Authorpreneur Dashboard – Lyle Nicholson
PIPELINE KILLERS (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series, #2)
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Detective Bernadette Callahan of the RCMP is called to investigate the scene of a mysterious industrial accident. A man has died near a pipeline on the outskirts of aa small city in western Canada. The death will lead to what at first looks like a university student experiment gone too far. Soon, their invention will wreak havoc on world pipelines when terrorists steal the weapon for their own revenge.
Book Bubbles from PIPELINE KILLERS (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series, #2)
Reader love. How I hope my work will impact reader
I read a lot, just like my readers do. But in the books I read, I enjoy those books that have real characters. Although I writer Thrillers, I still want my characters to talk naturally, and act as if they came from our planet, not some Hollywood casting set. Lately I've read some books by some well known writers who are pounding out cookie cutter novels with characters who are rich, handsome and so well skilled in marshal arts they could take on both Supeman and Spiderman, and win. Not my kind of novel, not my kind of writing. I like my characters to have faults, and problems in their life they have to overcome. Just like us real people in our real lives. When I get that balance that's when I know I've hit the mark, and I have the real, Reader Love. I've put a chapter from one of my novels below, press the button to take a look.
What if you cross bred a good microbe with a bad o
As a writer, I've always mused about what would happen if a good microbe was mixed with a bad one. We've done this in science many times. Drugs were introduced, such as Cocaine which was supposed to cure headaches. Scientist have identified good bacteria in our bodies that can turn on us. What if this happenedd in the industrial world? What if good microbes that are supposed to clean oil turned bad? My story, Pipeline Killers was born from this very thought. This book is available now on all ereader sites. Download it now for a look at an alternative world of microbes gone bad.
What happens when good microbes turn bad? What if
Before I became an author, I worked in oilfield supply industry. What amazed me is the industry found microbes that would consume oil. In creating this story, I thought, what would happen if you changed the microbes into nasty ones? Ones that turned on the metal pipelines the oil was in. On a sunlit morning in Western Canada, Detective Bernadette Callahan of the RCMP will find evidence of the first attack of these microbes. Her life will not be the same.
Black Wolf Rising
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
The young Bernadette Callahan lets her anger get the best of her. She beats off a gang of boys, but now she has to run. Accusations fly - her life is in danger. Her new life with her aunt in the city will lead her into more trouble. How she deals with this will lead her to a new life or her possible death.
Book Bubbles from Black Wolf Rising
Reader love. The most touching message I received
When I wrote Black Wolf Rising, the prequel to my Bernadette Callahan Detective series, I used some of the background from the toughest school I attended in Northern Canada. I placed young Bernadette there to be preyed upon by a gang and for her to find a way to succeed. I received a review from a reader saying how much they were touched by the book, as they'd gone through a similar experience. She was happy someone would write about this and use it in a book. I can not tell you how much this touched me. This one reader, and their review made everything I do seem to matter. If you want to read an excerpt from the book, I've put it here, and you can read the first three chapters by pressing the button below.
In the cold winter of Canada, I sit down with coff
As January tightens its grip on Canada, telling us it's not done with us yet, I turn to my multiple cups of coffee for warmth. I start with fresh brewed every morning. At least three cups before I sit down to write. There may be a short interval where I go outside to shovel the white stuff off the driveway, then I return to make another pot. Yes, I love coffee. For my afternoon writing sessions I make a small pot of espresso. But why then, do I give my characters in Black Wolf Rising tea? That is because most natives in northern Canada drink tea. I spent years in the far north and you were offered tea when you walked in the door. If you wanted coffee, well, best find someplace for it. Perhaps it was the English and Scottish Settlers who brought it to the natives, and it stayed with them. My story, Black Wolf Rising takes place in a cold winter in northern Canada. Perhaps, when you read the blurb below, a nice hot cup of tea would be welcome. Enjoy!
The setting for my prequel in the Bernadette Calla
When I set out to write my prequel for my Bernadette Callahan Detective series, I delved into my early school years for the setting. My famly was going through a hard time. We moved to a cheaper appartment in a different neighbourhood. One of the toughest in a small city in northern Canada. I used the tough school I was sent to for Bernadette Callahan to get into more trouble. That would lead her to discover the anger she needed to deal with and let the story unfold. This prequel, Black Wolf Rising, is the first in Bernadette Callahan Detecttive series. If you wnat to find out how she dealt with the forces that tried to break her and how she survived, click the link below. Happy reading.
Using my own experience with dreams to add texture
I dream in color, do you? Sometimes they are vivid and make sense, and often they are a jumble of people and places that move before me as I sleep. Sometimes when I wake up, I say, "Wow, glad that's over." Dreams can be exhausting or pleasant. I used them in my several of my stories with Bernadette Callahan, the Canadian RCMP Detective. She is a mix of Cree Indian and Irish. Both cultures have a wealth of stories about dreams. How about you, do you believe in dreams? Well, I do to some extent, and I used them in Black Wolf Rising to move the story forward. You can click the button below to see the first three chapaters on your favourite reading device. Go ahead, see how your dreams compare to Bernadette's.
