Meeting a Deadline

--by Linda O. Johnston

I did it!

Today was my deadline for the manuscript for my second Barkery & Biscuits Mystery for Midnight Ink, and I emailed it late yesterday.

Why am I excited about that?  I usually meet deadlines with no problem.  Or at least with little difficulty.  But this time I wound up having some family travel commitments that arose rather late within the writing process and I wasn't certain I'd make it.

But I did tell my wonderful Midnight Ink editor Terri Bischoff about my potential issue when I saw her at Malice Domestic, and she gave me some leeway, which I really appreciate.  Then I found I was able to meet the deadline anyway.   Mostly.  The Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries contain recipes, and although I received some dog treat recipes from some delightful online friends thanks to a request I posted, I want to try them out before including them.  I'll try to do that this week.

I recognize that deadlines are important in the publishing process, in order to make sure a book is published on schedule.  I fortunately have learned to write fairly quickly over the years so I can generally estimate a deadline that will work for me.

But life does happen.

Anyway, I'm not mentioning my working title for this book #2 in the series since it may change.  The first one, BITE THE BISCUIT, was a May release, and as far as I know book #2 will be published next May.  In between, the second Superstition Mystery, KNOCK ON WOOD, will be published in October.  Its predecessor, Superstition Mystery #1, LOST UNDER A LADDER, was published last October.  Do you see a trend here?  I do.  And by the way, I'm also writing two romance series at the same time...

Yes, deadlines can be challenging for me.  But they can be challenging for everyone, no matter what it is you're doing in your life. 

So what's your next deadline?  I guess I'd better check what mine is and get to work

Malice Domestic

--by Linda O. Johnston

I know I'm a little late posting this.  That's because I purposely delayed writing it until I left Malice Domestic, a wonderful conference for cozy mystery readers and writers that took place this weekend.

It was wonderful!  I got to see old friends and make new ones.  I hung out with fellow Inkers, talked about our books and shared information about our respective series.

I got to chat with my delightful Midnight Ink editor Terri Bischoff.  At the buffet I sat at the table hosted by fellow Inker Tracy Weber, who was nominated for an Agatha for best first novel.  I'm so proud of her!  We also sat near another table of Inkers and were able to toast each other with delicious wine.

My Malice panel was: The "Paws" That Refresh: Four-Legged Detectives and Their Sidekicks, where my fellow panelists also write mysteries dealing with pets, mostly dogs and cats.  What a fun group!

I participated in Malice Go Round, which is the exhausting but enjoyable event where authors visit tables of readers two at a time to each give two-minute pitches of their work, then move on.  I'd been second on the waiting list of authors, and a few authors very sadly weren't able to make it to the conference or otherwise were not able to attend this event. 

I received a copy of the Midnight Ink magazine containing its fall lineup of mysteries.  It had the cover of my upcoming October release, the second Superstition Mystery, KNOCK ON WOOD in it!  It looks great.  Information and covers of my existing MI books were there, too, including the first Superstition novel LOST UNDER A LADDER as well as the first Barkery and Biscuits novel BITE THE BISCUIT.

And, yes, BITE THE BISCUIT is now officially available, or at least it will be in four days.  Copies were at the conference, and I was able to sign some to give away at the wonderful dessert bar hosted by MI to celebrate its tenth birthday.

So, yes, I had fun.

And I look forward to next year's Malice Domestic!

 

The Wait

--by Linda O. Johnston

It's early April now.  My next new series begins in May--the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries, starting with BITE THE BISCUIT.  And so I'm waiting.

Not that I'm sitting around twiddling my thumbs.  In fact, that would be quite difficult considering how much I use my computer.

First, I'm busily writing the second book in the series, since the manuscript is due soon.

Plus, I'm here on the Internet a lot, blogging here and elsewhere and using social media to get out there and promote not only the new series but my Superstition Mysteries, also with Midnight Ink, as well as other things I write.  I'll be doing a blog tour for BITE THE BISCUIT as well.

I'm also trying to learn more about promoting.  Even though I've been at this for a long time, I know there's a lot more I could be doing.  I even recently joined Twitter, then sat in on presentations about how to use it at the recent California Dreamin' Conference presented by the four Southern California chapters of the Romance Writers of America.  I did some traveling between then and now, though, so I haven't yet been able to attempt the stuff I learned.  So far, I'm mostly observing the Twitter feeds.

I'm active on Facebook, and like the way things are presented there.  Plus, I like to get out there in person and promote my writing that way.  For example, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books occurs later this month, and I'll be there signing my mysteries and representing various groups I belong to, such as the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Then there's Malice Domestic, which I'm attending at the end of April and beginning of May.  If I don't get a blog posted here on time, on the first Monday of the month, you'll hopefully understand why!

In any event, BITE THE BISCUIT is on its way.  And I'm really looking forward to its launch.

Writers Write

--by Linda O. Johnston

I’m a writer, and I currently write two mystery series for Midnight Ink, as well as romances.

