my words
My words, in a nutshell
For the most part, I write fiction. Specifically, mysteries. My stories range from light-hearted capers to gritty private investigations. Always, though, the story focuses on the personal stories that underly the mystery happening on the surface.
I find short forms, like essays and short stories, much harder to write than novels because, for me, fitting the arc into the short form is very, very difficult. Does that mean I tend to blather on? My husband will tell you, yes always. But I will tell you that in my novels, no I do not blather on. Unless it’s integral to the character’s persona. Trust me.
my very first keyboard!
Novels
Novels – series
The Cheakamus series of mysteries focuses on a small town in the British Columbia mountains, and the quirky people who call it home. The protagonist is D. S. Gabrieli, once a high-flying lawyer, now a part-time bartender, part-time private investigator, full-time barely scraping by.
The first novel in the series is The End Game. Read more about Gabe and The End Game here by clicking on the button below.
Novels – stand alones
An interesting thing about writing a stand-alone mystery: now and then by the time I type “the end” at least one of the characters in the novel has decided they are not at the end of their particular story. For example, Olivia, the protagonist in my stand-alone novel Concrete Becomes Her, has shouldered her way in to another stand-alone that is currently in the “ugly first draft” stage. To read more about this novel (which is set near Donner Lake, California), click on the button below.
Short Forms
Short Stories
One of my favourite characters, Persimmon Worthing, stars in several of my short stories. You can find her in anthologies and mystery magazines. To read one of Persimmon’s tales, and to find buy links for my short stories, click on the Short Stories button below.
Other Short Forms
Occasionally I write non-fiction pieces that lean towards observations about absurdities of daily life. And less often, I try my hand at flash fiction (but I have to say the challenge of working a complete story into fewer than 500 words is daunting.) If you’d like to sample my attempts at these other short forms, click on the Other Shorties button below.
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