Weaving strong symbols and legends into the story
There are so many elements in a story. The conflict, the rising tension, all of these work to produce a story that captivates the reader and pushes the story forward. I've found that strong symbols and ancient legends are also a useful tool. As I wrote Black Wolf Rising, I realized that the young Bernadette Callahan who is both Native Cree Indian and Irish will be influenced by her native legends. The story of the Black and White Wolf came to mind. In native lore, the wolf that you feed inside of you, is the one that is dominate in your life. Bernadette has to resolve her anger issues in order to fight the forces that are aligned against her. To find out how she does this, download a copy of Black Wolf Rising on your favorite device. Go ahead, there's a white wolf in there as well, I promise.
A fight scene that encapsulates my novel.
There's a point in a story, when the action pivots, the character has a moment of revelation or they are thrust into a situation they have to deal with. My character, young Bernadette Callahan is challenged to a fight. She should back away, but she can't. She just isn't 'wired that way.' The fight will lead her to meet someone who will be instrumental not only to her story but to her life. You can read the first three chapters of Black Wolf Rising on your favourite eBook site. This book, Black Wolf Rising is the Prequel to the Bernadette Callahan Detective series. You can buy it online for $2.99 USD on most sites.
Dark clouds and rain foreshadow my characters mood
My book Black Wolf Rising moves from late fall to winter in the Canadian North. I chose this time of year as the winter is harsh and unforgiving. This was a backdrop to the fight my character would be in for her life. I hope you take some time to review the first three chapters on your favourite ebook website.
My character gets involved in a fight scene I avoi
In Black Wolf Rising, I was able to use the experience of the toughest school I ever attended. Getting to and from school meant running a gauntlet of tough gangs who shook down the passer's by for cigarettes and money. I made the mistake, like my character Bernadette of wearing black and acting tough the first day. I talked my way out of a beating that first day, but as you'll see in my story, Bernadette does not. This was a fun exercise in writing for me, I'm long past the school experience. I hope you'l enjoyl Bernadette's challenges.
In writing this book, I used the memories of the w
All writer's need either great research or actual experience. Mine was a bit of both. When writing Black Wolf Rising, I called upon my time in the worst school I ever attended. You could get a beating for looking at someone the wrong way. When I attended in 1967, there were no bully's--just after school fights. I stayed away, or talked my way out of most of them. When I threw my character, Bernadette Callahan into this, I gave her something, a Sensei. She got martial arts training. I wish I'd had her teacher back then.
MisDiagnosis Murder
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Carson Winfield has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He's prepared for his death by giving away his fortune of five million dollars. He receives a phone call to tell him he has been misdiagnosed. The doctor who gave him the diagnosis is missing so is his five million dollars. The police arrive with questions. His life has been thrown into a turmoil as questions fly as to what his involvement with the doctor was. The police think he was involved in a scam to fake his death and flee the country. Thus begins, the trials of Carson Winfield, who will find that none of his life is what it seemed.
Book Bubbles from MisDiagnosis Murder
The books and styles of writing I enjoy.
I love to read, and have done so ever since I was a child. I will pick up any book, thumb the pages and in minutes I'm transported to another world. But more than the stories, I enjoy the characters, what they are going through, how they deal with the problems presented to them by the authors. My favourite authors are Ian Rankin in Detective fiction, and John Irvining in literary fiction. Why? Because they draw complex characters. My favourite time to read is early morning, either before I start my writing for the day, or to take a break from writing and read the works of others. It's my way of seeing other authors and their craft and get more insights into the world of writing. If you want to take a look at some of characters, I've left a chapter of my book, Misdiagnosis Murder for you. Click below and enjoy!
What surprises my readers in my writing? I use rea
I've had numerous readers write to me that what they enjoy about my writiing is that I use real people. There are no super masculine men, or women who can take on any situation while having their hair perfectly in place...well, maybe there's a slight strand that falls. No, my characters are imperfect, they fail, but persevere, just like real life. I put them in tough situations, sometimes, as in my standalone book, Misdiagnosis Murder, where Carson Winfield looks like he is doomed, you thing he will never win. But that's the surprise, real people with real probloms who make it by being human beings. If you'd like to read some of work, press the link below to start of journey today.
Writing the a story with the main character I'd ne
I started this book, Misdiagnosis Muder with this big shot real estate mogul. I thought, okay, no one is going to like him, I didn't, I thought he was a jackass. Well, as the story progressed and his life began to unravel, I saw some redeeming qualities in the guy. I admit. I kind of started to like the guy. He was supposed to lose eveything, and he did, but then he started to get what his life was about. And me, being somewhat of a softy...I threw him a lifeline. If you want to see how Carson Winfield the multi-millionare changes in Misdiagnosis Murder then press the button below to find out.
