The Next Big Thing

My novelist-buddy Rachel Hauck tagged me for The Next Big Thing blog hop. Ten questions. Then I tag some authors, asking the same ten questions. Then they tag . . . and so on, and so on. 

Since I've got three projects going simultaneously, I'm choosing to talk about the book  flashing in the immediate foreground. And off we go:

What is the working title of your book? "Here Not Here."

Where did the idea come from for the book?  Readers of the Raleigh Harmon mystery series have often asked me to write about her early life, what it was like before her father was murdered. I was considering a prequel to "The Stones Cry Out," the first book in the series, but then my creative husband suggested something better: When did Raleigh get hooked on geology, and what if that hook came at a price?

What genre does your book fall under? Young adult mystery.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? As someone who doesn't watch much TV and whose movie library is still on VHS, I keep picking actresses who are now too old to play Raleigh. But. Still. I like them: Rene Russo in "Lethal Weapon 3" and Janine Turner in "Cliffhanger." 

     If only they could be cryogenically frozen.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When 15-year-old Drew Levinson goes missing, everyone thinks she ran away - except her best friend Raleigh Harmon, who sets out to discover what really happened.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
That question feels like the cart is getting before the horse. Right now, I'm just enjoying the story.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? Seven months. I tend to write-and-edit simultaneously, which slows down the sprint to the finish line.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I'm inspired by some great mysteries from my youth, such as "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase," and more recent mysteries such as "The Silence of Murder" by Dandi Daley Mackall. 

Who or What inspired you to write this book?  Touch-stones. Road markers. Those elemental moments of youth where our pasts become braided with challenges and blessings and meaning. I'm fascinated by those things that happened to you that now make you, You.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Don't we all remember what it feels like to be fifteen, and nobody understands you? Now throw in a life-and-death situation that's going to define the rest of your days. 

Okay, that's my Ten. 
Now check out the next round of The Next Big Thing with these fabulous authors:

Kristin Billerbeck

Tamera Alexander
Dandi Daley Mackall

Dandi Daley Mackall

Not sure why, but it's become difficult to find great young-adult mysteries. Here's hoping that will change in the future, but right now "The Silence of Murder" fills the gap in a big way.

    Apparently the people bestowing America's highest award in mysteries agree: Dandi Daley Mackall's novel won this year's Edgar Award in the young-adult category.

      "The Silence of Murder" centers on the tough-but-tender Hope Long and her brother Jeremy who has been accused of killing the town's beloved baseball coach. Hope is the only person who believes Jeremy is innocent. But since Jeremy hasn't spoken a word in 9 years, he's unable to defend himself. Hope sets out to find out what happened to the baseball coach, and why.

     I adored this novel. The plucky protagonist wasn't annoyingly snarky. The challenging mystery played fair with the reader. And not once was I pulling back from the page by the depressingly prevalent shock-factor that ruins so many otherwise good YA books.

     Dandi Mackall dropped by Deeper Mysteries for a chat about book, kids, reading and writing. And on writing, she's an esteemed veteran. Over the course of 20-plus years, she's produced dozens of articles for mainstream magazines and around 400 books (yes, really) for children and adults, with sales of over 4 million. A frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, Dandi lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, horses, dogs, & cats.

I'm curious, did the idea for "The Silence of Murder" come to you over time, or in one thunderbolt-aha! moment?

And the answer is…YES! I have a habit of playing with words the day after I turn in a big manuscript. I let myself write for fun, being free because I’ll never try to turn it into a novel. So, about 10 years ago, I wrote the entire first chapter of what would eventually become THE SILENCE OF MURDER. I placed it in a file on my computer: “Play.” Every year or so, I’d pull it up and mess with it a bit. But I couldn’t see where it was going, so back into the file it went. Then about 2 years ago, I pulled it up and decided I would write the next chapter, no matter what. The first words I typed were: “Your honor, I object!” And I realized that the whole first chapter was an account by Hope, who occupied the witness box in a courtroom, where her brother was on trial for murder. After that, the story unfolded for me.

Have you written mysteries before? And what kind of research was necessary for "The Silence of Murder"?

I love mysteries. I’ve always read mysteries right before going to bed. I write a lot of teen and pre-teen books, and I do sneak in a mystery whenever I can. Each series I write has at least one mystery: Midnight Mystery in Winnie the Horse Gentler series; Dark Horse inStarlight Animal Rescue. Degrees of Guilt, Degrees of Betrayal. But SILENCE is my first honest-to-goodness murder mystery. I interviewed (read, “hounded”) a local district attorney, a judge, a prosecutor. I observed trials. And because I wanted to recreate courtroom scenes, I read transcripts of murder trials. I had to research Ohio law since the story takes place in Ohio. I don’t think I’ve ever done so much research for a book—but I loved it…most of the time.

