It's Still Exciting, Every Single Time! by Lonnie Cruse

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lonnie Cruse now resides in Metropolis,Illinois, home of Superman. She writes the Kitty Bloodworth, ’57 Chevy mystery series and the Metropolis mystery series. Lonnie is a member of MWA and the Antique Automobile Club of America, and its Southern Illinois Ohio Valley Chapter. Lonnie teaches writing workshops and speaks to writers/readers groups.
Her website is: www.lonniecruse.com

IT’S STILL EXCITING, EVERY SINGLE TIME!
By Lonnie Cruse

This month my sixth mystery and the second in the Kitty Bloodworth/’57 Chevy series comes out from Five Star. I gotta tell ya, folks, this never gets old. Having a new book out with my name on the cover. Holding the published story in my eager hands. Getting a good review from a tough reviewer. Whew!

Each of my books is special to me for different reasons, just like each child in a family is special to his/her parents for different reasons. This mystery is special to me because I set it in Pigeon Forge, TN, the heart of the Smokey Mountains and one of my favorite places to visit. We’ve been fortunate to visit there several times and I love the atmosphere. I wasn’t writing mysteries (or much of anything else) the first few times we were there, but by the time of our last visit, I was in full swing as an author. I based this book on memories of the beautiful scenery and the people we met while there. Doing that made the area come alive for me again.

This book features Kitty Bloodworth, her hubby, Jack, and their trophy winning ’57 Chevy, Sadie. It also features many of the character from the first in the series, FIFTY-SEVEN HEAVEN, but because I sent Kitty and Jack to a car show/sale in a different state, I had a dilemma. I couldn’t let the murder take place on the first page or even in the first chapter, like I usually do. Instead, I had to let the characters meet and intermingle with the locals, get to know their way around, before anything remotely resembling a murder could take place. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything exciting going on. The Bloodworth’s and their best friends, the Evans, get into trouble within just a few pages. In fact, Jack Bloodworth is already in trouble with Kitty on page one, for running into and fawning over his favorite country music singer. Ah, men.

This time in the publishing of a book is the best of times in a writer’s career. No new ideas to frantically try to get on paper before they disappear into the nether worlds. No researching detail after detail to make sure there aren’t any howlers just waiting to be discovered by readers. No outlining, no note taking, no scrabbling around to find those notes. No stressing over how to fill that saggy, baggy middle of the book. No figuring out alibis for everyone, then breaking them. No red herrings un-explained, no plot holes to fill. No biting of nails while the ending is written (hopefully with a bang.) No waiting to hear from a publisher. No waiting for the edits, praying that nothing important must be changed or deleted. No waiting for the book to come out. And not much in the way of promotion to be done until the book actually IS out. Again, whew!

Readers are often excited to meet a “real author” meaning anyone with a book in print and the “real author’s” name on the front. Well, let me just say that we authors are often excited to meet a “real reader.” Someone we don’t know who’s read our book, our words, our baby, and LOVES IT! Music to our ears.

FIFTY-SEVEN TRAVELING is coming to a library or an online store or maybe even a local bookstore near you. I hope you grab a copy and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And if you ever have a chance to visit the Smokey Mountains, don’t miss it.

Thanks, Kaye, for having me on your wonderful blog! You are very special!