Morgan Mandel's Page

Christine Verstraete, author of Searching For A Starry Night, is the guest of Robert W. Walker and ACME Authors Link this week, and Rob herein puts the questions to Chris, who has graciously accepted to be scrutinized:

Rob: Chris, you’ve written a number of nonfiction projects, including interviewing mystery authors, as well as writing for magazines and newspapers, and now you’ve created a fictional miniature art mystery series with Petey the Dachshund on the cover. (continue)
You’re a miniature art collector and are passionate about miniature art. This becomes clear in your YA mystery novel entitled Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, (Quake/Echelon Press, May ’08). Can you briefly tell us how you came to the plot for your novel, and how your passion for miniatures figured in?

Chris: I’ve been collecting miniatures for quite a few years, so it seemed natural for me to include this in the plot for my first ya novel. I find the miniature art intriguing because of the detail and its size, so I figured kids would be just as fascinated by things in a smaller scale. It seemed to be the perfect attention-getter and something that I could illustrate in real life with an actual sample. What better way to get their attention and hopefully draw them into the book?


Rob: How often do you write or how much time on a typical day do you spend writing?

Chris: From years of newspaper work and as a freelance writer, I’ve been in the habit of writing every day. I always have a story or something to work on.

Rob: Where do you do most of your writing? Any special nooks?

Chris: I have a small office set up at home. It’s big enough for a desk, a couple bookcases and some filing cabinets. But when it gets nice out, I don't hesitate to take the laptop out on the deck. Sometimes it’s nice to have a different view.

Rob: What drew you into writing in the first place? When did you start and why?

Chris: I say that I was born into it! I have a baby picture of myself that was kind of prophetic, showing me with a newspaper and a pencil behind my ear. But I knew in high school that I wanted to write so I figured that studying journalism was the next logical step. It was good discipline and provided good writing training.

Rob: Is the writing bug a blessing or a curse in your opinion?

Chris: I can’t “not” write, so I guess it can be a curse that way. My brain is always buzzing with ideas. But it’s a blessing, too, as it allows me to help others, share information and express myself. Better than keeping it inside.

Rob: Who were your biggest influences? Who do you enjoy reading?

Chris: I’ve always been a bookworm. I devoured books as a kid. My favorites, of course, were all the horse books, Misty of Chincoteague, Black Beauty, etc. Then the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. As an adult, I’ve always enjoyed Stephen King, Dean Koontz and spooky TV or movies. I like fun, touching stories, too, and works by Debbie Macomber, Mary Higgins Clark, Elaine Viets, and more. I read in various genres and also like books set in the 1500 to 1700s or unusual topics.

Rob: What was your first story or book, and how old were you when you penned it?

Chris: One thing I remember writing is a paper on the Tudors and Elizabethan times in high school. I love Queen Elizabeth’s magnificent beaded costume and even drew pictures of it for the report. I probably wrote other things at a younger age, but I don’t remember them. But I bet they involved horses or dogs.

Rob: You seem to be drawn to writing young adult mystery. Are you planning to stick with YA alone, or do you have plans to branch out into other categories?

Chris: I actually started writing an adult mystery, but the first book is your learning process, I guess. I am working on a second adult mystery and also completed a set of short mystery stories featuring Sam and her friends from Searching For A Starry Night.

Rob: Having read Searching For A Starry Night, I feel your characters are genuine and interesting. Do you plan to use these characters in a series of books?

Chris: Thanks, Rob. Guess I jumped the gun in the previous question. Besides the short stories, I do hope to do another mystery or other book with Sam or Lita once I come up with the right setting and idea.

Rob: What do you have in the “hopper” or in store for the next book?

Chris: As a departure, I have been thinking of a fantasy-mystery. I have parts of it figured out. It keeps popping up in my mind.

Rob: How has your experience working with your publisher been like?

Chris: As this is my first print book, I do like the personal atmosphere and thankful that Karen, the publisher, is patient. I tend to change my mind a lot (and keep re-editing. Ha!)