 I tend to vacillate about the term "special needs," partly because as a Christian, I think every one of us is considered "special needs" one way or another. But, for the sake of clarity, we can say one of your main characters in this book is truly "special needs," in the physiological sense. Did you consciously choose to write about that subject, or did that character just appear in the process of writing the story? By the way, he's a great character.

Thanks—and I’m glad you asked. I don’t have a problem with the term “special needs,” and we do have a daughter who fits into the category. I didn’t set out to write about a special needs character; I never do. And yet, they keep popping up in my fiction. The first time I realized this, I was doing a school visit, giving an author’s assembly, followed by Q and A. One fifth-grade student asked me why I wrote about special needs characters. I thought she had me mixed up with someone else, but I didn’t want her to feel silly. “Well,” I answered, “I really don’t write about special needs characters, but that’s a great idea. I’ll have to think about it.” She didn’t say a word. But after the workshop, she came up and handed me a sheet of paper with 14 of my books written on it…and the special needs characters that appeared in each book—a little sister, Special Olympics, a friend, a classmate, etc. Our daughter Katy is on my mind a lot. I guess we write what’s on our hearts, even if we don’t intend to.

You're a believer, but your book isn't explicitly Christian, which is one of the book's terrific strengths. The story contains many unstated themes (which, of course, are the best kind of themes) concerning sacrificial love. Can you talk a bit about how your worldview informs your writing -- or doesn't?

I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to write what I want, more or less. I do have books that are more openly Christian. But I love it when those unstated themes are integral to the whole. I guess it’s like writing about special needs characters. If Katy is on my mind, I should expect parts of her to appear in my writing. And if Christ is on my mind, in my heart, I should expect to see evidence pop up in natural ways—a “church lady,” who surprises us by not being judgmental, a moment when characters simply know that God is in the courtroom, a character who makes the right and wise choice to wait until marriage to have sex because she wants it to be fantastic.

What was it like to win the Edgar Award? (Editorial aside: ???!!!! ) 

I LOVE this question! All the clichés work—unbelievable, dreamlike, surreal. When I found out SILENCE was a finalist, I thought it was mistake. I mean, Harlan Coben was a finalist! But my hubby and I got to go to NYC for the big awards banquet, and I knew I’d get to meet all the authors I’ve read for years. I remember sitting at the Random House table, with my Knopf editor, my agent, and everyone at Random who’d worked on the book. And I thought, All these people gussied up and are here…for me. I felt God’s love and grace at that moment as strong as I’ve ever felt it. They actually open an envelope and read the name of the winner. When they read my name, Joe and I just stared at each other…until my agent shoved me to go and get my award. I hadn’t prepared a speech because I never thought I’d win. I’m not sure what I said, but Sandra Brown, the MC, later told me my first two words were “Holy Cow.” Now, whenever I think of that night, I picture God grinning at me because he knew I never thought I’d win, and he knew I was the happiest person there, win or lose.
What are you working on next -- another mystery? Will the vivid characters from "The Silence of Murder" return again?

I think I’m the ADD or writers. I’m working on another mystery, and mostly I’m loving writing it. But the next novel to come out is a coming-of-age novel set in rural Missouri in the sixties. I’m also working on a WWII novel, using my parents’ letters, which they wrote for nearly 2 years during the war (3 times a day for 2 years). My dad was an army Dr., stationed in France and Germany, and Mom was an army nurse in England and France. They met in boot camp, married 8 weeks later, had about a week as husband and wife, and then Mom got shipped out, followed by Dad—but never to the same place. I’m also working on several rhyming children’s books and a Bible story devotional for toddlers and….

What's a typical writing day look like for you, Dandi?

I travel, speaking at conferences and doing school visits. But when I’m home, I get up early, usually by 5 am (I know, I know…my writing friends hate that.). I have a quiet time, then do my fresh writing and first drafts in the morning. In the afternoon, I rewrite and research. Most days, I walk around our lake (5 miles) with my mini-tape recorder and talk in scenes and dialog and ideas. My neighbors often refer to me as “that lady who walks and talks to herself.” They don’t see the recorder.)

Writing for young adults: How is it different from writing for adults? What are the challenges/pitfalls/joys?

I love writing for young adults, and in many ways there are few differences in writing for YA or for adults. The biggest difference is perception and what’s important. For example, when I first wrote MY BOYFRIENDS’ DOGS (Dutton/Penguin), the climax took place on the main character’s wedding day. But my editor asked me to change it to a prom for YA audiences. I thought she was wrong, so I visited high schools and asked young women which would interest them more—prom or wedding. Wedding won.

