A new platform

Until recently, it never would have occurred to me to turn any aspect of my novels in a podcast. Unfortunately, with the staled production of the final book in the Darren Lockhart mysteries (it's not easy tying up loose ends, but don't worry, it will be better than the last episode of Lost) I have shifted my focus to the world of audio fiction.

With all of the new means by which to share content, I have fallen in love with audio fiction podcasts, largely thanks to stumbling across the No Sleep Podcast. Since then I have found more podcasts than I could ever listen to, all of which presenting an amazing new world by which to tell stories (new to me at least).

It was with my own initial attempts at audio fiction (attempts that will thankfully never be heard by anyone else, ever) that I realized that I have so many more stories to tell from Crayton. 

The Small Town Horror Podcast will take place almost exclusively within the questionable borders of Crayton, Minnesota and follow up on stories both previously eluded to in the novels as well as stories that I knew I would never be able to work into a Darren Lockhart plot. 

Please be patient, I promise that I will get the final Lockhart book out (sometime this year?). But until then, Small Town Horror is set to be released on a bi-weekly basis starting in April 2016.

Thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoy.

Ask the experts

I've mentioned before that few writers can do it all themselves. I'd like to extend that a little further by adding that regardless of the amount of research, it is next to impossible to get it just right.

So, as authors, I highly advise you go get in contact with people in the know. If you write police procedural, contact your local police department and see if there are any officers that would be willing to spend some time talking about how police work actually happens. 

Just make sure you keep it clear that you are only researching for a novel. I may have been involved in a minor bit of confusion that ended up with the police chief requiring an interview...

Never mind.

If you are writing about fire fighters, talk to a fire fighter. If you are writing about soldiers, talk to a soldier.

If you are writing about dragons...well, talk to yourself. Don't act like you don't. We've all been there.

Someone knows better. You may have a romanticized idea of how a job exists that has been warped by TV, movies and poorly-researched novels. Ask someone in the know. You may be surprised at how willing the experts are to help you tell the story right.