Check Out My Fun Interview on YouTube. 😃

Check out my fun interview on YouTube. 😃  

I was the guest today on "Book Chat with Victoria Young Bennison". We discussed flash fiction and cozy mysteries and whether a didgeridoo is a lethal weapon, lol!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOq_xVUOo4g

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If you're an adult, you've probably tried all the food there is to try in your part of the world. Oh sure, there may be some you don't want to try, like stinky cheese or liverwurst, but there's nothing new coming down the pike. Yes, someone cultivated orange cauliflower and purple carrots but they still taste the same. So why bother going to restaurants or trying new recipes? Because new combinations can create something unique. Take Mexican Mole Sauce, for example. If someone presented you with cocoa powder, peanut butter, onions and garlic, chopped tomatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, chili powder, smoked paprika and vegetable broth all sloshing around on a plate and said bon appétit, you'd think they were nuts. But if they took those unlikely ingredients and whipped up a rich, fragrant mole sauce you would be licking the spoon and begging for more.

Similarly, there are a limited number of basic story plots available to us. In his book, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, Christopher Booker declares there are seven plot types: Overcoming the Monster, The Quest, The Voyage and Return, Rags to Riches, Rebirth, Comedy, and Tragedy. Other writers claim there are twenty plots, or thirty-six, but they all agree there's a finite number. What's a writer to do? New combinations, of course. Suzanne Collins's inspiration for The Hunger Games came to her while channel surfing on television. On one channel, she saw people competing on a reality show and on another she saw footage of the invasion of Iraq. The two "began to blur in this very unsettling way" and the idea for the book was formed.  Creativity, simply put, is connecting ideas that may seem unrelated. 

I draw inspiration from real events by collecting interesting news articles. When I needed to come up with a plot for Malice in Miami, my latest Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery, I pulled out my stash of articles. From that pile I concocted a plot that included: pythons invading the Everglades; veterans combatting PTSD by hunting pythons; the sugar industry's monopoly and how they damage the environment; the current immigration issues in the U.S.; birth defects caused by pesticides; worker's compensation claims; a beautiful early-twentieth century mansion in Miami built by an industrialist; art theft of rare books and maps from university libraries; and Erin Brockovich. Turning all of that into a coherent plot was like weaving with invisible thread. It was tricky!

To put yourself in a creative mood, immerse yourself in art. Listen to music, visit a museum, read a literary masterpiece. You will be inspired. Sometimes, taking a page from one of your favorite authors and just typing it out can help rewire your brain. The key to creating is to remember there are no dumb ideas. Really. Just start spitballing ideas and then ask what if? Author Gregory Maguire looked at the classic The Wizard of Oz and asked: what if the wicked witch was just misunderstood? What if she wasn't that wicked? What if there's more to her story?

But don't stop there. Once you ask what if, you have to ask what might happen next? Like spaghetti, throw it against the wall and see what sticks. (Honestly, I've never tried that but it sounds like fun.) Open your mind to possibilities, no matter how crazy or outlandish, and don't judge, just let them flow. If you want a jumpstart, there are plot generators online. They're like madlibs for story development. I get my best ideas in the shower and the pool. I call it my water epiphany. If all else fails, soak your head and let the ideas start growing. Speaking of unrelated things, I jumped from Mole Sauce to creating a unique plot, you can't get more unrelated than that. But you really should try Mole Sauce, it's the best! 

**This post was originally published on the blog "I Read What You Write" and is reprinted here with permission. www.IReadWhatYouWrite.com

 

Death by Didgeridoo on Promo! :-D

Looking for a good book but don't want to spend a lot? Then, you're in luck because my first Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery, Death By Didgeridoo, usually, $2.99, is on sale for 99 cents from 9/27-10/1.

Don't miss out, pick yours up!  :-D

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GVJ4WOY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

Fun stuff to check out :-)

My friend, James Cudney, also a Goodreads author, has a great newsletter and this month he gave me a nice shout-out. :-D Thanks, Jay!

Check it out here:https://mailchi.mp/aa48725dae8d/james-j-cudney-iv-july-author-newsletter 

Also fun, I have a blog tour coming up September 1-14 through the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Malice in Miami, Book 6 of my Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery series. Many thanks to the wonderful Lori Caswell!

Take a peek at what's coming up:

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/upcoming-great-escapes-book-tours/malice-in-miami-a-jamie-quinn-mystery-by-barbara-venkataraman/

I still have some download codes for the new audio-book: Jamie Quinn Cozy Mysteries Box Set 4-6. Message me if you would like a code and can write a review.

Thanks!

