Fatal Philandering: Trailer Park Travails Book 9 by Mary Lu Scholl

6/4/2023

Multi-volume, cozy mystery author, Mary Lu Scholl introduces us to the ninth book in the Trailer Park Travails series:
When newcomers arrive in the park and bring the fame and excitement of southern California with them, residents see themselves in movies, on stage, or hanging on the arm of the handsome man. Unfortunately, life doesn't always work out the way we expect. The charming actor is killed, victim of a violent rage. Was it a rival for the affections of the ladies in the park? Was it jealousy from one of his many admirers? Patty doesn't fall in either category, but somehow she is still in the thick of things. Will she solve this one, or die trying?

On a good day, I am not nearly as curmudgeonly as Patty though I can be almost as rascally. I don't talk about the other days.
I love how Patty has a nose for crime and manages to solve a crime with a minimum of blood and gore. I can seldom solve the crime before Patty, though I was close on this one.
I like Bernie a lot, he is calm with a quirky, dry sense of humor. Just like me on a good day.
I give 4.7 stars to Fatal Philandering!

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/FATAL-PHILANDERING-Trailer-Park-Travails
https://www.goodreads.com/-fatal-philandering-mary-scholl

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/MaryLScholl1
www.facebook.com/maryluschollauthor/ https://www.instagram.com/maryluscholl https://www.amazon.com/author/maryluscholl

My review of the first book of the Trailer Park Travails series, “Camper Catastrophe” can be found here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/camper-catastrophe-by-mary-lu-scholl
My review of the second book of the Trailer Park Travails series, “Mobile Mayhem” can be found here: Mobile Mayhem: Book Two of Trailer Park Travails by Mary Lu Scholl - Word Refiner
My review of the third book of the Trailer Park Travails series, “Birds, Bees and RVs” can be found here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/birds-bees-and-rvs-by-mary-lu-scholl
My review of the fourth book of the Trailer Park Travails series, “Trailer Trauma”: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/trailer-trauma-trailer-park-travails-book-4

My review of the second volume in the Nature Coast Calamities, “Big Foot and The Bentley”: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/big-foot-and-the-bentley
My review of the fourth book in the Nature Coast Calamities, "Pu'ka and the Pirates": www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/puka-and-the-pirates

Tags: cozy, murder, mystery, Florida, pets, dog, cat, neighbors, fiction, action, Hollywood, actor, ghost

Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

61 Comments

Mary L Scholl

6/6/2023 11:13:23 am

Thank you for your unflagging support!

Mark

6/6/2023 11:32:57 am

You are very welcome. We are going to continue our chat from where we left off in the last promotion we did, "Bigfoot and the Bentley".

New question.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

6/6/2023 11:49:54 am

Distraction. Oh look, there goes a squirrel!

6/6/2023 11:51:27 am

Honestly, when I get started researching some obscure thing I want to know (about poisonous plants for example) I suddenly look up and it's time to feed my chickens. Distraction is an issue!

6/6/2023 11:58:22 am

We are almost twins! I struggle with deep research and lost time also. I love YouTube. I cannot allow myself to go on YouTube hardly ever because I get sucked into the vortex so easily. I have interest in so many things. Did I mention I love YouTube? I can lose an inordinate amount of time so easily researching or on YouTube.

Ne question.

What is the easiest part of writing a book in general?

6/6/2023 12:14:59 pm

The conversations that tell the story. I find myself narrating and think, okay, who would say what so I don't have to. From there, the responses of the others just flow. I love my characters as people. Well, most of them.

6/6/2023 12:49:57 pm

Conversations and dialogue are a great way to move a story forward. The amount of narration is reduced and the story is more engaging. If you throw in some action and action beats replace some of the dialogue tags you have a great formula for most readers to enjoy.

You have some wonderful characters even the supporting characters come across as quite realistic.

New question.

How did you celebrate when you published your first book?

6/6/2023 01:17:23 pm

I told my mom and she surprised me with dinner and cake! When I first self-published I was more subdued (ha.) I posted pictures of the covers everywhere I knew (admittedly not very many places.) Then ordered twenty of each and waited for the world to beat a path to my door!

6/6/2023 02:29:17 pm

That was nice of your mother. Many authors report similar familial events. Sharing joy and proud moments with family multiplies the emotions for all.

New question.

What did you buy with your first royalty check?

maryscholl5@yahoo.com

6/6/2023 02:49:41 pm

I'm still saving for a cup of coffee...

