At first I didn’t recognize many common themes in my own novels.

Common Themes, Very Different Novels

The Awakening series has a college-aged main character, is told from multiple viewpoints, and deals with themes of good and evil on a large scale, apocalyptic prophecies, and how deeply held beliefs can cause people to see the same situation (in this case a pregnant virgin) in totally different ways that lead to conflicting goals and choices. There are villains, but their views are explored and their motives are rarely simply to do evil things. They believe they are doing what’s right.

The Q.C. Davis mystery series is far more personal. It’s told mainly by the main character, Quille, a thirty-something lawyer who solves crimes because of her deep mistrust in authorities which is rooted in childhood trauma. The villains tend to be true villains who commit murder for convenience, personal gain, or because they can’t help themselves.

And then there’s my orphan book, When Darkness Falls. Though published later, I wrote it before all the others. It’s about a twenty-something woman who falls for a man who doesn’t know he recently became a vampire. It explores love, commitment, attraction, isolation. The villain there, too, is fairly villainous.

So what ties these together?

Some common themes emerged as I worked through my marketing. But one didn’t occur to me until a friend pointed it out — terrible mothers.

The worst is probably in When Darkness Falls. Seen entirely through the protagonist’s eyes, while that mother allows her daughter to move home as she’s recovering from injuries, she’s unsympathetic, overly critical, and generally makes her daughter Haley’s life that much stressful. The difficult relationship in part pushes Haley to rush into marriage with someone she doesn’t know well as a way to get away.

In The Awakening, protagonist Tara Spencer’s mom is quite combative from nearly page 1. Not only does she refuse to believe Tara never had sex but is all the same pregnant (which to be fair would be hard to believe in real life), she accuses her daughter of lying to protect her good girl image of herself. But the character is more complex than Haley’s mother. Through the course of four books the reader learns more about Lynette’s life and views and why she is the way she is. And despite her friction with her daughter, Lynette by her actions comes through for Tara, sometimes when no one else does.

The mom in the Q.C. Davis mysteries emotionally abandons Quille as a child. And, when Quille is an adult, often takes everything Quille does for her for granted and criticizes her. But Brenda Davis’s reasons for being the way she is are explored more deeply than Lynette’s. Her second daughter, the original Quille C. Davis (known as Q.C.), was kidnapped and murdered as a young girl. Brenda never recovered from the loss. She named Quille, born soon after, for her deceased daughter and forever held up the original Q.C. as the perfect child.

Brenda’s chronic depression and anxiety shaped Quille’s life. But Brenda did make sure Quille was cared for by her grandmother, who provided a lot of love and support. That led to Quille being a happier, healthier (to a point) person than is likely given the family trauma. And as the books unfold the relationship between the two improves incrementally.

Where These Themes Come From

Given what I just shared (much of which you may know depending upon which books you’ve read), it’s hard to believe I didn’t see the “terrible mothers” theme. And you’re probably wondering about my relationship with my mother. When I was a kid, it was great. No parent is perfect any more than any human is. But my mom and dad were good parents. I was lucky enough that I always felt safe at home, had enough to eat, and got the message that I could do whatever I put my mind to. My mom did tend to be critical. But overall the message was to do my best and treat other people well and I’d likely get wherever I wanted to go.

When I was young my parents were really good, too, at encouraging me at what I did well, pushing me to expand my comfort zones a little, but mostly wanting me to be my best self rather than turning me into someone else. So, for instance, they accepted early on that they weren’t raising an athlete. Or even a kid who could catch a softball. (Good luck on that.)

But as an adult my mother and I ran into roadblocks. As I said when I gave her eulogy, she was a strong, determined woman who went her own way, knew her own mind, and was certain she was right. She raised me to be the same way. No surprise that when we didn’t agree it was hard to resolve. She definitely wanted me to think for myself. She just wasn’t prepared for me to think differently than she did.

Maybe I wasn’t either.

No doubt the things that challenge me influence what I choose to write about. While my mom and I came to a pretty good place before she died, mother-daughter relationships in all their forms still tend to intrigue me. But when creating fictional moms, daughters, or any characters, I draw from multiple people I’ve known for a short or long time, read about, or heard about, not only my own experience. I’m sure all writers do the same or most novels would be too much like ordinary life. My hope, though, is that whatever I’m exploring, readers find something that speaks to them about their own lives. And maybe walk away feeling a little more hopeful.

That’s all for now. I hope you have a great weekend.

