise me, but isn’t that true with everyone you know?
AA: Did you deliberately set out to write mysteries with an element of the supernatural in them (“Witches Witch?”, for example), or did that come naturally while you were writing?
WJM: Speculative fiction offers especially fertile ground when you are looking for wacky characters, adventures, and situations. In my first Richard Dick Mystery, “Bite This!” Dick is introduced to numerous forms of shape-shifters. If there are such things as werewolves, could there be other similar critters out there, like werepossums? Why not?
I wrote the second Richard Dick, “Witches Witch” as a Halloween story, and it was published by Untreed Reads just prior to the holiday. You can’t have a true Halloween tale without witches, can you? And, if Dick encounters a witch, naturally she’s going to turn him into a frog, isn’t she. Naturally!
Jay Hartman, the Editor at Untreed Reads asked that I spin a Richard Dick Christmas/Hanukkah crossover yarn. The emotional rollercoaster, “Naughty or Nice?” was the product of Jay’s challenge, where Dick assists Santa Claus, and uncovers an amazing secret at the North Pole. The holiday season is about kids, so I wanted to write a memorable story that also included a serious life lesson (Honest! Swear to God!).
AA: When writing a mystery, how do you plot out the story arc? Do you know pretty much how it ends, and you work backwards, or do you have some vague idea as to how it ends, and you work from beginning to end? Or do you do something entirely different?
WJM: I begin each Richard Dick mystery by first planting my tongue firmly in my cheek. I’m not a formulaic or outline writer—I just start writing. While I obviously begin with a general idea of how the story will unfold, to be perfectly honest, early on that’s not all that important to me. All that’s important is what’s actually transpiring within the story as I write it.
My loose writing method might drive some writers nuts. Still, I prefer it because it leaves all the creative options open as the storyline develops—take it where you will! Who cares where it goes so long as it’s good? When I’m writing, nothing is set in concrete until the storyline is complete, especially the ending. For me, that’s half the fun of writing. Just like a reader, I can’t wait to see what happens next, and in the end.
AA: What is Dick up to these days? Is there another caper on the horizon?
WJM: Capers, capers, capers! Dicks’ backlog of cases is growing! His latest case, “The Lincoln Park Horror-A Richard Dick Mystery” is currently undergoing final edits at Untreed Reads Publishing. Dick’s penchant for attracting screwball clients who drag him into outlandish predicaments holds true again, when he’s hired by—a ghost! Really! Please watch for Dick’s new novelette, because “The Lincoln Park Horror” will be hitting e-bookshelves around the globe very, very soon!
Dick is currently involved in a case he’s calling “Fanged,” and as you might suspect by the title, his client is a vampire (one had to show up sooner or later, you know). The vampire, Count Earl Duke, is a tragic figure <sniff> who is…no, no, <sniff> I can’t go on! It’s simply too dreadful to talk about, so you’ll just have to discover it all for yourself when “Fanged” is released this summer.
AA: Do you tend to flesh out the characters first, or the overall story arc? In other words, do your characters tend to mold the plot to their will, or does the strength of the plot have power over your characters?
WJM: Gosh. I didn’t realize writing is so complicated! To answer your question though, some of both…I guess…maybe. Typically, I stage a scene, and slide the characters into it.
Richard Dick works for me full time, and he rarely strays far from his role. I also have a fair feel for Dick’s newest client, and allow that character to grow along with the storyline. When I introduce a peripheral character, they are intended to be scene-driven, although I’ve occasionally had them turn rogue, “steal” the scene and turn it an altogether different direction from where I was originally headed.
AA: Besides a computer (or a notepad and pen if you are really old-fashioned), what absolutely MUST be near you when you are writing?
WJM: I’m probably really old-fashioned in many ways, but I do use a computer. Past that, my needs are simple, and I can write just about anywhere, though I much prefer my home office.
AA: Do you set down a concrete schedule for writing, or do you write when the mood strikes?
WJM: I write as the opportunity strikes. I manage my own company, so business and personal matters come first, of course. As often as possible, I wedge writing into open gaps in my erratic schedule.
AA: How do you go about revising your work? Do you tend to revise “on the fly”, or do you generally complete the first draft before going back and doing some revision?
WJM: I’m all over the place with revisions, and the “Highlight>Delete” functions are my best friends on my keyboard.