I'm not complaining - but the actual cost of self-publishing can be much more expensive than the '0' cost touted by on-line publishing forums. While I generally make about enough to pay the electric bill (royalties - advertising = watts) I'm always investing somewhere. Either it's a special promotion, a cover for the next book, the narrator for the next-up audible version, or a new program/computer/online tool... It's a good thing I'm retired (and work part time) or I couldn't afford to write.
I know there are short-cuts. I joined Amazon Ads but haven't had the time to go all the way through the program, yet. I do basic ads, and show a profit... I am seeing ads for AI narration - I love my narrator, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will be years before I break even.

6/6/2023 04:32:33 pm

Coffee is so expensive these days. ;-) You highlight a good point. Writing a book is only the beginning. Getting it into publishing condition including a cover and all is not cheap.

The large selling platforms, such as Amazon, where every author wants to be because most readers are there, use a bidding structure for ads. The author agrees to pay a certain amount for each click on their book ad. The more they are willing to pay, the more exposure the ad gets. Hopefully, that translates into more clicks and some of those clicks turn into purchases. Some authors do well and some do not. Regardless, Amazon makes lots of money and the author has to live within their budget.

Dave Chesson, kindlepreneur.com, has some tools to assist authors maximize their ads and categories for their books. I have links to quite aa few of his blogs on my Highly Regarded Blogs page of my website. Use the search box below for his name you will get a long list of his blogs. here is one of his blogs to get you started, copy-and-paste time: How to Change Your Kindle Keywords, by Dave Chesson
https://annerallen.com/2020/09/how-to-change-your-kindle-keywords-by-dave-chesson

AI is almost ready to handle audio book narration. Some narrators are afraid it will put them out of business. The AI will be much cheaper than a human narrator without a doubt. What human narrators can do soon is license their voice on AI. With the AI doing the heavy lifting the human narrators can focus on premium projects. Some customers are going to be willing to pay extra for the human touch. The human narrator can institute multi-level pricing with straight AI narration at the bottom, edited narration in the middle and complete human narration as the premium product.

There is also the licensing of famous actors' voices to AI machines and then a book can be narrated by a well-known actor or voice talent.

We might be on the cusp of that big step now, I don't know.

New question.

How many times did you rewrite the first page, the first chapter of this book?

6/6/2023 04:57:17 pm

Ouch! You just made my anticipated narration move much more complicated!
I wondered where I had encountered Kindlepreneur - it must have been through you! I have a couple of hundred ads running regularly in the US, the UK, Canada, Germany and Australia. UK is expensive (the exchange rate) Germany hasn't shown any results yet (new there) Canada and Australia like the Bernie books. I roughly spend 30% of my royalties on Amazon Ads each month, Sounds impressive, that's why I say it - but it's really not.
I'm glad you forewarned me about the complications of the narration process. It hadn't even occurred to me there could be combinations of narration. I know I tried it. Because no one ever sounds just like you do. They aren't going to have the same inflections and pronunciations. After editing my own narration files - I'm not nearly so picky with my narrator. She has given her voice to Patty, and I'll continue to use her for that series.

Bernie, now. I'm looking for a slight Irish brogue. Deep voice. Hmmm. Hadn't thought about celebrity voices, even though I saw a story about AI mimicking an actor just the other day - face and voice - and nothing they had ever said.

Scary.

I had written the first chapter in my head a dozen of so times before it made it onto the page. I try to introduce new characters right away, so I spend a lot of thought to their description and introduction.
The rest of the book ebbs and flows like high and low tides. Shifting sands along with shifting scenes. Changing twice a day...

6/6/2023 06:15:05 pm

Narration is expensive because a good narrator typically spends 6 to 10 hours of studio time for each audio book hour. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview the narrator of an audio book I was promoting several years ago. I loved ! There were no spelling errors to interrupt my reading pleasure. However, I found it hard to stay in contact with the narration until I increased the playback speed to 1.4 or 1.5 times normal. The story still sounded good nothing at all like the chipmunks on helium. I had to make an effort to focus and it worked. Here is the copy-and-paste link to the interview or put his name in the search box below, if anyone wants to learn more about the work of a narrator. https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/heir-to-a-prophecy-by-mercedes-rochelle-narrated-by-kevin-e-green

Deepfake videos and audios mean we cannot believe what we see or hear is true. That is a serious problem and a solid solution needs to be found.

New questions.

Do you have a character bible where you set the characteristics of the characters in your stories?

Do you make drawings or look for pictures on the internet that look like a match for what you see in your mind's eye?

6/6/2023 08:19:53 pm

So many things you've given me to think about! I will listen to the narrator interview.
I haven't thought about the chipmunks in years. I listen to audible or Libby a LOT. Gardening, cooking, driving... There might not be spelling errors, but there are pronunciation errors...
I can't throw rocks, there. I've done some doozies!

As I get old, I do have to have a companion file to my manuscript with dog, children names. Eye and hair color. Car make, you get the idea.

