Meet the Underground Authors

Posted on May 11, 2022 by James Callan

Last year I joined a group of authors devoted to improving and promoting fellow authors. This group, with authors from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and lots of Zoom meetings, decided to publish an anthology of short stories. But, we decided that they should be connected in some way. Eventually, it was determined that we would select a picture and all stories in the anthology would relate to that picture in some way, and that picture would become the cover for the book. At this point, we determined that we needed a name for our group and after some discussions, we settled on The Underground Authors. So 2021 saw the publication of Beyond the Sea, Stories from the Underground nderground. https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Sea-Underground-Charles-Breakfield-ebook/dp/B093DRG1ZK/

With the success of our short story anthology, it was proposed that for 2022, The Underground Authors try a more difficult type of anthology. Each author would write their own book, but they would be tired together in some way. After several Zoom meetings, we decided to create a fictitious town in Texas and all novels would be set in this town. We would publish one book a month starting in April, 2022.

Each author would forward bios for major characters, and promise to promptly notify all should a character get killed, so other novels would not use them – at least without explaining why that character was back on earth.

Likewise, a developing map of the town was drawn that would show where important places were located, with names and any important facts about the place. Thus, in my book (which will be the fourth in the series), I have characters I can use, stores and restaurants they can visit, and then I add in my specific characters and places to flesh out my particular novel. The town became Magnolia Bluff, set in the Texas Hill Country.

The Underground authors include CW Hawes, Caleb Pirtle, Cindy Davis, Linda Pirtle, Grace Marshall, Richard Schwindt, Charles Breakfield, Roxanne Burkey, Jinx Schwartz and myself.

I’m sure some of these names will be familiar to you as they are award-winning authors. The first in the series was CW Hawes’s Death Wears a Crimson Hat. It was published in April. Caleb Pirtle’s novel, Eulogy in Black and White will be released on May 20. Here’s my review of the CW Hawes entry in the Magnolia Bluff Mystery Chronicles.

Harry Thurgood and Ember Cole, independently, have come to the small Texas Hill Country town of Magnolia Bluff to get away from their past. And while they like each other, they are kept apart by the secrets from their past lives. Yet this delightful little town has its own secrets. One powerful woman is capable of imposing her will on others, and often her will is to harm someone not in her inner circle. But someone objects to this and that leads to a person being killed and another almost dying.

Ember, now the Reverend Ember Cole, is accused of murder. Forgetting their own hidden history, Harry and Ember must work together to keep Ember from being arrested for the murder. The problem is, as they begin to make headway on finding the murderer, they become the new targets for the killer.

Author CW Hawes has drawn several interesting characters with such careful work that you begin to believe they are your long-time friends. You are drawn not only into the charming town but also into the lives of these characters. If you like a good mystery and great characters, grab a copy of Death Wears a Crimson Hat. You won’t be disappointed. To order on Amazon, just click here — https://www.amazon.com/Death-Wears-Crimson-Hat-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B09XGSSKCW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZI9QDPRZPRZ8&keywords=Death+wears+a+crimson+hat&qid=1652288348&s=books&sprefix=death+wears+a+crimson+hat%2Cstripbooks%2C92&sr=1-1

Attacking problems in this type of Anthology

Posted on April 15, 2022 by James Callan

Last week, this blog featured a post by CW Hawes on the Magnolia Bluff Chronicles, a series of nine books, each written by a different author. The first of those books, Death Wears a Crimson Hat, by C.W. Hawes, will be published next week.

But I want to add a little bit to last week’s discussion on this different type anthology. First, the nine authors engaged in this anthology series come from the U.S. and Canada and Mexico. So, there are no “in-person” meetings – except if we consider zoom meetings as “in-person.” And perhaps zoom-like meetings are the new “in-person” meetings.

Hawes mentioned that we decided to make the unifying factor a small Texas town in the Hill Country. That sounds simple, and I thought that – before we accomplished it. But, nine writers imply nine different takes on … well, most everything. The placement of the town was the first decision. Next, the size – how small or how large. And then the name. Ah, that deserved some negotiation. Done.