Nothing I write is held sacred simply because it hits the page. Everything is subject to revision or total elimination. Often, an idea, word, or phrase will pop into my mind during the day that will improve what I’ve already written. I’ll hurry home in the evening and make changes.
My system, if I have one, consists of moving the story forward by first focusing on writing the individual primary scenes. Later I go back to flesh out the action, and backfill to piece everything together.
Finally, I send out the first draft to my Beta readers, and anxiously stand by for their comments. I remain true to my own writing instincts, but when one of the readers points to an actual flaw, I’m going to address it. Those extra sets of eyes are invaluable.
AA: Do you tend to read the kind of fiction that you write? Who/what are you reading right now?
WJM: I’ll read anything. Right now, I’m reading non-fiction on ancient Ireland
AA: Finally, if you had any piece of advice for the author that is trying to make the transition from “writing for fun” to “writing for fun and profit (such as it is)”, what piece of advice would you bestow upon them?
WJM: Writers make a profit? Really? Hmm, I need to look into that… Ahem, now what was the question? Oh, yes. “Fun” is the keyword. You must have fun writing before you can ever hope to earn an income from it. If you aren’t having fun writing, take up golf.
Write for yourself certainly, but also write for the market. Your heartrending literary masterpiece detailing the loss of your Aunt Pearl’s dearly departed cat might fascinate you and Aunt Pearl, but truthfully, the world doesn’t give a damn. When writing fiction, you’ve got to shoot Black Bart in the eye, skewer a pirate, portray a great romance (preferably with a person, not a cat), or sail around the world or to Alpha Centauri.
Writing professionally is a job, and publishing is a business. When publishers reject your work, they are making a business decision, but please feel free to take it personally anyway. I know I do, but after I finish with gnashing my teeth, I concentrate on becoming a better writer, and go back to work.
Wade J. McMahan has published four stories with Untreed Reads Publishing. In addition to his successful Richard Dick Mystery series, Untreed Reads has published his fantasy spoof, "Flying Solo". Furthermore, his stories have been published at such places as The Ampersand Review, Crow's Nest Magazine, and Pine Tree Mysteries. More Richard Dick mysteries are already in the pipeline, or under construction. Wade is currently writing a fantasy novel based upon an ancient Irish legend. Owner of a forestry consuting firm, Wade and his wife Glenda live in Tennessee where they enjoy an active life filled with family, friends, sports, travel and three spoiled dogs.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Writing Process Interview #3 and Free eBook Contest: Untreed Reads Author Rick R. Reed
For my next victim, er, interview subject, Rick R. Reed has graciously agreed to let me grill him about his eBook short story, "Crime Scene". "Crime Scene" is a chilling account involving a woman's musings about a crime scene photograph, and her vivid envisioning of events leading up to the scene in the photograph. The story is beautiful and haunting at the same time, and is a must read for anyone who loves crime fiction.
Also, Rick has agreed to give a free copy of his eBook short story, "Crime Scene", to one random person who leaves a comment at the bottom of this post. Start a discussion, continue a discussion, or just say "hello" (obviously, discussions are better). On April 15, one lucky person will receive a free copy of "Crime Scene" to help ease the pain (or augment the pleasure, depending on your situation) of tax day.
Also, Rick has agreed to give a free copy of his eBook short story, "Crime Scene", to one random person who leaves a comment at the bottom of this post. Start a discussion, continue a discussion, or just say "hello" (obviously, discussions are better). On April 15, one lucky person will receive a free copy of "Crime Scene" to help ease the pain (or augment the pleasure, depending on your situation) of tax day.
Welcome to the "stage", Rick. R. Reed.
The Accidental Author: As we progress through the second quarter of the year, I’m focusing this series of interviews on the writing process itself. But, I would be completely remiss not to at least talk a little bit about your inspiration for your short story, “Crime Scene”. Was there a specific event or memory that inspired you to write this story?Rick R. Reed: Just like the woman in the story, I came across that book of crime scene photographs in a bookstore in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. Since I have a rather perverse idea of what constitutes entertainment (and a fascination with true crime), I flipped through the book, which included pictures taken at actual crime scenes.
One of these was on a beautiful little girl who had been strangled and her body left lying on a restroom floor. The picture was so sad and so tragic that it made me sorry I opened the book. That particular photo haunted me for a long time.
