What I Didn't Tell You by Brenda Whiteside

My favorite part of writing a book is character creation. My stories typically form at the same time a cast of characters arrives in my head. Occasionally, they've been based loosely on someone I know. Usually, they're strangers who arrive, and we get to know each other as the story forms. Almost always, everything I know about them doesn't make it into the story.

In The Art of Love and Murder, Lacy Dahl is on a quest to learn more about her birth parents. She owns a coffee cafe called The Lacy Latte. What didn't make the book?

She has a special closet just for shoes. She practices yoga twice a week and has recently talked her friend Phoebe into going to the classes with her.

Sheriff Chance Meadowlark plays opposite Lacy in book one of the Love and Murder Series. What didn't make the book?

He’s concerned about the next election and the man who will run against him. (Note: I figured he had enough problems without bringing this into the story.)

In book two of the series, Southwest of Love and Murder, Phoebe Anderson is our heroine. She's a

writer of murder mysteries with a free-spirited personality. She has a hummingbird tattoo above her breast. What didn't make the book?

The hummingbird was tattooed by a man she dated. The name of the pure essential oil she wears is Holland and Barrett Lavender. She practiced yoga with her best friend Lacy until Lacy moved away. It was the only exercise she did. She loves sweets and dates artsy types.

Mason Meadowlark is Phoebe's counterpart. He's a rancher. What didn't make the book?

He always placed first or second in his competition at the local rodeos, but lost interest when his marriage collapsed. He spent more time in bars and partying. He’s dated every crowned Rodeo Queen since. He’s an avid reader.

My characters are my pretend friends, and I'm attached to all of them. Yeah, crazy author stuff. Are there characters you've followed in series books who you feel like you'd like to know in the real world?

Don't miss book five of The Love and Murder Series. It's up for pre-order here:
Amazon Pre-Order

A vengeful ex-husband and a high-stakes, bloody fight for land threaten a love-struck couple’s happiness.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month: http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about life’s latest adventure and has fun guests on her personal blog: http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V15WF8

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3972045.Brenda_Whiteside

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-whiteside

Who's the #Character? My Alter-Ego is a Sexy Author by Brenda Whiteside

Not all characters spring entirely from an author's imagination. At least, that's the case with me. When an author says "be careful, you just might end up in my book" they aren't joking.

There is some model or true to life person in many of the characters who roam the pages of my novels. After all, truth is often way crazier and more colorful than fiction much of the time. So, just between us, I'm going to divulge some of those inspirations. You won't tell, right?

For the most part, my Love and Murder Series springs from my imagination. But not entirely. The hero in The Art of Love and Murder is Sheriff Chance Meadowlark. He started out as Lance...which happens to be my son's name. He also happens to be my son's height and build with a strong character for protection of the women in his life. When I wrote the first love scene, egad, the name had to change!

Book two, Southwest of Love and Murder, the heroine, Phoebe, is a murder/mystery writer who loves hippy/gypsy style clothing, lots of jewelry, and sex. Hum, well, she's my alter ego. And who better to model the hero after than Robert Redford. No, I don't know him personally, but it was his face I saw interacting with me, er, Phoebe.

A Legacy of Love and Murder, book three and set in Austria, is probably the purest of the series when it comes to characters. But I do have a close friend in Austria and with his help I threw in some German. He's also very good looking like the hero, Tobias Wolf.

My brother spent an awful night in a cheap motel and that one scene was inspiration for The Power of Love and Murder. I built Jake from my brother and my son. My brother owned a tile business for years and my son was a rock and roll singer in his own band for years. But another interesting character in the book is Vince Elams, an FBI agent turned hit man. A friend of mine, Vince Smale, asked if I'd put him in one of my books someday. Friend Vince is a big man and not a villain, but switching up his name did the trick. P.S. he loves the character.

Three characters in Sleeping with the Lights On do exist. I've changed them a

Mom and Dad were the stars of Post-War Dreams

little to fit the story, but they are very much the models. And I won't say which of them for sure. There was a fourth who had one minor scene...the jerk of a boss. Oh yes, I knew that man!

In other books, it might be a personality trait or physical trait of someone I've encountered or known in the past.

So, watch out! You could be in my book...let me know if you recognize anyone.

Find all of my characters on my Blog or Amazon or my Web Page.

I MURDER AND I MOURN by Brenda Whiteside

I killed someone I liked yesterday. I'm still grieving. Hold up there...no need to dial 911. I'm a romantic suspense writer don't forget, so it's my job man! Until now, my murder victims have been characters that walked through the story so quickly I didn't have time to bond with them. This is the first time one of my characters who hung around, cracked jokes, did good deeds, and became a friend has fallen by my pen.