Not quite. What makes up the town? If our books are to cover the same town, what establishments in the town do each of us need? This took some time. Until each writer had an idea of what his or her book will cover and what town points of interest will be needed, the list was incomplete. Those items (police station, church, various eating establishments, courthouse, etc.) came in slowly, as each author began to outline or produce.

The plan Is to publish one book in the series each month, beginning in April 2022 and ending in December 2022. Fortunately, the various months people wanted produced no problems.

Of course, the characters that each book added would be available for all succeeding books. At the same time, if a character were eliminated (killed, moved out of town, or for that matter, just put in a wheelchair), the author needed to let those whose books follow be aware of the change. Wouldn’t be good for Bob to get killed in book 3 of the series, and then have book 5 feature that same Bob. Unless … (Any supernaturals here?)

There will be landmarks, stores, monuments, etc. in the town. Many of those will be added by various authors. The other writers need to be kept aware of how the town landscape changes – to either use it, or not be impacted by it. A working map needed to be produced so we all knew just where things belonged. Ugh. That was (and still is) difficult.

And to help the visual appeal of the series, the covers need to fulfill two requirements. First, there needs to be some unifying element so that the nine book covers look like they belong in one series. And second, each cover needs to reflect that particular author’s book. Yes, this is a series. But each book will be one author’s book: reflect his story (and be a standalone book for the reader). There were a number of zoom discussions on the cover. Let’s hope we got that right.

And so, with many of those complications solved and others worked as we move along, the Magnolia Bluff Chronicles series hits the press – actually, the Amazon sales page, – next week. Each story is unique to the particular author, but gives the reader a comprehensive look at the small town of Magnolia Bluff and a chance to solve the murder mystery before “The End.”

What do you think about this type anthology? Will it work?

jim

A Different Kind of Anthology

Posted on April 8, 2022 by James Callan

I’m a member of a group of writers – called the Underground Writers. We are in the midst of a different kind of anthology. Here is a post from CW Hawes, one of the members of this unusual project. I think you’ll enjoy this.

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles

The Chronicles of Barsetshire by Anthony Trollope was the first novel series in English.

Trollope had not intended writing a series, but after writing The Warden and Barchester Towers, he found himself returning again and again to the English county of Barsetshire that he had created. And thus, the novel series was born.

The Chronicles is a set of six loosely related novels all set in the imaginary county of Barsetshire. The novels can easily be read as a standalone. However, they share a core set of characters, along with the town of Barchester and its environs.

In April of last year, I was at a virtual writers conference and learned of the multi-author book series. Immediately, I thought of Trollope and Barchester.

I proposed the idea of a multi-author series to my fellow Underground Authors, and nine of us were able to work the project into our schedules.

We then had to come up with a unifying factor, something that would hold the series together. After much discussion, and taking a cue from Trollope, we created the town of Magnolia Bluff, set in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

Each of our books would be set in Magnolia Bluff. We’d have our own key characters as major players in our individual book, but we’d also make use of each other’s characters as we saw fit. And while each story would be as individual as the author who wrote it, the town of Magnolia Bluff would be there to hold together our diverse imaginations.

In effect, this was a riff on the approach we took with our short story anthology Beyond the Sea. There, each author used the same picture as inspiration for his or her story. And we got a dozen very different tales.

We hadn’t planned on crime also being a unifying factor. That just happened. We came up with stories that all involved murder, and thus, the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles was born.

So how does a multi-author series work? Don’t things get messed up?

Well, they certainly could. But we derailed that problem by making sure we talked to each other so that we were all on the same page regarding geography and how we portrayed each other’s characters.

There has to be a spirit of community and cooperation, while at the same time maintaining our individual voices. Every step of the way we’ve hashed out issues and problems, coming to a consensus. It helps to have a project-first attitude, as well.

