Ever Read A Social Work Mystery Book?

Hello! My name is Margaret Fenton, and I write the “Little” social work mystery series. I am happy to be here and to talk about my writing. My books feature Claire Conover, a child welfare social worker at the fictional Jefferson County Department of Human Services in Birmingham, Alabama. She investigates crimes against children, or, in some cases, crimes adjacent to children.

The hardest part about writing this series is deciding what to put in it. Child abuse and
death is not something that most people feel comfortable reading about for entertainment, so details need to be carefully chosen so they don’t offend the reader. After all, I write mystery, not horror. I start each book with the crime and the villain, and then decide how Claire gets involved to solve the mystery. My main goal in starting this series was to paint a picture of what child welfare social workers really do all day. I used to work with them when I was the mental health consultant for the real-life Jefferson County, Alabama DHR. Nothing I write is based on any real case, for that would be completely unethical. However, I am a good example of “write what you know”, which is always a good place to start.

Social workers investigate all kinds of situations that affect children. This includes abuse
and neglect, of course, but also can include families who just need appropriate resources in the moment. The whole goal is to prevent the child or children from coming into State care. All of the social workers I met in my previous career were dedicated and talented people who devoted themselves to the safety and care of children. I tried to create a character who reflected those values.

I hope you’ll check out my series, which begins with Little Lamb Lost. Claire gets to
work one day and one of her young clients is dead. The police arrest the mother and are
convinced she is guilty, but Claire knows that is not true and is compelled to investigate. Little Girl Gone is next, when Claire meets a thirteen-year-old girl who is sleeping behind a grocery store. She is placed in foster care, then disappears. Her mother is later found dead and Claire must find out what happened. In book three, Little White Lies, there is a bombing at a mayoral candidate’s office and a man is killed. He has a young daughter who becomes Claire’s charge and she gets drawn into another mystery. And that leads us to Little Boy Blue, when Claire’s recent boyfriend is accused of child abuse by an ex-employee. Claire does what she does best, and sets out to prove his innocence.

Margaret Fenton writes the Little mystery series featuring child welfare social
worker Claire Conover, published by Aakenbaaken and Kent. She spent nearly ten
years as a child and family therapist for her county’s child welfare department
before focusing on writing. She has been a planning coordinator of Murder in the
Magic City in Birmingham, Alabama since its inception in February 2003
(mmcmysteryconference.com). Margaret lives in the Birmingham suburb of
Hoover with her husband, a retired software developer, three adorable Papillon
dogs, and lots and lots of books. Her website is margaretfenton.com and she loves
to hear from readers.

Books in Print:

Little Lamb Lost
Little Girl Gone
Little White Lies
Little Boy Blue

The Art of Creating Character

By Gerry Schmitt

Of all the ingredients that go into writing a novel, I think character may be the most critical. An engaging plot and dynamic storyline are absolutely critical, too, since your main purpose is to entertain readers. But job one is to create a main character – your protagonist – that readers will either love, root for, or identify with. After all, great characters not only make us think, feel, and see things differently, they help up fall in love with the story.

If you’re writing a mystery or thriller, which is my specialty, it’s even an advantage to have a character that’s somewhat flawed, that reveals a touch of human frailty. And as your story progresses, your main character never has to evolve into a perfect human being, they just have to possess a good moral compass. You want your main character to be angry, outraged, or upset enough to take up the cause of going after the antagonist/killer and solving the mystery. Your character’s desire for final justice can be a powerful engine that drives the entire story.

When I begin writing a novel, I develop a loose outline on a large sheet of paper. I jot out notes for my first grab-my-reader-by-the-throat scene as well as a bang-up conclusion for my final chapter. And then I start adding secondary characters. I create scenes where my protagonist begins to rub elbows with various other characters, any number of which could be suspects as well as the antagonist/killer himself. These scenes also give me prime opportunities to sprinkle in clues along the way, as well as a few red herrings. When my paper outline starts to feel fairly gelled, I transfer it to my computer and tighten it up. Sometimes I even take that initial outline to around eighty pages. Then, I go back to chapter one and start writing. I judiciously put in character names and descriptions. But I never do a lot of back story on my characters. It’s always better to let their personalities be revealed by their actions. And sometimes, as you’re typing along, those pesky characters will begin to come alive and you end up with a little bit of magic on your page!