If you had ever seen any of my art work you wouldn't ask if I draw my characters. Gumby, maybe. I have a whole family of artists, just not me. My daughter, my sister and brother. My mom plays the piano... I do stick figures. Maybe that's why I write murder mysteries - hangman!

6/7/2023 04:04:02 pm

Today, Mary and I met in real life. She helped to set up a conference for local writers in Lecanto, Florida and invited me to speak about proofreading, book promotion and Twitter. A little bit from the west coast. I am home and we can continue our chat online.

Having a companion file or character bible is a great idea for authors, especially if there is more than one book in the story. Without there being a good reason for moving the plot forward you don't want to change things like eye color and hair color. I have seen the spelling of names change in a story in midstride without an explanation. Those kinds of errors jolt the readers out of your magic spell that you carefully crafted.

I love Gumby. Don't ask me to draw him.

New question.

Who are your favorite dead authors?

Maryscholl5@yahoo.com

6/7/2023 08:10:53 pm

Sorry that took so long. It was a toughie. My brain first went to King David (Psalms) and then cartwheeled around to Solomon (Proverbs) before Shakespeare's sense of humor hit me. Then I wandered off into the worlds of Tolkein and Arthur Conan Doye...

Had a great time today.

6/8/2023 07:49:25 am

That is a difficult question to answer! I agree with all of your choices. I would add one more to your list, C. S. Lewis. He has written in many different genres, fiction and non-fiction.

Yesterday's writers conference was a lot of fun. I am sorry I couldn't attend every presentation. I had to spend a little time at my table.

New question.

Who are your favorite living authors at this time?

6/8/2023 08:07:28 am

I had forgotten to include CS Lewis. You were the one who brought him to my attention a year or so ago, and I have read (or listened to) several books of his.

Living authors is easier.

Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, David Baldacci, Johanna Fluke.
Tanya Kappes. There are a couple of others whose names escape at the moment. They are ever-present in my KU library, but in changing phones and re=setting up the new one, I have inadvertently changed that password. It's a good thing I have several paperback copies on my nightstand because I haven't had the patience to deal with that particular issue the last few days.
There are a few others whom I enjoy, but don't read quite as often either because of violence or deplorable language, so I hate to name them...

6/8/2023 10:22:33 am

I recognize some of those names but not all of them. I don't recall having read any of them.

I have started to read a book by Terry Pratchett from his Disc World series, "A Hat Full of Sky". It is humorous and I am enjoying it.

New question.

Do you have a “favorite” filler word or two that you have to keep taking out of a story, like “just” or like “like”? 😉

Mary Lu Scholl link

6/8/2023 11:44:44 am

So, I just ordered The Colour of Magic, on Audible. As soon as I finish Orange Crush - which is a perpetual series of cliches in the political world that Paula recommended - I'll listen to it.
So, (notice I've used that one twice in 'just' this space.) 'Apparently' is another one I 'apparently' use over and over.
:)

I think those are my two worst offenders.
In addition, however, I think I also over-use some punctuation.
; - ...

6/8/2023 01:01:20 pm

Very cute. Quite a few writers use those words in their books. "So" is the most popular in books that have lots of dialogue. A lot of people use "so" when they are talking also. It gives them an extra fraction of a second to compose their thoughts. In a book, it can get repetitive and boring, I suggest that people don't use the word for more than one or two characters. This provides an additional benefit of differentiating the characters. Unless the characters are from the same socio-economic group and region, they should not talk like all the other characters.

Punctuation overuse is not something I see very often. Semicolons and ellipses are both quite infrequent in most books. What I do see a lot of is the underuse and misuse of commas especially in dialogue tags. Commas are needed in dialogue tags except when an emotion is being described.

New question.

What was the earliest experience that made you realize that you could influence and change lives with the power of writing?

6/8/2023 01:54:52 pm

Now I have to go look at my commas...

I think recognizing the power of the written word happened more by osmosis. What I read affected me. I'm a writer's or film makers dream. I cry when I'm supposed to, I laugh when I'm supposed to. I wanted that power. I wanted to share all the strong emotions I felt.

I have never been an accomplished poet, but I started with those in cards for family and friends. I wasn't very hold, then - hand-drawn cards in crayon at maybe 5 or 6 years old?

I learned quickly at school that essays, reports, stories that evoked strong emotions were given better grades than others. It was a challenge I've never forgotten.

6/8/2023 04:00:05 pm

You are a fast learner. I was not so observant. I didn't get the connection between emotions and writing for a long time. In high school, my writing was pretty boring. All I wanted to do in high school was read books.

New question.

Do you have any Easter eggs hidden in your stories that only close friends or family members would recognize?

