A writer's life - it's all fun and games until ....

“That was fabulous. When’s are you releasing the next one?”   

I recently published the fifth novel in my Isla Mujeres Mystery series, Terror Isla, and had enthusiastic fans asking the next day when #6 was due. 

I took it as a very nice compliment!

I admit, I have posed the same question to many of my favourite authors such as Carmen Amato, Jinx Schwartz, A.E. Howe, Dawn Lee McKenna, and Nick Russell.

I can almost hear their teeth gnashing in the background. “For pity sake, I just published that book. Let me take a breath, get some laundry done, or at least walk my dog.”

“Yeah, yeah. Your break is over, now get back to work.”

You are keeping me awake! Go to sleep, please.

I recently stayed awake until two in the morning reading the latest A.E. Howe, Investigator Larry Macklin novel Spring’s Promise, and then realized his next release wasn’t due until the winter of 2020; that’s more than a year!

Sparky huffed when I groaned aloud, waking him from his beauty sleep.

I was dead tired from reading so late that when I tried to put a travel lid on my morning coffee, I neglected to notice the height of the foamy milk. I shoved on the cap and was promptly sprayed with warm milk and hot coffee. What a great start to the day.

But really, I am in awe of prolific authors who are committed to their craft, producing numerous books with entertaining story lines, quirky characters and page-turning plots. It’s a tough gig to keep inventing new and believable scenarios for a cast of well-known and at times demanding, egotistical characters. Fictional characters have been known to rebel and change the story-line without the author’s consent. It’s happened to me – more than once.

However, these authors know how to craft a great story and don't seem to take any flax from their characters.

Carmen Amato has a winning series featuring Detective Emilia Cruz in Acapulco Mexico, plus three stand-alone thrillers. She recently released book #7 Russian Mojito. Here's the link: Carmen Amato Russian Mojito Detective Emilia Cruz

“Survivor of a deadly cartel ambush, Detective Emilia Cruz returns to Acapulco to recover from the trauma. Before she can catch her breath, however, her penniless stepfather is kidnapped.”

Jinx Schwartz a fiery redhead from Texas recently published book #11, Just a Happy Camper, in the Hetta Coffey series. Click on this link: Jinx Schwartz Just a Happy Camper

“Hetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she's not afraid to use it. She's cruising Mexico's hauntingly beautiful Sea of Cortez when she gets a job offer, she can't refuse.”

A.E. Howe lives in and writes about Florida. He just launched book #13 in the Investigator Larry Macklin’s series. Here's the link to the new book: A.E.Howe Springs Promises Larry Macklin Mysteries

“Excitement is in the air at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office as the date approaches for investigator Larry Macklin’s wedding to his long-time love, Cara. But fate has other plans and Larry soon finds his personal life taking a backseat to an odd duo of murders.”

Howe also has a humorous new series; The Baron Blasko Mysteries about a vampire living in a basement. I haven’t tried these yet, but they are on my list.

Dawn Lee McKenna is another amazingly productive author who by my quick count has somewhere around twenty or more books, featuring characters in three separate series; The Forgotten Coast Suspense, The Still Water Suspense, and most recently The Dismal Florida Suspense series. 

Wow! Just wow. Just one click and it's yours: Dawn Lee McKenna Dismal Florida series

But in this group of my five favourite authors, I think the prolific award has to go to Nick Russell, who has at least twenty-five novels published. He has two very successful series; Big Lake, and John Lee Quarrels. I love ‘em all. His latest Sweet Tea and Jesus was fabulous, and he says he is close to releasing another book. The man is a writing machine. Click here to discover fun reads: Nick Russell John Lee Quarrels series

When a hidden gunman ambushes D.W. Swindle in the driveway of his own home, leaving the Somerton County Sheriff barely clinging to life, every one of his deputies and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are on the hunt for the attacker. .

I aspire to be as successful as these folks. I am planning to publish book #6 in March of 2020, but Sparky and I are still discussing the story-line. 

He wants his contract renegotiated after what happened to him in book #5 Terror Isla. 

 Here's the link to my newest novel: Isla Mujeres Mystery Terror Isla

To make matters worse friends Betsy Snider and Tony Garcia just gave me this t-shirt. There is a cute photo of my divo dog and the words Sparky's Staff printed on the back. Yep, that's me. The staff.

Cheers from paradise

Sparky and his staff

Captured! Small dogs and fishing nets don't mix.

It's early in the morning and Sparky and I are ambling along the malecón on the western side of the island. 

We are poking along at Sparky-speed. Sniff. Pee. Sniff. Pee. And then he added a bit of vigorous dirt kicking to clarify the situation. 

"This is my mark." 

I have my camera with me and stop to take a photo of the fishing nets strung across the beach.

Looking for the 'Lady Fish' run

For some reason my eye is always drawn to the boats and nets, probably because they represent a way of life that is slowly disappearing from the island. 

