Sharing the Love in the Writing Community

Before I start sharing the love in the writing community, I’m thrilled to announce that I have two reference guides available. This officially makes me a hybrid author. Yay!

60 Ways to Murder Your Characters, which many of you have, is now available. But I’ve made it even better. On this blog I’ve given away 1,000 copies of the previous version. It was time to turn it into an ebook and give it shot in the Kindle store. My hope is that it inspires your inner dark side. Mwahahaha…  Creating the covers were a blast, too. I *might* be slightly addicted to publishing my own stuff. Non-fiction, anyway.

Looking for inspiration on how to murder your characters?

With this handy research guide, no longer will you need to search for ways to murder your characters, or stare at a blank screen while you mull over the character development of your antagonist. Many of the murder methods listed in 60 Ways to Murder Your Characters come with ways you can use them in your novel, short story, or flash fiction. 

From the basics, like a shotgun blast to the head to the more creative ways to commit murder on the page, this research guide will help bring your crime scenes alive. 

Let’s face it. Being an author isn’t an easy endeavor. Crime writing is even harder, because we need to ensure our stories ring true. That’s why I’ve given you the exact measurements for how to dissolve a body in lye or acid, for instance. If I can help your stories ring true, then I consider it a win. Don’t let the preview fool you. There’s all kinds of information in this guide. Only 99c.

Need Research to Help Your Stories Ring True?

Look no further. In Crime Writer’s Research you’ll find countless hours of research that I’ve compiled into one handy guide to help other crime writers, or any author who has a murder, crime, or police procedures in their books. Let my passion for crime lend credibility to your story. 

In Crime Writer’s Research you’ll find information on serial killers, police procedures, a rare never-before-seen interview with a real-life undercover operative, and so much more. Only $2.99.

Take a look at the Table of Contents: 

Seven Phases of the Serial Killer — This chapter discusses what the serial killer experiences, his inner desires and fantasies. 

The Terrifying World of Serial Killers — Unlike the previous chapter, we’ll concentrate of how serial killers are classified by the FBI and how you can use this knowledge to write a more realistic antagonist. 

What Happens at The Body Farm? — I’ll take you inside the forbidden place where the dead litters the earth. 

Blood, Bodies, and Bugs — In this chapter you’ll learn what happens to the body after death; what affects rate of decomposition; life cycle of blowflies; how to estimate time of death, etc. 

What Happens Inside an Autopsy Suite? — Specifically, the careers of individuals who work in an autopsy suite and what their job entails. 

Exceptions to Search Warrants — There are exceptions to search warrants, and your detective needs to know what they are, including but not limited to Terry Stops, Exigent Circumstances, Custodial issues, Abandoned Property, etc. 

Crime Writers’ Boot Camp: Jurisdiction — In order to investigate a homicide, a detective needs to determine if the crime scene is within his jurisdiction. We concentrate on Subject Matter Jurisdiction, then move on to… 

Crime Writers’ Boot Camp: Jurisdiction Part II — Nexus, Territorial Jurisdiction, and more. 

Police Procedures: United States vs. Canada — Two detective friends sat down with me to discuss the differences between the US and Canadian police procedures and law. 

Why Dogs are Such Fantastic Trackers — Ever wonder how your best buddy can tell when you’ve petted the neighbor’s dog? Now you’ll know why. Plus, learn how to print your dog in case of emergency. 

Forensics: Radiocarbon Dating and Skeletal Differences — Forensic breakthroughs and how to tell if a skeleton is male or female. 

Psychopaths & the Criminally Insane — Have a psychopathic killer in your story? Read this chapter.

If She Walks Like a Victim — What our body language tells potential attackers. 

Candid Interview with an Undercover Operative — Using an alias, this undercover operative comes forward to discuss what happens behind the scenes of a sting. We also cover how he deals with the “theatre of crime,” family life, befriending the suspect, the inner workings of undercover work, etc… 

Badass in Heels: Self-Defence Moves — Learn techniques to make your protagonist a badass in heels. 

Badass in Heels: Nerve Strikes — No one will mess with your hero if you arm her with these techniques. And if they do, look out! 

How Story Structure Relates to Our Lives — A clarifying post about story structure, and an easy way to remember it. 

Crime Writer’s Resource — The research doesn’t have to end here. Have a question you wish you could ask a detective or coroner? No problem. This chapter gives you a peek at what you’ll find inside my website’s resource page. For example: When your detective enters a crime scene, what does he do? This chapter gives you the step-by-step procedure. 

Are you ready to dig in?

I’m not the only one with new releases. Let’s share the love. For new members of this blog, here’s what sharing the love is all about.

Writers are the most generous, talented, funny, genuine, and kind people I’ve ever met, and I feel blessed to walk among you. I love the writing community; always have. You can’t find better people, IMO. When I first became part of this elite “club” I found myself awestruck by the fact that no one was in competition. Quite the contrary. They supported one another. They lent a shoulder to cry on when one of us fell and rejoiced when one of us achieved our goals.

