This is a post that I had on a blog tour for one of my books. I thought my readers and followers might enjoy it.
I’ve been drawn to mystery for a long time. The cat and mouse game the writer plays with
the readers, keeping them guessing is my favorite part. I love it when a writer
fools me, and yet, when I think back over the story, it was there all
along.
That is what I try to do in my Shandra Higheagle Mysteries. I start out with who was killed and how.
Which means, I must know that person’s background and why someone might have
wanted them dead. The how can change as I start lining up my suspects. The how
may have been one way in the beginning but as I list the suspects, their motive
and opportunity, sometimes the how must change to fit the opportunity.
I have what I call a suspect chart that I use when listing
the suspects. The columns are: Victim – Death- Suspect-Motive- Red
herring. Suspect and motive are
self-explanatory. The Red herring is what the character did or didn’t do that makes them look like a suspect. I usually have anywhere from 5 to 7 suspects. Using this chart helps me to keep the story moving forward. I use the red herrings and motives as the information in each scene that keeps the story going forward and the sleuths following clues.
|
Victim
|
Death
|
Suspect
|
Motive
|
Red Herring
|
|
John Doe
|
Stabbed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PeeWee
|
Gang member
|
Has a criminal record for stabbing people
|
While this all sounds like I have my book all planned out, I
don’t. Of the 7 Shandra Higheagle mysteries I’ve only written 2 where the
killer stayed the same from the suspect chart to the end. As I write the book
other secondary characters enter the story. What they see and do changes what I
thought happened in the beginning processes.
One of the wonderful things about writing, and writing
mystery, is how my mind can have me write a character doing something, and at
the time I don’t know why, then later on it is connected to the story in such a
way it makes a huge impact on the outcome.
In my stories, I also have dreams that play a role in how
the main character, Shanda Higheagle, helps to solve the murder. Sometimes the
dreams are explicit enough she can help guide Detective Ryan to the clues and
murderer. Other times, she is too close to the situation and can’t figure it
out. However, if the reader really thinks about the dreams, they could figure out who the killer is. There are times I need to add a
dream to the story, but I’m not sure what I want to show. When that happens, I
quit for the day and find other things to do, and usually, out of nowhere, the
dream will come to me. It is either a
foreshadowing of what’s to come or a cryptic message about who the killer is.
You can go
here to discover more about Shandra, her deceased grandmother, and her
dreams.
The latest Shandra Higheagle book, Fatal Fall, will release May 25th,
When the doctor is a no-show for her appointment, Shandra
Higheagle becomes wrapped up in another murder. The death of the doctor’s
elderly aunt has everyone questioning what happened and who’s to blame.
Shandra’s dreams soon tell her she’s on the right path, but also suggests her
best friend could be grave danger.
Detective Ryan Greer knows not even an illness will keep
Shandra from sneaking around, and he appreciates that. Her insight is
invaluable. When she becomes embroiled deeper in the investigation, he stakes
out the crime scene and waits for the murder to make a tell-all mistake.
But will he be able to act fast enough to keep Shandra or
her friend from being the next victim?