As a reader, how far do you want to see a characte
Books need drama. That drama is created by characters in stress or in conflict. But, how much is too much? That is often the question I wrestle with in my novels. How much trouble can I put my central character in before I rescue him or her. We call that the story arc. Somewhere in there, the character must learn or change, and, it must be believeable. It does not always have to be a happy ending, but it needs a ending that statisfies. This was my goal in writing Misdiagnosis Murder. A succesful Real Estate mogul in California who is brought low by a diagnosis of cancer, then given a clean bill of health, but there's a catch. He is being accused of fraud. The evidence piles up, is he guilty? Does he see what he's being doing his whole life, living a lie? You be the judge. You can download this cozy mystery on your favourite device and find out for yourself. Go ahead, press the button and find out who Carson Winfield really is.
Turning up the heat on my character to advance the
For a story to move, the main character must experience some difficulty. Some agnst. In my story, Misdiagnosis Murder, my character, Carson Winfield, finds out his fatal diagnosis is wrong, he'll live a long life, then he finds out he's fortune is gone. So, is the doctor he gave it to. In the second chapter he finds out he's under investigation for fraud from the FBI. By the end of the first chapter, the police arrive to take him for questioning as to the dissapearance of the doctor. HIs new life is fraught with complictions. You can read the first three chapters on your favourite ebook provider. Download MisDiagnosis Murder to see if Carson Winfield can extracate himself from the constant trouble he finds himself in.
Can a jail cell be funny? Give a person insight? M
Being thrown into a jail cell can not be a good thing. I've never been in one, so hard to imagine. But I've seen them enough to movies to create a scene of total despair for my character, Carson Winfield. I also decided that this was the perfect time for him to meet up with an important character and a specail message. This scene carries everything from Carson's 'circling the drain,' analog to his observance of the the drain in the middle of the cell. I loved the dark humour I was able to put in this, perhaps you will to.
Putting my character in deep trouble to create max
There is a point in every story where the author must put the character in deep jeopardy. I used a interview in the police station with Detective Sanchez. My character, Carson Winfield thinks he's there to find out what happened to the doctor that gave him a misdiagnosis. The detective slowly turns the conversation into an interrogation. I had great fun with this. To write this, I was able to use a friend of mine who was a Criminal Lawyer who gave me great insights into how the law works at interviewing suspects. I hope you enjoy.
A man's real story of a wrongful terminal diagnosi
Writers find stories in the strangest places. Mine was from some headlines in an English newspaper when I was visiting London. A man had been given a terminal diagnosis of cancer. He sold his house, put his affairs in order and gave his possessions away. Then, he got a call from the hospital. They were extremely sorry, they'd mixed his records up with someone else's. I used this for the basis of my story, but added the intrigue of a man who has been living a lie in his life. Everything about him, his marriage, his business, has been as sham...until now.
Dolphin Dreams
Science Fiction & Fantasy
A professor from Finland is visiting Cancun to give a lecture on technology. His life has been falling apart from a failed marriage and a daughter who hates him. Events collide when captive dolphins in a pool at his hotel keep him awake at night and enter his dreams. The request they make of him will change his life - if he agrees.
Book Bubbles from Dolphin Dreams
My travels that have inspired me to write my first
I love to travel to the ocean. How about you? Is there something about the waves, the sand and the big fluffy clouds that move lazily over the horizon that inspire you? They do for me. I was in Cancun, Mexico in March of 2011, and a story came to me about Dolphins and a professor who thought he was out of luck and out of love. I sat there on the balcony of my hotel room, watching these Dolphins perform below me in a pool and realized how much they wanted to be free. Then I met a professor from Finland that afternoon who seemed trapped in a sea of alcohol. The stories came together, and my book was born. If you want to see what my travels produced, push the button below to take you to the story. Best regards, and happy travels and happy reading.
The inspiration for my first book came from the do
I'd wanted to write a book for years. Numerous subjects had bounced around in my head, but a trip to Cancun, Mexico changed all that. We were given a room above the Dolphin pools. The Dolphins below us did tricks during the day. Customers were allowed to swim with them for a fee. But at night, when everyone had gone home, the Dolphins seemed restless. Night after night they would splash by the edge of the pool close to the ocean. They would shoot up into the air for a look at their ocean, their home. I'd spend nights, from midnight until one am just watchig them. Then, I met a professor from Finland who was there on wireless convention. By the time returned to Canada, I had the idea for my first story, Dolphin Dreams is a Novella that you can download below.
Actual events in Cancun that made me write a story
Several years ago while on vacation in Cancun,Mexico, my wife and I were given a room above a pool of captive dolphins. Ever night they splashed by the sea wall as if they longed to be free. Their splashing kept me awake. The hotel was full. I met a very happy and drunk electrical engineer from Finland who was there on a conference. This became my first published book. A professor from Finland travels to Cancun to a conference. The Dolphins keep him awake, enter his dreams and ask him to free them.
Climate Killers (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series, #3)
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Climate Change in North America has suddenly accelerated. People are dying of heat, forests are burning, the coasts are flooding. Detective Bernadette Callahan is sent to search for a scientist who may have an answer. In her mission, she finds someone who is one step ahead of her. Is there someone inside the FBI that is working against her? She must find the answer before the government and the country falls into chaos. This fast-moving novel features, Detective Callahan of Canada's national police force, The RCMP. She deals with criminals in her own way, here methods are not always sanctioned by her government but she gets the job done. This is the third novel in the Bernadette Callahan series. The first is Polar Bear Dawn, which is permanently free all ebook providers and the second is Pipeline Killers.