Mary L Scholl link

6/8/2023 04:56:09 pm

I was the class nerd in high school - and was always the new kid - 3 different high schools in two states. All I DID was read!

Definitely no hidden messages or meanings. I shudder at the very thought of someone recognizing themselves in one of my books. I already cringe at the thought that any of my fans who has read all the books knows me WAY TOO WELL. I hope you weren't dissillusioned with me and will continue to read my stories!

Just because Cousin Sheila has a big nose, doesn't mean she KNOWS she has a big nose. No one ever discussed it. I'M not going to be the one that sends her spiraling into a life-long depression because of her honker!

Family secrets should remain that way. My family knows I love them, I try to say it regularly, having lost two husbands...

6/8/2023 07:54:59 pm

You are a talented author and I admire you a great deal. I could not write a book. Your fans love your books also. They recognize that you are not Patty and Patty is not you. No worries as far as I am concerned. We won't talk about Sheila.

Telling those you love as often as you can is great advice!

New questions.

What is the message, moral, or takeaway that you hope people will get from reading your book?

Is there more than one?

6/9/2023 07:21:50 am

Re-reading my response, I have to fix it. I'm not saying older women are unimportant. What I meant to say was a version of that old saw - whatever-percent of what you worry about will never happen anyway.

No one but me cares if there's a wrinkle in my tablecloth - or that there IS a tablecloth.

That means I can laugh about it, and by extension of my books, you can laugh at it/me too.

6/8/2023 08:30:02 pm

I wish I could say there was deep thought and a spiritual lesson in my books but there really isn't.

I try to express empathy, if only in the fact that, with the possible exception of one, my suspicious deaths are not the result of evil as I understand it. The perpetrators all have reasons, good or faulty, for their actions. Mental illness, jealousy, fear...

I poke fun at the fears and foibles of an older woman, but only to acknowledge that they're there, and, ultimately, unimportant in the big picture. Most things are not as bad as you imagine.

As my dad was fond of saying, "This, too, shall pass."

6/9/2023 07:39:03 am

That is an important concept. Worry is stealing from today and creating unnecessary trouble for us tomorrow. As your dad said, this too shall pass. Few of our worries come true especially if we take any concrete action to prevent the forecasted situation from happening. While we are waiting for the worries to evaporate, we can read about Patti and her chickens and drink some root beer flavored Kool-Aid.

Was the murderer in this book justified? I think not but the expression of rage resulting in the death of another was understandable to some degree.

Older women are far from unimportant. They are the backbone of family and society. They help maintain multi-generational continuity of tradition and cultural mores.

New question.

Do you believe that a good book will sell itself?

6/9/2023 08:31:37 am

Ouch. I don't think any murder is justified. But Capital punishment does have its benefits to society. As long as 'I' don't have to flip the switch (am I spelling hypocrite right?)

I do try to present the other side of the story, though. She had been so completely terrified of being sick that she had cut herself off from contact with anyone for YEARS. Then a man comes along and she represses all the feelings she has KNOWN were right and rejoins the world.
Not being able to breathe is a terrible way to die. Of course, is there a good way?
Rage at him (easier then self-loathing for weak character?) and terror of her demise met with no sympathy, no reassurance, what would I do?

Would a really good book sell itself? Good question. While the internet and self-publishing has inundated the world with books people are leery of buying after experiencing a few - less-than-stellar - examples, it has also provided the channels for that very thing to happen. Word-of-mouth sales are not only easier locally, but effective globally.

A few minutes on the internet show, though, that people are far more apt to complain than post laudably.

Have you ever heard someone say "This is awful. Here, try it."
Right. Jumping right on that.

I met an very disheartened author, recently, with a very good book I've read. She told me "I thought if I wrote a good book, they would beat a path to my door." My heart bled for her. It IS a good book, followed by another and another is planned. All three close enough together that her discouragement didn't have time to derail her. I hope she continues.

It is obvious, though, that name recognition sells. So, writing a really good book, followed by another, refers more people to the first one. Rinse and repeat. In that case, really good books sell each other. What do you think?

6/9/2023 10:47:59 am

Murder is not justified for sure. And capital punishment is necessary to keep a society safe from bullies and the insane. I am not eager to flip a switch but I would make an exception for someone who abuses children and is found guilty in a trial.

There were many poorly written first draft books sold in the early days of electronic publishing and some early adopters vowed to never read an ebook again. Are poorly written books still being published? Probably, since anyone can publish it will happen. The market will weed those books out, not many will try a book with several bad reviews when the complaints seem realistic.

So many authors are mirrored in your friend's response. While writing a good book is a lot of hard work discoverability is greatly diminished due to the volume of books published every year. Reviews, word of mouth recommendations, are an important part of the publishing business. Advertising is another part. Writing more books is another part also. Balance and constant marketing are essential to long-term success. As the famous philosopher has said, rinse and repeat.