Until tourism started to boom in the 1980’s the traditional way of making a living for islanders was catching fish, or diving for lobsters and conch. 

The open deck panga-style boats and crews head out early in the mornings to pull in the hopefully-heavy nets. 

If they are lucky, four or five fishermen per boat will be needed to haul the catch into the boat.  

Cleaning and repairing nets

In the evening the reverse happens, the fishing crews return to their favourite locations and reset the nets hoping for a successful night.

When the weather turns grumpy the Port Captain closes the port, restricting the size of the boat that can leave the harbor until he gives the all clear.  

The good thing about a port closure - it gives the fishermen time to repair and clean their equipment.  

Weaving a new net

They string the nets between palm trees searching for rips, pulling off bits of seaweed that have been snagged in the weave.  

On very stormy days the mending takes place under covered basketball domes.  

Watching the fishermen repair tears in the netting is very reminiscent of the folks who weave hammocks.  

Holding a wooden bobbin in one hand and a tough nylon line in the other their hands weave in and out, neatly filling in the torn area.  It’s a beautiful skill.

But what happens when a small inquisitive dog investigates the nearly invisible webbing?

Nothing good, let me assure you.

Captured, and not happy!

This morning he followed his nose into the small tunnel created where the mesh was lifted off the ground. Then he tried to get out by walking straight through the tough nylon filaments. 

Thankfully I noticed his struggles and was able to calm him down, long enough for me to crawl in the same small space and untangle him without damaging the netting or hurting my pooch. 

Life is never dull with The Sparkinator.

Sparky - happy to be untangled and free.

~

Murder and mayhem. Revenge and Romance.

Join Sparky and his human friends in paradise.

Available on Amazon in e-books or paperback.

Almost famous! Well, sort of famous ....

Isla Mujeres Mystery series - 

Yipee! We are almost famous. All 5 of our Isla Mujeres Mystery novels are in the top 100 this morning: Terror Isla #31, Temptation Isla #71, Tormenta Isla #77, Trouble Isla #84 and Treasure Isla #89.

Thank you everyone for your purchases, support, and hopefully more reviews! Cheers Lynda and Sparky

Hi, this is Sparky. I just published Terror Isla

Lots of great reading in the Sep. 8 Sunday snapshot of top 100 paid Kindle sales rankings by members of Mexico Writers. Luis Alberto Urrea, Jinx Schwartz, and Dv Berkom dominate the top 30. Nice moves up include Edie Littlefield Sundby, Catherine Marenghi, Lynda L. Lock, John Scherber, Dr. Linda Sonna, and Penn Wallace. CONGRATS to all!

1. Dreamland – Sam Quinones

2. House of Broken Angels – Luis Alberto Urrea

3. Just A Happy Camper (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 11) – Jinx Schwartz

4. Leine Basso Thrillers Box Set (Books 1-3) – Dv Berkom

5. Serial Date: A Leine Basso Thriller – Dv Berkom

6. A Killing Truth – Dv Berkom

7. Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats (Janet Blaser, Author; with Dianne Hofner Saphiere, Kerry Watson, Judy Whitaker, and 23 others)

