File NPR Interview Under 'Dream Come True'

Okay, y'all. You've noticed that blog posts have been slim to none -- closer to none.

Cuz I've been busy. Busy as a bee, as a beaver, as a bee and beaver whooping it up at the Hoover Dam. And I've been so very tired. Like, "dark bags under my eyes" kind of tired. Like, "too tired to play a videogame" kind of tired.

Now, though, I've gotten some energy. Even started playing "Borderlands"! And starting third edits of Lou Norton #3, titled TRAIL OF ECHOES.

This summer, I signed and read and met wonderful readers and writers -- from Book Carnival, Mysterious Galaxy, Eso Won Books, A Great Good Place for Books, The Last Bookstore to the American Library Association's annual conference in Las Vegas! I was honored to post pieces on Chuck Wendig's Terrible Minds and Jungle Red Writers blogs.

To top it all off, to just... make me feel like I'm in Oz and Narnia and Heaven, I had the chance to hang out with the so-talented Karen Grigsby Bates. Karen is a novelist -- Plain Brown Wrapper and Chosen People. She is also a correspondent for NPR. Because God is saying 'Yes!' to me right now, I was recently featured on NPR's "Crime in the City" series. Karen and I spent two afternoons together, talking about LAND OF SHADOWS, Elouise Norton and Los Angeles, yesterday and today.

Rachel Howzell Hall is easing her big, laurel green Mercedes sedan through the streets of Los Angeles. A slim woman with big eyes, Hall says this Benz is her dream car, the thing she'd planned to buy for herself once she'd become a successful writer, probably around age 50.

But something happened to speed up her schedule.

"When I was 33 years old," Hall says, "I was diagnosed with a rare type of breast cancer. And I was pregnant. And it was terrifying."

Please click over and hear the rest!

Listening to it air on Tuesday... no words. Yes, I cried. Yes, I could hardly concentrate on anything else. Yes, I couldn't believe it.

But it happened!

All of it happened!

And thank you all for making my dream come true!

Oh -- and if you belong to a book club, and you're reading LAND OF SHADOWS, I Skype!

I'm Still Here!

Hey!

It's been a while but I've been busy!

This weekend, I'll catch you up on all things LAND OF SHADOWS because that's been my June!

Talk to you soon!

LAND OF SHADOWS Book Tour!

So what are you doing in the next two months?

How about hanging out with cool people who love cool books in places where those cool books can be purchased?

Books like, I don't know...

LAND OF SHADOWS?!

So we're starting to throw dates on the calendar -- I'll be reading and answering questions about LOS and Lou Norton and writing and life and on and on.

Will you join me?

Please?

First stop: CRIMEFEST in Bristol, U.K. I'll be talking for 20 or so minutes on Friday afternoon (May 16) around 3:20 on writing the female detective. And on Saturday morning (May 17), I'll be on a panel about why we readers like stories on the Missing.

And then, back to U.S. For specifics, pop over to www.rachelhowzell.com!

And let me know if you can make any dates -- I'd love to see you!

They're Alive! Independent Bookstores, I Mean.

I'm a lucky lady. Not only do I get to write -- a dream of mine. And get paid to write -- a dream of mine. But I get to share all that I write with people who love books -- the biggest dream of mine.

Recently, my incredible publisher FORGE arranged for me to have lunch with booksellers in northern and southern California. Over Mediterranean in San Francisco, and then Mexican in Los Angeles, we talked about LAND OF SHADOWS, the writing life, readers and books.

SAN FRANCISCO

Seated, left to right: Nick Petrulakis (Books Inc. Alameda), Cheryl McKeon (Book Passage Ferry Building), and me (of course).
Standing, left to right: Kevin Peters of Peters Literary Media, Korje Guttormsen (Books Inc. Laurel Village), Ingrid Nystrom (Books Inc. Laurel Village), Paula Foley (Folio Books), Owen Hill (Moe's Books), and Jude Feldman (Borderlands Books).

