New Year - New Projects - Renewed Passion

So, here we are at the end of the old year, and as I write this, we are just hours away from leaping into the new year. But this year, there is a big difference for yours truly as we move into 2023. I am now semi-retired and have more time to write. I'm not going to belabor the semi-retired part of this since I've already written about that in previous posts. What I would like to say, however, is that this time, with this crossover to the fresh, new year, it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. In the past, I felt like I always had good intentions when it came to what I wanted to accomplish in each new year. I would create this list of what I wanted to do, how I wanted to do it, and the timeline I would get it done within. I would make promises and commit to self-imposed deadlines that turned out to be unrealistic for one reason or another. Like I said... good intentions. But like the saying, the road is paved with good intentions, I always seemed to fall short of my own expectations regarding what I wanted to accomplish.

I had a pretty good 4th quarter in 2022. I stopped working full-time and now only work part-time a couple of days and a few hours a week. I joined the Charlotte Writer's Club here in my hometown, I was asked to join the Underground Authors, which included an invitation to write a book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series, I joined a writer's critique group, I've made tremendous progress on book 4 in my crime fiction/PI series, counting this one, I've written ten blog posts in 2022 which is one more written than in the previous three years combined, I finally had the courage to submit one of my books for an award and actually won an award in the crime fiction category, and last, but by no means, least, I've been able to ramp up my grandpa time with my three adorable grandkids. Overall, the last few months of 2022 was the most productive time period of my year and also turned out to be a time for me to begin to redesign some things. I've redesigned my schedule, my health habits, and my attitude. Quite frankly, I think I've become a nicer person. Something that happens when you are able to finally take time to breathe and work on yourself.

So here are some of the things I will aspire to accomplish in 2023: 

The tough stuff -

The biggest personal challenge I have to overcome in 2023 has to do with the mindset I've had about my own mortality since my dad passed away back in 1997. He was just 64 years old when he died. I have dreaded 2023 arriving for years as it is the year that I turn 64 years old. It might sound silly, but until I turn 65 years old in 2024, and am still breathing, it will more than likely continue to weigh on me. Of course, there are some key differences between my dad and me when it comes to our health and wellness. My father died of throat and mouth cancer related to the fact that he was a heavy smoker for almost his entire life and worked at a factory/foundry breathing in all the crap that kind of job had to offer in every eight hour shift he worked during his almost four decade run with them. He was also not one to consult his doctor for anything. Rather, he would try to self-diagnose with a medical dictionary spread out on the dining room table. He lived in an era where men would rather die than admit weakness by going to see a doctor. My family loves to remind me, by pointing out that I have had none of these same issues. I've never smoked and have never worked in a job that was possibly dangerous to my health. And, I suppose, because of what I witnessed with my father, I have regular yearly checkups and will consult a doctor anytime something is clearly off. Still, the closer I get to my birthday, the more it pops into my thoughts. But, I have supportive people around me, so I will get through it and beat my mindset into submission.

The good stuff -

I get to spend more time spoiling my grandkids than I did last year

I will have no less than two new books published in 2023. That's two more than in 2021 and one more than in 2022. 

I'm working on an idea for a serial on Kindle Vella (probably the second half of the year)

I'll be participating in some book readings throughout the year as part of the Charlotte Writer's Club

I will read and review more Indie Author books this year than last year

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All-in-all, I am looking forward to the new year. I am more passionate about my writing than I have been in years, I'm feeling better than I have in the last few years, and I can't wait to see all the good things (and a little of the not-so-good) things that 2023 has in store for me.😀

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I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog... And of course, thoughts and comments are always welcome!😎

You can find my books here: Joe Congel/Amazon

 

 Random thoughts on my writing life: Three words I live by ...

Never. Give. Up. These three words, when looked at separately, are really not that compelling. But when put together, they become one of the most powerful phrases this writer needs to hear. They become the first part of a sentence that, when I add the word ‘writing’, conveys a thought that reminds me of why I wanted to write in the first place. How many times have you had a great idea for a short story or a book only to let the evil thoughts inside your head cause you to procrastinate or, worse yet, totally give up on breathing life into that great idea? It’s happened to me many times. I have a huge file on my computer stuffed with unfinished great ideas. Ideas that I gave up on for one reason or another.