Best,
Lisa

P.S. Here’s where you can check out the fiction mentioned above:

Start the Awakening series:
https://lisalilly.com/the-awakening/

Read the Q.C. Davis Mysteries:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MHH9QVY

Check out When Darkness Falls:
https://lisalilly.com/when-darkness-falls-2/

The post Story Ties, Themes And Terrible Mothers appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

Peek behind the scenes of the new release and all the Q.C. Davis crime novels throughout the day. There’ll be videos, location photos, book excerpts, quotes, and, of course, the traditional all-important book launch quiz.

Win and get a character named after you in the next novel!

Hope to see you on October 9! Click here to join.

The Skeptical Man Book Launch

Justice or illusion? Quille C. Davis risks it all to uncover deadly secrets in the world of magic.

In the mesmerizing world of magic and illusion, lawyer and private investigator Quille C. Davis finds herself entangled in a puzzling murder case. Her task: solve the murder of her dear friend’s husband, a renowned magician with a complicated past.

The victim, Randall Petrov, recently distanced himself from his family’s business. He devoted his energy to a noble cause: a nonprofit that brought the magic of hope to hospitalized children. But in doing so, he stirred up a hornet’s nest of trouble, uncovering corruption and fraud. Additionally, Petrov conducted a daring sting operation that unmasked a fraudulent psychic who preyed upon vulnerable parents seeking solace. Suspicion falls, too, upon his own brother, set to inherit the family business.

Quille delves into the investigation, navigating not only the streets of Chicago, but a mystical European city. Her pursuit of justice comes at a great cost as she finds herself the target of deadly attempts on her life. Quille faces internal turmoil as well. Haunted by the recent resolution of her sister’s decades-old murder, Quille knows firsthand that justice does not always bring closure and healing — especially when it comes to her strained relationship with her parents.

Complicating matters is her long-distance boyfriend. Uncertainty over his return to Chicago leaves Quille torn between loyalty and the allure of an attractive and intelligent musician who aided her in a past investigation.

The Skeptical Man is a riveting mystery that takes readers through an intricate world of magic, family secrets, and personal redemption. Will Quille uncover the truth behind Randall Petrov’s murder, unearth the sinister corruption plaguing the nonprofit, and ultimately find the solace she seeks? Or will she fall prey to the same killer who ended Petrov’s life?

Get your copy today and uncover the truth behind the illusions.

Kindle | Paperback | Large Print (Coming Soon)

The post Book Launch The Skeptical Man appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

A Non-Supernatural Mystery In Prague

First, though, private investigator Quille C. Davis will travel to Prague to question a psychic medium, who is also a murder suspect, in my Q.C. Davis mysteries.

While the Q.C. Davis mystery series is not supernatural, Prague’s long history of mysticism and alchemy make it an ideal home for the psychic medium character. And the city’s overall beauty makes me willing to have Quille spend time away from Chicago, which she (like me) loves and where she lives, practices law, and solves crimes.

Supernatural Books And Mystic Prague Nights

More on the new series, which will be a follow up to my Awakening Supernatural Thriller series, down the road. But to give you a hint, some highlights, photos, and ideas.

Simply being in Prague felt mystic, especially at night. Above is a statue on the famous Charles Bridge. 

And the monastery sparked many ideas for twists and turns in a new novel, as it included two halls of books. Look at the sign on one of them — perfect for a religious conspiracy thriller.

The Missing Bones

I also toured the convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia in Prague. (Hall and scale model of convent below.) What intrigued me most?

My guide told me that the crypt that bears the name of Agnes of Bohemia is not her final resting place. 

Turns out her supporters hid her bones from enemies after her death. They did such a great job that no one has ever found them.

I’m sure I can do something with that legend, or borrow from it.

Cathedrals And Castles

In Krakow, the Wawel Castle and the cathedral in it captured my imagination. In particular, the skull on one wall and what looks like a goat’s head with a sword thrust into it on the ceiling.

Why are both there? I’ll need research. Which will be fun and no doubt will lead to more ideas for plot twists.

Here’s the castle:

If you want to be first to know when the new supernatural thriller series begins or the new Q.C. Davis mystery is underway, click here to join my Readers Group email list and get a free Reader’s Guide to the original Awakening series.

The post Prague And Krakow Spark Supernatural Ideas appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

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 death. Like my sister, his daughter was kidnapped and killed at age five. The two girls were found in a grave together. Evidence showed the same person committed both crimes.

My phone buzzed.

Get New Release The Forgotten Man Here.