Here's another SF pic -- and the handsome man to my left is my brother Terry. (Thanks for coming, big brother!)

LOS ANGELES

from left to right, Katie Orphan of The Last Bookstore, LeAnna Herrera of Mysterious Galaxy, me (hi, there), Emilio Flores of Mysterious Galaxy, and James Fugate of Eso Won Books

The independent book store is alive and thriving -- go in and buy some stuff!

Why Even Bother with the Writing Thing?

So, I just finished the second book in my new Lou Norton series -- and sent it to my editor three weeks before the due date.

And I now have the cover artwork to Land of Shadows (which I will be sharing with you very soon)!

And now, the anxiety sets in. About writing the next story in the series, certainly, but also about the book I just finished, which my editor hasn't read yet. You know, those questions that many writers asks themselves:

Is it good?
Does it stink?
Is that weird?
Is that boring?
Will she like it?
What if she hates it?
Is it better than the last book?
Why can't I breathe right now?
Did I use the F word too much?
What about the S word?
Maybe I should've read over it one more time?
Does Stephen King ever feel this way?
Should I recall that message, the one with the manuscript attached?
Does Gmail recall?
Should I be worried?
Really: why can't I breathe right now?
Crap - did I resolve that plot line right?
Did I use too many first names that start with 'C'?
Why hasn't she emailed me back yet?
Did she read the first chapter, then shake her head in disgust and say, 'What the frack is this piece of frack?'
 
Will they find out that I don't know nothin' about anything and will it all come out right?

And then... THEN! Once I exhaust that poor horse, I return to the corral to saddle up another. And I start thinking about that next project. You know, those questions that buck about in many writers' minds:

What do I write about next?
Can I fill another 421 pages?
Do I remember how she spoke? The cadences in her language? The type of car she drove? Her world?
Why isn't she speaking to me? Doesn't she want me to write about her again?
Where is that notebook that I bought, the $12 one for the next story?
Is Office Depot open even though it's 6:25 a.m.?

There are easier ways to live. Other things to think about. I have a fourth-grade girl -- yes, she gives me plenty of things to think about. Math that I haven't done in thirty-something years, parallel circuits, sandwich book reports, Gradelink...

But I can't imagine NOT thinking about writerly things -- they are a part of me. Like the moles on my face. The red strands of hair on my head. The way I tug at my lip when I'm worried.

I ask these questions because I want to share: my world, your world, the good, the not-so-good, the 'remember whens' and the 'no ways.' And since I'm not a public speaker, and suck at math, and will never run for public office, writing is the way for me. And writing good. And worrying that I'm writing as good as I can. Which leads to 'Is it better than the last book.'

Is it worth it?

I found this essay: When Writing Pays Off | Thought Catalog.

It pays off when someone sees themselves in your syntax and under your paragraphs and behind your syllables. You can bring them places they’ve forgotten or expose pieces they’ve hidden or lead them to the strength they’ve misplaced.

Since my writing career began, I've had a life-lone dream come true, met incredible readers, had fictional love affairs or scorched-earth arguments with the people in my head who populate my books, had lovely conversations with other writers, met Judy Blume, rode in a chauffeured Town Car, become Google-able, received great reviews, saw my name in print, watched my parents see my name in print, watched my daughter see my name in print....

Yeah. It's worth it.

A Hero of Mine....

Passed yesterday:Elmore Leonard.

Along with Ira Levin and Stephen King, I cannot read Mr. Leonard's work while I am writing. He's just too good, and too clever, and his words aren't words at all and so I feel immensely inferior and so I won't read until I'm done with my own crappy pile of story.

For Elmore Leonard, there are 10 Rules to Writing:

1. Never open a book with weather.

2. Avoid prologues.

3. Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.

4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said”…he admonished gravely.

5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.

6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."

7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.

8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.

9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things.

10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

"My most important rule is one that sums up the 10. If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."

Number 10 is my favorite. Wish more writers did that -- I'm finding myself skipping parts that make my eyes cross.