Recently, I took some time to visit that file just to see what was in there. It had been accumulating for so long I’d forgotten much of what was inside. As I read through the partially written stories and the pages that had just a germ of an idea typed on them, it reawakened me to the possibilities of what I truly had. Some thoughts squirreled away in this file weren’t half bad. Others needed some work before they would reach that status. All were ideas that, at one time, I believed could blossom into amazing works of art. So why didn’t they? The simple answer is that I gave up on them. When attempting to form those ideas into actual stories that someone or even I would want to read became hard, I let those aforementioned evil thoughts stop me from trying. The minute it became frustrating, I would put it away for another day. A day that never seemed to come. I allowed everything and anything to delay getting back to writing. Not because I didn't enjoy it. I did. I still do. Writing is one of the most cathartic things I do in my life. When I am writing and it’s going well, it cleanses my soul. But writing isn’t an easy process. If someone tells you it is, they’re lying to you. It takes careful thought to string the right words together to form a good story. And that takes time.

I hear other writers talk about all the stories trapped inside their heads that they have to get out through their writing. They say they have a strong need deep inside to write no matter what.  Honestly, that’s never been me. I came to this writing thing late in life. When I was younger, I thought I was going to be the next great cartoonist to hit the Sunday comic pages. The first time the thought of becoming a writer even crossed my mind, I was almost 40 years old. I didn’t really act on it until I was 58. But once I started, I have not been able to stop. That doesn’t mean that there haven't been times when I was ready to pack it all in and leave writing behind. But even though for me, the process of writing can be exasperating and sometimes aggravating, I enjoy the challenge. I’m also a slow writer. It seems to take me forever to get the words the way I want them on the page. And after everything is finally just the way I want it and I’ve put it out there for all the world to see, it can be extremely disappointing when it feels like the world doesn’t want to see my masterpiece. 

The last couple of months have been eye opening for me regarding my writing habits and my frustration level because of said habits. I’ve had a lot of things that legitimately got in my way over the last few years--medical issues, family issues--but that has all passed, and those things are no longer obstacles. And now that I’m semi-retired and have more time, I’ve tried to ensure that I have specific time carved out for writing. But I came to be a writer by choice. It was never a calling for me, so if I let it, that disappointment and frustration that occasionally hits all of us, would be an easy-peasy reason for me to quit. But I’ve realized that I don’t want to quit. That, dare I say it, can’t quit. Who knows? Maybe I just think that writing was a choice I made and perhaps it’s been my calling all along and it took me 63 years to recognize that fact.

I now have a sticky note taped to my computer that says Never give up! as a reminder for whenever I feel discouraged or frustrated. That little note can help keep me on track. Simple words. Strong words. Helpful words.  

I’m currently knee-deep in crafting my fourth Razzman Mystery Crime Files series book. It’s titled, Best Served Cold: A Tony Razzolito PI Story and is slated to be published in the first quarter of 2023. I have pretty much completed Top of the Third: A Trio of Tony Razzolito Short Stories but have it on the back burner to marinate for a while longer. I’ve also started writing a book for the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series. That book is to be released in September 2023. More on that later next year. I've also started to rework and combine a few of those filed away “great ideas” into a project as yet to be determined. I’m glad I didn’t just delete that file full of abandoned thoughts, unfinished stories, and ideas. I love being a writer. It feels good to not give up. 

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As always, thoughts and comments are welcome😎

You can find my books by clicking here: JoeCongelAuthor 

Until next time...  

  Is having a Muse necessary to be creative as a writer?

A Muse is defined as someone or something that inspires one's creativity. But is having a Muse really needed to be creative? Some will say they are not the creative genius behind their writing, but rather the grateful recipient of ideas provided by their Muse. Perhaps from another person in their life that inspires the creative energy or a specific location or place that sparks the imagination and gets the juices flowing.

The power of a Muse can be undeniable. But is that power something we have inside of us already? Is a perceptible sense of self and creativity something we could tap into without the help of an outside influence? Possibly. Maybe even probably on a good day. But believing that a Muse is the reason for anything that causes success in our writing life also comes along with a built-in excuse for when things aren't going so well. It's easy to blame writer's block or anything else preventing us from manifesting great ideas on our Muse for not showing up that day. And that may be where the real power of a Muse lies--the ability to take the pressure off ourselves for not being able to spend quality time on a writing project when the creative portion of our brain is not cooperating. "It's not me, it's the Muse," helps keep us from feeling like we’re the reason why, on some days, the writing may seem substandard to us. Blaming the Muse for not showing up can even help lessen the anxiety and pressure we feel when not producing in spite of a looming deadline. We don't feel so inadequate about our work, or lack of, if our Muse is at fault for not joining forces with us that day. 