Book Bubbles from Climate Killers (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series, #3)
My Dream Team Picks March...but in authors, not ba
It's March Madness for Basketball in the USA. Everyone has their final four, called their Dream Team. Well, sorry, I'm not a big basketball fan, couldn't dribble to save my life, but I can write. So, here's my dream team of authors, the ones I'd pick to be with me if I ever wanted to charge down the hardwood... with a manuscript. They would be Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Isaac Asimov, Harlan Coben and Douglas Adams. Why these guys you ask? Because they have or had a way with words and humor that touched me. Their stories resonated with me and made me want to be a writer. Some of you may remember Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and his Welcome to the Monkey House, or Galapagos. I've included a sample chapter of my book Climate Killers, a novel of dark humor that stems from my many years of reading these authors. Perhaps some of you might see the effect they had on me in my writing, or you'll just see an author enjoying writing who could not play basketball...
My dream for the world is the end of greed. I use
We all know about greed. We've seen men and women thrown in jail when their caught stealing, but then again, the billionaires, the ones who manipulate the world with one word, the stroke of keyboard and we all suffer. Most of my books have my villians engaged in some kind of greed or another. They want power, they want money or they just want more to add it to their growing pile. I wish it wasn't so easy to write about greed, to use it as a constant plot point, but there it is, it does seem to run parts of our world. My hope is one day, greed will not be the major factor in the world. Perhaps people will find that massive amounts of power and money really don't satisfy them...but until then, I'll keep putting out books that involve greed. You can read an exccerpt from my book Climate Killers and yes, it's about greed...
Looking back on my writing year, I realize I'd f
The year has a funny way of creeping up on you. In the first three months I think I have all the time in the world for my writing projects. I outline, develop characters and do research, then in the mid part of the year I'm writing frantically...and finally it's all about the editing. This year, I became so involved in my latest novel, that when I finished, Climate Killers, I reliazed that when I began the first book, Polar Bear Dawn, in 2013, that the thought occurred to me that I would wrilte a Trilogy. I didn't think I had it in me. Well, obvioulsy I did. I was able to incorporate almost all the characters from the first book and weave a story. Now, that I'm on to my sixth novel, I look back and go, "yeah, that was a great year, a nice accomplishment. Now, I'll get back to more writing. I wish you all a happy New Year, and if you want to see what I was up to for 2018, just click the button below.
My thoughts are on Christmas now, my special time.
I love Christmas. I live in Western Canada in the forest and mountains. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else during this season. My wife has to stop me from putting the decorations up too soom. My neighbours already have theirs out. My birthday is on Christmas Day! How cool is that? My wife puts my birthday presents under the tree, and I make us an amazing large breakfast, then we go out to snowshoe or Cross Country ski. The evening is always a big dinner with friends, Yes, this is my special time and I wouldn't miss being in this part of the world for anything. For those who'd like to be transported further north, I've included a passage from one of my books of my character, Bernadette Callahan enjoying some Walrus Pot Roast and Moose Milk. No I've never had Walrus, but Moose Milk is delicious, it needs lots of rum...in the true Canadian way. Enjoy your weekend.
The Hurricanes, Floods and Forest Fires that inspi
Last year, I sat in my office wondering what book I would write next. The news of the Hurricanes barreling down on Puerto Rico, and the mudslides in California followed by the forest fires seemed to draw me in. I couldn't stop watching the news. I was also experiencing it first hand as forest fires in my home of western Canada had us all on edge. There is nothing comforting about having an evacuation package by your front door. I had one. I decided to put my character, Detective Bernadette Callahan in the centre of the storm. I wrote Climate Killers, a tale of climate disasters that she has to stop by finding answers in Canada's High Arctic. This has fantasy, some mythology, but unfortunately has much truth to it, as we see sadly in our news today. You can press on the button below to see the first three chapters from your favourite ereader. Go ahead, check it out. Press the button.
When Events mirror Fiction. My fiction book, Clima
I started writing Climate Killers in August of 2017. We'd just been through some major forest fires and one of the hottest summers on record. My book takes place sometime in the future when temperatures have accelerated. My heroine, Detective Bernadette Callahan of the Royal Canadian Police force is taskeded to find someone with answers. Her search uncovers the strange manifestations of climate change. There's hurricanes, forest fires and seas overflowing the port cities. Unfortunately, much of that is happening right now. Japan just hit 41C, (105 F) and my area where I live has over 200 forest fires burning. I'd only intended to use these types of situations as scary background. It seems that fiction has become reality. For those of you who would chose fiction, and need a break from reality, download a copy of my book, Climate Killers. It's on sale for a limited time for .99 cents.