 

Summer Madness and a Free Book. :-D

Everyone is looking for that perfect summer read, am I right?Well, look no further because all six Jamie Quinn Mysteries are now available in one book. And it's free on Kindle from 5/7-5/11. Woo hoo! Grab one for yourself and then tell your friends. Happy reading! :-D

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0949QQ7LQ/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1TPF144RX9Z1FQ68JHS0

New Audio-Book/Free Codes :-D

Happy May! I'm celebrating because my new audio-book, Malice in Miami (Jamie Quinn #6), is out, hooray! The narrator, Fay Annette, did a fantastic job! I have free download codes for anyone who would like to listen and review. Just message me. :-D 

Here's the link if you want to check it out:

https://www.audible.com/pd/Malice-in-Miami-Audiobook/B093DXKNY3?qid=1620064021&sr=1-4&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_4&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=N76DYE878A5PJKRNKSN7

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction :-)

Dear Readers, 

If you've read my latest Jamie Quinn Mystery, Malice in Miami, you know the surprise in store for our favorite P.I., Marmaduke Broussard, III. But, for those of you who think I have an overactive imagination, I offer Exhibit A:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/37-sperm-donor-siblings-join-forces-to-look-for-dad-in-future-people-the-family-of-donor-5114?ref=home

What do you think about that? :-D

 

I Need Your Vote :-)

Happy Monday! My book cover for Malice in Miami is competing in a contest for best cover in In D'Tale Magazine. If you have a minute, could you please vote for me? You have to subscribe in order to cast a vote but then you can unsubscribe easily. It's a wonderful magazine and it's free, so you might want to keep subscribing.

Here's the website:https://indtale.com/  The subscribe button is at the top of the page, the contest is towards the middle of the page, you can't miss it. :-D

Thanks! xo

Fantastic review & giveaway! :-D

A million thanks to Kathleen at KRL News & Reviews for the spotlight and fabulous review of my latest Jamie Quinn Mystery "Malice in Miami". 

Check it out at the link below and don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the e-book.

https://www.krlnews.com/2021/01/malice-in-miami-by-barbara-venkataraman.html?fbclid=IwAR20co82bWcvo6mMkLZ6eFDejg7H0CpMRqeLIuiSmosUw6YMR3hLw58gKqM

 

New Jamie Quinn Mystery is out now! :-D It's free thru 11/28

I'm thrilled to announce that my new Jamie Quinn Mystery, Malice in Miami, is finally out. It's on free promo 11/24-11/28.  Happy Thanksgiving!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P27FRL6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=malice+in+Miami&qid=1606179871&sr=8-1

A Virtual Trip to Canada with Gingersnaps! :-)

Check out our interview on "Fika with Vicky"! Josh and I were on Canadian radio, we made a trip to Niagara Falls without having to get on a plane. We had so much fun with Vicky and she put together a wonderful YouTube of the interview with a slideshow. We even shared our recipe for Gingersnaps!

Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjxAmBD1FrA&t=9s&fbclid=IwAR1gMN0Cu8pRsPn8krW9acs0H0t6kopP54F5AaWs2FzX29P1eysMQ_m6w_Y

GINGERSNAPS 

2 1/4 cups of flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Mix all ingredients with electric mixer except the 1/4 cup sugar. Roll dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 2" apart and bake 8 - 10 minutes until tops are cracked.

Calling All Audio-Book Lovers :-)

Do you love audio-books? Then you should check out AudioFile Magazine, a great online source of audio-book reviews. Their website is www.audiofilemagazine.com. 

While you're there, you can read their new review of my audio-book, "Jeopardy in July (Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery #5). They love my narrator, Fay Annette, and so do I.:-D

https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/146732/

You try to be serious and look what happens...lol!

Well, there I was working on my new Jamie Quinn mystery, "Jeopardy in July", trying to write a serious scene where Jamie is having a crisis and I end up with a ridiculous typo that just "cracked" me up. I also invented a new article of clothing! Check it out. :-P

Being a drama queen was so much easier than I'd thought. All those years, I'd assumed my clients had to work at it. The recipe was simple--take one mundane life, turn it upside down, shake vigorously. But, unlike my client who had chained herself to the flagpole in front of the courthouse, or the one who had smashed her husband's prize guitar in his workplace lobby, I wasn't into performance art. I was more brooding, angsty. When my mother had succumbed to cancer four years earlier, I'd found myself in a rut and for six months had hardly left the house. Butt hat wasn't me anymore. Since then, I'd been through so much and faked it so often that even I thought I had my act together.

New Interview on "Dab of Darkness" :-)

Check out my latest interview on the wonderful blog: Dab of Darkness. Thanks, Susan!

http://dabofdarkness.com/2015/11/05/interview-barbara-venkataraman-author-of-engaged-in-danger/

Audiobook giveaway! :-)

Thanks to Kym at "Tea and a Book" blog for the great review of "Death by Didgeridoo"! Check it out and enter to win a free audiobook. :-)

http://teaandabook.com/books/deathbydidgeridoo/

Check out my guest blog post!

