The Diva and the Detective

The Case of the Toxic Tenor, book three in “The Augusta McKee Mystery Series,” is now available on Amazon. The first two books, The Case of the Slain Soprano and The Case of the Disappearing Director, have some nifty reader reviews.

Readers like my protagonist:

“Professor Augusta McKee, just introduced in Susan Moore Jordan’s mystery The Case of the Slain Soprano, will take her place among the lady detectives you wish you knew in person. She’s a no-nonsense voice teacher in spike heels, tough and tender and smart as all get-out.” - Michaele

“Augusta McGee … is well-drawn for us and we are soon thoroughly intrigued by this well-dressed and extremely well-shod woman in midlife with many roles - professor of music, voice teacher, stage play director, and supportive mentor to faculty and students.” - Catherine

“McKee makes a strong protagonist and I liked her instantly as she asserts herself in defiance of the detective, who seems a bit overwhelmed by her, but later regains his composure sufficiently to woo her.” – Pocopop

About that detective, Malcolm Mitchell. I owe a lot of thanks to some remarkable people who’ve been an immense help in developing this series, first among them retired Cincinnati Police Department Detective Lieutenant Stephen Kramer, who is former president of the Greater Cincinnati Police Historical Society and former long-time director and current archivist of its Museum. When I started writing the series, set in Cincinnati in the mid-1960s, Lt. Kramer was kind of enough to respond to my request for assistance in understanding police procedural matters in that time and place. He also provided considerable insight into the mind of a homicide detective, and some of the words uttered by Malcolm are—with permission—quotes from Lt. Kramer. 

I also have to thank my intrepid editor, Ashleigh Evans, who continues to help me through tricky scenes and thorny issues as I follow this new path of writing a series, attempting to make each book fresh and new while keeping the reader engaged by my protagonists and how they deal with each new challenge. When considering the cover for the first book, Ashleigh suggested incorporating what has become the series’ brand: Augusta’s red stiletto.

It’s quite a thrill to see the talented Taylor Van Kooten’s covers as a trio. What a serendipity to find a photo of the engraving for the original design of Cincinnati’s wonderful Music Hall and learn it was in the public domain! A perfect background for a murder mystery which takes place in the building. Taylor’s artistic rendering of the gazebo in Eden Park is stunning. We’re already thinking about the cover for book number four, which is my current work in progress. 

Reader reviews are vital for an independent author, and if you’ve read and enjoyed any of my books, I’d be grateful for even a brief review on Amazon. This review for The Case of the Disappearing Director by Pocopop was definitely gratifying. With each book I attempt to hone my writing skills, and it seems I may be succeeding!

“Jordan weaves an intricate plot that slowly peels back the layers, reveals her protagonist's depth and nature, while interspersing Jordan's knowledge and obvious love of opera, classical music, and performance theater. The music and the theatrical aspects add depth to the story and characters, and Jordan uses these elements expertly to help tie up the plot and bring it to a satisfying conclusion. Although Disappearing Director is part of a series, the book stands alone, with no need to read the preceding novel in order to understand this one. I felt Jordan reached new levels as a budding novelist in this story.”

(In celebration of the release of third book in the series, Book One, The Case of the Slain Soprano, Kindle edition, is on sale for $0.99 until 8 a.m. May 4. Grab it while you can!)

You can find links to the books on my Amazon author page: 

https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Moore-Jordan/e/B00IBZ731U/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Or on my website: http://www.susanmoorejordan.com/

Why I Write, Take Two

My book editor, Ashleigh Evans, is a former junior high school friend from the 1950s, who I knew as Betty Smith (this was before her career as a performer, hence the name change). We lost touch for many years until one afternoon in the 1970s I was watching my late husband play tennis and a man walked up to me and asked, “Did you used to be Sue Moore?” He was Bill Smith, a local attorney. But I remembered him as Billy, Betty’s annoying kid brother.

I had an opportunity to see Ashleigh not long after that when she was back east and was in our area to visit Bill and his family (she now lives in the San Francisco Bay area). Bill’s daughter, Kristen, has followed in her aunt’s footsteps and is a talented performer who is now on Broadway, her lifelong dream.

But I digress. Ashleigh read my first novel, How I Grew Up, and contacted me to offer her services as copy editor, looking for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Over the course of nine books she has become much more. She also catches plot holes and advises me when I veer off track, so she has also become my content editor and in a way, my partner. We exchange ideas. I’m very fortunate because she will take the book as I write, a chapter at a time, something very rarely done.

Recently I sent her what is the climactic chapter for my work in progress, The Case of the Toxic Tenor, a murder mystery. When she returned the manuscript with her corrections/changes/comments she remarked in the email: “When you're writing exciting, fast-paced scenes like this, do you tend to type faster and faster?!”

That made me laugh, because I certainly do exactly that. But I do more. The world around me recedes and I am living right there, in that moment, in that place. This particularly scene takes place in 1964 Cincinnati, in the lobby of the Netherland Hilton Hotel. I was in that lobby a number of times when I lived there, and had a vague memory of its elegance, and of the Palm Court Restaurant just off to one side. But this is an intense scene and I needed more. Internet searches provided some great photographs and helped put me there. My remarkable police procedure consultant, retired Major Crimes Detective Lieutenant Stephen Kramer of the Cincinnati Police Department, included detailed narration to accompany photos he sent. I was right there in that lobby, watching the scene unfold as I wrote.

I had an absolute blast.

When I am writing I have the time of my life. And it’s immensely rewarding when I occasionally hear from someone who has enjoyed one of my books, whether through an Amazon review, an email, a note, or a comment in a parking lot (something like “I borrowed one of your books from my neighbor and I just loved it!”). I started writing in May of 2013 and it has become as essential to me as breathing (I know I’ve said that before, but it’s true). I’m sure I’m not that unusual and many other writers share my passion.

Sometimes people ask me how to write. Just do it. Sit down, use your computer, use a pencil and a pad of paper … just put the words down. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It won’t be perfect. Get the story out of your head. You can go back later and fix things. And you will, many, many, many times. But my advice is this: don’t read a bunch of books on “how to write a book.” Just start writing. Even if it’s slow going at first.

Without my computer, the internet, and some incredible people kind enough to generously share their knowledge and expertise about subjects I know little about (Lt. Kramer is a gold mine), I couldn’t write. I know that. And when I look at the nine books I have in print, I’m kind of stunned.

If you have any desire to write, try it. It’s cathartic, it’s escapist, it’s freeing, it’s gratifying and satisfying and fulfilling. Once you get into it, you’ll feel alive in a way you never have before. You’re creating something. Just think of the implications of that. Using your ability to produce something entirely new. Oh, sure, I know similar stories have been told numerous times. But not this exact story, in these exact words.

That’s why I write.

Oh, just in case you’d like to read any of my books, the quickest and easiest place to go is my Amazon author page. You can check out the reviews while you’re there. And if you do read a book … a review is like gold to us indie authors.  

https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Moore-Jordan/e/B00IBZ731U/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1