New question.

Do you think good marketing can overcome the limitations of a mediocre book?

6/9/2023 03:25:23 pm

I have to laugh and say I hope so, because I don't write literature, I write stories I hope you will tell people about :)

I have read several books recently (3-5 years) that were instant best-sellers based on hype and the author. One was an established author with a misconceived project with a celebrity. (Patterson and Parton) Very disappointed. Another was an autobiography that he seriously should have let someone else write, because he's a politician, not a writer. (Bush)The third was an international celebrity, a young woman who could have told her story much more effectively with a good editor. (Molalla)

I don't think I'm jealous; I'm not that shallow. But those are just three examples of marketing making a book a best seller that shouldn't have been.

I still think that makes me sound jealous... I would repeat that I'm not but I would "protesteth overmuch"

6/9/2023 04:17:41 pm

When I first heard about "Run, Rose, Run" I thought it was an odd pairing but an interesting marketing gimmick. I didn't buy it as I am too busy reading other books.

Even ghostwriters need a good editor and proofreader.

Molalla is a very small town in Oregon. We almost lived there. I didn't know anyone was saddled with that name.

You write stories that make me laugh and I enjoy them a lot. So, I am happy to tell as many as I can about your books. I know you are not jealous; those are good examples of hype and excessive marketing making a bestseller.

New question.

What is the biggest fallacy about writing that would help aspiring authors?

6/9/2023 05:36:23 pm

Agents and publishers rule the world. There are hundreds of small publishers begging for writers. Best of all, publishers do the marketing...

6/9/2023 05:22:21 pm

You're so good to me!
I think I spelled Molalla, wrong. Malalla?
Aha! It autocorrected!

Fallacy. I always thought successful writers were old men living in tiny apartments spending all their quality time in front of a typewriter (screen).

It turns out successful writers have to actually live in order to write. Plus, they are not all old men!

6/9/2023 07:04:28 pm

That is a good list especially publishers do all of the marketing! Ha Ha. As long as all of the marketing means a listing on their website, then yes, they do all of the marketing.

To be honest, traditional publishers of all sizes are up against a wall. Their profit margins are so slim most of them are only one or two bombs away from bankruptcy. The majors are down to five publishing houses or so. The entire industry has contracted so much in the last two decades they are soon to be relegated to being nearly inconsequential. Agents are in a very precarious position also because they don't get paid until a contract is signed.

You might have noticed some famous and successful authors are starting to self-publish because they get such a bigger piece of the pie. One of these authors launched a Kickstarter several years ago and it was wildly successful beyond anyone's expectations! Any author can do use crowdfunding for publishing, an audiobook or special edition. Realistically, without the big-name appeal of a Sanderson or other famous author your mileage will vary. Here is a copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/

New question.

Do you have any problems when writing about characters of the opposite sex, why or why not?

6/9/2023 07:19:40 pm

I'll have to check out that link. Crowd funding has never occurred to me. Some people are so smart! I agree, you can't pick on the publishers or agents until you've walked a mile in their shoes... That's one thing I love about cozy mysteries, the different settings give you new perspectives. Dog shows, bakeries, book stores, cruise ships...

I have been really curious about writing male characters - to the point I've started a new series with a male protagonist. In some ways I've been successful. I've been told they're a little in love with him. On the other hand, I've also been told Bernie is 'very sensitive.'
Is that book review-speak for not manly?

6/10/2023 08:21:37 am

Role playing games (RPGs) and graphic novels have utilized crowdfunding for quite a while, authors can learn a lot from them. They can be a lot of work consider signing up for one or two and be prepared for an email avalanche. It will be instructive.

Agents and the publishers they maintain contact with live on a knife edge. Their business is so precarious many new agents have other jobs.

I like Bernie. He reminds me of myself a little bit. I am learning to be more sensitive; I think it comes with age and experience. I do not think manliness and sensitivity are mutually exclusive. Don't forget, every reader takes in a different story than what was written.

New question.

How do you balance the demands on your time as a writer with personal relationships?

6/10/2023 09:37:34 am

I have to admit, family relationships always win out. Good, bad or indifferent, it's usually easier. I also tell myself that time is all the more to draw from when they're gone (for catharsis as well as writing.)

We're talking about crowdfunding along the lines of 'Go Fund Me' pages. I've heard of that one, but don't think I ever participated in one, much less initiated one. Shark tank also comes to mind...

On another note, I got the nicest note from a new reader who is also an acquaintance (now friend!) who just finished Camper Catastrophe. HE said he thinks he's met several of my characters and loved Buddy (my cocker spaniel) having 'enough' of my hiking in the dark. Made my day!