I have to say, if you like murder mysteries that have you scratching your head trying to solve the puzzle, and that keep you awake at night due to the suspense, as well as tickle your funny bone — then you were going to love these books.

CW Hawes is a playwright, award-winning poet, and a fictioneer; as well as an armchair philosopher, political theorist, and social commentator. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

Please leave a comment. What do you think about this “anthology?” And would you like to hear more about how this concept works? Just let me know.
Thanks. jim

I’m back in blogging mode

Posted on March 31, 2022 by James Callan

I know. That sounds like an April Fool’s Day joke —

But it’s true. And I’ll start off with a very brief blog courtesy of Fonda Lee, a Canadian author outlining a great resort.

I’d like to go to a luxury resort

where instead of golf and tennis

courts, there’s a gorgeous library

with crackling fires and the

comfiest chairs and servers

bring you drinks and canapes

while you read all day long.

Next week, an important blog you won’t want to miss. Thanks for your time today and I hope I’ll see you next week.

jim

To Be, Or Not to Be?

Posted on October 1, 2021 by James Callan

Recently, I was giving a talk on plotting. And when I came to the topic of sub-plots a lively discussion ensued. Some felt any book that was called a novel had to have a subplot. That was countered by some who felt that you should avoid sub-plots altogether. A few felt that subplots were there to beef up the word count. And others felt that was exactly why you should avoid subplots; they were a distraction from the main plot.

I called a halt and offered these guidelines for sub-plots.

It is a sub-plot. Therefore, it is sub (subordinate to, under, below, beneath) the main plot. It is second fiddle. So on all levels, it must remain secondary. It must not crowd the main plot for space or attention.

But, it is a plot. Therefore, it needs the elements of a plot. It must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. It needs an arc. It cannot coast along at the same level from start to finish. And it is an important part of any plot, sub or main, that someone (or more than one) must change. Keep in mind that person could be the reader. If you can change the attitude or mindset of the reader, that is a change, and much more difficult to achieve than changing a character in the book.

It must satisfy at least one of these two criteria.

It must add to the reader’s understanding of the setting, the surroundings, the texture of the story. In my book Cleansed by Fire, the subplot involving a mysterious character close to the drug scene gives the reader a feel for the texture of the town, that is, the drug problem in the small town. Without my preaching about the problem, the Earl subplot makes it clear.
It must give the reader a clearer understanding of one or more characters in the story, preferably the protagonist. A well-crafted subplot can allow the author to define the protagonist without “telling.” It is an excellent vehicle for “showing” the reader the true nature of the protagonist without “telling.” Using the same example above, Earl allowed me to bring out a number of characteristics of the protagonist without “telling.”

So, in the example I have given, a subplot served two important jobs.

But what about the question: subplot or not. Subplots can improve a book. Subplots can help the author with two important areas: help define the texture of the story, and help the reader better understand certain characters – and in a way that works well for the author.

If you can use a subplot to accomplish one or both of the two conditions above, then by all means add a subplot. If the subplot is used simply to bulk up the book, add words, get in something that you, the author, wants to say that is not necessary to the story, then leave it out.

I’d be happy to hear your comments about subplots, whether you agree with me or not, or would like to add another condition, or advantage, for having a sub-plot. Thanks for reading this blog. It first appeared as my guest blog on Karin Beery’s site in the last half of September 2021.

jim

Big Problem !

Posted on July 30, 2021 by James Callan

Something has attacked The Author’s Blog and deleted all blogs since the middle of May, 2021. I’m trying to find and reinstall them, but so far, not much luck. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I’m working on a free course for writers – take a look.

I’m making good progress on it – and already I’m able to put most of it into practice. I’ll let you know when I finish it — if I can find the time to write.