And, of course, it eventually morphed into the inspiration for a story about a woman who does just what I did (the description of the crime scene photo in my story is pretty close to what the actual picture looked like) and is haunted by the picture of the little dead girl. She begins to imagine what happened on that day, seeing the events that led up to the little girl’s murder, and in the end…well, maybe I shouldn’t say what happens in the end.
AA: When you set out to write this short story, did you have the idea for the “frame story” or the “story within the story” first?
RRR: I think it came to me as all part of a whole. The frame story was my own visceral reaction to the picture of the strangled little girl…and then I began to imagine how something so horrendous and tragic could possibly come about.
AA: How did you come up with the remainder of the story and eventually dovetail it all together?
RRR: I wanted to say something about how the power of our minds has the ability to take away some of the horror and hurt of the real world.
AA: When you set out to write a story that transitions from time-periods (like Crime Scene), what is your greatest challenge?
RRR: I wanted to get the period details right (1960s) in which the background story takes place and that took some research on the music of that time and what the beach at Coney Island would have been like. Other than that, once the characters sprung to life in my head, I just sort of reported what they did and said, which is what usually happens when I write.
AA: When you sit down to write, besides a computer, what other things do you have to have in your direct vicinity?
RRR: I’m very much a writer that requires no distractions when I write. So I always answer with a blank stare when I’m asked if I listen to music when I write. How would that work? I wonder. I’d be too distracted. I also never position my desk facing window with a beautiful view, for the same reason. These days, everything I need is pretty much there on my computer, including the ability to quickly do research and get factual questions answered on the fly and immediately (gotta love Google!). Usually, my dog, a Boston Terrier named Lily, is on the couch next to my desk, snoring as I write. I think she channels ideas and editorial advice to me while I work.
AA: Do you have a set schedule for writing, or do you write when the mood strikes?
RRR: I write nearly every morning, with an aim to complete at least 1,000 words. I am a morning person, through and through, so often I do my best work often as early as five am.
AA: Do you like to read the same kinds of things that you write, or is there a disparity there?
RRR: Um, probably what you find me reading most are books that revolve around crime (as I said above, I have a healthy—or unhealthy—fascination for the topic). So my reading for pleasure usually involves a mystery or a thriller. But I am pretty eclectic and dip into non-fiction (love biographies), humor (David Sedaris), and, of course, horror, although I prefer the kind that can either really happen or happens to people who are “real” if you know what I mean.
AA: What are you working on right now?
RRR: Right now, I’m working on a romantic novel set in the early 1990s about an AIDS buddy in Florida who falls for the lover of the man he’s been assigned to be a buddy to. There’s a lot of humor (the guy dying from AIDS is a very strong, witty, and funny character) and some tragedy. I have good feelings about the books. It’s strongly based on my own experiences in the early 1990s when I was a Tampa AIDS Network buddy to a very unusual person.
AA: Finally, if you had one piece of advice for a fledgling writer who wants to make the leap from “writing for fun” to “writing for fun and profit”, what would that be?
RRR: Without thinking about it, the cliché, “follow your heart” immediately popped into my head when I read your question, so I figure that means something. I’m a great truster of my instinct. But on the other side of following your heart and trusting your gut, it’s imperative that you learn your craft. I see way too many small press publications that demonstrate authors who haven’t taken the time to learn the CRAFT of storytelling, the structure, the pacing, and so on. But yeah, following your heart is the only way to go…don’t ever try to write what you think will be successful or will sell…that’s a surefire set-up for failure, in my opinion.
In their October 2006 issue, Unzipped magazine said: "You could call him the Stephen King of gay horror." And Dark Scribe magazine proclaimed: "Reed is an established brand - perhaps the most reliable contemporary author for thrillers that cross over between the gay fiction market and speculative fiction." In spite of this—or perhaps because of it—he has been lately turning more and more to writing romance and illuminating the emotional lives of gay men. To date, Reed has more than sixteen books in print, and his short fiction has appeared in more than 20 anthologies. His novel, ORIENTATION, won the EPPIE Award for best LGBT novel of 2008. He lives in Seattle, WA with his partner and a very spoiled Boston Terrier. Visit him on the web at www.rickrreed.com or at his blog at http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/ Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed
Find him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rickrreed
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