Mystery Novels

River Bones

Published April 2008

....is my first of three mystery novels, and takes place in my hometown area of the Sacramento River Delta in California.

Mystery novels were easier to write than my first two books. I’m hoping book promotion for this one will be a lot easier also. I say that because my Egyptian novel is such a specialty, and appeals to a smaller group of people, like archaeologists, Egypt lovers, history buffs, and so forth.

At times, it’s difficult to find places to promo.

That’s where author publicity comes in. If a reader likes an author it doesn’t matter in which genre the author writes, readers will read.

One exception is that some readers favor a certain genre or author and will read nothing else.

So go ahead. Write multi-genre, if that’s your wish.

This site is called Write Any Genre because that’s what I do. I write in several genres, as the plots entice me to give them life.

I named the above mansion

after a character in the story.

I first found the drawings of this house along with the floor plans on the Internet. I loved the layout of both the lower and upper floors and set many scenes in the rooms of that house.

Then I conjured the idea that I might be able to show the house on the book cover.

I contacted the company they sells the drawings of these houses and purchased the right to use the actual house and floor plans in and around which the story takes place. Though I decided not to include the floor plans in the book, this is the old 1896 Queen Anne Victorian featured in River Bones. I so fell in love with the layout of this house, if I could build my own Victorian, it would be this one.

I have returned to the Sacramento River Delta several times on book promotion and author publicity tours for my first two books.

In talking to a friend I knew in high school about writing mystery novels, an idea slammed into my mind and sealed the fate of two separate plots hanging fire with no real story behind them.

One plot was about a class reunion and of a missing classmate.

The other plot was a simply mystery with a crime being solved.

No real story had yet formulated in my mind in order to flesh these out.

As I stood talking to this former high school friend, those two plots came together and jelled into one story! Thus, River Bones was born.

Loglines - End Notes - To Top

Thinking ahead about author publicity for my mystery novels, I asked my friend if he would be interested in reading the manuscript when completed, and in giving some feedback. He agreed to do it.

His comments:

"Gripping story taking place in the Sacramento River Delta. Edge of your seat drama. Wonderful, enjoyed it immensely. Accurate depiction of the Delta towns and surroundings as they have been for years.

"I lived here 50 years ago and live in Courtland today. This novel should be a Best Seller. Mary deal has done a magnificent job. Kudos to her and look forward to her next novel."

~ Jimmy Emerson, Class of 1959, Courtland High School, Courtland, CA

Promoting mystery novels is no different than any other author publicity. When promoting, the rule is to use everything at your disposal. Here then are more comments from two additional high school friends:

"Mary weaves both mystery and suspense with her memories of a place and time in her life long ago, but well remembered. The scenes and mention of the Delta in California are on target bringing to life the richness and beauty of the area. Bob and I again vied for time to read and enjoy the manuscript."

~ Donna & Bob Nunes, Rio Vista, CA

I talk about my books everywhere I go. From a dentist’s chair, I asked the assistant if she would like to read a manuscript from one of my mystery novels. These are her comments:

"Thank you for letting me read your book. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. They were unique and interesting, with lots of details."

~ Sylvia Morris, Kaneohe, HI

A local friend here on Kauai provided this:

"I just finished reading River Bones and can say without reservation that I enjoyed it immensely. Your characters are utterly believable, and as individuals, commanded love, sympathy, respect, and fear and loathing appropriately as the story progressed. The story line was well drawn and maintained my interest to the satisfying end."

~ Carla Koellmann, Spanish Teacher and bookseller, Lihue, HI

Reader Reviews - End Notes - To Top

Some of the information below pertaining to this first of my two (possibly three) mystery novels may change. That is, the logline may change. The synopsis or back cover blurb may change.

Publishers have a way of making things more exciting. They make suggestions. They can be accepted by the author, or denied, or a happy medium can be reached.

Till then, what follows is some promo I've written. It will be interesting to see how it changes once the editors send their comments.

In writing mystery novels or any body of writing, in order to promote a story, always – that’s always – write a Logline. Keep it under 50 words. Some places allow up to 100 words.

Write TWO loglines, to fit the varied requirements of your intended recipients when you submit for publication.

A logline is also known in some circles as a “high impact statement” or a “pitch.”

Another is called the "elevator pitch." Think about it.

When we're on an elevator, we might say a one-line greeting to a friend. We don't talk a lot on an elevator. It's just not the place to discuss things around people we may not know.

But if you can imagine speaking ONE SENTENCE that can tell that elevator friend what your book is about - one sentence to spark their interest enough to want to read your book - what would you say?

These are some loglines I’ve written for River Bones:

At 33 words:

I like to give myself something to work with. Here’s yet another:

At 17 words:

The beauty of the lush Sacramento River Delta farmlands and orchards hides an illusive, psychopathic serial killer.

At 97 words:

A woman moves back to her hometown only to learn the area is in the grip of a serial killer, a psychopathic trickster, who leaves horrific visual messages of his plans for her - like the open grave and dead cat behind her garage. The killer gets into her Victorian and laces her juices with Rohypnol, the date rape drug, but is thwarted in his effort to get to her. After several attempts on her life, she discovers clues from previous victims’ burials and can identify the illusive madman. She volunteers as a decoy for the Sheriff’s Department.

Though it seems more like a long Logline, at 99 words, this is the shortest Synopsis for River Bones:

Sara Mason moves back to her hometown in the Sacramento River Delta in California trying to heal tormenting memories of the drowning of her family. Undaunted, she purchases a verifiably haunted ramshackle Victorian with a history all its own. Many graves of the serial killer’s victims were located over the past two decades. Now skeletal remains turn up on her property and more people go missing. The elusive psychopath makes several attempts on her life. To aid the Sheriff’s Department, Sara courageously volunteers as a decoy and comes close to dying in the same manner as the other victims.

NOTE: I am told not to post the longer synopsis till after the book is published.

As I mentioned, for me, mystery novels are easy to write and I have yet a third in the works which will be a sequel to River Bones. Easy to write, perhaps, because of all the forensic research available today.

Check out the information and great photos from book promotion and author publicity posted for The Ka, my paranormal Egyptian fantasy.

Check out the information and photos from book promotion and author publicity for my adventure novel, The Tropics.

Mystery novels were easy to write and book promotion and author publicity is difficult and time consuming. Somewhere in there will be the rewards.

Reader Reviews - Loglines - To Top

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