Books,  Guest posts

Special Guest Craig Boyack

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Craig BoyackCraig Boyack is one of the most creative writers I know, which is sayin’ something considering the vastness of the writing community. As you may or may not know, my reading tastes align with the genres I write in — crime thrillers, mysteries, and true crime. But a great writer has the ability to force us out of our norm and into exciting new worlds. That’s exactly what happened when I read The Hat, book 1 of Craig Boyack’s fun new series. By the end of the book my cheeks hurt from laughter. You can read my full review on Amazon.

Without further ado, please welcome Craig back to Murder Blog.

Thanks for inviting me back, it’s been a long time. Looks like we’ve both been busy, and I’m here to talk about my newest publication. Just in time for the Halloween season. It’s called The Ballad of Mrs. Molony. This is the third book in The Hat series. They’re about a kind of paranormal superhero. They’re filled with dark humor, snark, and are designed to be short reads. I’ll let the blurb tell you more.

Sue always likes to get into the research. I respect that, but it kind of threw me for a loop on this book. The setting is urban. It’s a paranormal story, so I get to make things up or go from memory. One example is vampires which take center stage in this story. I like my monsters more classic. Mine don’t sparkle in daylight, they aren’t caused by a virus, or any of the myriad things people have come up with lately. Classic.

What kind of research could possibly be involved?

First, I’m a visual kind of guy. I’ve taken to Pinterest like nothing that’s come before. I don’t use it for kitchen remodeling or Sunday recipes. I keep a board for each of my books. I also have larger boards that are more genre specific. I’m also in the habit of keeping files for books that might be years in the future.

This is the link to my Pinterest board for The Hat Series. If you check it out, you’ll find things that showed up in previous volumes, the current book, and books I have planned out. I rely pretty heavily on Pinterest these days for references.

The unique thing about this series is the main characters, Lizzie and the hat, have a small cover band. They play nightclubs and events as a way for Lizzie to pay her rent. It’s also a neat trick for me, because it gets them out at night when the monsters roam.

With a band, readers expect music. Any band is going to have its own style, and Lizzie and The Pythons are no different. I’ve spent many a happy hour combing through music to find what they might be playing at their next gig. This led to an extensive playlist on my iPhone, which I listen to during my work commutes. I recently added a page to my own blog that includes the songs that appear in each book. Here is a link to that playlist.

Midwest Setting

I’m also from Idaho, so the Midwest is kind of foreign to me. I have a hard time comprehending all that flat countryside. I’ve never come right out and said it, but these stories are centered in St. Louis. Within the stories I like to stay somewhat vague. This gives me the opportunity to name my own streets and create my own landmarks. I do use Google Earth to keep from messing up the bends in the rivers, and respect the genuine landmarks. It’s nice to mention the highway when they travel out of town. Minimal stuff, but research all the same.

Another quirk of this series is when the hat tells Lizzie about her ancestors. These are sometimes like mentoring, but occasionally part of the comedy of the series. I spent a lot of time making sure my global history didn’t overlap. It was possible for one of Lizzie’s ancestors to fight for Napoleon, and still get the hat to America to take on the form of a coonskin cap and settle in Tennessee. As the series goes on, I find myself having to watch that more closely. These stories build fences that I have to respect over time.

My research for this series might not measure up to some of the crazy things Sue has done over the years, like crawling in barrels, but it’s there. Other stories required much more extensive research, like when I had to learn about tall ships, but every story requires some.

I’ve worked pretty hard to keep people from having to read the series in order. There are some minor things that carry over, but if you pick any book up you aren’t going to be be lost. It’s one of those series where the characters are the same, the shtick remains, but each story can stand on its own. It’s also designed for short reading. You can read an entire book on a Saturday afternoon. This is a growing market and I want to be part of it. (More research showing.)

Lizzie is a regular girl. The hat has some magical powers. Alone, neither of them are anything special, but together they can do amazing things. Including rock your face off. It’s about time to drop the cover and blurb and greet our readers in the comments. Thanks for inviting me over today, and I hope your fans will enjoy a bit of Halloween reading.

Cover Blurb

Lizzie and the hat are back, and this time they’re chasing vampires across a subculture of America. A pair of rodeo cowboys are holding a woman captive to use like a milk cow since they joined the undead.

The person who put them onto the trail is also a vampire, but he has to be the worst vampire in history. Is he really that pitiful, or is he setting a trap for our heroes? Does the woman even exists? Can Lizzie and the hat find her before she also takes up blood sucking?

Follow Lizzie and the hat as they use their cover band to stalk vamps across the country music scene.

Craig Boyack

You can contact Craig Boyack at the following locations:

Blog | My Novels |  Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | BookBub

 

Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as “Best 100 Crime Blogs on the Net.” She also blogs on the Kill Zone (Writer's Digest "101 Best Websites for Writers"), Writers Helping Writers, and StoryEmpire. Sue lives with her husband in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Her backlist includes psychological thrillers, the Mayhem Series (books 1-3) and Grafton County Series, and true crime/narrative nonfiction. Now, she exclusively writes eco-thrillers, Mayhem Series (books 4-9 and continuing). Sue's appeared on the Emmy award-winning true crime series, Storm of Suspicion, and three episodes of A Time to Kill on Investigation Discovery. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her murder of crows, who live free but come when called by name. And nature feeds her soul.

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48 Comments

  • Judi Lynn

    October 21, 2020 at 7:34 PM

    Another fun post for Mrs. Molony, Craig and Sue. I was surprised when I read the book and found out how dangerous “Mrs. Molony” is. Loved all the music references, too. I can see how that would take some research, though.