The Q.C. Davis Mysteries in Order:

The Worried Man

The Charming Man

No Good Plays (novella)

The Fractured Man

The Troubled Man

The Hidden Man

The Forgotten Man

About The Author

In addition to writing new release The Forgotten Man and the other Q.C. Davis Mysteries, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series as well as numerous short stories.  Her non-fiction includes books on writing craft under L. M. Lilly. She also hosts the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story.

The post New Release: The Forgotten Man appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

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 phone books.

I could have learned a lot online about what the library does and doesn’t offer. And there are plenty of photos as well.

But I’m so glad I went there in person. I discovered things I wouldn’t have known. They won’t change the plot of the novel. But they will add to the story.

The Library Stacks

I loved the public library as a kid. It was an exciting world a two-block walk away. So of course my detective, Quille, and her friend Lauren will visit the Edwardsville public library.

Now that I’ve been there in person, I know what they’ll see inside. And where they’ll research. Probably at the long table in front of the stacks in the photo above.

And I may use a little poetic license and move these armchairs to a spot where they can talk over their findings.

Quietly, of course. 

Also, though they aren’t looking for audiobooks, especially not in physical form, I enjoyed seeing these shelves full of them.

Outside The Edwardsville Public Library

I’m also glad I walked around the outside of the library. 

As the photos below show, there’s tall sculpture at the front. And to one side is a bandshell. I feel certain some outdoor event will occur there.

Which is great because one challenge when writing a follow-the-clues mystery is varying the places where the main character questions witnesses and suspects. (More on that in a later post about Edwardsville taverns.)

Surprise Dolls At The Library

Now to something I never would have learned through online research, as I had no reason to search for anything in the children’s library.

You can borrow American Girl dolls from the Edwardsville Public Library. Now that I know that, at the very least Quille, my detective, will need to see them. And since the plot involves the murders of two little girls (including the sister Quille was named after), I’m sure there’ll be a way to do that.

Stay tuned for more from my trip and about the book.

Best,

Lisa M. Lilly

P.S. Looking for the rest of the Q.C. Davis mysteries? Click here for a list of them in order. Also available in Large Print.

The post Detectives At The Edwardsville Public Library appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

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 cause (there, a self-help organization) affected relationships.

The Troubled Man was different. (Click here for a book summary.)

Why A Difficult Woman

Because what came to me first was one character. Ivy. A woman not well liked to say the least. One whom most people found difficult to deal with. So much so that one of her daughters refused to live with her any longer.

But I also saw her as a woman who didn’t act out of bad motives. Instead, when she was alive, Ivy focused so much on controlling her environment and the people around her that she couldn’t let those she loved be who they were.

If a woman like that were killed, I imagined, there would be many suspects. And yet nothing she did was so over the top that it singled out any one person as the likely killer.

What also intrigued me was that Quille needed to get to know Ivy after she died. To solve the murder, she had to piece together this woman’s life without ever meeting her.

A Need For Control

I don’t know quite why Ivy speaks to me so.

Maybe it’s her need to control. Because I share that need. The difference is that I recognize it’s futile. My best shot at controlling anything is writing novels, where I get to create the whole world. (Maybe that’s why I love it so much?) Yet even there, sometimes characters take me places I didn’t expect.

In life outside of writing, I aim to be the opposite of Ivy. I try to listen, to offer support, to be kind. But a little of me envies Ivy. Not her death, of course, but her life. Full steam ahead, do what she wants, take no prisoners.

Parents vs. Children

And then there’s family. 

Quille investigates because Ivy’s younger daughter asks her to. Though she found her mother challenging, the daughter felt compassion for her. She also was motivated – probably more so – by her father.

As the soon-to-be ex-husband, police fasten on him as a suspect and arrest him. He has no money to pay his bond so he remains in jail while Quille investigates. His predicament allowed me to explore some parts of the criminal justice system in the United States that many people never see or think about.

And to see it through the eyes of someone who loves the accused man and has every faith in him.

You might have noticed that parents and children are a theme that runs through all the Q.C. Davis mysteries in one form or another. Whether it’s Quille’s real conflict with her mother, her relationship with her substitute mom (Carole, owner of the coffeehouse where Quille often hangs out), or how victims and perpetrators of the fictional crimes related to their caregivers, each book looks at how parents and children affect one another.

The odd thing is I didn’t necessarily see that until I started writing you this email. So thanks for helping me figure that out. And I hope you’ve been enjoying the mysteries.

Best,
Lisa M. Lilly

P.S. If you haven’t checked it out already, click the links below to learn more or buy The Troubled Man.