Rob: Is there anything you’d like to add, or a question I failed to ask?

Chris: Since my book involves miniatures, perhaps you’d like to see my collection? I have photos on my website at http://cverstraete.com under miniatures gallery. Braver souls can click the photos link to see photos of my haunted house. Caution: not for the weak. I also feature other miniaturists’ work and various topics at my blog, http://candidcanine.blogspot.com And finally, thanks, Rob and the folks at ACME, for hosting me. This was fun!

Rob: Thanks Chris for adding yet another dimension to ACME and for being so forthcoming. Your book has just hit the shelves, and we encourage anyone who loves a good read (YA is great for adults too!) to look for Searching for a Starry Night.

Whenever I'm struggling with a concept in my writing, I turn to the old favorite classics for inspiration. This time I pawed through my bookcases, looking for the book that would settle my mind and boost my creativity at the same time. Choosing the right novel takes some doing and nothing on my shelves felt quite right. So I traveled to the juvenile fiction room at my library to find the book I needed.

The Cuthberts of Green Gables had decided to adopt an orphan - a nice sturdy boy to help Matthew with the farm chores ... Anne of Green Gables was exactly what I needed. Anne (with an e is so much more exciting - or so says Anne early in the book) is not a shy, quiet girl. She is full of surprises. And I realized that was what I had been looking for - surprises. Or rather, I needed to read how L.M. Montgomery wrote her surprises. The unexpected livens up a story like nothing else. Anne Shirley lied to Marilla once; perhaps you remember the scene I'm thinking of ~ Anne had never been to a picnice and was looking forward to going to her first, except Marilla's brooch had been moved. Lost, perhaps stolen, or so Marilla feared. The first time I read that part of the book I was so surprised that Anne would steal from her beloved mother-figure. But she confessed. She confessed to stealing it, then loosing it in the pond, the Lake of shining waters. I was flabergasted.

Then, then the real surprise came. Anne lied in hopes that a punishment could be handed out in time for her to attend the picnic. Marilla was further shocked to discover the deception when she found her brooch stuck in her shawl.

Great writing does that, it leads the reader into one surprise that follows another then another, until the reader is enthralled with such real life characters.

I've been reading another book of fun adventure and surprises, Girl of My Dreams, by our very own Morgan Mandel. Jillian wanted to help her boss, her heart throb by filling the vacant spot on the line-up for the reality show about to go on the air. She certainly didn't intend to stir up trouble. But the biggest surprise is her! Intrigue and daring escapades make this a fast read. You'll enjoy every twist and surprise! And like Anne Shirley, Jillian is more than she seems!

Whether I'm reading for relaxation or searching for inspiration, surprises on the page delight me. It's what keeps me stretching to improve my own writing skills. Taking time to abosorb another author's words fills an emptiness I didn't know needed filling.

Thinking about all of this, I might have to read another of L.M. Montgomery's novels. I'm not ready for Anne to slip back into the archives of my mind just yet. I'm hungry for another of her unforseen episodes! It doesn't matter that I've read it before, it still reads fresh and exciting. Isn't that surprising? Or is that just good writing?

Til next time ~

DL Larson

Hi folks,
Just wanted to share the blog links from my virtual book tour at Pop Syndicate.Com last week. I'd also like to offer special thanks to Angela Wilson for organizing everything.

Book Tour: Introducing Morgan Mandelhttp://www.popsyndicate.com/books/story/book_tour_introducing_morgan_mandel

Book Tour: Virtual Sitdown with Morgan Mandel
http://www.popsyndicate.com/books/story/book_tour_virtual_sitdown_with_morgan_mandel

Book Tour: Girl of My Dreams by Morgan Mandel
http://www.popsyndicate.com/books/story/book_tour_girl_of_my_dreams_by_morgan_mandel

Book Tour: Marketing Lessons From the Street People by Morgan Mandel
http://www.popsyndicate.com/books/story/book_tour_marketing_lessons_from_the_street_people_by_morgan_mandel

Thanks for visiting my blogs. I hope you enjoyed them.
All the best,
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

http://bookplace.ning.com

www.myspace.com/morganmandel

http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com

http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

www.juniorscave.com/morganmandel.html

http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

Who makes up jokes?