Having a Muse in your corner can help keep your project moving forward. My personal Muse is more of a feeling of tranquility I get when sitting on my back deck taking in the beautiful scenery nature provides right in my own back yard. It's also new to me. I came upon my Muse by chance. It took a bit of time for me to recognize this feeling was actually fueling my imagination. I had never given the idea of having a Muse much thought until recently. Since I am now semi-retired, I find myself enjoying that scenery every morning before I sit down at my computer. Watching the deer and rabbits grazing or even the simple act of two birds singing to one another from two of the many different trees that surround the yard, puts me in the right frame of mind to dive into whatever project I'm currently working on. It helps open the creative pores allowing the words to flow out of me and shape themselves into the story I'm writing.

So, is having a Muse necessary to be creative as a writer? I'm still not sure if it's a necessity, but what I do know is that an awful lot of creative people in many different artistic fields, including writing, count on a Muse to help them stay focused on doing their best work. And, as it turns out, I am one of them. 

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As always, any comments or thoughts are welcome😎

Meanwhile, click on my link to see what kind of stories my Muse helps to inspire: Books by Joe Congel

Until next time...

 

Magnolia Bluff, Texas - A small town with a proclivity for murder

If you are a part of the writing community on Twitter, you have most likely seen a tweet or two about the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series. If you are in the dark regarding this unique crime fiction series, let me enlighten you. 

The series is the brainchild of a group of writers known as The Underground Authors. This is notable because each book is written by a different author, and each one brings their own individual take on crime and how it affects the citizens of this small town situated in The Texas Hill Country. This year, there will be a total of nine books published in the series, eight of which are already available. The last edition for 2022 will be released on December 20th. 

This is a group of extremely talented writers and any one of them could've kicked off this series. But someone had to go first, and CW Hawes drew the short straw... lol. Hawes is a prolific, multi-genre author with more than 40 titles to his name. Being the first meant that he was responsible for establishing the small town of Magnolia Bluff for the reader. That alone was not an easy task with so many different writers dipping in on what this little town would be all about. Hawes had the task of working everybody's ideas out on paper, so to speak, while writing his first draft. He was essentially constructing a town that nine authors would not only share but were waiting to expand on so they could add their own flavor within the pages of their own stories. But he pulled it off flawlessly, not only bringing Magnolia Bluff to life, but creating the first of many memorable places and characters that have become a fixture within everyone's books. Yes, the authors share characters and locations with each other. As a matter of fact, they all got together to discuss who could be killed off and who was important enough to show up in everyone else's books. I'm glad they did that. Having a core cast of characters and businesses that pop up in the different storylines offer a familiarity that keeps the series cohesive and makes it fun to read. 

What I find interesting is that even though each book involves some sort of heinous crime, we get a mix of styles throughout the series. Some of the stories are darker than others. A few are cozies, while others are thrillers. And although the authors have penned vastly different novels within the core mystery genre, the one common thread tying them all together is that they are all well written and all entertaining. It is not necessary to read these books in any particular order to enjoy them, but I do believe that reading them in order adds an extra level of pleasure in seeing how each author handles the characters introduced in the books that came before their own.

I love this series, so I was honored when I was recently invited to join The Underground Authors. I am so glad that this venture has been successful enough that there are plans to publish another round of books in the series next year, because I now get my chance to write a book to be included in this wonderful series. But you'll have to wait for my entry into this small-town world of murder and mayhem until 2023. Meanwhile, I have included, in order of publication, a link to each author and their offering to that little town in The Texas Hill Country that is as famous for its murder rate as it is for its laid-back country living.

Death Wears a Crimson Hat by CW Hawes

Eulogy in Black and White by Caleb Pirtle III

The Great Peanut Butter Conspiracy by Cindy Davis

You Won't Know How ...Or When by James R Callan

The Flower Enigma by Breakfield and Burkey

The Shine from a Girl in the Lake by Richard Schwindt

The Dewey Decimal Dilemma by Linda Pirtle

Justice by Kelly Marshall

Texan Born and Bred by Jinx Schwartz

I do hope you will give these books a read. They will keep you entertained for hours. And what better way to relieve the stress of life's pressure than escaping into a fictional world of small-town foul play?