And, if you have time, leave a comment on this course designed for creative writers.

jim

Reality and Fiction

Posted on May 14, 2021 by James Callan

Today’s guest is J.R. Lindermuth. He lives and writes in a house built by a man who rode with Buffalo Bill Cody. A retired newspaper editor, he is now librarian of his county historical society where he assists patrons with genealogy and research. He has published 19 novels and two non-fiction regional histories. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and a past vice president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

So, you can see, he is a perfect person to tackle the dichotomy of fiction and reality.

Facts are important if you’re going to write fiction.

Isn’t that a contradiction, you might ask. Not at all. Fiction is a simulation of reality. If you incorrectly present something in fiction a reader knows to be a fact you may be called out for your error or even lose that reader.

When you’re writing a story you can rely on imagination and create a world to suit your purpose. That’s called fantasy. J.R.R. Tolkien did it to the delight of his readers. So does George R. R. Martin. If the reader understands that’s your intention, it will be accepted without question. While Martin’s work is replete with dragons and magick, it’s also solidly grounded in ‘realism’ through his employment of psychology in depicting his characters and knowledge of medieval society.

This attention to facts is even more important if you’re writing about an actual time and place. You can twist things a bit to suit your purpose–that’s called fiction–so long as your reader is willing to accept your diversion from fact. For instance, if you’re writing a western your reader will accept having a character ride a horse or even a mule. Expect a frown if you seat this same character on a unicorn; that would be fantasy.

So, what can you do to help stick to reality when writing fiction? There are two tools that work well. One is called empathy. The other is research.

Empathy is vicariously experiencing the emotion, thought, or action of another person. This is a useful tool for a writer in many circumstances. However, it has its limits. Some characteristics are timeless. But if you live in the 21st century and you’re writing about the 19th century how can you be sure of depicting things accurately?

That’s where research comes in. No one has yet developed a time machine which would allow us to visit other periods and see what life was like then. We do have some good substitutes, though, which can provide an idea of what life was like in other periods.

Reading biographies, journals, histories and even fiction of the time can offer some insight. Even better choices for learning are newspapers and magazines of the period. Such journals reflect the character of the times in which they’re created; they show us what was important to people, their pastimes, their morals, their prejudices. They can give you everything you need to create believable characters of the time you’re writing about.

These valuable materials are available in collections at historical societies, in many libraries and even on line. Librarians are good at telling us where to find newspapers to suit our needs. Reading them is fun and sure to stimulate your imagination.

Such sources have been important to me in writing historical fiction. They were especially important in writing my latest, Twelve Days in the Territory, which is set in 1887 in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), an area I’ve never visited. I was especially pleased when my editor, a native of the state, praised my attention to detail and efforts to ‘get it right’ about the territory in those times.

Here’s a blurb for Twelve Days in the Territory:

Will Burrows, a mild-mannered school teacher, is the only man in town who volunteers to join Sheriff Gillette in pursuit of outlaws who have taken Martha Raker, the sheriff’s niece, hostage and fled into Indian Territory in the fall of 1887.

Gillette doubts Will’s suitability for the task, but the young man who has been courting Martha insists he must go. Yet even Will has doubts about his qualifications and harbors a secret which raises his fears of what they’ll face in the Territory.

Martha, a strong-willed young woman, will show courage and tenacity in the will to survive, confident in the belief she will not be abandoned by the man she loves or by her uncle.

All three will face trials the like of which they’ve never known before and they soon discover Crawford McKinney, the outlaw holding Martha is the least of their troubles.

……..

If this sounds as interesting to you as it does to me, you can take a closer look at

https://amzn.to/2RluAJ1

I can recommend it.

Don’t Worry about those Bad Reviews

Posted on April 1, 2021 by James Callan

A friend of mine was disappointed, actually unhappy, with a review she got for one of her books. I reminded her that all books that got many reviews would get some that were unflattering. Where the Crawdads Sing has over 126,000 reviews. Over 107,000 of them are 5 stars. And the average overall is 4.8 out of 5.0. Yet, there were over a thousand reviews that rated it a mere 1 star.

