Jess
  • Female
  • Lake Charles, LA
  • United States
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Jess's Friends

  • Copper Smith
  • Ronie
  • Gina Conroy
  • KodyChamberlain
  • Nancy Thorp
  • Rhonda Hitchcock
  • James R. Tate
  • Susan
  • Frank Garrick
  • Jane
  • Rose Mercer
  • Misa Ramirez
  • Diana F.
  • Shannon Chenoweth
  • Linda L. Richards

Jess's Discussions

Great interview with Dean Koontz
2 Replies

Started this discussion. Last reply by Margot Renne Payne Oct 27, 2007.

 

Jess's Page

Profile Information

Hometown:
Lake Charles, Louisiana
About Me:
My first novella, a romantic suspense called The Last Daughter will release Aug. 27, 2013. I am also co-owner/co-editor of Swamp Lily Review, A Journal of Louisiana Literature & Arts, and a staff writer for Southern Writers Magazine. My first novel, The Groom Wore Blue Suede Shoes was a Silhouette Romance and published in 1996. Short works and nonfiction have appeared in Hearts, Hearths & Holidays, Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover's Soul, Daily Devotions for Writers and a number of southern magazines and newspapers. I love, love, love blogging, encouraging other writers and getting lost in a good mystery.
Years ago, my husband and I wrote a mystery called Beginner's Luck. It won first place in a contest and we met with an agent as our prize. He told us the book couldn't compete on the shelves with all the thousands of other mysteries. We believed him and gave it up. Now, older and wiser, I don't believe much of what anyone says. I just do my thing. :) My favorite saying is 'suspect everyone' - Dorothy Sayers.

And I do ... suspect everyone.
I Am A:
Reader, Writer
Website:
http://www.jessyferguson.blogspot.com
Books And Authors I Like:
I love David Lindsey's Stuart Haydon series. I'm an old John D. MacDonald fan, and Margaret Millar. Erica Spindler and Brenda Novak are favs too. I've recently discovered Laura Levine and just finished the first Jack Reacher novel.
Movies And TV Shows I Like:
I enjoy watching NCIS. Three favorite movies are Dead Again, Three Days of the Condor and CopyCat. I love all movies though I hide my eyes during the really rough, bloody stuff.

Jess's Blog

Off Track - Me and My Characters

Made my NaNoWriMo quota today. 1,697 words.

I'm anxious to start at the beginning and read what I've written. I don't think I'm accomplishing much toward solving the crime. I seem to be creating too much havoc. I have 35,000 words left to write. I need to remember this is supposed to be fun. Shouldn't take myself too seriously. If nothing else NaNoWriMo is helping me get in the habit of daily writing, and that's a good thing. I just don't want to be wasting my time. Am…

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Posted on November 9, 2007 at 3:31pm

My Lost NaNoWriMo Day

Accomplished nothing today. 526 words. I got side-tracked reading writer's guidelines on the internet, and brainstorming NF articles. By the time I started writing my creativity was shot. My head was filled with NF ideas, not my wip. I noticed right away that my heroine's voice sounded completely different. It threw me, made me feel like I should go back and read everything I've written. I don't dare do that. It'll make me want to start rewriting. I've got to forge ahead without slowing down…

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Posted on November 8, 2007 at 4:57pm

Thinking It Through

NaNoWriMo project hit 12,137 words today. I was afraid I'd written as much as I can without knowing where I'm going. I picked up a couple of How To books and started thumbing through them, reading a sentence here and there. Came across a statement suggesting I start a fire, burn down a house or something. Nice suggestion. I didn't do it but it started me thinking and writing.

I might burn down the family home next week :-)

~jess

Posted on November 7, 2007 at 3:56pm

A Crummy Effort

Goofed off too much today. Had a three hour lunch with a friend. Watched two movies (Because I Said So and Tara), and wrote 1,006 words. Better than nothing I guess but I regret not sticking with my 1700 words a day plan. :(

I hope this isn't the beginning of the end.