It’s been about four years since I crawled out my writer’s cave door and joined the community, and I still see random acts of kindness happening all around me. Each time, it blows me away.

When a fellow author tells me they’ve published a new book, I desperately want to support them by featuring their work. But if allow book promotions without a guest post that you can benefit from, I risk losing what I’ve built.

Therein lies the rub.

I’ve worked tirelessly to make this a resource blog, and many of you wouldn’t be here otherwise. I don’t reblog posts. I don’t post book reviews. And I don’t do many book promos. I’ve kept a narrow focus on crime, research, and writing tips. This year I’m trying to mix things up a bit, but I also need to remain true to my brand.

So I’ve come up with a different way of showing my support, a way that shows solidarity among the writing community as a whole, and a way I can support my fellow authors without turning this blog into something it isn’t.

In the last month I’ve heard from so many friends who all have news to share. These authors have supported me in more ways than I can count. These authors are truly wonderful people, and I feel blessed to call them friends. I root for these authors each and every day, just as I root for you. Incidentally, they have no idea they’re appearing on the blog today. That’s what makes my Sharing the Love in the Writing Community posts so much fun.

Craig Boyack is a dear friend, and so supportive of fellow authors. His creativity blows me away. For example, on Entertaining Stories you’ll find The Idea Mill, where he shares nuggets of fascinating articles he’s read that you can use in your stories. At the end of each Idea Mill post he creates a short story using everything he’s found. He also has a new marketing campaign that all visitors of his blog can take advantage of.  It’s called Lisa Burton Radio, and the posts are always so much fun.

The Playground

The hottest new toys of the Christmas season are the Playground Network dolls. They contain a worldwide social network for children. Except the network is controlled by a ruthless businessman with dreams of power. 

To reach his goals he turns to the occult. Will our children make up his personal army? Could we have an enemy soldier in every home? 

Gina Greybill is a cancer survivor who stumbles into her own brush with the paranormal. She wants nothing to do with it, but may be the only one who can bring down the Playground Network. To do it she’ll have to embrace her new situation, and recover the next generation of Playground software. 

There is competition for the software in the form of a brutal thug named Clovis. He’s bigger, more ruthless, and more experienced. To top it all off, he has a head start. 

The Playground is like a paranormal romp inspired by Tarantino and Frank Miller.

I adore Molly Greene. Not only is she extremely generous with the writing community but she’s an all-around awesome person. All authors should visit her site. It’s packed with information, from how to format an ebook to marketing and how to publish in different countries and formats. Molly is a master at finding guests to share their knowledge. I’m always amazed when she asks me to write on a topic. My first reaction is, “Me? Are you sure?” LOL

Midnight at Half Moon Bay

Private Detective Gen Delacourt goes to Half Moon Bay to locate a vanished scuba diver, only to discover that the mystery man is not who he said he was…and neither is anyone else. As Gen investigates, she faces her fears about the ocean, rebuilds her relationship with fiancé Mack Hackett, and discovers beyond a doubt that something’s fishy, all right, but it’s not the sea life.

Care for some Noir?

Tom Pitts is a fellow blog-mate on The Book Stops Here (formally Prose & Cons), even though we’ve both been absent recently. He received his education firsthand on the streets of San Francisco. He remains there, writing, working, and trying to survive. Tom is genuine, and I really like that about him. What you see is what you get with Tom. When he’s not writing he works at OOTG Flash Fiction Offensive as an acquisition editor. No, that’s not how I got Emerging Evil published there…but it didn’t hurt to know the editor. Moving on…

Hustle

Two young hustlers, caught in an endless cycle of addiction and prostitution, decide to blackmail an elderly client of theirs. Donny and Big Rich want to film Gabriel Thaxton with their cell phones during a sexual act and put the video up on YouTube. Little do they know, the man they’ve chosen, a high-profile San Francisco defense attorney, is already being blackmailed by someone more sinister: an ex-client of the lawyer’s. A murderous speed freak named Dustin has already permeated the attorney’s life and Dustin has plans for the old man.

Paul D. Brazill is awesome, too, like everyone else on this list. On his site he often shares the stories from OOTG Flash Fiction Offensive, where he works as an editor.  All right, so I knew more than one of the editors at Flash Fiction Offensive. Sue me. We get by with a little help from our friends…

Anyway, Paul also writes his own flash, and each story is so filled with voice you can’t help but to get swept up. His site is a great escape from reality. On Saturdays he posts songs, too. Just sayin’.

The Last Laugh

This is what his publisher had to say about the upcoming release: The great Paul Brazill has gathered his wonderful shorts into a collection and we are lucky enough to get to publish it. Brazill describes The Last Laugh and Other Shots of Noir as “a sharp, violent  and blackly comic look at life through a glass darkly.”

That’s all for today, folks. I hope you’ll take a chance on one of these incredible authors, if you’re not a fan already.

[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@SueColetta1″]Sharing the Love in the Writing Community[/tweetthis]

Happy reading, writing, and research!