My new book comes with a special price and a side
There are some crazy recipes in Canada's High Arctic. I couldn't help myself from including some of them in my new book, Climate Killers. If you've been lucky enough to have travelled above the earths' 60th lattitude into the barren lands, you'll be treated to a strange fare of Musk Ox and Walrus Pot roast, Bannock bread and a strange concoction called Moose Milk. No Moose was milked for the drink so have no fear. However, to add some lightness to the heavy action scenes of my characters, I had them chow down with some Arctic delights. I've put this novel on sale for July at .99 cents. This is the third in the Bernadette Callahan Detective Siries. Download now and enjoy!
Using a shark and a row boat to create tension for
No one really like sharks. I've tried to but have failed. Sharks near a row boat? A scary scenario. I put my characters, Detective Bernadette Callahan and Agent Carla Winston in a row boat with a large bull shark trailing them in Lake Nicuragua for some drama and tension. To read the first three chapters of the book, go to your favourite ebook website. I have made this book available for a short time at .99 cents on all sites. Download it now, but keep your toes inside the boat!
If climate chage accelerated. What would happen? W
Writers love to see what would happen if you accelerated things . The book Speed, , which was all about a bus that couldn't stop with Keanu Reaves and Sandra Bullock was a hit. We all loved it. What if climate change accelerated? The summer heat came and stayed? The forests dried out and started to burn...the oceans rose and flooded the port cities. From this, my story Climate Killers was born. My detective Bernadette Callahan with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is given the task of finding an answer. The answer will surpise her...and you. The book is on sale for .99 cents for a short time. Down load it now for a great page turner.
Half Brother Blues
Biographies & Memoirs
A ghost story would lead to the discovery of a long-lost half-brother. The author would find that the family had kept this secret for his mother for many years. The long-lost brother had been searching for his family for many years, however, what he would find and the welcome he received was another matter entirely. This book combines humor with grief. There were many hidden secrets that were unearthed along the way. The story reads somewhat like a detective novel as the writer is a mystery fiction writer who came upon this story by accident. If you want to see twists and turns of a family that had been hiding secrets for years, then download this story today.
Book Bubbles from Half Brother Blues
On Thanksgiving weekend, I'm thankful for a ghost
Funny how things jog your memory. American Thanksgiving is one that brings back a story of my Canadian Mother who had a short love affair with an American GI in 1942 in Northern Canada. To uncover the story and find my half brother would take all of my detective skills and my relatives in both Canada and the USA to own up to the truth. Finally locating my half-brother was almost a miracle and some amazing luck. The end result would have both tears and joy. I'm thankful I found my half brother, but sad that my mother wasn't here when I found him. I'm also thankful that my aunt who's health is failing has been able to connect wtih him. I have put all of this into my story, Half Brother Blues. So, when you've done your shopping and looking into your fridge for that leftover pumpkin pie and want a story to read with your coffee, take a look at mine.
Chasing a Ghost uncovered my mother's secret past.
I love a good ghost story. My grandmother told them to me for years when I was a child. The ghost story that threw me, was the one my aunt told me of ghost standing over my crib when I was a baby. My fasination with that ghost story would lead me to uncover my mother's secret past and that of my family. Half Brother Blues is a story that reads like a detective novel as I search for clues to uncover a lost child. For a fun read, download Half Brother Blues!
Treading Darkness (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series)
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
One day everything changed for Corporal Bernadette Callahan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. A chase of a stolen car would lead her to an abandoned mine. Her fear of the dark would be tested by her duty to apprehend her suspect. What she would find in the mine shaft would change her life, and so would her experience after. Download Treading Darkness for an enjoyable read...and a journey through darkness with Bernadette.
Book Bubbles from Treading Darkness (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series)
Facing my fear of the dark to write my first short
I was afraid of the dark as a child. My older brothers never helped much. They thought it was fun to lock me in a closet and make ghostly sounds until I screamed at them to stop. That got me to thinking about my character, Bernadette Callahan, the police officer. What if she had to chase a criminal down a abandoned mine shaft. What if her brothers had done the same thing to her? Thus began Treading Darkness, a short story that I used to provide one day in the life of Coporal Bernadette Callahan of The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in western Canada. If you're not too afraid of the dark, go ahead and click on the button below to download the short story. So, go ahead, press the button...if you dare...
My strong female character came from a writing cla
The challenge in my writing class at Mount Royal University was to craft a complex character, male or female that would have numerous hurdles to overcome. I chose Bernadette Callahan. The original short story was a female police constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who chases a young man who's robbed a store into a mine. The other challenge in the story was to have the two characters trade give something to each other. I had the young man with a book of matches and my Constable with a Candle. I did not publish that story, Treading Darkness, until this year. The short story has done very well. I have made my Bernadette Callahan into a Detective who solves all manner of crimes and has become a hit with readers. To download this short story, just hit the link for your favourite ereader. See if you like Bernadette Callahan as many readers have. It's only .99 cents, go head, press the link.
My fear of the dark made this a chlling story to w
Do you like the dark? I've never been a fan of it. My dear older brohters made sure I had a healthy respect for it by scaring the hell out of me when I was a kid. Nothing like your brothers locking you in a old basement with no lights and making ghostly sounds to make a person's hairs raise on the back of your neck. It's also called the trials of growing up. I put part of that in my character's story. I gave her a car chase and suspect fleeing down a mine shaft. The story, is Treading Darkness, it's a short story and avialable on most websites. And hopefully, you'll get over your fear of the dark...