I always include my email and even my phone number on cards, bookmarks, and in the books. I wonder why more people don't respond personally.

6/10/2023 11:33:54 am

There are many different types and styles of crowdfunding sites. I mentioned Kickstarter because I supported a couple of projects some time ago. Those projects are over and new ones have taken their place. I recommend researching the different sites for your use.

Family and friends should come first until they shouldn't. Once they are gone, we can't tell them we love them again.

It is curious that people don't reach out when it is so easy. After several years of doing these interviews, I have observed that people seldom make their own comment or ask questions. I know that people visit the review and interview every day. Lurking is easier, admittedly.

New question.

Did you have pieces of the story that were removed from this book?

Did you save them?

6/10/2023 01:20:48 pm

I'm a guilty lurker, actually, so I shouldn't be too surprised.

I'm looking up Kickstarter. I'm curious. I also read something about micro-loans...

I rarely take stuff out of a book and keep it. Sometimes when I'm bored or at an impasse as far as writing, I'll just write a few conversations. If one makes me laugh I figure out how to work it in. If I delete it, it's gone. My filing system is a lot like my brain, so I'd never find it again, anyway.

6/10/2023 01:45:48 pm

It is easy to lurk.

One of the nice things about crowd funding, as opposed to a loan of any kind, is that you are building a fan base as you go along. One successful, crowd-funded project can lead to another, and word of mouth brings more backers/customers into the fold. Of course, this activity takes away from writing, so balance is required.

That makes sense to me I like your method.

New question.

Do you have any other creative outlets to pursue if you didn't write?

6/10/2023 02:52:45 pm

Waaay too many activities. Did I mention distraction?

I love to garden. I have, at the moment, Luffa Gourds, Tomatoes (three kinds) cucumbers, Zucchini, yellow squash, okra, peanuts, pumpkins and three kinds of peppers in my vegetable garden.

When I moved here I thought semi-tropical! Planted all kinds of things that can't freeze. Well, it does, here, every year. So I have approximately 50 pots with plants outside that I need to take care of, and another dozen that are inside year round. As soon as it threatens to freeze, almost all of the outside pots migrate inside the patio. Things that I imprudently planted in the ground get covered with frost covers for the winter...

Now. aside from gardening and painting gnomes...

I knit every night while I watch jeopardy. lap blankets, baby blankets, etc. My mom knits as well and we donate them to local shelters, etc.

I love cross stitch and usually make up my own patterns. Samplers for new babies for example, or weddings...

I haven't done needlepoint for a while. I applique quilt (hangings - no patience for king size quilts. I made enough quillows to keep all of Colorado warm and finally had to quit because I ran out of room and out of friends to take them.

I used to make dog food and treats and sell them at markets. I dearly love to cook and bake. Bread is my downfall. I don't think there's anything better than warm bread with butter. Unfortunately my mother won't eat anything I cook, so if I make it - I eat all of it. IF it's something I particularly like - that's all at once. Not good if it's a blueberry pie or a chocolate cake.

I have a pedal boat and would love to go out but no one will go with me and I kind of feel like it's a waste of time if I'm not sharing it with someone. Besides that, my mother would have a heart attack if she knew in advance.

I LOVE to collect tiny shells at the beach. I especially like Honeymoon Beach. I'm not sure WHY I collect shells. I have so many put away that I've started giving them to a child as I leave. I only get to go maybe a couple times a year. My mom and my daughter don't like beaches. Maybe when the grandchildren move here next year... It would probably be nice to just lay in the sand at the beach, but that's pretty unproductive...

I made concrete planters out of bed sheets - that was fun.

I'm thinking about sand-candles recently. I could add the pop-can flowers I make to the edges...

How about you?

6/10/2023 05:42:58 pm

That is a massive list of creative pursuits! I love it!

What do I do? I read. Then I get back to work and do some more proofreading. When I am too tired to proofread, I read for relaxation.

We live in an apartment with a small patio. We have a number of large pots growing roses, mums and hydrangeas. I transplanted a rose, Abraham Darby, into a bigger pot this morning. That means I am not reading all of the time. I have another rose to transplant in a few days. My wife is the creative one but sometimes she needs help to execute her plans.

New question.

Have you any favorite literary journals, websites or blogs devoted to writing or the business side of writing?

6/10/2023 06:55:20 pm

I don't spend near enough time investing in the infrastructure of writing. Amazon Ads, with Byan Cohen, and I've checked out Boomers on Books, and your website is where I found the Kindlepreneur. KDP really has an amazing amount of information and tools, from peer advice to templates.