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And for some additional reading pleasure, you can also check out my PI series here: 

Books by Joe Congel  

As always, feel free to leave any comments that you may have😎

Until next time...

 What's more important when writing fiction- Characters or plot?

This has been debated many times and depending on what genre is being discussed will usually drive it one way or the other. I'm going to give you my take on this... and remember, this is my opinion, and you are welcome to agree or disagree with it. You can even do so in the comments section if you so desire.

I believe that regardless of the plot, the characters drive the story through their personality and their emotional reactions to whatever is happening within the story. Yes, you need an intriguing and interesting story idea, but the plot is what happens in the story and without a cast of characters to wrap that idea around, what have you got? Even a plot driven storyline needs well-developed characters. The characters can be wonderful people or the worst individuals on earth. They can be non-human, or they can be animals or insects. It doesn't matter. What does matter is regardless of where the setting is located, or how strong the plot is, you need the characters to bind it all together. Flat, lifeless, characters, written without emotion that have unrealistic or unnatural dialog will take the reader right out of the story, even if the plot is a great idea. As a reader, you can't become attached to the robbery, but you can become attached to the cunning bad guys who pulled off the theft, or the masterful sleuth or bumbling amateur who is trying to solve the crime. And, in my opinion, this is true in any genre.

 I write mostly in the mystery genre. I have a series with a private investigator as my protagonist and I'm a pantser, which for those of you reading this not in the writing profession, means that I let the writing flow organically and do not outline the story ahead of time. I discover what's going to happen as I write. And this is heavily based on what my characters would do in each situation. I write my series mostly in the first person with some alternating third person chapters. I know, I know - this could be an entirely different debate just on that alone. But it works for my stories, and I think I pull it off fairly well. Now, because it's a series, and because I'm a pantser, there are certain things that I feel must show up in each book. Just because I write by the seat of my pants doesn't mean I don't want consistency in my series. I think of these things as the background setting, and they are generally the same in every story. It's not the plot, but it's an important element to every plot in a series that uses the same characters from book to book. For my series, the Characters live and work in North Carolina; primarily Charlotte. And just like the real citizens of Charlotte, they are either native of the Charlotte region or are transplants from other cities. The main character, Tony Razzolito hails from central New York, his partner, Scott is from Atlanta, the three main law enforcement characters, Captain Rita O'Connor, Detectives John Cahill and Lucy Havens, the office manager/receptionist Rose, and Tony's girlfriend Karen all grew up in the Charlotte area, and Vinnie is a transplant from Brooklyn, New York. Regardless of the plot of the book, these characters will show up somewhere in the story. And because of that, I have to stay true to each character's personality within the narrative. They each have strong personality traits that make them unique, and I hope, interesting. I want them to be the kind of people you either love or hate, or at the very least, are curious about. And for that to happen, they need to be consistent in how they act and react around each other, no matter the crime they are involved in or conflict they face.

That all being said, I have been known to go completely against the grain of what I just said. In Dead is Forever, which is book one, except for Tony, Scott, Vinnie, Rose and Rita, the other characters that were in that book were left behind in books two and three and will probably never appear again in the series. The series really starts with book two. I say that because Dead is Forever has become more of a prolog to what the series has become. But I do have an accompanying Razzolito short stories book where some of the other characters from Dead is Forever make an appearance. And I am working on the second short story collection that also goes against the grain. In both of these short story collections, Tony takes a trip or two and gets involved in crimes outside of Charotte. However, even though a couple of the shorts have plots that take Tony away from North Carolina, anyone who has read the regular series books will still recognize the strong personality traits of the characters that have crossed over to the short stories. That consistency in character is there and it's what drives the plot regardless of what it is or where it happens. It's not the crime, or any other plot point in my books that makes them a good story to read. It's the depth of personality I try to bring to my characters that turns, just another murder in a mystery book, into a story a reader can become invested in. Or at least that's my goal. 

So, for me, I come down on the side of characters being the most important part of a story. Interesting, three-dimensional characters that have real depth and emotion will always improve whatever storyline they are mixed up in. They can carry a weak plot and save it and they can make an already outstanding plot even stronger. 

As I said in the beginning of this post, this is how I feel, and it is my opinion. I welcome any feedback or comments you may have. Meanwhile, if you'd like to read one of my books to see if I'm true to my word on character, you can find them by clicking here: Joe's Amazon Page

All can be read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited subscription 😀

Until next time...

