Blow Up on Murder is Published! Now what?

Posted on April 24, 2017 by ltownsdin

The third of my Spirit Lake Mystery series, Blow Up on Murder was published in February! As always, it was hard for me to let go, but it was time to move on.

In March, I attended the Left Coas Blow Up on Murder, Spirit Lake mystery series, Spirit Lake mystery, Linda Townsdin, mystery series, mystery, fiction t Crime Conference in Honolulu, and was thrilled to be on a panel with authors whose series also showcased strong female protagonists. To prepare, I read one of each of their books, and am so glad I did. I now have three new authors whose books I enjoy, and made new friends as well. Check them out: Nancy Silverman, DV Berkom and Corey Fayman. Our wonderful moderator, photographer Robin Templeton, read my latest book and said I got the photographer mindset right—a great compliment coming from her.

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One of the best reasons to attend writers’ conferences is to learn about authors. I’d never read Colin Cotterill, who lives in Southeast Asia and writes the Dr. Siri mystery series. I liked Cotterill’s wry humor and wonderful characters and now have another series to read.

Move over, shave ice!

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After the conference, it was time for R & R and a visit with my daughter and son-in-law, who live on Oahu. My new favorite treat is a visit to Banan, where they use locally grown bananas and other fruits and ingredients to make delicious soft serve desserts. And in the spirit of filling the well, we hardly missed a sunrise or sunset at the beach.

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Filling the Well

I’ve been reading a lot and recently finished Suspect by Robert Crais. I read it twice back to back. The second time because I wanted to know why that story stayed with me when so many others have not. I’ve figured it out, but you’ll have to read it to find out if it has the same effect on you.

I’ve also been binge-watching the Danish TV crime series Dicte. A friend suggested it because the protagonist is a female journalist with similar character traits as Britt. They both have big hearts and a knack for getting themselves into dangerous situations in their quests for the truth. Another similarity is that what makes them excellent at their jobs creates havoc in their relationships with loved ones.

Most recently, my local chapter of Sisters in Crime hosted a writing workshop. I attended a session by a DNA expert and another with business tips for author-publishers. What’s next? I’m looking forward to speaking to a book club in my community, one of my favorite things to do. I love books, book clubs and meeting new readers.

The next book in the Spirit Lake Series is percolating. In the meantime, I hope you’ll read Blow Up on Murder and let me know what you think about Britt’s latest challenge.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

What Are You Looking For in Female Protagonists in Mystery Series?

Posted on August 11, 2016 by ltownsdin

This post is worth sharing from one of my favorite blogs, Writer Unboxed. I hope you’ll read it. It prompted me to repost it and add my own thoughts, specifically about female protagonists in mystery series.

The majority of readers have let me know they thoroughly enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of my series protagonist, Britt Johansson, but she does take occasional heat from other characters in my stories because her actions can often seem reckless for a woman. That gives me, the writer, an opportunity to set the record straight.

The way I look at it, Britt’s actions could be seen as reckless if taken by an average person, man or woman, but not for Britt’s profession as a photojournalist covering international conflicts and environmental disasters. Taking risks is a pre-requisite in her line of work.

Another issue I’ve heard discussed about female protagonists, particularly in the thriller and mystery genres, is that they aren’t likeable enough, or too focused on their jobs—criticisms rarely extended to male protagonists. In Britt’s case, her mission is to help make the world aware of the plight of women and children who are victims of war. That sometimes takes a toll on her personal relationships, and she’s not the type to compromise much. Men behave that way all the time, and it’s acceptable, but when women put their careers or dreams first they’re often held to a different standard.

Books written by women with female protagonists have come a long way, but as Jo Eberhardt’s post points out, there continue to be lots of misconceptions and stereotypes. What’s satisfying to me as an author is that I get to work these things out any way I choose and so far, readers seem to like it.

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Coming Soon

For those who’ve been asking, the third mystery in my Spirit Lake series is in the final stretch! As always, expect lots of threads to connect and more than a few surprises. As one reader says,

Complex murder mysteries, bone-chilling thrills and a little bit of romance

I’d like to hear your thoughts on female protagonists in the mystery genre. What are your expectations as readers?

Get Out of the Way

Posted on January 28, 2016 by ltownsdin

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Photo shared from The Writer’s Circle

Yesterday I read, “How to Abandon Your Outline to Improve Your Story” by Steven James in one of my favorite blogs, Writer Unboxed. I knew it was a good piece and timely for me when my brain popped with several ideas for the draft I’m working on in my new Spirit Lake mystery.

James offered great advice:

Focus on story, not plot
Let context guide you
Always opt for believability
Include more twists
Fulfill your promises
Get out of the way

Even though I’m not an outliner, writing a good mystery requires keeping readers (and me) guessing and entertained. That doesn’t happen without knowing where I’m going with the story. However, there comes a point where I forget to get out of the way and attempt to shoehorn the story into my plan. That’s when the creative process takes a backseat to being safe.

And isn’t that what often happens to us in our everyday lives as well? Our preconceived ideas keep us from getting out of the way and allowing more surprises and twists. Are you open to a few surprises today?

Happy reading and writing!