6/10/2023 08:04:23 pm

I am glad you have found some good information. Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur.com, has some useful tools for authors. Two more names for you to investigate: Joanna Penn and Anne R. Allen. They are a couple of my favorite bloggers and share a lot of good information. I have links to many of their blogs and others on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

New question.

Do you experiment with writing or prefer to stay in the safe zone?

6/10/2023 08:31:09 pm

Definitely experiment. I wrote a St Patrick's Day info/scavenger hunt for a local museum and enjoyed it so much I also did one Christmas. I see a whole book in my future somewhere.

I have a coming of age book (also a serial killer) and enjoyed it. I want to try another one.

I'm also interested in a middle school superhero girl who only speaks in rhymes. Horribly embarrassing. She also solves mysteries.

Then there's the young witch whose phone is her familiar. A snarky know- it-all who unfortunately is privy to everything on the internet in general and her life in particular.

I just finished, not long ago, three low content notebooks with writing prompts for beginner journal writers. I was talking to a grandmother who is homeschooling and was bemoaning the lack of books with writing prompts for children with Christian curriculum. Thinking about that...

How many hours are there in a day?

I am amazed at how much you read. There are different kinds of reading, though. I think it's great you take the time to just enjoy it. Lately it seems all my reading is keeping up with the competition (reading cozies) or reading to support fellow local authors (Most have been great. Some are like the proverbial box of chocolates - you never know)

Sometimes I just want to grab a Heinlen or a Silverburg off the shelf and reread it just for fun. I need to start walking in the mornings. Maybe I'll walk and read. Or read on the stationary bike. That's probably safer...

6/11/2023 08:23:25 am

I love that you are exploring so many different forms of writing. There are many ways to write creatively. In case you run out of things to do here is another copy-and-paste link about alternate careers in creative writing or hit the search box below: https://www.writingforward.com/creative-writing/creative-writing-careers

The story about the young witch sounds ever so funny!

Correct you are about different types of reading. I love to read a good book. Unfortunately, I cannot turn off the inner proofreader because the spelling errors jump off the page at me. I usually make a note and move on, reentering the author's spell willingly.

The bike is much safer. I am reading a very fun book right now and encountered a section that I struggled to read because it was so funny! "A Hat Full of Sky" by Terry Pratchett had me in stitches for several moments.

New question.

What type of scenes do you find hard to write and why?

6/11/2023 12:59:41 pm

Fighting scenes. Probably because I'm non-violent. Also because I'm lazy and re-creating all that pointless energy is exhausting! Whew. Just thinking about it...

Don't think I've ever been in a fight. Maybe Ishould go start oe so I can make my scenes more realistic.

No.

Just no.

:)

6/11/2023 02:05:57 pm

Yeah, no. You don't have to start any fights to learn about fighting. There are plenty of fights in plenty of movies for you to learn from.

Some new authors think every move in a fight deserves equal time, the detail can get boring and the effect easily lost. Intense action scenes need short and succinct sentences, in general.

New questions.

What did your family say when you announced your desire to be a writer?

What do they think now?

6/11/2023 02:30:15 pm

Good, I'll just say 'they had a fight' there was hair-pulling, Patty won. I'll let the readers fill in the rest!

I get a lot of uh-huh looks when I embark on new endeavers. My mom has ALWAYS believed in me when I start something. She's usually pretty sure I'm going to get hurt (broken) or lost (has happened.)

A surprising number of my relatives have read all or nearly all of my books.

As another mark of confidence, my sister wanted to combine her paintings with Bible stories. I started out doing them for her. At 20 volumes I set her up her own account (unpublished them all from mine and started over in hers) and after that showed her how. I think she has 52 or 53 now.

That makes her a believer :)

I also did a couple of collections of photographs and original artwork into 8x10 books. Oh, and a family cookbook that was well-received a month or so ago...

So, if they don't like one of my products, I'll make another one!

I'm blessed with love and support from family and friends :)

6/11/2023 04:05:04 pm

Don't forget the roundhouse kick and the armbar. You will do fine. ;-)

That is a fabulous project your sister has going. You get a lot more support than some authors do.

That's a great tagline, if you don't like this project you won't have to wait long for a new one.

You do have a supportive family and friends!

New question.

What area of your writing has the greatest need for improvement at this time?

6/11/2023 08:21:23 pm

I think this one took me longer to answer because who wants to admit their failings? Timing. Descriptions. Repetition. Marketing. Diligence.

The problem with friends and family is that they don't want to hurt my feelings. They don't realize I really want to know.

Well, you asked me. Where do you think I should concentrate next...

6/11/2023 08:30:33 pm

I was first going to say concentrate on your brozie series. But that wouldn't be fair to the fans of Patty and company.
Then I was going to say you should write more than you are now. But I think you need multiple projects and crafts to keep your inspiration bucket full.
Now, I am going to say take a nap and a walk whenever you feel like it because you are doing great.