Polar Bear Dawn (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series, #1)
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Two detectives, one in Alaska, one in northern Canada find that multiple murders in oil camps are linked. The oil companies want the murders solved quickly. When the detectives find a link to terrorists, they have to convince their superiors they have uncovered a plot to destroy Arctic and northern Canadian oil production.
Book Bubbles from Polar Bear Dawn (Bernadette Callahan Detective Series, #1)
The why and how of my writing journey, and when I
My writing career has literally been punctuated with pauses. My love of writing began at the age of 25 when a Professor taught me that writing had form, it was not just meandering words. Right then I wanted to be a writer, but I was distracted by other vocations and would not pick it up until age 35. I did some freelance articles for magazines and got accepted! I was elated. I was accepted to Journalism School and cringed at the thought of starting at such a late age so I bailed and went into a business career. It was not until I retired at age 57 that I decided to dip my toe in the sea of writing again. Could I make a go of it? Here I am nine years later and I finally feel like a writer. I have written five novels, two novellas and short story. Should I have stayed the course years ago? Who knows, because I'm here now, and it this feels great. You can read an excerpt of my first novel below. Enjoy!
The opening hooks I love in books and the ones I u
We all enjoy being pulled into a story from the first line, the first page or the chapter. Writers call it the hook. You feel compelled to keep reading, you can't put the book down, and that is what a good story is all about. I'm a big fan of writers like Harlan Coben, John Grisham and David Baldacci. They start their stories with an event that draws us in. A murder, a crime scene or someone in trouble. I've learned from them over the years and use the same techniques in my openings. If you'd like to read a free copy of my novel, Polar Bear Dawn, you can click on the link below for your copy. I start my hook on a freezing cold day in the Arctic with a Polar Bear...that finds a dead body...
The power of my first book reading that brought ba
If you hear me speak now, you would never know that I grew up with a speech impediment called a stutter. In grade school, when asked to read, I'd dissolve in fear. My stomach felt like it had turned to water, my knees into jelly. How did I get over it? My dear mother taught me how to pause before I spoke. She told me to count to ten. And I did. Teachers marveled how lost in thought I seemed before I answered a question. So, many years later, in 2013 on a patio in Palm Springs, California when friends asked me to do a reading of my first novel, Polar Bear Dawn, I did not hesitate. But first I paused and then I read the words of my characters. I admit it was a powerful moment. I had read the words out loud many times to myself to see the pace and style. But on that patio in front of a small group, the words sounded even sweeter. I had an audience. And yes, I felt that little tug of anxiousness, it never goes away, but I paused first, then let the works flow. If you'd like to read one of my chapters of my first novel, I've included it below,.. and the book is free to download... enjoy!
Reader love. The best email I ever received was a
We writers sometimes write in a vacuum, well, some say it's all in our own heads...my wife thinks I have too much space in mine... However, getting a response from my readers is my greatest joy. And, it's even better when they appreciate what I'm doing with my writing. I tend to have real characters. Few of my characters are cut from the screen like movie stars, although, I have used a few...for fun. So, when I received an email from a reader in the midwest to tell me how much she enjoyed my characters, it struck home. Her husband was a police officer. He admitted that many of the thoughts and conversations he had with himself, were just like the ones in my books. So nice to strike a chord with my readers. I placed a chapter from Polar Bear Dawn if you wish to read about one my characters. And, the book is free to download...
As the Polar Vortex lingers, here's my coldest mem
I know that the Polar Vortex is hitting the US midwest. My Eastern Canada is not doing too well either. The cold is gripping, biting and deadly. How do I know? I used to sell clothing for the High Arctic of Alaska that could withstand minus -70F. Now, damn, that is cold. I spent time visiting the High Arctic, almost more times than I care to remember. Mind numbing, cold jarring days with wind that seemed to blow rilght through you. I took those days, those years and they became my first book, Polar Bear Dawn. In my days of visiting the High Arcitc in Alaska, I came up with the idea, from that cold wasteland for a murder mystery. That book is now free, you can download it and read it right here. Now, fair warning, the first few chapters are a bit cold...bundle up...
My greatest joy in writing has been connecting wit
I've found I write in a vacuum, that is until I expose my writing to a reader. Until that time it is my thoughts, my muse, just me and my characters and scenes unfolding. The real test, to me, is to see how you, the reader, feel and respond to how and what I write. Anyone can write, but to do somthing that you like and apprectiate, that moves a reader, that is something different. I read ever review I get, the good, the bad (those are hard) but necessary and I take them to heart. They help me grow as a writer. I'll never forgot, one day when I was going through a difficult time with a novel and wondering just what I was doing, a reader sent me a note on my website, they said, "You're writing is awesome!" And that was it, I felt some relevance, I had touched a reader, and that is what makes a writer. I have included a chapter of my first book in my Detective Bernadette Callahan series which is a free download. Push the button below and enjoy!
