The Latest

motownmysteries
Oct 19
8 min read

I believe it was Shakespeare who wrote "There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune." Or as an old friend, who was far smarter than me likes to say, "Timing is everything!"

So it's that time again, for my latest thoughts on writing, works in progress, upcoming events and a touch of music. I can't imagine a life without music.

Ready?

Let's roll.

Writing

Last month I described the action with the local writer's workshop. I'm always happy to meet people who share my interest in crafting stories. We all have a touch of creativity. It's up to us to figure out how to implement that talent.

Whenever I'm at a festival, I always keep track of which titles are selling. That gives me a better idea as to when I need to order more inventory and which titles are popular. At a recent event, I decided to also keep score of the number of people who approached me who are on the journey to becoming authors. Over one weekend, I had seven (7!) different people come forward with questions about my own efforts.

One young lady, Emily, was shocked to learn that I'm considered a hybrid author. That means I have works that are traditionally published and some that are self-published. I did my best to explain the pros and cons of each method.

Traditional publishers offer more support. They usually have people, either on staff or independent contractors, who work with authors on editing, cover design and even promotions. That team is paid by the publisher. Which can make a difference for a new author.

I explained that if you're going the self-publishing route, those expenses fall to you, along with the cost of the layout. That money going out can quickly pile up.

Another positive for traditional publishing is something magical, something . . . priceless. That's the acceptance letter. There is something incredibly gratifying to submitting your blood, sweat, tears and efforts to a publisher and receiving a response that begins with 'Congratulations!" It's a form of confirmation that your work is valued that will never grow old or result in a feeling of complacency. Seeing that message still makes me shout "Yes!" and raise both arms in triumph.

Of course, there are negatives to traditional publishing. Time is one. From the moment a manuscript has been accepted and a contract signed, it can take anywhere from twelve to eighteen months before your story sees the light of day. This could be much shorter with magazines, but with books, that's what I usually experience. Traditional publishers set the price of the book and they take their cut off the top. Totally understandable, since they have all these other people to pay. Authors get their share of the sales as well and usually get a discount when buying copies in bulk.

On the flip side, self-publishing gets your book to market faster. Once you've gotten the editing, layout and the cover art done, it's easy to upload the file to Amazon, which most people do. As the author, you set the price for e-book and print copies. You'll also see a greater percentage of the profit, once sales start rolling in. If you're working with Amazon, you'll also be able to order author copies of the books at a discounted price.

I explained all this to Emily. She smiled and shook her head. "Thanks! Now I'm more confused than ever. But you gave me a lot to think about."

We all have to choose the path that's best suited for us. I wished her the best on her efforts. Best Sellers!

As mentioned above, I always keep track of which titles are popular. At the end of the third quarter, I've identified my top three bestsellers so far this year!

Coming in third is "Stealing Haven" from the Jamie Richmond series.

Second place was claimed by "Rules of Desperation".

And the winner is "Why 319?" from the Jefferson Chene series!

You can find buy links for each of these on the website. Or you can email me to make arrangements to get an autographed copy.

Works in Progress

Now that the busy festival season is behind me, in theory I should have more free time to write. That's definitely something I've been looking forward to. Although I must explain, working on the stories goes beyond time spent at the keyboard.

Often when I'm driving, exercising or even doing mundane things like yardwork, I'll have an idea for one of the books. It could be an exchange of dialogue, a bit of background for the story or even a possible setting that will tie in nicely. Then, when I am able to sit down at the computer, I can pull that segment from the recesses of my brain and bring it to life.

Sounds weird, right?

But it works for me. I just plugged a scene for the fourth Chene mystery into the file and watched it blossom from the original thought to over 2,000 words of conversation and description. The first draft of the story is now around 15,000. It's a long way from the finish line, but it's a good start.

Simultaneously, I'm working on what should become a young adult novella, featuring Ian and Brittany from the Jamie Richmond series. I need to flesh out more of the storyline, come up with a couple minor conflicts and a few scruffy characters. But the ideas keep coming.

Events

I have discovered a few new events that I'll be trying this fall. To quote the Father of Rock and Roll, Chuck Berry, "Goes to show you never can tell". It's worth a shot to participate in some different locations and see what happens. In some cases, I may be the only author on site, which usually works in my favor.

I'll be at the Portage Central High School Holiday Craft Show on November 1 from

9 to 3.

In addition to the 5 Jamie Richmond titles and the 3 Jefferson Chene books, I'll have copies of Rules of Desperation and Part-Time Criminal AND the Enchanted Holidays short story collection from Inkspell Publishing. Yes, I do have a story in there. No, that's not me on the cover, no matter what you may believe.