New question.

Since a copyright in America lasts for 75 years after the author's passing, do you have a plan for all of your books in your estate?

6/12/2023 07:22:35 am

You weasled your way out of criticism there, you rascally rabbit. Mixing something, there. I've actually started Bernie's next story, Pooka and the Pirates. And have a couple of scenes from the following one, Mermaids, Manatees and Murder. I'm running out of time for the school children prompts, so that will get tabled. The activity book somewhere in between...

Everything I own goes to my daughter. That makes it easy. If I have time last minute I'll write out instructions on keeping Ads live and updating them, for her to keep and refer to (she has little-to-no short term memory) but she is brilliant and has coped well, so she'll be fine.
I do have step-children and grandchildren all over. Most are fully capable and successful and the others don't talk to me...
If my mom out-lives me both my sister and brother will step in. He is financially stable and they both are very caring. My daughter would never let my mom go without. Mommy could stay in this house but she wouldn't because she would feel she was 'under care' or 'support' of my son-in-law, and that is just 'no.'

6/12/2023 11:09:28 am

I have been told I am as clever as a blind squirrel; they get lucky and find a nut every once and awhile.

That sounds like a doable plan.

New question.

What will you do differently with this next book, in terms of publishing, if anything?

6/12/2023 12:04:10 pm

You're funny!

I'm exploring the audio options. Just this morning I went into Writecream and uploaded some of Lecanto Leprechaun to see if I liked the way their AI reads. Jury is still out as there are technical issues. If you want to use more than one voice you have to separate the files with the other voice and then join them. Also, a max of 3000 words per file means multiple files to be joined. I haven't tried their "joining tool" yet. Since my books are in first person, that's a little more doable - but I have a lot of conversation. If I sacrifice multiple voices... Then it's still representative of the way you 'hear' it in your head when you read.
I do like being able to choose a voice and give it whatever accent or even language I want.
Seriously considering translating them into Spanish that way, then using another translation tool to transcribe it and publish Spanish versions of all the books. Maybe even French or Italian, but my Spanish is passable so I'm more comfortable with it.

What do you think?

Otherwise, no. Happy with KDP.

6/12/2023 02:01:12 pm

I am glad you are trying the audiobook options. I find the details interesting. I am not surprised there are technical issues at this time. Those will likely diminish over time. I hadn't thought of multiple voices being an issue but that does enrich the experience.

Translation work is probably fraught with its own issues also. But if an AI translator can get to 80 or 90% accuracy that should be a considerable savings over having a book completely translated by a human. It sounds worthwhile to me, especially because you are multi-lingual yourself.

New question.

Have you ever killed off a character unwillingly because it fit the plot?

6/12/2023 02:44:31 pm

YES! And I hated doing it so much I had to go back and rewrite.

In one book, I created this new character so compassionate, so intelligent, so charming that it was no surprise everyone loved him. Except one. So, I made him a politician with a noble platform, and promptly killed him.

I felt so bad about it that I had to create an unsavory past to make both me and my readers feel better about it. It 'came out' after the murder that he was a blackmailer both in his previous life (before moving to Patty's trailer park) and was doing it again to get what he wanted there. Of course, that meant re-writing clues into several previous scenes and giving him an omni-present notebook.

I'm serious. I was sleepless and miserable for several days until I changed it.

They are so real to me and I felt so guilty.

6/12/2023 04:04:47 pm

That is serious! You have an admirable commitment to your craft. That reminds me of a comment you made in a previous interview we had. You said that when you start a new story the identity of the victim is not always clear. Sometimes it takes a few chapters to learn who will assume the prone position permanently. That impressed me quite a bit.

Last question.

With sequels, how do you handle the wishes of readers compared to your original ideas?

6/12/2023 04:21:45 pm

I WISH someone would tell me what they want. I might ignore them (on advice from a lawyer regarding using someone else's idea even if they gave it to you or shouted it across a room) but I would love to hear it!

I'm glad you like that I don't plan out my plot - others think I'm scatter-brained or lazy. I prefer your opinion. My characters definitely write their own stories.

It has been so nice talking to you. And even better, meeting you and your lovely wife. Looking forward to next time!

6/12/2023 05:52:46 pm

There is that pesky legal issue that pops up occasionally.

Many authors are just like you. They write the story to find out how it ends. It's a technique that works for many.

We have had a great chat this last week. I am grateful that you chose me to help promote your book. It was fun to meet in real life. My wife and I enjoyed meeting you and the Lecanto conference was fun.

Until next time, Keep on writing.

Fatal Philandering: Trailer Park Travails Book 9 by Mary Lu Scholl

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