This us the second of the series. Part of the inspiration came from a friend who plays the organ. I often enjoyed spending time listening to his mastery of music. He's nothing like the character of the book except for being an excellent musician.
I think the best tip I ever received about writing came many, many years ago. I went to a day in Pittsburgh where a writer whose name I can't remember gave a lecture on writing. One thing that stuck in my mind was "Finish the book." The author spoke of how so many people set off to write a book and when they reach an impasse, they give up and start a new project. He also said that by finishing and writing the End you now could return and look at the various areas to see where you fell short or even avoided. That really made me think. I looked at several of those stories I'd begun and then left hanging. I decided to work on one of them. In the changing the story changed but not in the essentials. The book ahs been called And So We Walk on Eggshells. It became MUrder and Mint Tea. The only thing I wish i had changed when I was writing was putting the story in first person. Even so, this book has survived since 1998 and is still earning a bit of money.
Since I'm meandering today, here's a bit about life here. I'm 89, going on 90 and life has crawled but not slow enough for rest. Writing new stories will continue until I can't write.
I've also begun thinking about Christmas stockings, I have a lot that I do every year and it's time to start buying things to put in these stockings and sending boxes to my distant families.
Writing on my current book is into the next to the last draft and there are many words needed to be added to make this a book rather than a novella. So I must get back to work.
Happy anniversary of sorts. Murder and Mint Tea has been in print and e-book since 1999. Over the years, there have been some changes in the story but it's essentially the same tale. When I write this initially cell phones weren't much in evidence and they were large, not like the ones today. Families drove stations not minivans. So some updating had to be done. Murder and Mint Tea takes place in a Hudson River village, much like the one where I live today. There are some places in the story that are no-longer in existence. The shop where antique automobiles were shown in the window is now a restaurant. For the story, I returned some places that are gone. The book is the first of Katherine Miller's adventures.
Here is the blurb: Katherine is a retired nurse and a retired church organist. The small Hudson River village where she lives in her Victorian “Painted Lady” makes her the neighborhood matriarch. Along with her Maine Coon Cat Robespierre, she guards friends and families.
Murder and Mint Tea is a gem in its genre, combining the voice of a classic American whodunit with that of a traditional British detective novel. Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple in a beautifully crafted tale that makes the reader want to reach into the pages and dispense justice to the villainess themselves. ~ Writer Gail Roughton
This is the most reviewed book of my stories
Another year has passed. I'm now working on 89. Though my writing has slowed a bit, I released a series of short stories including an Mrs. Miller novella. I also set off the first book in a new murder series The Horror Writer's Demise due out I believe in October. At present I'm working on a romance story that involves a Phone Call and A voice From Her past. I have a second idea for another book concerning a phone call. I also plan to finally write the second book in a Regency series that began with Gemstones, This one called Silks. There will eventually be a third in this grouping. There will also be a second mystery.
The past year plus was a slow one because of some health silliness. All better now. Having ideas is great but finding all the time is sometimes not all. The writing for me goes smoothly but the typing is slow. All my books are had-written for the first and often the second draft. Looking forward to the new stories to tell.
Johanna Gordon devotes her time and energy to her job as Director of Nursing at Hudson Community Hospital. With budget cuts hanging over her head, Johanna suspects the CEO of scheming a plan that threatens her job as well as the hospital, and she’s determined to find out why.
The choices she’s made for herself and her career leave her with no social life until she meets Dylan Connelly. He’s everything she’s always wanted, loving, devoted to his kids and everything she’s never had. Just when she finds love with the new man, an old flame returns with promises of a life together. Johanna has to decide between security and companionship, while trying to recapture the past, or moving forward with her new life.
A fun book to write but my Irish memories are ones of a years ago trip to Ireland when I was able to visit the town where one of my relatives came from. I also remember Ireland for the greens. Seemed as though there were hundreds shades of greens.
Another memory was during our exploring trip of watching a black and white collie performing herding tricks. The shepherd of the flock gave us a look at how the dog obeyed commands and how it herded the sheep. Was a wonderful stop beside the roam just to rest our legs but also to watch the dog and the shepherd. No words were taken, just hand signals to the dog.
Weaving memories is what I do these days. mostly along with weaving stories.
Genre fiction is many things. There are mysteries, suspense, romance, fantasy. Each of these categories can have a subgenre. These genres also can combine. Take a suspense story and add a heroine to the hero's quest to fine the villain and the story changes slightly.
Mainstream fiction is looking at best-seller status. There can be elements of genres in the story. This type of story isn't comfortable being just a genre book.
Experimental fiction breaks the rules in some way. I've attempted this kind of story and failed.The writers of this type of fiction are interested in form.
Meander 1 - Reading - I've fallen behind on my reading lately. The tripsto the hospital somehow drain energy. But I'm back and will plunge in.
Meander 2- Thoughts - A week plus ago, with my foot tangled in the cover, I fell out of bed and smacked my forehead against the separater of matress and the other one. MY granddaughter rani and assessed the klutz. My fore head was turning color. "I may have a concussion, I said. "To the hospital, she said. Thre, th did he admission things and took me to radiology. Sometime later the doctor comesin. No concussion," he said. "That's great news, can I go home.
He shook his head. "You've broken your neck and need surgery. Off went to a different hospital and had the surgery. All seems well now.
Meander 3- Writing - Doing a bit on the new ook every day. Hope to finish the first draft in July and then polish to send it off.
My Places
https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/
Buy Mark