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Gerry Schmitt is the author of Shadow Girl, an Afton Tangler Thriller, and Little Girl Gone, the first book in the series. Writing under her pen name Laura Childs, she is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty mysteries that include the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. Her books have also been on the USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists. Gerry is the former CEO of her own marketing firm, has won dozens of TV and radio awards, and written and produced two reality TV shows. Social Media:  Author Website www.laurachilds.com Facebook laurachildsauthor

Tricks and Tactics of Writing Multiple Book Series

By Laura Childs

As former CEO of my own marketing firm, I was used to working under the gun to develop unique concepts and campaigns for multiple clients.  But when I sold my agency and turned to novel writing, it never occurred to me that I’d find myself doing pretty much the same thing.  Well, here I am, some 12 years later, writing 4 different series.  That’s right.  I currently write the New York Times bestselling Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  And just recently, my publisher, Penguin Random House, gave me the green light for a fourth hard-edged thriller series.

How do I handle this multiplicity of work?  Very carefully and with the same degree of planning that went into a Napoleonic military campaign.  Of course, everyone in my life is in favor of me writing as many books as I can handle.  My editor, agent, husband, dogs, cleaning lady, etc. all told me to go for it.  And coming from that advertising/marketing background, I was fairly familiar with pounding out ideas and sweating tough deadlines.

Still, my daily schedule is very, very tight.  So I try to be highly productive – that is, I write ten to fifteen pages per day for four days, then switch over to working on marketing for a couple days.  I’m also very lucky in that I never get lethargy, I never get blocked.  I simply don’t believe in those things.  When you’re in the media business (novels, journalism, TV, screenplays, whatever) you have to be like the shark – just keep moving forward!

When would-be authors ask for advice, I generally tell them to do their homework and be a bit practical.  Ask yourself – do you really think publishers are chomping at the bit for another culinary mystery?  How about a vampire story?  The thing is, you have to find something nobody else has done and put a big fat, juicy spin on it.  Also, it’s critical to write a few pages every day – and to always work straight through.  Don’t go back and do revisions until your manuscript is completely finished.  Chances are, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at what you end up with.  Okay, it’s done?  NOW go back and punch up your work like crazy – ratchet up the action and human drama, make your characters loveable or despicable.  And do have fun!

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Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Devonshire Scream, the 17th Tea Shop Mystery, releases today,  March 1.  Little Girl Gone, the first book in her Afton Tangler Thriller Series written under her real name of Gerry Schmitt, releases July 5.  In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show.  She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Shar-Peis.

Laura Childs talks about the tricks and tactics of writing multiple series, multiple series, and multiple series!

By Laura Childs

As former CEO of my own marketing firm, I was used to working under the gun to develop unique concepts and campaigns for multiple clients.  But when I sold my agency and turned to novel writing, it never occurred to me that I’d find myself doing pretty much the same thing.  Well, here I am, some 12 years later, writing 4 different series.  That’s right.  I currently write the New York Times bestselling Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  And just recently, my publisher, Penguin Random House, gave me the green light for a fourth hard-edged thriller series.

How do I handle this multiplicity of work?  Very carefully and with the same degree of planning that went into a Napoleonic military campaign.  Of course, everyone in my life is in favor of me writing as many books as I can handle.  My editor, agent, husband, dogs, cleaning lady, etc. all told me to go for it.  And coming from that advertising/marketing background, I was fairly familiar with pounding out ideas and sweating tough deadlines.

Still, my daily schedule is very, very tight.  So I try to be highly productive – that is, I write ten to fifteen pages per day for four days, then switch over to working on marketing for a couple days.  I’m also very lucky in that I never get lethargy, I never get blocked.  I simply don’t believe in those things.  When you’re in the media business (novels, journalism, TV, screenplays, whatever) you have to be like the shark – just keep moving forward!

When would-be authors ask for advice, I generally tell them to do their homework and be a bit practical.  Ask yourself – do you really think publishers are chomping at the bit for another culinary mystery?  How about a vampire story?  The thing is, you have to find something nobody else has done and put a big fat, juicy spin on it.  Also, it’s critical to write a few pages every day – and to always work straight through.  Don’t go back and do revisions until your manuscript is completely finished.  Chances are, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at what you end up with.  Okay, it’s done?  NOW go back and punch up your work like crazy – ratchet up the action and human drama, make your characters loveable or despicable.  And do have fun!

_____________________________________________________________________

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Devonshire Scream, the 17th Tea Shop Mystery, releases March 1.  Little Girl Gone, the first book in her Afton Tangler Thriller Series written under her real name of Gerry Schmitt, releases July 5.  In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show.  She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Shar-Peis.