Merry Christmas,here's a free book to add to your
My novel, Polar Bear Dawn, starts off in the high Arctic in Alaska. My charaer, Matthew Cordele, a hitman with no heart but a love for fine food and high living is pared against the two Detectives, Frank Mueller of the Alaskan Police, and Bernadette Callahan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada. Frank Mueller is three times divoreced and on his second rehab. His idea of good food is anything he didn't have to open out of can. Berandette Callahan drinks wine from a box and has been known to dial dinner from her local pizza place. How these three will interact is free by clicking on the button below. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and if you want to see how my characters survive the world I put them in, try the start of the Bernadette Callahan Mystery Series...
The books that inspire my writing.
I have always been an avid reader. As a child I hung out in our local library. My mother and father loved to read, they passed their adult books to me and I devoured them. Reading is a special time for me, it's a time I reserve for myself and the story that transports me to either another time or into a character's world. My favorite author is Harlan Coben Coben for his rich characters and mulitple plot twists. For fast paced stories I'll check into Patterson, although his writing is developing too much of a formula. And for some fun, I'll read a cozy mystery by Peter Bartram. I read 2 to 3 books a month, as television is often a wasteland. The written word still captivates me, as I hope it does you. If you wish to read some of my works, the first book in my series is free, press the button below to download it. Happy reading.
The music that has crept into my books, from The E
I love to listen to music while I write my novels. Sometimes it's Classic Rock, sometimes it's Classical music. Fight scenes need some hard rock, and quiet scenes sometimes need a calm background with the quiet accompaniment of a Brahms melody. I didn't realize how much music affected my writng until I looked over my first novel, Polar Bear Dawn. My merry band of villians (however some find them endearing) listen to all their old funes as they go about their mayhem. I found I put in the Rolling Stones, The Eagles and even Bruce Coburn. The music seeped in naturally. If you'd like to read this book, for free, you can download it below. I wish you happy reading and happy listening, to whatever moves you.
Facing my fear of bears to write my first novel.
I grew up in Northern Canada with a healthy fear of bears. If you camped, hiked or fished by a creek you watched out for them. They were always a concern. You wondered what they'd do when you met them. When I journeyed to Alaska's high Arctic to do consulting, the fear was Polar Bears. Sure, they look cuddly, but they are a deadly predator. We had bear alerts when one was known to wander into the oil camp. But what of the smart ones we didn't see? They were known to lie in wait under the stairs outside camps to try to catch the oil workers. That vision stayed with me for years. When I retired, I wrote the novel Polar Bear Dawn. Yes, some parts are a bit scary, but then all stories have to take us out of our comfort zone. You can download it now, for free. Go ahead, press the button!
Writing of a complicated freindship that I took fr
Freindships are not easy to establish in a book. They can be hard in real life as well as our lives evolve. I took the freindship of a real person I had in Anchorage, Alaska to use as the template for Troy Mercury, a native Alaskan of mixed Cree and white heritage. He has attitude in the book, he has lots of it in real life as well. I made his friend Frank Mueller, a down and out detective from the Anchorage Police force. Mercury beat the streets and drugs to get right, and Mueller needs to keep his demons at bay to stay right. You can read the first in the Bernadette Callahan series, Polar Bear Dawn, for free. Go ahead, press the button below, it's free!
My memory of publishing my first novel five years
I published my first book, Polar Bear Dawn in 2013. I remember that day I saw my first book in print. I was ecstatic, and scared to death. What if people hated it? What if, and this was a real issue, readers didn't get my sense of dark humour, my complex characters? All of this tumbled around my brain as I saw my book go live on Amazon, Kobo and Create Space. Who was I to think I could write a novel that anyone would love, like or even read. Five years later, my first novel, Polar Bear Dawn has found an audience of readers. It has 126 reviews on Amazon at 4.3 out of five and 500 reviews on Goodreads in the 4 plus. People, especially women, love my Bernadette Callahan Detective. Was I right to be worried. Yes and no, as it made me produce the best work I could for readers. If you'd like to read it, this book is free on every site, go ahead push the button to download it now, it's free!
Using unusual characters and scenes to start my th
To start my Bernadette Callahan Mystery series, I began my first book in the High Arctic of Alaska. A place called Prudhoe Bay on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. You will not find a more inhosptiable place for humans. I crafted two murders and a plot to destroy North American Oil production. All of course, for the goal of greed for some Wall Street boys. Standing up to them is a female Detective, Bernadette Callahan in Canada and a worn out and almost washed out Detective, Frank Mueller in Anchorage Alaska. If you enjoy mysteries with many quirks, and strange characters and numerous twists, you can start this series by clicking on the button to your favourite site, Polar Bear Dawn is free. That's right, totally free. Press the button and enjoy!
Mixing humour with death in my Detective Thriller
Humor and death do not often mix. A hard thing to do in writing or in life. In my few years of working in the security industry before I began writing I often saw the men and women use humor to alleviate the tension of what they faced. I found myself putting this into my characters. My second Detective Frank Mueller of Anchorage Alaska faces his personal demons with a sense of black humour that only he seems to handle. If you like your Detective Thrillers mixed with a bit of black humor, you can download a free copy of Polar Bear Dawn today on your favourite ebook site. This book starts the Bernadette Callahan series of mysteries, and yes there is more black humor mixed in the murders. Go ahead, push the button, it's free!
