Thank you to everyone who helped make the launch of my new book The Forgotten Man (A Q.C. Davis Mystery), a success by buying early copies, posting reviews, and sharing about it on social media!
It was great to see so many people at the book release party as well.
Now I'm taking a much needed break and traveling in Europe. Along the way, though, I'm getting tons of ideas for a new book that will begin a series that spins off of my Awakening supernatural thriller series. And some possible ...
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New Release: The Forgotten Man
Chapter One: A Likely Suspect
It’s not every day you interview the man who might have murdered your sister. I leaned into the airport restroom mirror and dotted concealer over the dark circles under my eyes, then brushed lint from the jacket of my suit. It was my best suit. The one I saved for appellate arguments and pitches to gain new clients. Its warm brown color set off my olive skin and nearly black hair nicely.
I wanted the man I was meeting to answer questions about his daughter’s d...
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This Lawyer Writes Crime Novels To Find Justice
I didn't start out writing crime novels. A need for justice in real life sent me in that direction. As some readers know (though I never wrote about it in my novels), in 2007 a drunk driver killed my parents.
The court proceedings against that driver marked the first time I directly experienced the criminal justice system. I learned about it in law school. But as a lawyer, at that point I'd handled only civil cases. (Meaning cases about recovering money, not prosecuting crimes.)
These ...
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Crime Writer At The Shooting Range
Not too long ago I took a research trip I hesitate to write about. I went to a shooting range. I'd never held a gun before let alone fired one. It was a little scary.
I did it because at some point Quille, the protagonist of my Q.C. Davis Mystery series, will probably pick up a gun. Spoiler: I don't ever imagine her owning one or shooting anyone.
But a crime writer probably should know how it feels.
Also, if/when I write a present day supernatural thriller (perhaps revisiting Tara ...
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The Hidden Man And The Book Fair
Two quick notes for the weekend:
First, the Printers Row Lit Fest is this weekend in Chicago. I'll be there Saturday, September 10, from 12:30 - 3. It's the largest outdoor book fair in the Midwest.
If you're in the area and can stop by, you'll not only find tons of books and authors, you'll see the neighborhood where Quille, the lawyer/sleuth in my Q.C. Davis mysteries, lives. Look for me under the Chicago Writers Association Tent on Dearborn Street just north of Polk Street in Chicago. (...
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Detectives At The Edwardsville Public Library
Recently I visited the Edwardsville public library in Southern Illinois as part of my book research.
I discovered the value of researching in person, American Girl dolls, and an outdoor bandshell.
While my Q.C. Davis mystery series mostly takes place in Chicago, the detective/lawyer main character was born in Edwardsville. In the next book in the series (working title The Forgotten Man) she'll strive to solve two 1980s murders. For that, she needs 1980s yearbooks, newspaper articles, and ...
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Investigating A Difficult Woman
The Q.C. Davis mysteries are not message books. They're plot-driven, follow-the-clues detective mysteries. But I do begin each with a core idea.
In The Worried Man, it was the pain of death by suicide as well as Quille’s family history. In The Charming Man, the concept of friends, many of whom are like family, trapped in an apartment complex during a blizzard sparked the story. And for The Fractured Man, I focused both on long-lost childhood friends and how the urge to recruit others to a cau...
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Sneak Peek At Mystery In Progress
It's not every day you meet a man who might have murdered your sister.
That's how the next Q.C. Davis mystery starts. This is the one where Quille looks into the murder of the sister for whom she was named: the original Q.C. Davis.
No working title yet, but I am about two-thirds through a first draft.
And I'm doing something new. Chapters in the earlier books were cleverly titled Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc. Creative, right?
Quite a few readers told me, though, that you prefer c...
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When The Phone Rings At Midnight
A midnight phone call rarely brings good news. This idea sparked the opening scene for one of the Q.C. Davis mysteries, The Fractured Man. But it didn’t inspire the plot.
I say “industry” because I love self-help minus the industry.
Tony Robbins' book Awaken The Giant Within helped me reframe my thoughts and overcome anxiety when it was a real struggle. Other books on happiness, productivity, and success helped me make career changes and improve my relationships.
But self-help has ...
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Chicago Knows How To Rebuild
One reason I love writing the Q.C. Davis mysteries is they highlight what I love about Chicago, where I live. The news is full of bad news about the city (but that's what news is, right?).
But Chicago also is home to fantastic restaurants, striking indoor and outdoor art, and beautiful buildings.
Sometimes when I'm walking at twilight I stop and stare at the skyline and think how lucky I feel to live here.
What you may not know is that this abundance of stunning (and sometime...
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