Blog Archive

Friday, March 15, 2024

The Elements of a Cozy Mystery: Author Interview with Shannon Symonds

How do you go about plotting your mystery? Do you pick the victim or the murderer first? What do you think makes for a perfect murder mystery?

I love plotting. I begin with the characters. If you don’t love the main character, and aren’t hooked on page one, you probably won’t read on. I create a character relationship map with the main character smack in the middle. Then I create a small community around her. I always make a minimum of three love triangles for motivation. When I see a clear motive, the victim and killer become obvious. I create a minimum of 5 red herrings using the relationships on my chart. I try to create flawed, three-dimensional, characters. 

I use a program that I have loaded with the basic outline of most great mysteries. Once I have an outline, I reach out to my kids! My kids include two medical examiners, a nurse, a detective, a veteran, and more! I share the plot with them and they give me ways to spice it up.

I had no idea I was creating a fun think tank for murder when I was raising my kids!

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?

In thIn the beginning, my sister was my greatest inspiration. She walked with me through the entire process of writing and finding a publisher for my debut novel. Sadly, she passed from cancer. I was able to show her a copy of the book the last day I spent with her. 

After my first novel was released, I learned the incalculable value of good reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I care about what readers think. I read each and every review. Good reviews bring me great joy.

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?

I recently had a blast connecting with The Cozy Mystery Tribe's book club. I spent the day with their facebook group and gave away books! It was so fun and my sales were excellent. I find Facebook takeovers and getting to chat with reader's fun and a great way to get my books out there. 

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?Everything! When I wrote my first book, I knew nothing about the process. From the second my publisher accepted, I began learning at an overwhelming pace. Marking your book matters. I am still working on ways to reach readers and have fun doing it.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

Just write! Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone has a story in them, I believe. If you want support in the process, reach out to Storymakers conferences or writer's groups in your area. 

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

I love strong heroines, flawed and real people. Some of the greatest women in history had difficult experiences, but went on to find joy and change the world, like Maya Angelou or Oprah. I hope that when you read my books you see yourself in the pages, and stay up all night turning pages.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

Book 2 in the Balefire Bay Series is due out in April. I still have to have a cover made, finish the book, and find a new copy editor. So! Cross your fingers and pray for an April launch. 

In book 2, Ivy is settling into living in Balefire and happy, when Xander's mother returns with an entourage of friends and family. Her name is Rhoda. Just as Ivy tries to get acquainted with her, Rhoda reminds her that she is just an employee. Is it any wonder someone is murdered? 

John Ivy and Balefire at the Saturday Market and help Ivy solve the mystery of the Cinnamon Roll.

I love the fun titles of cozy mysteries, and their stories. If you'd like to learn more about Shannon's books, here are some links to get you started.

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of  Shannon's eBook, Booked for Murder So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!


Tuesday, March 12, 2024

The Indie Author's Writing Life: Author Interview with Chelsea Kong


I am amazed by the number of books that you have listed in a pre-order status. How long does it take you to write and get a book ready to be published?
Each book is different. The children's books are quicker to write than books for adults and teenagers. I do everything myself, so the process is a lot quicker. I can finish a children’s book in a few days from the writing to the design and then I also self-publish. I don’t use a publisher. 
I use Canva to create the layout, design, and various sources for graphics. Sometimes I have to do research to write my books and I use grammar sites to edit my work. I publish through KDP. Youth and adult books can take me months to a year to write. 
 
One of your upcoming books is about an eaglet. That grabbed my attention as I’ve been watching an eagle’s nest in a nature preserve near our house. What made you choose that topic?
Eagles are fascinating. I enjoy watching them especially when they soar. I heard about eagles having to pull their feathers and sharpen their talons. They soar rather than fly and have sharp vision. As a Christian, eagles are symbolic of the gift of prophecy. My sister got me interested in watching videos of eagles. I have been watching different eagle families raise their eaglets. They change over days, weeks, months, and years until they reach adulthood.
 
You are an indie author. Other than writing, what other parts of the process do you personally do? What do you hire others to do?

As an indie author, I have a tight budget, so I don’t have as much freedom to hire somebody to do work for me. There are free resources that I can use, so I don’t really need to hire others. For one book,  I hired a publisher to redesign it, but most of it was my own work. It was too expensive, so I chose not to continue to use one. I hired a few illustrators to design book covers before I found out I can design them in Canva. 
I've used my own photos for certain books.. My sister also did illustrations for a few of my books. Most of the time I use graphics available on various sites including Canva. I've illustrated some of my books. I did most of the artwork for my first collection of puzzle books. 
I've tried to do audiobook recording, which I found is not that simple, so I only did a few. You need to get the audio perfect for Audible to accept the files. That took me a lot of time, so I decided I did enough. I use Grammarly and ProWritingAid to edit my books. I've hired a few marketers to promote my books, but  I've  learned to sell more by self-promoting.
 
What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known sooner?

I would have liked to have known I could use Canva to produce my books with Grammarly and ProWritingAid to edit them. I started with a small local print shop to print and sell my books before I realized I had made a mistake. I could have learned more about book design and layouts. 
I also learned that Barnes and Noble is  great as an additional publisher, but it turned out that IngramSpark is better. I use Amazon mostly due to its benefits.
 
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Brainstorm and research. Use Canva, ProWritingAid or Grammarly, and if you don’t have the budget for an illustrator Canva and free image sites will work as long as they can match with your book’s topic. I chose to use photos more than illustrations for that reason. I use Freepik, Pexels, Pixabay, and Unsplash.
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
You need inspiration to write. When I write faith books, I am inspired and I spend time to receive the ideas. I spend time in the scriptures, prayer, and singing. You may need to go and enjoy nature or focus on topics that you are passionate and knowledgeable about.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
My next book for release this year is Proverbs 31 Woman. Proverbs 31 Woman is excellent in everything! The book will teach children how to be a woman of excellence as a mother and a wife. They will learn how to become a God-fearing woman. This book includes activities to help children to practice what they learn.

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Chelsea's books, here are some links to get you started.
https://chelseak532002550.wordpress.com/

And here's a tip for my readers...Get some of her books for free by using this link. 
https://chelseak532002550.wordpress.com/books-for-sharing/