Writing My First Mystery-Thriller: Body in the Trunk

I get asked all of the time about my process of writing. All writers have their own processes. My process is unlike another author's process. My close friend Scott D. Roberts, author of Vengeance is Now, describes his process like that of a police detective with index cards and notes plastered on his office wall like a shrine. My process is much more up in my head. Sometimes I write little notes here and there to ensure I don't forget. But overall my process is meditative. If I'm stuck on plot line I will lay down, close my eyes, and visualize.

In my new book Body in the Trunk I had to first get a road map in my head as to where I wanted the story to go, but I also let the story tell itself. I always start with a vague sense of the overall plot line, but I have to let the story unfold. Characters define themselves in my head. Personalities come to life organically to the story-telling process.

Creating the tension, intrigue and mystery is about building-blocks. You start with small hints and clues. You don't directly spell anything out. You hint and you hint early on. The who-done-it and why (for me) came out of the storytelling process. I developed several scenarios in my head. Then I had to focus on the mechanics. How were all of the pieces going to come together and make sense? I played out each scenario in my mind. But here is the tip: I used an objective book coach to point out the holes and weaknesses. True mystery and intrigue got built in the rewrites. Revising and rewriting addresses all of the weaknesses and holes and fills them in.

Body in the Trunk is in test market and releases in winter 2015. For more information, visit my company's website at www.3LPublishing.com.