Especially those really sick, really funny jokes that happen after any event, whether good or bad.

Jeffery Dahmer had barely digested before the pundits had created an armada of sick jokes, the only thing sicker being my inability to remember even one to chronicle here.

(Of course, I’m kidding; What do you find in Jeffery Dahmer’s freezer? ….. Ben and Jerry!)

And once, when a plane was tragically downed in the Florida Everglades, I received a phone call the same morning from a friend, who wrapped up the conversation by asking, “What did the one Everglades alligator say to the other?”

Half afraid of the answer, I asked. “I don’t know, what?”

And he gleefully blurts, “See, airline food isn’t all that bad. Huhyuukk!!”

The only thing faster than the speed this gross joke was created was the speed in which it traveled. Later that same morning, this joke was repeated to me by at least three people, none of whom knew the other.

I’m kind of weird… not exactly a shocker, huh?…anyway, I’m kind of weird in that I cannot put a bad joke out of my mind until I repeat it to someone else. So I sauntered out into the office to repeat this joke to someone else, just so I can wipe it out you understand, and spied some dude in the office.

“Hey, dude in the office” I said (I call them all this), “What did the one Everglades alligator…” He interrupted, saying “… See, airline food isn’t all that bad. I heard the joke three times already/”

Then he says, “Here’s one. Three women are walking down the street wearing potato sacks. How can you tell which is the hooker?”

Ha, my turn. Happily I chirped, “The one whose sack says ‘Idaho’! I heard that joke four times yesterday!”

Speaking of potatoes, everyone I know has some once favorite food that he can’t choke down anymore because it was the last thing that went down before the stomach flu, food poisoning or a Michael Bolton concert.

Mine is hotdogs.

About twelve years ago, I loaded up a hotdog with mustard and a ton of chopped onions, and in three bites glomped the whole thing. It was so good I slorked another, then another. Little did I realize that my unnatural hunger was just my body loading up all the energy it could to sustain itself through the stomach flu it was busily incubating.

Well, you know what happened next. I ate those three hotdogs again, only in reverse. In fact, I think I upchucked four hotdogs! Years later, and I still gag every time I get near a hotdog. I couldn’t even watch Adam Sandler without provoking a gag reflex.

Idea to bored scientists, next time a plane crashes in the Everglades, see if you can somehow make all the alligators catch the flu. Then they’ll never want to have Purina People food again.

Norm

www.normcowie.com

The Adventures of Guy … written by a guy (probably)

The Next Adventures of Guy … more wackiness

The Heat of the Moment

When I first started writing, I thought the idea was to finish a good manuscript. Make it exciting, have a good solid mystery, an amateur sleuth, tie it up neatly at the finish. Voila, a completed manuscript. A book.

Not so easy…tougher than it looks. My characters veered off course, I had to learn to write romance and combine the mystery. OK, I did that. Rather well too, I think.

I even managed to sell it. I now can hold an actual copy of my book in my hand. It took me over a month to actually have the guts and look at the content. Not just stare at the cover. Or hug the book and say it’s here, I did it-see, my name is on the cover. I have an actual book with words and everything…

But the job of selling that book is another matter.

I had to have a website. I have it.

The newest trend is book trailers. Same concept as movie trailers-get people to see it and hopefully get intrigued enough to actually go out and buy the book.

I had to have a trailer. I have it.

And it is awesome. It is mysterious, artistic and positively enchanting. My web gal did a tremendous job. Yes, I am leading up to something. Please go to my website (listed below) take a quick peek, it is short, I promise. Let me know what you think and whether it would entice you to buy the book.

Book trailers are relatively new to authors-so any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Till next Saturday,
Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris
The Heat of the Moment
Available on amazon.com
www.mjustes.com
Echelon Press LLC