Check out my guest post on, "Acting Up", a blog about life and lessons learned through the eyes of an actress. Carrie Lee Martz is a very talented actress and the narrator of my Jamie Quinn mysteries. Thanks, Carrie!

http://www.carrieleemartz.com/blog/guest-author-barbara-venkataraman-audiobooks-r-us

MRS. GRAMMAR PERSON RETURNS

Fear not, Gentle Writer, Mrs. Grammar Person, heeding your cry for help, has returned, delighted to be of service once again. Like you, Mrs. G.P revels in the knowledge that, while fashions may come and go (both the tasteful and the tacky), exceptional grammar never goes out of style. It is her fervent hope that her words of wisdom serve to complement your knowledge so that you receive nothing but compliments in your writing.

Mrs. G.P. marvels at the difference a single letter can make! She knows that the effect of her words deeply affect you. Especially once you come to realize that effect is a noun and affect is a verb.

She brings you these tidbits so that you may take them with you, safely ensconced in your heart, along with your affection for your favorite grammarian. Coyly, Mrs. Grammar Person reminds you that you bring things toward you, but take things away from you.

Mrs. G. P. wants you to know that you can always count on her. And speaking of counting, here is a handy rule: when using "fewer" or "less" in a sentence, if you can count it, use the word "fewer", if you cannot, use the word "less".  Another excellent rule to live by is this one:  Less is more. Nobody likes to hear anything twice, so it's best to avoid being repetitious, redundant, reiterative, and duplicative in your writing, dear ones. As Shakespeare taught us, brevity is the soul of wit!

When Mrs. Grammar Person hears of the mistakes her writers frequently make, she feels an attack of the vapors coming on and must immediately lie down. She lays her head on the pillow and waits for her devotees to understand the difference between lie and lay. Lay must always have an object. Thus, you lay the book on the counter, but lie down. One way to remember this is to tell yourself that people lie, but Mrs. G. P. disagrees, believing that most people are honest and good.

Mrs. Grammar Person has enjoyed chatting with you today and hopes that you follow her advice, not out of admiration for her, but because of its own intrinsic worth. Mrs. G. P. will sleep well tonight knowing that you understand "it's" is a contraction of it and is, while "its"is the possessive form and requires no apostrophe. Ever.

Mrs. Grammar Person fondly bids you adieu, Gentle Writers, comforted by the thought that your paths will cross again.  

Guest Post on "The Editing Pen"!

Check out my guest post on this great blog, "The Editing Pen"! Thanks, Annie!

http://www.editingpen.net/audiobooks-r-us/

Me, Myself & Jamie Quinn

It’s not that I’m jealous, how could I be? That would be petty and immature of me, I’m sure you'd agree, especially when you consider how close she and I have become. We think so much alike now that we’re practically the same person! I must confess, though, it does irk me that Jamie has so many admirers and well-wishers. Everyone’s always clamoring to know: What is Jamie going to do next? How is Jamie feeling? Where has Jamie been? I know that I’m boring by comparison (Lord knows, I’m not the one having adventures!), but still, I’m standing right here, and I’m doing fine, if anyone is interested. I know they’re not, and I’m okay with that. The truth is I also want to know what Jamie’s been up to. She can be so secretive, especially when she knows that I’m desperate to know what she’s planning. And, when she finally decides to talk to me, it will surely be at the most inconvenient time, like while I’m grocery shopping, or at three o’clock in the morning. She doesn’t realize that I hang on her every word, that I rush to write it all down, sometimes texting it back to myself as I wait in line to pick up a burrito for dinner.  

Well, I have secrets, too. For example, Jamie has no idea that I have a little crush on her boyfriend, Kip–even though he’s twenty years younger than I am–and I’d like to keep that between us, if you don’t mind.  

I think what bothers me the most is how quickly everyone flocked to her. After all, Jamie’s only been around for a couple of years and I’ve lived here all my life. And even though we’re both family law attorneys and mediators, I’m quite certain that I’m the better lawyer. But no one cares about that. They just want to know if Jamie will ever get to see her dad, or if Kip will come back from Australia, or if Jamie and Grace’s friendship can survive the crisis coming up in Book 4, “Engaged in Danger”. All I can say is–you’ll have to ask Jamie Quinn, yourself, because she hasn’t told me a thing. I have a funny feeling I’ll be seeing her soon, though, probably around three in the morning. Maybe I should put a pot of coffee on, just in case. Don’t worry; I know exactly how she takes it–with lots of milk and three sugars, same as me. Like I said, we’re practically the same person.

This blog post originally appeared on the wonderful blog, www.latteda.com. Stop by for a great cup of coffee or tea!

 

 

 

Thanks, Reader's Favorite!

Thanks, Reader's Favorite, for the great review of "Peril in the Park", my third Jamie Quinn mystery. Check it out!  https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/33860