My hope is this is an indication that my writing capabilities are expanding...not that I'm crossing over to the dark side. I've thrown myself a real challenge here: my other two main characters have to deal with the loss. And, and, well, it's very complicated.

So, while I mourn for this person, I have to mourn in triple for me and my two characters. I may need a great deal of chocolate and coffee for the next few weeks. Sniff!

I'm writing book four of my Love and Murder Series. Books one and two are out there. Look for book three to be released worldwide on March 30. You can pre-order right now from The Wild Rose Press.

Inheriting an Austrian Castle is an Alpine fairytale for August, until someone begins killing the heirs. 

In Austria to meet her great-grandfather and explore his castle estate filled with priceless art, August Myer arrives to find he’s died suspiciously. As one of the heirs, her life is in danger, turning this fairytale Alpine adventure into a nightmare of unexplained accidents, neo-Nazi threats, and murder.

Inspector Tobias Wolf splits his time between his profession and fighting the spread of neo-Nazism. But when the beautiful, intriguing American crosses his path during a murder investigation, ensuring her safety challenges his priorities…and his heart.

When August learns the handsome inspector’s involvement with a major female Nazi is more than he’s admitted, and the death of her great-grandfather is somehow connected, she takes the investigation into her own hands. The outcome could be the death of both of them.

Find all the Love and Murder novels here: The Wild Rose Press

And here: Amazon Author Page 

WRITING ISN'T ALWAYS WRITING by Brenda Whiteside

Wouldn't it be fun to be a writer...to sit for long hours letting all those creative ideas and interesting characters float from your head to your fingers, filling the blank screen of your computer with pages and pages of a story that is sure to entertain the masses.

Yeah, right!

I've been stuck in chapter two of my current novel, The Power of Love and Murder, the fourth in my Love and Murder Series, for weeks. Why? Because I have a re-release on September 15 and a new release on October 14. I'm steeped in promotion. And to tell the truth, it's not like I'm planning a gala or a two month on the road book tour. I wish! No...just trying like crazy to garner some interviews, get all my tracking data files set up, schedule no more than a half dozen blog stops, post my new cover everywhere I can think of, post my videos everywhere I can think of, plan and set up a Twitter campaign, prepare for a Facebook group party, schedule a few book festivals between October and December, and...and...I know there's more, but that gives you an idea.

I long for the middle of October when it will be a maintenance issue for promo on these books and maybe, just maybe, I can put hours into writing. Oh wait...I'll be getting the edits for book three. Ah well, better that than promotion!

THE ART OF LOVE AND MURDER re-releasing on Amazon Encore September 15

Amazon Encore eBook Buy Link 

POST-WAR DREAMS releasing worldwide on October 14

Pre-Order eBook at ARe

Boredom Isn't On My List by Brenda Whiteside

Before cleaning and trimming

There hasn't been much time to write lately. I remember reading an interview of a famous author...wish I could remember who but can't. He said writing is what he does when life doesn't get in his way. The way I figure is, if a male can say that, then I'm really lucky to get any writing done right now. Sorry guys, but judging from the men in my family, men can be very linear and get what they want done regardless of what's going on around them.

You might know I live on a small family farm. My son the farmer has been off the

Cleaned and boxed

farm more than he's been on lately, so my husband and I are working double time. I've always been the first in line to weed, but now I water and harvest on top of that. Thankfully, he didn't plant as much as the last three years. The main time eater is garlic. The garlic is cured and must be trimmed, cleaned and boxed for the wholesaler. I think my carpel tunnel is threatening to return.

Although I've gotten only a few new pages written for book number four, The Power of Love and Murder, in my Love and Murder series, there's plenty going on for my author persona.

Post-War Dreams, a 1945 vintage romance, is complete and a release date should be announced anytime.

Book three in the series, A Legacy of Love and Murder, is on my editor's desk and I should be getting those edits soon.

The contract is signed with Amazon for a re release of book one in the series, The Art of Love and Murder. Next month, the book will be released under the Encore imprint with Amazon. This is rather exciting. Amazon requested the rights from my publisher and I agreed. With Amazon, so many more readers will be aware of the book which should open the door to the series.

Between garlic and the varying stages of my books, my head is spinning. Boredom certainly is not an issue
for me!

Brenda Whiteside spends most of her time writing stories of discovery and love entangled with suspense. The rest of her time is spent tending vegetables on the small family farm she shares with her husband, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Together, they’ve embraced an age-old lifestyle that has been mostly lost in the United States - multiple generations living under one roof, who share the workload, follow their individual dreams and reap the benefits of combined talents.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about writing and prairie life at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/