Where do you get your ideas?

It's one of the oldest questions a writer gets.

Well, my style is based on detective classics. So some of my ideas are working with archetypes from there: the wise-cracking but romantic detective, the femme fatale, the bullying cop, the goon, etc.
But it's also influenced by old fashioned creepy fiction. Maybe not horror, as the vibe is more adventure, the heroes have the chance to take useful action, for instance. But Dracula, for instance, was a strong influence.
Mythology and folklore. True crime. And a lot of actual history. A lot of what I do is built on traditional ideas, just working them in new ways.

I also listen to what people say they'd like to see. Toss it around, see if it can fit into my plans.

Then maybe something really weird strikes me out of the blue from my own head.

Or. Tonight. A friend shared this on Facebook. This strange upcycled art doll. It's weird. It makes people uneasy. But it seems oddly connected to the natural world, too. I think it might be more mischievous than evil.

I feel like it's going to be in a W.I.T.C.H. Hunters story-- I intend to do an anthology with them at some point so you can get to know all of them much better.

Another Review Another 5 Stars: "Forever's Too Long"

So excited to share this latest review...

5.0 out of 5 starsReally enjoyed this one!

August 10, 2019

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I hadn't read this genre or point of view for awhile.It had some humorous bits,the plot moved well,and it was pretty believable.The whole movie played out in my head in black and white,as it could be,if ever it becomes one.It was my first time read in this author--Highly recommend her.

This is the book's 6th review and all of them have been 5-stars. If you haven't picked up your own copy, here's where you can get one in the format that works for you.

Nook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forevers-too-long-helen-krummenacker/1131555250?ean=2940163217083  

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RSGKTDF

      AmazonUK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RSGKTDF

      AmazonCA:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07RSGKTDF

      AmazonAU:

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07RSGKTDF

     Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938589

Sneak Peek Saturday - Sample of book #2 "Forever Haunted"

Okay, so a friend told me he was really excited about the sample and then disappointed to see it was just from the first book, which he'd already read. So for those eager to find out about book 2, here's a snippet:

Sing Sing was at a pretty nice location on the Hudson River, 30 miles up from New York City. The cells inside were tiny-- I had been there before on a couple of occasions as a cop-- but the buildings were made of white local stone and the long rows of small windows made the complex look charming from a distance. There was a nearby train station. All in all, if it weren’t famous for its prison, you could think you were passing a resort. And that gave me an idea.

I drove to Ossining alone, parking my car blocks away and strolling along the streets until I was starting to pass the outer wall. I looked curiously at it, as if I’d never seen the place before. I stuck my hands in my pockets, backing out into the street to take in the massive barrier properly. I pulled my hands back out, empty, and pulled my hat off so the brim didn’t block my view as I gaped up at the guard tower. “Hey, buddy!” I called out cheerfully to the guard. “Is this Sing Sing?”

“Yeah. What do you want here?”

“We don’t have anything like this back in Montana. Do you guys have tours?”

“No!”

“Well, can I come in?”

That did it. “Sure you can come in here. We’d be absolutely delighted. You want to know how to get in here? You break the law, get arrested, and get sent up the river like all the other inmates!” He sneered the first part and yelled the rest, while I grinned at him with genuine pleasure. The nice thing about New Yorkers is it’s pretty easy to tip them over into sarcasm… and magic doesn’t care if you’re being sarcastic or not. 

"FOREVER HAUNTED" will be coming this November/December to your favorite online book store. So stay tuned...

 

Everyone loves free samples

Whether it's a pull quote, the preview feature on Amazon, or sites where you can read up to 20% of the book for free (I enabled the highest setting, because I have confidence people will want to find out what happens next), sharing is caring and I was delighted to see a reader share a bit of dialogue that caught her fancy via a Kindle feature. Go ahead and look.  Maybe share something you liked, too.

I also will be sharing samples now and then that don't spoil the stories. Humor  in my books is one of the thing I really pride myself on and I as shocked to notice my posts so far haven't been very specific about that. The characters both are deliberately witty, with sparkling banter or biting wit when it fits, and sometimes... well, there may be moments where Raf seems more like Buster Keaton than David Niven. Frankly, I think it makes him easy to relate to.


via GIPHY