  

Creating something out of nothing:

Conquering the blank page as a pantser 

What do Rex Stout, Raymond Chandler, Issaac Asimov, Mark Twain, Dean Koontz, Margaret Atwood, Ernest Hemmingway, and Stephen King all have in common? They, along with many, many other authors, both traditional and indie, are what's known as pantsers, also known as discovery writers. 

Whether you outline and plot out your entire story before you begin your novel or fly by the seat of your pants, if you're a writer, you've experienced the emptiness of the blank page. The weight it seems to hold as you stare at it wondering who will blink first - you or the bright, white screen staring back at you. But if you're a pantser, you probably face this more often than the writer who plots everything out ahead of time. Maybe even every time you start a new chapter or need to get yourself out of a jam in your story. On the other hand, the plotter is less likely to face the blank page with any kind of fear simply because they have already outlined the beginning, middle, and end of their book. 

I'm a pantser and whenever I sit down to begin a new project, I trust that my mind will work through any creative bumps in the road that would prevent me from endlessly staring at a page with no words on it. Writer and podcaster Joanna Penn is also a pantser, and she says that she likes to think of the blank page as the promise of unlimited possibilities rather than the fear of the unknown. I agree with her. I think all pantsers would agree with that statement. And although that empty page can sometimes be a bit intimidating, for me, that's part of the fun of writing into the unknown. Allowing my characters to show me where the story needs to go helps add depth to my writing. I love having the story develop as I go along. I find that my mind's creative juices flow easier, and I discover places to take the narrative that I might not have thought of if I was trying to manufacture the whole thing before I ever type the first word of the manuscript.

I know that most plotters would disagree with the discovery way of writing... and that's okay. There's is more than one way to write a book, and we each have to make a choice as to what the best way is for what we want to accomplish. And truth be told, most writers who outline their entire book, will admit that they will take liberties with the outline based on ideas that pop up during the writing process. They are willing to go off script and take the story in a direction that may work better than what they had originally outlined. Sometimes allowing the discovery to happen will make a good story even better. I also believe that even a pantser will begin to plot things out once they have a solid idea of where their story is headed. So, on some level, we all cross over to the other side at some point during the process of writing a book.

No matter how you write your book, the idea that you can fire up that computer, or pull out a fresh, new notepad, and create something that didn't exist before, is an incredible feeling. And then to have readers enjoy your stories, care about your characters, invest their hard-earned time and money into a make-believe world that you created is satisfying at the deepest level. 

For me, knowing that I have the ability to create something out of nothing that matters to others, makes it that much easier to sit down in front of my computer and work hard at conquering that, sometimes intimidating, but always bright, white, blank page. 

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Thanks for reading my meandering thoughts on writing😀

I would love it if you would check out my books - see what a pantser can accomplish when writing PI/Detective stories✍

You can take a look by clicking here: Tony Razzolito, PI

Until next time...😎

 

 What makes a good mystery?

Mystery novels have been entertaining readers since the 19th century. Why have they endured for so long? Quite frankly, because they are good, solid entertainment. Who doesn't love trying to solve the crime before the big reveal? It is one of the greatest pleasures of reading a mystery--the idea that we, as the reader, are smart enough to see through the red herrings, pick up on the real clues, and solve the case before the detective. It is a feeling one can only experience through the capable hands of a good mystery writer. As a reader, I enjoy becoming immersed in the story and taking on the same challenge the protagonist is facing when putting the facts and clues together as the story unfolds. It actually becomes a race against the clock-- who will solve the case first, me or the detective?

There are all types of mysteries. My personal favorite is the murder mystery--especially the locked-room variety (more on that later). But a mystery doesn't have to revolve around a dead body. The mystery could center around a theft, a missing person, a kidnapping, a con artist, someone being framed, or a multitude of other crimes. As long as the basic formula is there--a crime is committed by a bad guy (antagonist), a sleuth in some form (protagonist) tries to solve the crime, lots of clues and red herrings sprinkled throughout, some suspenseful cat and mouse play between the two sides, a plot twist, and plenty of tense moments eventually leading to a climax that produces a satisfying ending--it can all fall under the mystery genre. 