I may also have a few surprises in store as well.

Then on the 15th, I'll be at the Comstock Park High School 150 6 Mile Rd. NE in Comstock Park, MI for the Fall Craft Show from 8:30 to 2:30 Same variety of books, along with a treat or two.

Books make excellent gifts. You can get them autographed and personalized!

Author Profile

During an event last month in Toledo, OH, I met the very talented Jim Beard. We talked for a few minutes before the show began and I encouraged him to share a few details about his background.

Let's get started.

Everyone takes a different path to becoming a published author. What was your journey like?

Strange, or at least not like I imagined it might be. My first professional sale was a four-page comic story to DC Comics, so I thought I was going to be a comic book writer until that dried up quickly. A couple of years later, my urge to write led me to try prose and I’ve never looked back. Been a lot of bumps along the way, which can give you a pain in the neck every time you try to look over your shoulder.

Let’s get wild. Your latest book has been selected by a streaming service to be made into a movie (or series). The producers have asked for your thoughts on casting the top three characters. Who would you choose?

I hate questions like this! But only because I know and follow very few current actors… I like Robert Downey Jr. in just about anything, so I’d have him play ANY character of mine at all! Even the female ones 😊

Do you prepare an outline before you start writing a story? (If yes or no, elaborate on whatever method works best for you.)

Ah, the classic plotter/pantser question! I call myself a plantser, with an emphasis on plotting. I can’t go into a story with no outline at all, but my outlines vary from story to story. Overall, I have a roadmap, but I allow for off-road driving if my characters ask nicely…or demand it.

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book is SHUDDER STORIES: CORPUS VILE. It emulates the classic horror pulp magazines of the 1930s, with a full novel (me) and a few short tales (other writers). My novel, “Corpus Vile,” began un-life as an aborted serialized story that took me about ten years or more to finish. It’s about a seemingly living, walking corpse that tries to take over a large city by blowing up buildings, killing its citizens, and in general being a not-so-nice guy. Lots of blood, destruction, and mayhem. Oh, and there’s a romance story somewhere within it, too…sort of.

Please share a scene or an excerpt.

At first he didn’t see her. Then, as he walked across the room he found Helen Jonquil slumped up against the far wall, sitting next to her empty divan.

The D.A. slapped a hand over his mouth. It served double duty, to hold back both a shout of alarm and the rising bile from his gullet.

The frail, skeletal thing that was once Helen Jonquil sat with its blonde-tressed skull hung down over its sunken lap. The shocking blue dress that had so captivated audiences during the run of the show was split up one side of its skirting, revealing the body’s twig-like legs and bloodless skin. The bodice of the garment had slipped away from the once-alabaster breasts that had supported it, exposing twin bags of flesh that hung off the ribcage like deflated balloons. The corpse’s arms were barely connected to the upper torso.

What Danner could see of Helen Jonquil’s face below the now-pale yellow locks of her magnificent hair was a ruin. It appeared the eyeballs had shrunk away to almost nothing and the lips had pulled back to disclose a now-yellowed set of teeth. A few of the teeth had fallen away from the grey gums. The starlet’s nose was barely there, leaving only the two holes of her nostrils as markers of the once-proud feature.

The D.A. staggered against the wall nearest to him, trying desperately to maintain his standing position. His stomach lurched. He found he had no voice to cry out. All he could do was stare at the near-mummified remains of what was once the biggest star on Broadstreet.

What’s the next project you’ll be working on?

Interestingly, the next volume of SHUDDER STORIES. A writer whom I respect the heck out of approached me to ask if he could give me a short story if I did another volume. How could I say no to that? So, the writing has begun on the main novel.

Any upcoming author events where readers can meet you and get a copy of your books?

I’m always at Fantasticon Toledo every year, as well as PulpFest. Those are my biggest two shows, bar none. Everything else isn’t yet written in stone, but if you follow me on social media (Facebook, Bluesky, X, etc.) you’ll always know where I’ll be.

http://www.amazon.com/author/jimbeard

http://www.flinchbooks.com

http://www.facebook.com/thebeardjimbeard

MUSIC

I enjoy a wide variety of music. Commercials tend to annoy me, as does the mindless patter of disc jockeys or radio personalities. That leads me to utlize the streaming services, such as Spotify and Pandora. Lately there has been a somegreat performances by powerful female singers from the past. That includes the Queen of Soul and some other Motown favorites.