Horse Latitudes

Can you tell how excited I am to announce that my good friend and writing colleague, Andrea Zimmermann, has published her book, Horse Latitudes, a Martin Sharp Mystery? This has been a long time coming. She worked at navigating the agent/publisher maze, but found that path was way too crowded. Knowing it would take years for this intriguing story to be enjoyed by readers, she decided to self-publish. Andrea is also a talented artist, and she drew the boat that is pictured on the cover. A meet-the-author and book-signing event is planned for June 27, 2026, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the C.H. Booth Library, Newtown, CT. I'm looking forward to the event.

851 Kitchen and Cocktail Bar Event

On Saturday, June 13, 2026, I’ll be at the 1851 Kitchen and Cocktail Bar in Cromwell, CT from 12:00 t0 4:00 p.m. I hope to meet new friends and author colleagues. The menus look delicious. Come and try out this new place. This event is sponsored by Nutmeg Litfest. A note after the event - I heard from author colleagues who were there that the food was delicious. But that was pretty much the saving grace for them. The venue was in a separate room from the main restaurant, perfect for a private party. But not the best setup for authors. The 25+ authors were crammed into the space, with me and others having to share a round table. My table mate and I were placed at the very back of the room. If that wasn't bad enough, there were less than a handful of customers. No signage at the end of the sidewalk to tell people about the local authors. The other downside was a most beautiful very warm day when Route 9 was bumper to bumper for miles heading south to the beaches. It's the details that make or break an event, and some, like weather we have no control over.

Sometimes I Wish I Had Staff

Sometimes I think - if only I had staff like the big guys – Grisham, Baldacci, Penny, King—you get the idea—I could put out books a lot faster. But that’s just not going to happen. So, I was pleased, a few weeks ago, when I was at my son’s house, someone showed interest in my work. We are still negotiating a contract, haggling over how many Greenies a day I need to provide. In the meantime, I continue chipping away on the fifth Caitlyn Jamison mystery, Uncharted Drift. Chapters five and six will be critiqued on Monday evening during our Fiction Critique meeting, which is through the CRRL in Fredericksburg. An earlier post showed how I used the erasable whiteboard to work out the plot and how the characters were connected. That graphic was transferred to paper so I can use the whiteboard to try out various plot scenarios. Ideas often come when I am not at my computer, so this way, I have the whiteboard on my lap and can brainstorm away. When chapters are polished and ready for critique, I fill out Post-it® notes, color-coded for each character. It’s a way to manage the plot lines and track when the characters appear. Before I can start Chapter 7, I need to spend time on the whiteboard, figuring out what’s next. And so goes the life of a writer.

Nutmeg Lit Fest

I am fortunate to live in Connecticut,for a number of reasons, but also where a group of four dedicated authors started a Facebook group called Nutmeg LitFest. These four individuals travel around the state and find venues to host local author events. On September 12, I was invited to be at the Crystal Ridge Winery in South Glastonbury, Connecticut. It was fun to meet other local authors and readers. The view of the Hartford skyline and the setting sun over the hills to the west was amazing.

The fun began when our town's First Selectman, Michael Pelton, decided he wanted to pretend he was the author!

The next morning, I was back on the road to Manchester, Connecticut, where local authors lined two blocks of Main Street to discuss their books and meet readers. My next stop is October 12, when I will be at Priam Vineyards in Colchester, Connecticut. If you are local, I would love to see you there.

Planning the next book - "Uncharted Drift"

– A book needs characters the readers care about. A book needs a plot line (s) that keeps readers turning pages. Easy, right? No. I’m writing my sixth book and working on developing interesting characters and plot lines. Since this book is a spin-off of my fourth book, Deadly Secrets, the characters are coming easily, with maybe too many interesting characters. I have several plot lines in mind, and now I need to determine if they all work and how they come together at the end. I am trying a new way of plotting this time. Because ideas come to me at the times when I’m not at my laptop, nor do I want to get it fired up, I purchased a small wipeable board that I can easily access anytime to develop characters and outline plot ideas. The board is easily erased as changes are made. In the meantime, I have to write bios for all the main characters. It’s a time to dig deep into each character to capture what they look like, their mannerisms, how they think, and what baggage they carry. Where they find joy and what causes them anxiety. Because a writer likes to get right into the story, it’s easy to put the bio descriptions off, but I’ve learned it is better to take the time to do this, because I’ll be sorry mid-story if I don’t.

An Unexpected Death

This summer, I decided my first Caitlyn Jamison mystery book, An Unexpected Death, needed a new look. My graphic designer at Six Penny Graphics in Fredericksburg, Virginia, did a great job in capturing Caitlyn as she sets out on her first investigation. When Caitlyn arrived in Upstate New York for her cousin’s funeral, the last thing on her mind was investigating his death. But Caitlyn has a strong sense of justice, and she was determined to find out who caused the death of her cousin. Against the wishes of the local sheriff, Ethan Ewing, she persisted in being involved. At first, she was a thorn in Ethan’s side, so to keep her from going off on her own, he reluctantly accepted her help. He asked her to listen and read the body language of those he interviewed. The result—with her creative mind, Caitlyn became a valuable resource for Ethan. An Unexpected Death is where the adventure begins!

The Magic of Books

One of my readers in New York’s Adirondacks, sent me this photo. She’s found her perfect spot on the shore of Lake Champlain to enjoy The Art of Murder.

That’s what’s magical about books. There are various ways to take your favorite author with you wherever you go. I just finished reading Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders. It’s different from his Thursday Murder Club books, as We Solve Murders is more in the thriller category. His character Amy is an enigma. She is likable and mysterious in that she is a contracted bodyguard with no qualm about killing if needed. Osman’s supporting characters are fully developed and I love their quirky personalities. I think we will be seeing more of this crew. Now I’m on to one of my favorite authors, Paula Munier. I love her character, Mercy Carr, and her dog, Elvis. The title is The Night Woods, and in this book, Mercy is ready to deliver her first child. But that doesn’t stop her from investigating the attack on her friend and a murder. I look forward to the journey Mercy and Elvis will take me on.