“Disappointing.” Or “Too unrealistic to enjoy.” And Most irritating book I’ve read in a long time!”

I’m sure Delia Owens didn’t stress about those. Bad and inaccurate reviews have always been with us. So, let me give you a few other reviews that somehow missed the mark. But none kept these writers from continuing to produce memorable works.

“I am sorry, Mr. Kipling, but you just do not know how to use the English language.”
—San Francisco Examiner, rejection letter to Kipling (1889)

“Shakespeare’s name, you may depend on it, will go down. He has no invention as to stories, none whatever.” —Lord Byron (1814)

“Ralph Waldo Emerson [is] a hoary-headed and toothless baboon.”—Thomas Carlyle, Collected Works (1871)

“A huge dose of hyperbolical slang, maudlin sentimentalism and tragic-comic bubble and squeak.” —William Harrison Ainsworth, New Monthly Magazine, review of Moby Dick by Herman Melville (1851)

“A gross trifling with every fine word.”—Springfield Republican, review of Huckleberry Finn (1884)

“We fancy that any child might be more puzzled than enchanted by this stiff, silly, overwrought story.” —Children’s Books’ review of Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carrol (1865)

“The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the ‘curiosity’ level.” —The Diary of Anne Frank

“It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA.”—Animal Farm by George Orwell

So, read your reviews, good or bad, and see what resonated with your readers. And perhaps the “bad” reviews can either make you laugh or suggest a way to improve your writing. But don’t let the unfavorable reviews cause you to feel bad about your writing. Even if they are all bad, use them as a learning tool.

Please feel encouraged to add your comments about reviews. Do you read your reviews? How do bad reviews affect you?

An Interview with Maggie DeLuca

Posted on March 13, 2021 by James Callan

Today, I’m interviewing Maggie DeLuca, Father Frank’s sister.

JIM: Hi, Maggie. First, just to get everything in order, are you Father Frank’s younger sister or older sister?

MAGGIE Thank you for that question. I am his older sister. Of course, sometimes I act like his kid sister.

JIM: Okay, an older sister, but young at heart.

MAGGIE You got it.

JIM: But, sometimes you, ah, … well, as Father Frank says, let your mouth take control.

MAGGIE (laughs) Yes, he does say that. And that my mouth precedes my brain. But, I’m an upfront person. I let you know who I am, what I do, what’s on my mind. He thinks I should be more private.

JIM: But it does get you in trouble sometimes; at least, that’s what I’ve heard.

MAGGIE True. But I probably would have gotten in that trouble anyway, so why wait? Let’s get this show on the road.

JIM: The last time, or at least the last one I’ve heard about, had to do with the murder of that best selling writer, Rod Granet. That was pretty serious.

MAGGIE It was. And I have to admit, I regretted some of the things I said, and the people that heard it.

JIM: Got the sheriff on your case, right? He arrested you and I understand, he truly wanted to convict you.

MAGGIE That is true. And to be perfectly honest, I was scared. I told Frank he had to get busy and find the real killer.

JIM: But the sheriff told him if he investigated, he’d throw him in jail. Didn’t that worry you?

MAGGIE Not as much as a murder conviction worried me. The sheriff wasn’t looking for anybody else. I mean, Rod was dead. The sheriff wanted someone in jail. And he was only looking at me.

JIM: In the end, Father Frank did come through for you, right?

MAGGIE He did. But between you and me – do not tell Frank this – I don’t think I’d be here today if it weren’t for that Texas Ranger, Dick Richards.

JIM: He and Father Frank seemed to work well together.

MAGGIE Yeah. Richards was smart enough to know what a great asset Frank is. He gets a bunch of pieces of information that don’t look like they go together. And Frank finds the way they fit, and what they mean.

JIM: Okay. You aren’t going to jail. What’s your next adventure?

MAGGIE Actually, two adventures. First, I’m going to finish a book I’m writing. And Rod won’t be here to steal this one. I now know I can be a USA Today best seller. I’ve earned an Austin B award for best plot, even though it had Granet’s name on it. So, this is going to be a great book.