Just get it down on paper, and then we'll see what to do with it. ~Maxwell Perkins

Posted on November 6, 2007 at 4:30pm

Plotter or Pantser

Okay, NaNoWriMo is rolling for me. So far I'm making my quota. It won't last, I'm sure, because of the Thanksgiving holiday and kids coming in. But wow! what a high. I usually have to outline--at least a little, but the notes I made before starting aren't even valid now. It has really been fun following my nose with this little mystery. For the first time, I understand what a writer means when she says she likes being surprised. Funny and surprising how things tend to fall into place.…

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Posted on November 5, 2007 at 3:10pm

Comment Wall (17 comments)

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At 11:40pm on August 1, 2009, Preetham Grandhi said…
Hi Jess, I want to introduce you to you my debut novel "A Circle of souls" which is a murder, mystery, psychological thriller and a tale of justice and hope. I was wondering if you would like to review my book for your blog or sites such as Amazon. Do visit www.acircleofsouls.com to read more about the book. If you would like to read it I can mail an advance readers copy to you. Thanks for your time in advance.

Best regards

Preetham Grandhi

Early Endorsements for “A Circle of Souls”

Linda Fairstein, NYT Bestselling Author: "A fascinating debut - this novel takes the reader to the darkest places in the human soul, from a writer with the authenticity to lead us there. A stunning thriller and an important read."

Judge Judy Sheindlin, star of the Judge Judy Show: "The seminal work of this fine author kept me glued to my chair until the adventure was over and the mystery solved. A great read!"

Book Synopsis:

The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.

The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.
In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.
At 9:19am on November 2, 2008, Susan said…
Hi Jess, happy to be your new friend. You're just a hop skip and a jump from N'Awlins, right? I've lived here 8 years after relocating from Boston. My first crime thriller just came out, Absolution, set in New Orleans. You can check it out at my website if you like, along with some neat bios of terrific women instrumentalists (I'm a trumpet player and music historian). The website is at www.susanfleet.com

Eek, hope I added the link correctly ...

Susan
At 3:38pm on November 9, 2007, Jackie Tritt said…
I like your philosophy, Jess. Don't let anyone talk you out of what you want to do again - that agent sounds like he was just too lazy to take you on.

Jackie
At 1:54pm on October 31, 2007, Rose Mercer said…
Tks Jess, well, DownUnder we spell embarrassed with two of everything... LOL. Tks for your greeting. I'm working on getting the outline/flow of my novel right now - as DADavenport says (she's a great friend) it's very difficult. Whatever possessed us to try? Hmm.... :)
At 10:52am on October 31, 2007, Peg Brantley said…
What I like about Dorothy L (yeah, there's wisdom, but you've got to separate if it from the egotistic chaff from time to time) is the information I can get from READERS. Some of those people are prolific readers (I've decided that's all they do) and to learn what they like and they don't? Wonderful information.

Soaking is a good thing.

:-)
At 10:13pm on October 30, 2007, Rose Mercer said…
Hi Jess, tks for the invitation. I am such a newby at this I have no idea what we do next :)
At 1:50pm on October 29, 2007, Misa Ramirez said…
Hi there,

My first friend on Crimespace (or any community site!). How fun. I have family in Texas (brother's in Denton) and love it there. Thanks for welcoming me. =)
At 8:53am on October 25, 2007, Lyn LeJeune said…
Thanks for asking to be my friend. Since you are from Texas, I am going to be a Head Queen at the Pulpwood Queen and Beauty and the Bookclub extravaganza in January in Jefferson, Texas. Will cook Cajun for 60 media types. My book, The Beatitudes, is getting 5 starred reviews, and available at Amazon.
Read excerpts at www.beatitudesinneworleans.blogspot.com. Lyn leJeune.
At 8:45am on October 25, 2007, Sarah Baker said…
Thank you, Jess. I'll let you know for sure. It's always nice to actually have books to sign!

Sarah
At 8:32am on October 25, 2007, Sarah Baker said…
Thank you for the invite, Jess. I can't wait to get back to LC and the Beaumont area. Gotta plan a book signing soon...

Sarah
 
 
 

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