8. The Mission Walker – Edie Littlefield Sundby

9. Baja Get Away – Jinx Schwartz

10. The Devil's Highway: A True Story – Luis Alberto Urrea

11. Glad Farm: A Memoir – Catherine Marenghi

12. Just For The Birds (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 10) – Jinx Schwartz

13. Just Add Water (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 1) – Jinx Schwartz

14. Rain of Gold – Victor Villasenor

15. Just Follow the Money (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 9) – Jinx Schwartz

16. Cargo: A Leine Basso Thriller – DV Berkom

17. Millionaire Expat: How to Build Wealth Living Overseas – Andrew Hallam

18. Just Different Devils (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 7) – Jinx Schwartz

19. Just the Pits (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 5) – Jinx Schwartz

20. Absolution: A Leine Basso Thriller – Dv Berkom

21. The Body Market: A Leine Basso Thriller – Dv Berkom

22. Bad Traffick: A Leine Basso Thriller – Dv Berkom

23. The Last Deception: A Leine Basso Thriller – Dv Berkom

24. Just Pardon My French (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 8) – Jinx Schwartz

25. The Nag Hammadi Library – Gustavo Vazquez

26. Into the Beautiful North – Luis Alberto Urrea

27. Just Needs Killin’ (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 6) – Jinx Schwartz

28. The Hummingbird's Daughter – Luis Alberto Urrea

29. Millionaire Teacher (2nd edition) – Andrew Hallam

30. Just Deserts (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 4) – Jinx Schwartz

31. Terror Isla (Isla Mujeres Mystery Book 5) – Lynda L. Lock

32. Land of Mountains – Jinx Schwartz

33. Cliff Diver (Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1) – Carmen Amato

34. The Santa Muerte: The Origins, History, and Secrets of the Mexican Folk Saint – Gustavo Vazquez

35. THE BOOK DOCTOR (Murder in Mexico Book 10) – John Scherber

36. The Last Great Dance on Earth – Sandra Gulland

37. Rich Notary, Poor Notary (Home Based Business Book I) – George Puckett

38. The Hidden Light of Mexico City – Carmen Amato

39. Russian Mojito (Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7) – Carmen Amato

40. Incorporate & Grow Rich! – Diane Kennedy

41. Walking Tours of Queretaro of Santiago – William J. Conaway

42. Just Add Salt (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 2) – Jinx Schwartz

43. The Lady in Gold – Anne-Marie O'Connor

44. The Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 1 – Dv Berkom

45. The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul – Deborah Rodriguez

46. Mary Magdalene: The Life and Legacy of the Woman Who Witnessed the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus – Gustavo Vazquez

47. Just Add Trouble (Hetta Coffey Series, Book 3) – Jinx Schwartz

48. Troubled Sea – Jinx Schwartz

49. Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing – Ted Conover

50. Mexico City: An Opinionated Guide – Jim Johnston

51. The Everything Craps Strategy Book – Larry Edell

52. The Fair Ophelia – Ted Conover

53. Dark Return: A Leine Basso Thriller – Dv Berkom

54. The Lost Books of the Old Testament – Gustavo Vazquez

55. Millionaire Teacher (1stedition) – Andrew Hallam

56. Our First Lady Pope – Victor Villasenor

57. Tijuana Book of the Dead – Luis Alberto Urrea

58. Mysterious Mexico: A History of Ghosts, Legends, and Perplexing Places across the Mexican States – Gustavo Vazquez

59. El Narco: Inside Mexico’s Criminal Insurgency – Ioan Grillo

60. Vigilante Dead: A Kate Jones Thriller – Dv Berkom

61. ANGEL FACE (Murder in Mexico Book 13) – John Scherber

62. Hetta Coffey Collection Boxed Set Books 1-4 – Jinx Schwartz

63. If Only I Had A Place: The Aspiring Expat's Guide to Renting Luxuriously in Mexico for Less – Kerry Baker

64. The Shadow Queen – Sandra Gulland

65. Pancho Villa: The Life and Legacy of the Famous Mexican Revolutionary- Gustavo Vazquez

66. Homelands: Four Friends, Two Countries, and the Fate of the Great Mexican-American Migration – Alfredo Corchado

67. Mexican Days: Journeys into the Heart of Mexico – Tony Cohan

68. Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico (Book 1) – Terry L Turrell

69. Kabul Beauty School – Deborah Rodriguez

70. Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe – Sandra Gulland

71. Temptation Isla (Isla Mujeres Mystery Book 4)– Lynda L. Lock

72. First Stop in the New World – David Lida

73. Tortillas & Peanut Butter: True Confessions of an American Mom Turned Mexican Smuggler – Dr. Linda Sonna

74. Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail – Rúben Rubén Martínez

75. The Everything Tween Book: A Parent’s Guide to Surviving the Turbulent Pre-Teen Years – Dr. Linda Sonna

76. Gangster Warlords – Ioan Grillo

77. Tormenta Isla: Isla Mujeres Mystery #3 – Lynda L. Lock

78. The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. – Sandra Gulland

79. The Risotto Guru: Adventures in Eating Italian – Laura Fraser

80. Simon Magus: The Life of the Samaritan Who Converted to Christianity and Confronted Peter the Apostle in the 1st Century – Gustav Vazquez

81. The Art of Ritual: Creating and Performing Ceremonies for Growth and Change – Sydney Metrick

82. The Global Expatriate's Guide to Investing – Andrew Hallam

83. Burro Genius – Victor Villasenor

84. Trouble Isla (Isla Mujeres Mystery Series Book 2) – Lynda L. Lock

85. Baja Legends – Greg Niemann

86. Livin' In Mexico: The Real Story – Brian Burke

87. Queen of America: A Novel – Luis Alberto Urrea

88. The Cartel Strikes Back: Ted Higuera Series Book 5 – Penn Wallace

89. Treasure Isla (Isla Mujeres Mystery Series Book 1) – Lynda L. Lock

90. The Mexican Connection: Ted Higuera Series Book 3 – Penn Wallace

91. The Last Cadillac – Nancy Nau Sullivan

92. Hacker for Hire: Ted Higuera Series Book 2 – Penn Wallace

93. Bikini Baristas: Ted Higuera Series Book 4 – Penn Wallace

94. Cyberwarfare: Ted Higuera Series Book 6 – Penn Wallace

95. Maximiliano de Habsburgo: La Vida del Emperador Europeo de Mexico – Gustavo Vazquez

96. 43 Missing – Carmen Amato

97. The Secret Wife – Janice Campbell-Paul

98. The New Global Student – Maya Frost

99. Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler’s Army – Georg Rauch & Phyllis Porter Rauch

100. Midnight in Mexico: A Reporter’s Journey Through a Country’s Descent into Darkness – Alfredo Corchado