Paperback | Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Apple | Google Play | Large Print

The post Investigating A Difficult Woman appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

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 chapter titles.

It’s been fun coming up with them as I write. I’m sure many will change in the revision. And I haven’t titled all the chapters yet.

But here are the titles for the first quarter of the next book:

1. Suspects
2. Parents
3. The Other Girl
4. Victims And Friends
5. Mrs. Kev
6. Quille Gets Questioned
7. The Unwanted Child
8. Stuck
9. Skulking
10. Relatively Speaking
11. Brothers And Cousins
12. Mothers And Teachers
13. The Reverend’s Family
14. The Not So Good Son
15. The Studio

Thanks for letting me share this with you! It helps me keep writing on sunny, warm days when I want to be outside.

Best,
Lisa M. Lilly

P.S. Quille starts talking with her parents and a retired chief police about her sister’s murder in the previous mystery, The Hidden Man. If you haven’t read it yet, click here for where to find it. (Available in paperback, ebook, and Large Print editions.)

The post Sneak Peek At Mystery In Progress appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

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 dark sides. I’ve fallen prey to one myself – the conviction that what works for me will also fix everyone else I know.

Most of us do this now and then but catch ourselves. A friend tells us that yoga might be the only exercise that works for us, but they prefer running. (Though why anyone does I don’t know – apologies to runners.) And we listen and stop pushing yoga. Or whatever our favorite exercise is.

But when a company or group is aiming to make a lot of money from self-help, it often pushes members to recruit others. Unfortunately, often the message is that anyone who doesn’t see the light is no doubt miserable, failing to live up to their potential, or evil. (To be fair, that’s the way many types of ads and sales pitches work, not just self-help.) And the only fix, of course, is to pay to join the movement, attend classes, worship the guru, etc.

The person doing the recruiting may act out of care and concern but forget to listen to the “it’s not for me” part. That creates a lot of conflict.

That’s what gave me the idea for The Fractured Man.

Quille’s long-lost friend returns to her, seeking help because his boss is dead. The boss was a high level member of Seminar, a fictional self-help organization.

To create the organization, I researched books, blogs, forums, and documentaries about different self-help groups and organizations. Including my fave Tony Robbins. (Check out the documentary I Am Not Your Guru if you’re curious.) I did my best to find sources that covered the pros and cons of each.

Every organization or guru I looked into had in fact helped many people, as does Seminar. But Seminar has a dark side, too. And Quille’s friend’s dedication to it keeps him from telling Quille the whole truth.

Which puts both their lives at risk.

Also key to sparking the story is the question of what we owe childhood friends we’ve outgrown. But that’s a topic for another time.

Lisa

P.S. The Fractured Man also is available in a Large Print Edition. 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer.

The post When The Phone Rings At Midnight appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

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 sometimes odd, I admit) buildings occurred because of tragedy. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 killed 300 people and destroyed over 17,000 buildings. Nearly a third of the city was in ruins.

But talented architects flocked to the city to rebuild. Many of them—including Louis Sullivan, Daniel H. Burnham, and Dankmar Adler—stayed and designed newer and taller downtown buildings.

That theme of rebirth after devastation is one I relate to personally for a lot of reasons, as does my detective Quille C. Davis. That’s another big part of why I couldn’t resist Chicago as a setting for the first five mystery novels. (The sixth will mix in Edwardsville, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, too.)

I hope that post-Covid (whenever we truly get there) will see the city become the best it’s ever been. Until then I’ll keep revisiting my favorite spots through my fiction.

The post Chicago Knows How To Rebuild appeared first on Lisa Lilly.

The Hidden Man (New Release)

He wants his father’s killer found, but his secrets kept. She vows to solve the murder no matter what. Will what she doesn’t know eventually kill her?

Until now, Chicago lawyer Quille C. Davis has investigated crimes, but only to help her loved ones. Now she’s been hired to solve the murder of a well-known class action attorney.

The victim died with a secret. Quille suspects it relates to his fascination with UFOs, an interest he shared with his long-time girlfriend. But the truth is hard to come by, as secrets abound and no one who knew him is willing to tell her everything —  even if it means a killer goes free.

Quille is determined to solve the murder and prove she can succeed as a paid private investigator. But how can she find the truth when everyone around her strives to hide it?

And will the secrets she finally uncovers cause her – or someone she loves – to become the next victim?

Download The Hidden Man today or order the trade paperback or Large Print edition:

Kindle | Nook |Kobo | GooglePlay | Apple Books | Paperback | Large Print

As an Amazon Associate the publisher earns from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer.

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