by Kassandra Lamb ~ A couple of weeks ago, I guest blogged about the fun and challenges of writing holiday stories, on Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers, the blog of Anastasia Pollack (the main character in Lois Winston’s delightful series, the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries).
And I had so much fun writing that post, that I just had to share it with you all here on our blog!
So I’ll give you a little taste and then send you over to Anastasia’s and Lois’s cyber home to finish it up.
The Fun and Challenges of Writing Holiday Stories
I’ve always loved reading holiday stories, especially Christmas ones. They put me in the mood for that holiday. And I’ve discovered in recent years that I also love writing them. They’re a lot of fun.
There are, however, a few unique challenges to penning a story set at Halloween or Christmas or any other holiday.
But first, the fun!
Descriptions of settings
Descriptions become a lot more fun to write when you can dress them up with sparkly Christmas lights or spooky Halloween decor or red hearts for Valentine’s Day.
The first holiday novella I wrote was for my Kate Huntington mysteries. It’s set in St. Augustine, Florida, where Kate’s parents live.
In real life, St. Augustine goes way overboard when it comes to Christmas. The town, its businesses and residents put up millions of tiny white lights to create a wonderland. Every palm tree and light post is swathed in garlands, lights and ribbons. And even during the day, the decorations are spectacular, like the gazebo in the town plaza.
The descriptions of those decorations help readers be right there with Kate and her family as they prepare for the holidays, and solve a mystery while they’re at it.
And as the plot is unfolding in The Legend of Sleepy Mayfair (in my second cozy series), the town’s riding stable is gradually transformed into a haunted house, with witches and giant spiders hanging from the rafters and a room full of creepy dolls… Click HERE to Read More about the Fun and Challenges of Writing Holiday Stories!
Last week to Preorder my new release for $2.99 ~ goes up after its release on 12/13/21.
Note: This series is a spinoff from the Kate Huntington Mysteries. Judith Anderson was the police lieutenant in that series. In case you haven’t read that series yet, I have the collection of Books 1-5 of the Kate books on sale right now, for 99 cents!
LETHAL ASSUMPTIONS, A C.o.P. on the Scene Mystery
Judith Anderson’s no-nonsense attitude and confidence served her well in her climb to homicide lieutenant in the Baltimore County PD, but that confidence is shaken when she finds herself one step behind a serial killer—just eight days into her new job as Chief of Police in a small Florida city.
The first victim, a female college student, may be a case of wrong place, wrong time. But the bodies keep coming, with a mishmash of MOs, and the murders may be linked to various cases in nearby Jacksonville.
While Judith assumed the CoP job would be challenging, she’s finding it harder than she imagined to establish her authority without alienating and be more hands-on without micro-managing. Plus, evidence is staking up that there’s a leak in her department.
Who can she trust? If she makes the wrong assumption, the wrong decision, it may be her last. In a race to save lives, she’ll draw on every talent and instinct that made her a star in Baltimore. But will that be enough this time?
Fans of JA Jance’s Sheriff Joanna Brady and JD Robb’s Eve Dallas will love this new female cop on the scene!
AVAILABLE for PREORDER NOW on:
AMAZON ~ NOOK ~ APPLE ~ KOBO ~ GOOGLE PLAY
Posted by Kassandra Lamb. Kassandra is a retired psychotherapist turned mystery writer. She is the author of the Kate Huntington psychological mysteries, set in her native Maryland, and the Marcia Banks and Buddy cozy mysteries, set in Central Florida. She also writes romantic suspense under the pen name of Jessica Dale.
Misterio press produces an array of quality crime fiction. We post here twice a month, usually on Tuesdays, to alert you to new releases, to entertain, and to inform.
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