Here's your Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card: Talk about whatever you want to say or wherever you want to go on any topic: 

I just want to say thanks—thanks for letting me ramble, Sibella.

 Dandi's book is available for sale at Goodread's website.

Scavenger Hunt Guest Melanie Dickerson!

SCAVENGER HUNT STOP #17

 Follow the clues, win prizes --including a Kindle Fire, free books and more!  

Don't you adore gathering clues and solving a mystery? That love of the hunt partially inspired the Raleigh Harmon mystery series. But it's also why I'm over-the-moon about this Fall Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. It's thrilling to see readers not only find clues but new authors -- and win awesome prizes to boot.

The Scavenger Hunt's starting gun goes off at noon MDT on 10/25. The hunt stays open until midnight MDT on 10/28 —plenty of time to collect all the clues. With 31 stops, you'll be meeting some cool authors. New novels. Soon-to-be-released novels. And at each stop, exclusive content. Is this awesome or what?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to collect all the clues in RED on each blog post, beginning at Stop #1, the home of our hunt's leader, author Lisa Bergeren. Then proceed through to Stop #32 where you'll fill out a Rafflecopter form. Provide the completed clue quote -- all the RED words you gathered from all 31 stops -- and have that ready within 24 hours of email notification of winning, or else another winner will be randomly drawn. Don’t let that happen to you! (Of course, if you’re not notified on 10/29/12, don't email or submit anything else. Just rejoice in the experience of playing. Nobody goes home a loser in this hunt, since each stop offers exclusive content found nowhere else.)

The Grand Prize is a new Kindle Fire, plus 31 new novels!

Second and Third Prizes are $50 Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD or BookDepository.com gift certificates (And here's the fine print few of us read: Contest is open to international entrants. If the winner lives outside the United States, they shall win the equivalent in gift certificate funds to the prize in US dollars.)

Now, on with our guest! 
Please welcome my friend Melanie Dickerson. Would you look at that smile? The woman should be on a toothpaste commercial. But she's too talented for that. 

Melanie is the author of The Healer's Apprentice and The Merchant's Daughter, both Christy Award finalists. She's also the winner of The National Reader's Choice Award for 2010's Best First Book, and winner of the 2012 Carol Award in Young Adult fiction. 

With all that great talent, she still lives out of a servant's heart. After earning her bachelor's degree in special education from The University of Alabama, Melanie taught special-needs children from Georgia and Tennessee, in addition to teaching English to adults in Germany and Ukraine. These days she spends her time writing and taking care of her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama. 

Yep. A southern gal. She's got everything.

Melanie's latest release is The Fairest Beauty. In this Snow White fairy tale retelling, a woman arrives in Hagenheim claiming the young woman betrothed to the duke’s son, Valten, is still alive. With Valten injured, his younger brother, Gabe, defies his family to find Sophie himself. Meanwhile, Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother’s jealousy, and plans to escape. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother. This could be Sophie’s one chance at freedom---but can she trust another person to keep her safe?

It's a great premise, and just for you Scavenger Hunters, Melanie's offering this EXCLUSIVE MATERIAL, a scene that was deleted from The Fairest Beauty. First, from the perspective of Sophie. Then from Gabe's viewpoint.

A kind face, and handsome too. Sophie didn’t like to think what would happen to him if Duchess Ermengard disbelieved his story. He wasn’t like anyone she had met before. He was courageous, having stood up to Lorencz, refusing to leave when she warned him about Duchess Ermengard, and yet he didn’t have the swagger and bluster of a fighting man—a knight or guard—or a hunter.

She reclined on the ground, propping her back against a small tree, and watched him do the task. 

“Will you tell me about them? About your mother and father and brothers and sisters?”

A gentle smile edged his lips and he sighed slightly. An unfamiliar feeling of contentment and safety came over Sophie. She nestled on the ground and pillowed her head on her arm as she stared up at him.

~ ~ ~

Gabe could see she was exhausted, but Sophie still had a radiant beauty. He felt her eyes on him as he stuffed the mattress. Her question about his family surprised him. An orphan, she was curious about his family. The thought pricked his heart, and he knew if his mother were here, she’d adopt Sophie on the spot and lavish her with love. Finding out whether she was the daughter of Duke Baldewin would be a lesser priority.

“My mother’s name is Rose. She is very beautiful, with long red-brown hair, brown eyes and a big smile. My father fell in love with her when he wasn’t allowed to marry her. He said she was the most beautiful, sweet, virtuous maiden in the region, and he was determined to marry her, no matter what he had to do . . . ."

Melanie Dickerson's The Fairest Beauty is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, or your local bookstore.

But before you leave, write down this STOP #17 clue: LIVING.

Your next stop is Melanie's own blog. Have fun -- and keep reading!