And then there's the caper mystery. This is a unique style where the traditional formula is flipped--think Ocean's Eleven--In this style of mystery, the reader has full acknowledgment of who is committing the crime from almost the beginning. There is usually more than one criminal, each with a specialized skill, that have banded together and are all working as a team alongside the criminal mastermind. The story mostly revolves around the planning and execution of the crime. The police or detectives are often portrayed as inept and are usually a few steps behind. The satisfaction for the reader of this type of mystery comes in the form of figuring out the why behind the elaborate scheme. We already know who the players are, but why are they attempting to pull off the crime? It is more of a WHYDUNNIT, thus the idea that the classic mystery formula has been flipped.  

The classic WHODUNNIT was built by the likes of Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Rex Stout, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and of course, Edgar Allan Poe, who even has an award named after him--The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, referred to as The Edgar, are presented each year to the most deserving authors and producers of mystery fiction, non-fiction and television by the Mystery Writers of America, an organization for professional mystery and crime fiction writers. 

And standing on the shoulders of these pioneers, bringing the mystery genre into the twentieth century and beyond are authors like Michael Connelly, P.D. James, Jeffery Deaver, Lawrence Sanders, Robert B. Parker, Lawrence Block, James Patterson, Rita Mae Brown, and so many others. Some of these writers have taken elements from the classics and updated the way they devise the plot and the characters. But that same basic formula is still there, underneath the modern tech world you'll find the heartbeat of a classic mystery.

As I mentioned before, I like a good 'Locked-Room' mystery. I think they are some of the all-time best mystery stories ever written and can really test the reader's ability to solve the mystery before the big reveal. 

Here is how Wikipedia describes this classic mystery sub-genre: The "locked-room" or "impossible crime" mystery is a type of crime scene in crime and detective fiction. The crime in question, typically murder ("locked-room murder"), is committed in circumstances under which it was seemingly impossible for the perpetrator to commit the crime or evade detection in the course of getting in and out of the crime scene. The crime in question typically involves a crime scene with no indication as to how the intruder could have entered or left; for example, a victim found deceased in a windowless room that is sealed from the inside at the time of discovery. Following other conventions of classic detective fiction, the reader is normally presented with the puzzle and all of the clues and is encouraged to solve the mystery before the solution is revealed in a dramatic climax.

If you want a taste of how much fun a locked room mystery can be, one of the best collections out there is The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries. This book is huge - it contains 68 mysteries. Edited by Otto Penzler, it is one of the most complete collections of impossible crime stories ever assembled, with puzzling mysteries by Stephen King, Dashiell Hammett, Lawrence Block, Agatha Christie, Georges Simenon, Dorothy L. Sayers, P. G. Wodehouse, and Erle Stanley Gardner, just to name a few. 

You can check it out here: Amazon

So, what makes a good mystery? I guess that depends on what you're most interested in. I suggest you begin with the classics, the original OG, as it were, and then branch out from there. My guess is that wherever you start your mystery journey, you will quickly get lost in some amazing stories. Keep in mind, the mystery genre has been popular for nearly 200 years... and with very good reason. 😎

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Meanwhile, feel free to enjoy a mystery written by yours truly😉

Just click here for info on how to find my books: Tony Razzolito, PI

Until next time...

What's new with me, you ask? 

Well, read below and find out!😀

So, I’m going through a sort of transitional phase in my life. A little shy of two years ago I made the decision to step away from my career job so that I could gain more of my life back. My daughter was pregnant with our third grandchild, and I wanted to realign my work/life balance to actually include the life part. I took a position with another company that allowed me to work a much more reasonable schedule. It resulted in a more than serious bite into my income, but the tradeoff was having more time to spend with my family… especially my three adorable grandkids. 

 The money I gave up paled in comparison to the time I gained to be with family. A trade I’ll never regret making. The older I get, the more important having the quality time to enjoy what’s really important in my life has become to me. 

Recently, I decided to take another step forward in my journey towards my work/life balance goal. This fall, I’m about to move away from working my current full-time job in favor of a part time job. Scary? A little, but I’m in my sixties and really want to dedicate more of my work life to my writing career. But I'm also not willing to give up any of the family time I’ve already gained back when I started this whole career change thing a couple of years ago. I mean, if not now, when? Life is just too short to keep waiting for the perfect time. And besides, it’s time I bet on myself. I fully expect my creative writing output to increase tremendously with this upcoming change. 