I’ve loved writing, and I’ve loved dogs, all my life.  Probably neither is surprising to anyone who knows me and/or reads my fiction, particularly my mysteries.  I’ve also written some about my love of writing here on InkSpot.

I have been owned by dogs nearly all the time since I was eight years old.

And my writing?  Well, I started saving ideas for school essays when I was in grade school.  In undergraduate school, my major was journalism with an advertising emphasis.  After I graduated, I worked for a small newspaper, then I joined my father’s advertising and public relations firm, where I wrote ads but had the most fun writing articles for some of the clients’ house organs.

Next I went to law school, where I volunteered for the school’s law review.   I also had a couple of articles published—and most students, if they had any published, were limited to one.

Then I clerked for law firms, finally joining one when I graduated and got my law license.  I became a transactional attorney, which meant I wrote contracts—which I considered to be a form of fiction.

During that time I also started writing actual fiction.  But I never gave up on nonfiction.  That includes now, when I’m a published fiction author and inactive lawyer.

Now—well, it won’t be a surprise to anyone that I blog a lot.  I’m now blogging on the first Monday of each month here, at InkSpot.  I blog each Wednesday at Killer Hobbies and on the 6^th of each month at A Slice of Orange, the blog of the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America.  Plus, I blog on the 18^th of each month at Killer Characters.  Rather, my characters do.  In February, the protagonist of my new Barkery and Biscuits series for Midnight Ink, Carrie Kennersly, introduced herself. I’ll be doing a blog tour when the first Barkery and Biscuits story, BITE THE BISCUIT, is about to be released, in May.

Is that all?  Well, as I’ve mentioned in a prior post here I wrote a few blog posts for a political candidate I like.  I’ve written articles for American Pet Magazine and intend to write more soon.  And I was just recently requested to write some articles about the transformation of some of the residents at the wonderful private animal shelter where I volunteer. 

So… yes, I’m a writer.  I admit it.  I’m proud of it.

And writers write!

Focus on New Series

--by Linda O. Johnston

I've mentioned here before that I'm writing several novel series at the same time--four, to be exact.

Fortunately, right now, I'm able to focus on one of them, my Barkery and Biscuits series for Midnight Ink. 

That's because I'm just finishing up the edits on the first in the series, BITE THE BISCUIT, which will be a May release.  Plus, the next manuscript for which I'm under deadline will be number two in the same series, due on June 1.  I've been plotting it and have begun writing it.  So far, I don't have a working title, but I will.

It's unusual for me to be able to focus on one series like that.  The last manuscript I finished was for one of my Alpha Force paranormal romances for Harlequin Nocturne, plus I revised a proposal for a Harlequin Romantic Suspense.  And soon, I'll need to write my next Superstition Mystery for Midnight Ink.

Like most people, writers and readers alike, I multitask.  I've always done so, especially when I was formerly practicing law as a transactional real estate attorney.  Now that I'm not actively pursuing another profession, I'm a full-time writer.  But that doesn't mean that all I do is write.  For one thing, I still volunteer at an animal shelter.  And recently, I've become interested in a local political campaign and have done a bit of blog writing for a candidate I like. 

But plotting and writing is who I am.  I may go off on tangents, as most of us do, but I always get back to, and focus on, what's particularly important to me: creating and sharing stories I hope everyone will enjoy.

That's why I'm a writer.

Facing a New Year

--by Linda O. Johnston

The year 2015 has begun!  In fact, we're five days into it.  Did you make any resolutions?  I didn't, but being more superstitious than I used to be, thanks to writing my Superstition Mysteries being published by Midnight Ink, I looked around and wondered whether things that were happening were an indication of how my new year would go.

So far things haven't been great and inspiring, but neither have they been horrible.  My poor husband had unexpected tooth surgery, though, and was in pain but fortunately that has improved.  The toaster at my nearby Panera where I breakfast often on weekends remains broken. I have a February 1 writing deadline for one of my shapeshifter stories for Harlequin Nocturne, but at the moment I don't think I'll have trouble meeting it--although if you hear a noise right now that's because I'm knocking on wood.  I also have to revise an existing proposal for another Harlequin story but I already finished part of it so it, too, should be okay.

Next deadline?  My second Barkery and Biscuits story for MI.  The first one, BITE THE BISCUIT, will be published in May, and I'm delighted about it, too, although some of the editorial process is still before me. 

Yes, I'm writing four different series at the same time.  Am I nuts?  Maybe, especially since I have lots of family stuff coming up, including some long-anticipated visits this week.  I just ordered a T-shirt that says "I am a writer.  That means I live in a crazy fantasy world with unrealistic expectations.  Thank you for understanding."  It's the kind of shirt I'm not likely to wear when I'm out doing errands or anything else, but I'll definitely wear it around my house!

Whatever you do, whatever inspires you, I hope it all works beautifully in 2015.  Happy New Year!