Oh, and if you want a chance to win ANOTHER PRIZE, sign up for my (fun and 100 percent spam-free!) newsletter. You'll be entered to win an audio CD of one of my books, and a copy of my latest release The Stars Shine Bright. 
    Thanks so much. And I hope YOU win!

Dear Readers,

I must confess my sentimental human heart wishes "winner" could be plural in the contest for the Kindle Fire+Raleigh books.

Plural, as in "everyone."

But Jennifer Lucas of Ohio -- come on down!  YOU won that Kindle Fire and all five Raleigh Harmon novels. We would say you're a lucky girl, but it would offend our intrepid forensic geologist who says luck doesn't exist (and I agree with her).

My sincerest thanks to everyone who entered this contest. We'll have more -- name the next Raleigh book? Name some characters? With prizes, of course.

Thank you for being the best readers a writer-girl could hope for. 

Your humble scribe,

-- Sibella

Reading Out Loud

Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled when Oasis Audio converted the Raleigh Harmon books into CD-format. I'm a huge fan of listening to books being read out loud -- either in person or recorded.

But it took me several months to listen to my own audio books. Call me chicken (although, like Raleigh, I prefer beef), I didn't want to be disappointed.

"Give it ten minutes," my husband said, dangling his keys. He kept the Raleigh CDs in his car on rotation. He loved them. "Ten minutes," he repeated, like someone trying to encourage a coward to jump off a diving board. "If you don't like it after ten minutes, shut it off."

I grabbed his keys, stomped out the door and ten minutes later realized my exit had just whipped past. Twenty minutes later I was circling my destination instead of parking because I didn't want to get out of the car.

An hour later my cell phone rang. I was parked in front of Starbucks, not getting out.

"Did you listen?" my husband asked.

"Sorry, I can't talk right now."

I hung up and continued my vigil, wondering whether I'd have the strength to leave this vehicle within the next six hours. Actress and veteran audio book reader Cassandra Campbell was bringing all sorts of imaginary friends to life in "The Clouds Roll Away"-- and nailing every accent, from white-southern-plantation to black-southern-urban.

I could've cried.

But I was too busy trying to figure out what's gonna happen next! Yes, I'd forgotten my own story but more significantly, Ms. Campbell was reading it with those just-right touches of suspense and drama and humor. I didn't like this reading because I wrote it -- I loved it because it was done so well, from production quality to vocal intonations.

This week, Christmas came early. Oasis Audio released "The Rivers Run Dry" and the most recent Raleigh Harmon installment,"The Stars Shine Bright".  Treat yourself to a listen -- Cassandra Campbell reads the first chapter of "Rivers" on YouTube.  

The woman obviously loves words; you can hear it in her voice.

But don't blame me if you miss an appointment. 

And don't call me. 

I'm heading out the door -- CDs in hand -- for a really long road trip.

P.S. Oasis Audio maintains a large catalog of great books told from a redeemed viewpoint, including such luminaries as Max Lucado and Colleen Coble. Find out more and sign up for promotional giveaways on their Facebook page.

Wanna Win a Kindle?

So many times I've been slogging away on some Raleigh Harmon scene while muttering, "This is NOT working!" when suddenly that pleasant little "bing!"chimes from my email.


Oh, dear reader. That sound always reminds me of "It's a Wonderful Life" -- the part about how every time a bell rings, an angel earns his wings.


You, dear readers, seem like angels to me.


Through the years, you've kept the Raleigh Harmon series going with your heart-felt notes and happy posts to Facebook and Twitter. I may never find the proper words to thank you.


So I'm spreading some literary bling -- please enter the contest!


I'll be giving away a Kindle Fire and ALL five Raleigh Harmon books. That's Stones to Stars --- with Rivers, Clouds and Mountains in between.


The contest runs until August 27, when I'll announce the winner right here on the Deeper Mysteries blog. And if you post a link to the contest on Twitter and Facebook, you'll increase your chances of winning.


To enter the contest via Facebook, CLICK HERE.
For Twitter, click HERE.


And if you're a blogger, consider signing up through the clickin' cool hens at LitFuse publicity HERE. You'll find lots of great authors there, and more contests. (You also might develop an irrational desire to raise chickens. Don't blame me.)


Have fun!


And may the best reader win!

What I Said

   
Some of you know how my own beliefs seep into parts of the Raleigh Harmon books.
    But for those who are curious about which beliefs, and how it happens, Melissa Willis conducted an audio interview for The Christian Manifesto (a kickin'cool site, by the way).
    Interviews always lead into unchartered territory, but with Melissa and her Texas twang, I always wind up enjoying the trip.
    Around the 3-minute mark,  she asks for my thoughts on evolution . . . .
    Fasten your seat belts.