Sending Out An SOS

Eleanor Roosevelt said “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Well, I’m pretty sure I accomplished that task for the whole week yesterday. You see, yesterday was my first day at Wayne State – an urban university in downtown Detroit – where I’m pursuing my PhD. Not only is it a 90-mile commute one way, it’s also way out of my comfort zone. But even though I successfully navigated the traffic, crazy parking structures, and that maze that they call campus, I can’t help but feel sad. Sad because as my seminar homework piles up, and my teaching responsibilities add on, I feel like my writing career is slipping away, that I won’t have time to pursue the one career that I love.

Confession: I don’t really want my PhD. Not at all. I want to be a writer. I am a writer. I’ve been living my dream since January. It’s not a glamorous life (the deadlines, the stress!), but I LOVE it. The writing, the editing, the community of writers (YOU all!). I close my eyes and picture my future, and it’s not of text books and lectures, but of book signings and conferences. I love public speaking! Sign me up as a panelist any day.

So the question is, why am I getting my PhD? Well, security for one. Or make that the thought of security. If this whole writing thing doesn’t work out I still need a career and I HATE working 9-5. I refuse to do it. And unfortunately I’m not a trust fund baby or a trophy wife. I have to work for my money. I’m good at teaching, well entertaining at least, and like I said, public speaking is fun! But teaching isn’t what defines me.

What to do, what to do.

It would be so much easier to walk away from academia if I knew I had more of a chance in this industry. If I had an agent, networked, made connections with the industry. If my writing had more buzz, a larger following. If I won a few contests, earned some recognition. There’s so many ifs.

This time, like other times, when I’m mentally stressed, I send out an SOS. Generally it’s to my Guardian Angel (and yes, the POLICE lyrics play in my head every time). It’s worked out for me so far… I’m just looking for a little guidance. I know, I know – aren’t we all?

Scaredy Cat

Yep, that's me. So how'd I end up as a mystery writer? Well, that's a good question.

I can honestly say that there’s no way in H, E, double L hockey sticks you’d ever find me at a crime scene or near a dead body. Cozy mysteries are about all my PG writing brain can handle. Not that I’m a girl scout or anything, but murder and mayhem scare the bejeebes out of me.

I blame it on an active imagination and an older sister who subjected me to one horror movie after another throughout my childhood. Even when I was little, I’d run out of the living room and down the hallway whenever a movie got too scary.

As I’ve gotten older, I still run down the hallway, but now it’s to the computer room where I search online for the movie’s synopsis. As a matter of fact, that's what I was doing when this post popped into my head. My hubby and I were watching KNOWING and it got way too creepy. I know, terrible, isn’t it? Thank you Wikipedia for revealing the apocalyptic plot.

Which brings me to why I love writing mysteries so much. I know what's going to happen. It's not so scary when you know who the killer is. That, and I love creating literary puzzles and daring my readers to solve them.

Bet you can't guess who the killer is... hehehehe

What's Your Favorite Fantasy World?

Okay, I'll go first.

Hands down - HARRY POTTER. Those of you who know me might have thought I'd go the whole TWILIGHT route, but nope, notta chance. Breathtaking beauty and rock-hard bodies are always good times, but I don't really want to live in a world with vampires and the Volturi.

Harry Potter on the other hand? Well his world's just magical.

Butterbeer, Quidditch, Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Haggrid, Hogwarts Express - there's just so much that's awesome! And Hermione? She could be my best friend.

What's not to love? Okay, maybe Snape and the whole house of Sytherin - but I'd take them in a heartbeat if it meant I could be a Gryffindor. How sweet would that be? I'd so ace my owls and become an auror. The Ministry of Magic could use a wizard like me.

Life would just be too much fun if we all had magic wands.

Well, that's what I think anyways. How about you?

Lookin' for Love

It happens every time I'm writing a novel. I box myself up and ignore the rest of the literary world, paranoid that whatever I read will influence my book. Overly cautious? Probably. Justifiable? Absolutely. It's happened more than once. And I don't even realize I'm doing it.

Anyhow, I realize that even though I lock myself away, authors are still out there publishing their novels. And now that I've finished writing another novel I'm eager to read them. I loved BELONG TO ME (de los Santos). But I just didn't feel the same way about VERY VALENTINE (Trigiani) and RUN (Patchett). Honestly, I returned VERY VALENTINE to the library after the first three chapters. Too much description for me and not enough story.

I read RUN over the weekend and kept waiting for it. You know, the I-just-can't-put-it-down feeling? But I put it down. Again. And again.

So now it's back to the library in search for the perfect book. The one waiting for me to devour. Because that's what I do. If I find a book, and I love it, I devour it. Just me and the book. What a perfect day.

I Am Commercial Fiction

And I'm not talking about my writing either. Nope, I'm talking about me. I'm commercial fiction all the way. You see, I like to think that I appeal to a broad audience. I try to at least. People are fascinating, from all walks of life. It's nice to be able to converse with everyone ranging from brain surgeons to homeless folks. Everyone has a good story. You don't need to have credentials or a house to be able to tell it.

I guess sometimes I'd like to be literary fiction, but I don't always fit in with the "intellectually adventurous audience." But you know what, I'm okay with that.

I think my writing reflects that too. At least BEAUTY SECRETS does. You don't have to be a literary fiction socialite to get it. To me that's important. Maybe someday I'll tackle a literary novel, but for now, good ol' fashioned whodunits are what you're going to get from me. Who doesn't like a good mystery anyway?