Rockin' That First Sentence

It was a dark and stormy night.

It was all a dream.

Bad first sentences -- we've all written them. And crossed them out. Hopefully.

Did y'all see the recent Atlantic article? Stephen King on why first sentences matter?

Stephen King: There are all sorts of theories and ideas about what constitutes a good opening line. It's tricky thing, and tough to talk about because I don't think conceptually while I work on a first draft -- I just write. To get scientific about it is a little like trying to catch moonbeams in a jar...

And there's MORE.

Here's the linkety-link.

Also, I love Stephen King and I was thrilled to see a compilation of three of his novels on the Classics table at B&N last night!

Snickers.... No, Doritos.... No...

I like Ian Rankin. His books are smart and different, and not precious. And he's funny.

After reading this interview in The Guardian, I like him even more. He shall be my mentor.

One great question, and then, I'll link to the article so you can also smile and nod and rub your chin and then, become melancholy because you (me) will never be this clever:

What's the biggest myth about being a novelist?

That we're introspective, sensitive souls and have arcane knowledge. I used to think that: whenever I heard that someone had taken 10 years to write a novel, I'd think it must be a big, serious book. Now I think, "No – it took you one year to write, and nine years to sit around eating Kit Kats."

Read the rest here.

I Haz Spoken...

Wanna know what I sound like?

No?

Ummm....

Wanna... ummm... Well, anyways, I did my first audio book interview ever! With Bill at The Bookcast! And it's now up for your listening pleasure! And wow, so many freakin' exclamation points because I am that excited!!!

We talked about No One Knows You're Here and my upcoming release A Girl is Like a Shadow and all things writing-related and fa-la-la.

Please visit The Bookcast and then share with the world. Please?

The Rules for Writing

In the New York Times, Colson Whitehead shares with us his rules for writing. My favorite is this one:

Rule No. 6: What isn’t said is as important as what is said. In many classic short stories, the real action occurs in the silences. Try to keep all the good stuff off the page. Some “real world” practice might help. The next time your partner comes home, ignore his or her existence for 30 minutes, and then blurt out “That’s it!” and drive the car onto the neighbor’s lawn...

Read the rest here.

A Southern Point of View

Hey, y'all!

So I'm into the second draft of my new novel -- it's a Se7en (the movie) meets Agatha Christie type of story. One of my characters, Miriam, is 40 years old, African-American, college graduate, one daughter, newly divorced and resentful of it, before-the-divorce household income of $250,000, always wanting more, More, MORE! She lives in Atlanta...

A city I've never visited.

Gulp.

So, I need your help in creating Miriam's World.

If you'd be so kind, could someone please tell me:

The restaurant to be seen in for dinner:
The restaurant to be seen in for Sunday brunch:
The church to be a congregant of (A.M.E.):
The mall to shop at:
The place to jog:
The most popular strip club:
The most-used freeway/highway:
The neighborhood where someone like Miriam would reside:
The high school where her 16-year old daughter would attend:

Thanks so much!

Responding to the Stink

So, yeah.

There's always a simmering debate among writers about whether or not to respond to bad reviews.

In one recent article titled When You Wish Upon A Star, You Get the Pointy End, writer Elle Lothlorien believes that writers must respond. She considers it a type of customer service.

Personally, I dwell in 'Camp Don't Respond, Simply Learn Even if You Don't Agree,' (imagine THAT on the camp tee-shirts) along with urban fantasy writer Stacia Kane said it best in her response Customer Service.

What do you think?

Trust, It Ain't About the Money

What ain't about money?

Writing.

Writers don't write to make lots of money.

Okay, I shouldn't generalize. It only takes one red car to kill the statement 'All cars are white.' Or one literary novelist makin' it rain up in the hizzouse to prove me wrong.

So: many writers, the writers I know, the writers I admire, the writers I friend on Facebook, the writers who still have day jobs, don't write just to make money.