JIM: Sounds like an important goal.

MAGGIE No, the important goal, and adventure is a new baby. In five months, I’ll be a Mom! That’s even better than being a USA Today best seller. (Maggie gets up.) Got to run. Doctor wants to check out the baby, and the mom.

JIM: And she was gone in a second. I think she’s gotten a bad rap. It isn’t that her mouth is so fast. She’s fast about everything. But it was a pleasure visiting with her. And I’m glad I got to share it with you.

“From the first sentence, it captures your attention and carries you on an intriguing mystery-solving adventure.” From a review by Sharon S.

“I’ve read so many mysteries/suspense stories that all sound alike. A Plot for Murder is very distinctively and enjoyably different.” R. Bruner, Amazon review.

Rod Granet, award-winning novelist and womanizer, is the main speaker at a writers conference. But after the opening session and in front of a crowd, Maggie DeLuca, Father Frank’s sister, accuses Granet of stealing her story and says he will pay.

That night, Granet is killed.

The sheriff quickly zeros in on Maggie and she is hauled off in handcuffs. When Father Frank comes to her aid, the sheriff threatens him with jail if he interferes.

A Texas Ranger is assigned to the investigation. He sees Father Frank as a valuable asset. Even as the sheriff continues to harass Father Frank and interrogate Maggie, the Ranger pushes Father Frank to get more involved, telling him the sheriff considers Maggie his only suspect. Father Frank is faced not only with his sister being the prime suspect in a murder case, but also threatening letters, a rifle shot through his car as he drives across a bridge, and the sheriff’s promise to put him in jail if he investigates the murder.

Can Father Frank stay out of jail and alive, and find the real killer?

If you’d like to order a copy of A Plot for Murder: Murder at the Writers Conference, use this link which will offer you a choice of formats and retailers. https:books2read.com/u/mYAW2P

Right Brain, Left Brain

Posted on March 5, 2021 by James Callan

In the summer of 2020, I had a major medical problem. This is not a complaint. Everything came out okay – eventually. I was in the hospital for a month. This included three surgeries, ten days in ICU, and four days when I was “unresponsive.”

After the month in the hospital, I spent the better part of the next month in bed.

But after those two months, I was at least beginning to think about a “more normal” life. My brain was functioning.

Sort of.

Prior to entering the hospital, I had A Plot for Murder almost finished and was looking forward to a fall release. With the book nearly finished, that was still a possibility. But a strange situation occurred.

We had planned to remodel the kitchen, and I began to draw up plans. Of course these went through several iterations as we refined what we wanted, and what would fit into the overall space available. Part of this had to deal with retrieving some “lost space” where the builder had left small areas empty behind walls. We got the blueprints and decided to utilize some of those little bits. When combined with the space currently in use, this allows us greater freedom in our design.

All of this went along easily.

But, when I sat at the computer to work on finishing the novel, nothing happened. I could put down words, sentences. But I was having trouble concluding the book. My imagination was gone. And the words I put down, now at a critical part of the book, were flat. There was no feeling in them, no imagination, no rhythm in the sentences.

This situation continued for over a month. Good work on drawing plans for the kitchen. Uninspiring words for the novel.

And then one day, I wrote a paragraph I liked. Over the next week, the way to handle the ending began to come into view. Paragraphs began to fit together. The ending worked well.

Sometime later, I realized what was happening. My left brain had come back to life first. My right brain lagged behind. Strange. My hospitalization had nothing to do with the brain. No head injury.

But it certainly appeared as if the left brain woke up and started to work faster than the right brain.

Perhaps there is a message for me here.

jim

“From the first sentence, it captures your attention and carries you on an intriguing mystery-solving adventure.” Avid reader Sharon S.

“I’ve read so many mysteries/suspense stories that all sound alike. A Plot for Murder is very distinctively and enjoyably different.” R. Bruner.