When I sat down 15 years ago to see if I had one book in me, I had no clue where to start. And now, all this time and more than 30 books later, every time I face the blank page, it’s the same. Where to start? I’m an avid reader of mysteries, particularly what is […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Donna Schlachter loves “The Fugitive”
The idea for this story came from a love of a movie and a friend with a great train story to share. The movie was “The Fugitive,” both the original series pilot and the more recent remake. I loved the idea of a train ride leading to a second chance. My friend had recently taken […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Donna Schlachter’s desert oasis tale
A Prickly Affair came about as the result of a long-standing friendship, a step-mother who I dearly loved, and a desert oasis I longed to write about. Mary Davis, a good friend, contacted me because I’d worked with her on a previous romance collection, wanting to know if I was interested in another, and I […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Leeann Betts discusses the fact that she is a pseudonym
Several people have asked me “Why a pseudonym?”, so I thought perhaps more readers and authors might want to know the answer, as well. Within the Christian community, I’ve had folks who said, “Isn’t that like lying?” The answer to the first question is perhaps easier than to the second. So I’ll start with the […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Leeann Betts and the book you always wanted to write
So you have a great idea for a book. You’ve done some character sketches. You know where the story is going. The only thing that’s left, apart from the writing, is to decide where to set your book. Your hometown? No, too many people know you there. That little town where you went on vacation […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Donna Schlachter says research isn’t work
I always thought history was boring, probably because about the only thing I remember is memorizing dates for the reigns of monarchs (I’m from Canada, so we focused on British history). And I don’t do well with memorizing. But give me a tidbit of historical information, like the Pony Express, and I’m off to the […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Leeann Betts adds up the numbers to solve the crime
Writers hear this all the time at conferences: write what you know. As a new writer, I took this advice seriously. So when I sat down to write my first book, I asked myself: what do you know? I knew numbers. I was trained as a bookkeeper, had worked for many years in accounting departments, and I […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Donna Schlachter conjures a unique setting
Have you ever started to read a book where you got to the third chapter (or sooner) and tossed it aside because you weren’t engaged? To engage readers, writers often focus on developing multi-dimensional characters and character journeys and backstory, but we neglect that all-important setting. When handled properly, setting becomes as much of a […]