Money is nice. A nice, "Wow, and I get this, too?!" Money is validation. Money is gravy ... and I like gravy. In a house with a mouse, in a car, near and far. I like gravy. But I made gravy, ahem, money, before selling novels. Doing discovery for ARCO. Stocking the Levi's wall at Miller's Outpost. Stuffing envelopes for almost every non-profit organization I've worked for. Anyone can make money. That dog that was in 'The Artist'? He's made a lot of money. Whitney Houston, rest her soul, has made more money in her death than I've made in my life. So, yeah: Dead People see Dead Benjamins.

So, if it ain't about the ends, why is it about?

I love words. I love story. I enjoy my disbelief when observing people and their actions and I want to share that disbelief through the best way I know how: with a pen and pad. I sing but I don't pen great songs like Bernie Taupin. I play piano but I don't compose like Gershwin. I write.

And I write because I must. Because I can. Because someone has to tell you, yes you, that there's a dead body (real or imagined) in that alley over there because you need to know so that we can all stop the monster who's doing scary s*&t to other citizens.

And books are my vehicle for doing that, a modern day, Here Thar Be Monsters!

I hope that makes sense.

And yes, this is a reactionary post.

And no, they didn't say nothin' 'bout my momma.

And Now, I'll Have to Kill You...

Writers have secrets. Oh yes, we do. We're just like the Masons and the Illuminati but in more comfortable shoes and moleskins in our back pockets.

Wanna know a few?

Okay!

Here's this great list I stumbled upon from a blog called Aliventures:

Secret #1: Writing is Hard

Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead. (Gene Fowler)

There’s a myth – not just in the writing world – that if you’re good at something, it’ll be easy. And established writers, me included, do have writing sessions where the words flow smoothly.

Read the rest here.

One secret of mine that didn't make the list: Writers have an obsession with writing supplies.

I'm a pen snob. And pad snob. Don't just throw me a Bic or a regular #2 pencil. I need Uniball Fine or Micro and those blue art pencils, Staedtler Mars Lumograph Lead H. I would enjoy a gift card to Office Depot rather than a card from Best Buy. New pens! Fresh legal pads. Notebooks of every size! I'm swooning now as I write.

Another secret: We're watching you.
Yeah, you. You, too. Where the hell do you think we get that character who picks their teeth with a matchbook cover and then eats whatever he finds? Or the character who wears some type of sequined article of clothing every day? Or the character with the verbal tick, the one who says, 'Right, right' as you talk? YOU that's who. A writer who says that you're not a part of the story is a writer who lies and whose writing probably sucks. (Or not.)

So you writers out there. What secrets do you have?

The Writing Life with Deatri King-Bey

I love the Internet. Sometimes. And I love Facebook. Sometimes. You meet a lot of awesome people on-line, and a lot of great writers.

I met writer Deatri King-Bey earlier this month and we thought we'd share each others writing life on our blogs.

Dee had great questions and I'd like to share my interview with you!

Here's one question:

When did you begin writing? I was a shy child and didn’t really share with anyone how I felt about things and kept all my angst and worry to myself. And then, my GAT (Gifted and Talented) teacher Ms. Anderson bought me a fabric-covered journal when I was in third grade. And that was that. I haven’t stopped writing since. My first story was called “Blue Monday” and I still have it! I was telling dark, sad stories even as a third-grader.

Please click on over to Dee's site and read the rest. Then, tour the rest of her site and check out her books! (I'm being bossy, aren't I? Telling you to do this and to do that? Can't help it -- I'm a wife and mother.) So, yes, her books, please check them out. She's also part of the writing team L.L. Reaper.

Thanks for inviting me over, Dee!

From One Geek to Another

Ever wonder what a male swan is called?

Yeah, me neither.

Ever wonder why a writer writes what she writes?

All the time.

Wonder why I write what I write? What inspires me? Then, please pop over to Girls Gone Geeky to read my Guest Post.