    • Sue Coletta

      October 21, 2020 at 3:06 PM

      Garry, you will love “the hat” character. His sharp wit cracks me up, and the books are a nice detour from murder and serial killers. *gasp!* Can’t believe I just wrote that. 😉 Although, there are a few murders to satisfy our bloodlust, just not the types we’re used to reading about. 😀 Can’t say anymore without ruining it for you!

  • Marcia Meara

    October 21, 2020 at 9:44 AM

    Okay, THIS post really strikes a chord with me, Craig, on several levels. First of course, is the concept of this book, which makes me laugh without ever having read it. (Yet!) Can’t wait! (I can hear an odd, lisping sound seeping from between the covers of my Kindle. I think Kevin is trying to lure me into bumping it all the way to the top of the TBR pile.)

    Secondly, I’m intrigued by the concept of writing a series than can be read in any order. While I include backstory in each of mine, so the books will make sense if read out of order, my stories definitely work better if readers “go through” the events of the preceding ones so they understand the characters better. I’m planning to write more novellas in the future, and I’m going to see if I can make each a stand-alone experience, too. (Always looking for new things to try.)

    And last, I have to say I’ve never known anyone to use Pinterest the way you do. I’ve sort of fallen away from it in the last couple of years. (Like totally.) And you are definitely making me see I should get back to it, and use it for more than I ever did before. Especially for my books.

    GREAT post, Sue & Craig. And I can’t wait to meet Kevin! A “new” vampire type for me, for sure. (I’ve always said nothing is sexier than a man who makes me laugh. Time to put that to the test and see if it holds true for vampires! 😀 )
    Marcia Meara recently posted…#BadMoonRising Hullaba Lulu: A Dieselpunk Adventure by Teagan Riordain Geneviene #steampunk #historicalfantasyMy Profile

    • Sue Coletta

      October 21, 2020 at 9:51 AM

      Marcia, I never thought in a million years that I could be crushing on a hat, but here we are. 😉 Pinterest is fantastic for inspiration!

      I’m putting Craig’s standalone theory to the test by reading Book 3 out of order. So far, I’m not confused at all if that helps. Though I did read The Hat first, but I don’t think it would’ve mattered.

      • Marcia Meara

        October 21, 2020 at 10:48 AM

        See my reply to Craig. 😀 I just can’t make myself do that. But then again, I can’t work the crossword puzzle unless every corner of the newspaper is matched up neatly and folded perfectly evenly. So you can’t go by me. 😀 I do think writing a series that doesn’t need to be read in order could be a good idea, though, and I’m giving it serious consideration.

        • Sue Coletta

          October 21, 2020 at 11:03 AM

          Normally I’m the same way, but after reading The Hat, I was too excited to read the new installment. Remember to keep your paws off that hat, though. He’s still “mine” for the time being. I’ll let you know when I’ll loan him out for a trip to your place. Hahaha. Kidding!

    • CS Boyack

      October 21, 2020 at 10:21 AM

      You’re a big Dresden fan. I think those could be read out of order without too much loss. I can see it getting tougher as the series extends, but there is still a small intro for Murph, etc. in each new edition.

      • Marcia Meara

        October 21, 2020 at 10:44 AM

        No way I’d ever read Harry’s story out of order, though. Too many references to things gone by that I’d have to backtrack to catch. Plus, his character growth and his relationships expand so much over time, and half of the snark in The Dresden Files relies on you knowing the characters and their foibles. I know Dresden books aren’t numbered, but he starts as a pretty young man, and is now somewhere around 40-ish. And one of the principal characters goes from a very young girl to nearly 30. Almost 20 years. It would totally mess with my mind to not watch that progression, even if the books still made sense. Plus, the later books have an ongoing battle that I don’t think would work out of order. At least not for me. (NOW look what you’ve done!!! You’ve released the rabid Dresdenphile!!! Be afraid. Be very afraid!)

        Seriously, there are definitely series out there that don’t need to be read in order. They are often set in roughly the same time period, and just involve new cases or the like. (Sue Grafton’s alphabet series comes to mind. Kinsey never ages, etc.) And that works fine, too.

        And I’m glad the Hat books can be read in any order, too. Though of course, I won’t be doing that. Because I’m on OCD dweeb who’d go crazy even trying. 😀 😀 😀 But I definitely see the benefits of a series that works that way, and am going to give some thought to writing one. It’s a good idea.
        Marcia Meara recently posted…#BadMoonRising Aceldama by John Hazen #horror #historicalthriller #TuesdayBookBlogMy Profile

        • CS Boyack

          October 21, 2020 at 11:17 AM

          I hope it works for you. I’m always trying new things. It gives some readers an option over something like my trilogy which must be read in order.

  • Mae Clair

    October 21, 2020 at 8:30 AM

    I enjoyed The Ballad of Mrs. Molony and all of The Hat stories. They’re always creative, filled with adventure, fun, and plenty of snark.

    Congrats to Craig on his latest.

    • CS Boyack

      October 21, 2020 at 9:40 AM

      Thank you, Mae. I’m still resting, but will take up the keyboard again this winter. There will be more Hat stories.

    • Sue Coletta

      October 21, 2020 at 8:56 AM

      Lovely to “see” you, Harmony! Since Craig said you don’t need read the books in order, I skipped Book 2 and went straight for The Ballard of Mrs. Maloney. 🙂 I’ll read the second after.

    • Sue Coletta

      October 21, 2020 at 8:52 AM

      Always a pleasure to have you on Murder Blog, Craig! I’ll pop over and share to keep up momentum. I may take you up on that offer. 🙂

  • Margot Kinberg

    October 21, 2020 at 7:17 AM

    What a creative way to tell a story! That’s really innovative, and it was interesting to learn a little more about what went on with the research and the other behind-the-scenes story creation. Thanks, both, for sharing.