Crafting a complex main character for my detective
When I began my Detective Bernadette Callahan Series, I challenged myself to come up with a Detective who would be likeable, but not too predictable. My Detective is a 35 year old woman, of Cree Native and Irish Descent. She was raised by her grandmother in the far north of Canada on a native reserve until he got into trouble and was sent to school in the city with her aunt. After a series of almost near misses with the law, she ends up in a career in law enforcement. The illustrious Royal Canadian Mounted Polce. Which is also the toughest force for women to serve in. There are now two multi million dollar class action law suits aginst the force by women in Canada. Why did I put Bernadette there? Because she is a fighter. If you want to see her in action, download the first story, Polar Bear Dawn, for free on your preferred ebook site. Go ahead, it's free.
The reason I write strange tales of murder with co
Someone asked me why I write murder mystery, fantasy and thrillers. I replied, "look, these crazy thoughts and scenes have been kicking around inside my head for years. It's time they got on the page. I've loved to read since I was a young boy. Reading and watching adventure movies was my passion. If my father or his friends wanted to spin a long story about fishing, hunting, or the war. I was all ears. When I realized that I could take characters, scenes and dialogue and make my own stories I couldn't have been happier. Now, I work on an outline, fill in characters and let the dialouge and the story work it's magic. Sometimes, I'm more excited and amazed at what happens in my story than the reader. Or, I imagine I am. I've found that being an author and creating a story is a magcial experience. You can download the first book in my series, Polar Bear Dawn for free. You can see where my magic happened. Go ahead, it's free!
In the HIgh Arctic in minus 45 degrees, dead bodie
There's a strange thing about the cold of the High Arctic. Exposed skin freezes in 10 minutes in minus 45 F. If you can imagine what happens to a murder victim left outside in the arctic chill, you can sense what a medical examiner has to do when faced with a crime scene. That, and of course the local wildlife such as Polar Bears who'd like nothing more than to "clean up," whatever is left on the ground. To read the challenges of my characters in Polar Bear Dawn, you can download it now on most sites...and it's free. Go ahead, you'll be able see the characters describe "frostbite that could leave teethmarks!" It's free to download. Go ahead, but maybe get a blanket and hot chocolate first. You might need it.
To cool off your summer, here is wintery tale.
It's hot this summer, real hot in some places. If you can't get to the beach, or get the air conditioner to cool you down, how about a tale of cold Arctic nights? Polar Bear takes place in the High Arctic of Alaska and the far north of Canada. Both will numb you will cold without the right clothing in the winter. Download your free copy of Polar Bear Dawn and enjoy, it may cool you off.
Ordering a pair of murders over breakfast!
I chose the Captains Club Lounge in Anchorage Alaska for this scene. For many years I had done business from this very lounge, an elegant place with a beautiful view of Cook Inlet. When I was writing Polar Bear Dawn, it became a natural place to have Matthew Cordele, one of the men hired to wreak havoc on North America's oil fields to order a pair of murders over breakfast. You can read the first three chapters of Polar Dawn on all ebook devices...and, the book is free. Try it now to start the Benadette Callahan Detective Series.
My book was dead, until I set it free.
In 2013 I published a book on Amazon, Polar Bear Dawn. It went nowhere. Actually it dropped to the bottom of the pile of unloved, unread books and remained there for years. My freinds had loved the book, so had my beta readers. It got no love. I think it was read some 10 to 20 times a year. I put it at .99 cents. I had royalties that year of $6.00. It was a total failure. But I wrote more books. Hoping that somehow, I'd write something that people would like...nothing...crickets. One day, I put Polar Bear Dawn for free. Amazing. I had reveiws, people loved the book! And they enjoyed the rest of the series. So, if you want to read the book, Polar Bear Dawn that rekindled my life as a writer, it's free on most websites. Download it now and enjoy!
Two murders in the high arctic in the dead of wint
The high arctic of Alaska is a brutal place. The temperatures can drop to minus 100F, the winds howl with no place for shelter. In choosing this place to start my murder mystery in Polar Bear Dawn, I had to deal with things like frozen bodies, and evidence that gets tampered by unusual elements--like a hungry Polar Bear. This first book, Polar Bear Dawn is the start of the Bernadette Callahan Detective Series. A female Detective with The Royal Canadian Mounted Police who solves cases by her own rules.
My free story begins with a Polar Bear convicted o
The idea for this story came to me in my years of travels to the high Arctic. We were warned to watch for Polar Bears. They are smart. They are hungry. Humans are a source of food when seals are scarce. The camps are on stilts, high above the frozen ground to keep the ground intact. The bears would hide under the stairs and attack humans. I only needed the warning once to be wary. Then I thought. What if a bear was seen feasting on a human. What if he didn't cause the death? My story, Polar Bear Dawn was born, and so was my Bernadette Callahan Detective Series. Best yet, it's free to download. Go ahead--do it now!