All things inspire me – really, they do. Both the crime sections and the fluffy stories in the newspaper inspire me. I read everything. I’m such a book slut. Right now, I have in my nightstand stacks and Kindle a variety of things: a mystery by James Patterson, a book about e. coli bacteria, a true crime book about a murdered mother, and a book about an American family in Nazi Germany.

There's more! Oh, yes there is more. So please click on over. And if you're a Geek Girl like me, then you're OBLIGATED to check out this awesome site filled with geek things and book reviews and so on.

And a male swan is called a 'cob.'

The more you know, indeed.

It Just Didn't 'Happen'...

Happy happy and merry merry!

Hope y'all are having a restful holiday. I am -- and it included laundry, dishes and pirates. Really, pirates.

Ever wonder what made me want to write about serial killers and dead hookers and betrayals and hot detectives?

Yeah?

Well, check out the interview I did with Hydra Publications!

One question was: Have you ever hated something you wrote?


My response: I hate everything I write… until I read it later and realize, ‘Wow, that [scene, line, plot shift] was clever. Who wrote that? How can I do it again?’ It’s difficult for me to read my stories because the internal editor is always at her desk, tsking at something bad I’ve done.

To read the rest, pop on over to Hydra Publications. If you have a question that I didn't answer, leave a comment and I promise to get you the answer!

It's ALIVE!!!

No One Knows You're Here is ALIVE!!!

You can buy it RIGHT NOW on Amazon or Smashwords. The Nook and Kobo versions will be available soon!

And please visit the book's Facebook page and 'like' it!

Let's Talk About Characters

Characters shouldn't be perfect. Characters who are perfect are BORING. Snow White? Bitch is BORING. But the what's-her-face, Ursula from The Little Mermaid. Oh yeah, more of her. Vikki from One Life to Live was only interesting when she became Nikki. And Tyler Perry's version For Colored Girls? Which character did you want to watch? The social worker (played by beautiful Kerry Washington (hi, Kerry, please play Nicole if View ever becomes a movie. xoxx) - or The Ho' (played by gorgeous Thandie Newton - hi, Thandie, please play Leilani if View ever becomes a movie. xoxx)

Lionel Shriver recently wrote an article about this.

Because in real life, people are not always perfectly charming. I try to duplicate in fiction the complex, contradictory, and infuriating people I meet on the other side of my study door. When fiction works, readers can develop the same nuanced, conflicted relationships to characters that they have to their own friends and family. I’m less concerned that you love my characters than that you recognise them. Human beings have rough edges. Authors who write exclusively about ethical, admirable, likeable characters are not writing about real people.

In The View from Here, Nicole is a bit whiny, insecure, a bitch in many ways. I BET you know someone like that.

In A Quiet Storm, Stacy is self-deprecating and enables her sister, putting her husband second and running off to save her sister at all costs. Until she doesn't.

Ahem.

Who are your favorite flawed characters, in film, literature or television?

New e-Novel a'Comin'

I've been silent. Cuz I've been working. On what? you ask?

Drum roll, please.....

In collaboration with Beyond the Page Publishing, my new e-novel will be published in time for Thanksgiving.

Here's a little more about No One Knows You're Here:

Three weeks out of cancer surgery, crime reporter Syeeda McKay is in the pursuit of Los Angeles’ most active serial killer. Over the last twenty years, the Phantom Slayer has hunted African-American prostitutes working in one of the worst parts of South Los Angeles, killing eight victims in the alleys off Western Avenue, and then disappearing into the shadows. But Syeeda doesn’t know that the killer has turned his sights on her. Detective Adam Sherwood, a hotshot investigator with the Robbery-Homicide Division of the LAPD, has been handed the Phantom Slayer cases, and together, he and Syeeda must figure out who is doing the killing… before Syeeda becomes his next victim.

And here's the cover which was designed by my husband David Hall -- who also designed the cover for The View from Here. (Psst! Need a cover for your novel. Let me know -- I'll hook you up, man!)

I will keep you posted on all thing No One Knows You're Here aka NOKYH as well as other book-related news-es.