 

All of that being said leads me to this – I enjoy writing. I enjoy writing about a somewhat arrogant, wise-cracking PI. There are three full-length novels in the Razzman Mystery Crime Files series and one collection of short stories. Sort of a Razzman Files Extra companion to the series. I am currently tightening up my next release, Top of the Third: A Trio of Tony Razzolito PI Short Stories. It's the second book in the short story collection companion series. It will include three crime/mysteries all with a baseball theme weaved throughout. Murder and mayhem should be expected 😉

 

I’ve also started book 4 in the Razzman Mystery Crime Files series. The working title is Dead Center: A Tony Razzolito, PI story. Not sure if the title will stay the same and there's no cover to share at this time. But I can't wait to share it with you when the time is right! 😀

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Meanwhile, if you want to dig into the series and follow along with Tony (The Razzman) and his team while they work to solve the mystery, you can click the link here to find access to the books: 👉 Welcome to The Razzman's world :)

As always, comments are welcomed and encouraged😎

Until next time... 

 

 

 

Guest Blog Post by Robert G. Williscroft

Fresh Ink Group

Contact: Gary@FreshInkGroup.com

My friends over at Fresh Ink Group have a new and exciting book being released soon! I hope you enjoy this introduction to a fascinating story that needs to be told - 

And I hope you'll all tune in on WEDNESDAY August 24th to the VOICE OF INDIE PODCAST where you can listen and interact with retired US Navy Lieutenant Commander Jerry Pait as he talks about his upcoming new book!

All the links you need to watch the trailer, join the podcast, and get your copy of this compelling book are included below! 

 

Welcome to guest blogger Robert G. Williscroft, submariner and author of multiple series including The MacMcDowell Missions, The Oort Chronicles, and The Daedalus Files. Robert compiled and edited the true-life adventures of retired US Navy Lt. Commander Jerry Pait in his new book, Sŭbmarine-Ër.

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Jerry Pait enlisted on September 15, 1964, was assigned to Fleet Sonar School, volunteered for subs, and ended up on USS Entemedor (SS-340). After Advanced Sonar School, he was transferred as an STS-2 to USS Von Steuben (SSBN 632B) in the Philly yards right after her collision off Cadiz, Spain. I was a newly minted Lt. j.g., fresh out of Poseidon Missile School, having come through the NESEP program and Univ. of Washington in marine and atmosphere physics. I guess the skipper made me Sonar Officer because I was a former sonar tech. Jerry and I served together until I left for the Man-in-the-Sea Program and ultimately Operation Ivy Bells, tapping into Soviet underwater communications cables in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Jerry went on to become COB on Von Steuben, served in a senior position in Sonar/Torpedoman School, and then was commissioned as an LDO Ensign. He returned briefly to Von Steuben and then served as a division officer on several sub tenders. After that, he was assigned to NOTU, supervising underwater ballistic missile launchings for several years, working closely with NASA. He rose to Lt. Cmdr., was selected for Cmdr. But was mustered out on retirement as part of Clinton’s force reduction efforts.

Jerry took a senior field position with the major defense contractor Brown & Root, but during his first year, he fell from 20 feet in a way that fractured his back and cracked his skull. He survived, received a significant settlement, and has struggled ever since to regain as much function as possible.

I was on Jerry’s emailing list. He began to send out periodic stories from his past. They were fascinating, and the response from his list was remarkable. I saw their potential and contacted Jerry—we hadn’t communicated directly with each other in decades. I suggested that I work with him to compile his stories into a coherent whole, and that we put out a book. He agreed, so we found a publisher who was willing to work with us on this strange project, and we completed the book last month.

Jerry’s book, Sŭbmarine-Ër: 30 Years of Hijinks & Keeping the Fleet Afloat, will be released on September 15, exactly 58 years after he enlisted. The book is on pre-publication sale right now as an ebook for only 99¢. The ebook price will rise to $3.99 on September 15. Each chapter has a color photo that illustrates the contents of that chapter. The trade paperback printed version has half-tone photos and will sell for $19.95 The hardbound, jacketed edition is in full color throughout and will sell for $36.95. Both will be available for pre-order within two or three days.

Why am I doing this? Jerry is our brother—and he’s a genuine American hero. His story deserves to be told far and wide. I’m not here selling books. I’m here asking you to help me preserve the memory of one of the best among us. By purchasing the ebook on pre-order (only 99¢), you will help boost his sales ranking, so that on September 15, the release date, his ranking will shoot up. If you want the trade paperback, or the really cool hardbound, jacketed, full color version, you can pre-order those as well from Amazon or any other online bookseller, or you can order it from your favorite brick and mortar store as well. Should you want an autographed copy, please use the Contact form at FreshInkGroup.com, and I will put you into direct contact with Jerry.

 

The Book Trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PklESG3x-w

 

Live Interactive Podcast with Pait and Williscroft!

Call (516) 453-9902 or hashtag #FreshInkGroup in tweets during the show.

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/voiceofindie1/2022/08/25/voice-of-indie-episode-108

 

The Book Blurb!

Lieutenant Commander Jerry Pait’s semi-autobiographical collection of sixty stories recounts his thirty years in and around the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet. Ranging from light-hearted to wrenching, all are poignant inside looks at naval operations rarely seen by outsiders. Topics include the real story behind the shuttle Challenger tragedy, risking his own life underwater, discovering a Soviet spy living across the street, surviving when a DELTA Rocket engine ignites, critical missions, and the everyday lives of men and women of the fleet. Dive into Sŭbmarine-Ër for hijinks and breathtaking adventure with this poignant memoir by a true American hero.

 

Order Yours!

Digital editions at 99 cents during pre-sale are available in all major ebook formats—Kindle, Nook, Kobo, GPlay, iBooks, and 200+ more—worldwide. Full-color jacketed hardcovers and softcovers are appearing at retailer sites over the next week.

Amazon:  Click here to get your copy

 Just my meandering thoughts and opinions on...

Writing Fiction -

Short stories or full-length novels? That is the question many fiction writers ask themselves when they first decide to write. Some immediately know the answer to the question, while others try their hand at both before settling into what they feel best suits their talents and interest. Some stick with both. You have to think differently when writing a short vs. a full-length story, and I've read several authors who are very good at writing both.

The next question is usually about genre and/or subject matter. One big influence on this decision is where the writer's interests lie when it comes to their own reading material. Take me for example - I write mostly mystery crime fiction stories centered around a smart, sometimes wise-cracking, private investigator. Guess what? I read mystery crime fiction that centers around smart, sometimes wise-cracking private investigators. The biggest influence on me to write those types of stories with that type of character was the late, great, prolific author, Robert B. Parker. He was a master of the mystery crime fiction novel. I was introduced to his work when I picked up a used copy of one of his Spenser novels. He is the first author, and maybe the only author, where I can honestly say I've read all his work. His Spenser novels, his Sunny Randall novels, Jesse Stone, and I even ventured into westerns through his Cole and Hitch books, He also wrote some YA novels as well as several stand-alone books. His characters became so popular that they carried on after his death with new writers at the helm. But before he ever put pen to paper, he had to make the same decisions all writers make. He had to decide what he wanted to write about and in what genre. He had to look inward at who he was influenced by to help him make the right decisions for his writing life. Parker was a fan of crime fiction, and he was influenced by great mystery detective crime fiction writers like Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and others. He was so enthralled with Chandler that he took on the challenge of completing Chandler's last, unfinished Philip Marlowe thriller, Poodle Springs. He then went on to write the aptly titled, Perchance to Dream, the sequel to Chandler's, The Big Sleep. I could go on and on, but I'll leave it here by saying that I am a big fan. It made it easy for me to choose the genre I wanted to create my stories in.

Some will decide to write to market. They will not be influenced by a particular genre because they read those books or are even a fan. They've researched what sells and use their talent to tell a good story in what's hot at the time. It's a financial decision. Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with writing to market. I've thought about it myself. And maybe one day I'll venture into that type of writing. But for now, I'm in a place where I feel that I have to really enjoy reading the subject matter to even think about writing about it. And some of the hot markets making all the noise are just not for me. But there are several genres besides crime fiction I do enjoy reading. I'm a big fan of action-adventure series, and I love tropical adventure books. I also find that I enjoy western-romance novels. Will I ever try my hand at one of these other genres? Maybe one day.

I think what it comes down to is this -- write about what you know, what interests you. Or don't. Research something new and write about that. At the end of the day, anyone who feels the need to write should write. For whatever reason, you choose to write, remember that it all starts with some germ of an idea that you must get down on paper. So, go forth and write... but whatever you decide, just do not leave the page blank, because that would be the worst decision of all.

Until next time...

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