M.S. Spencer
Cast in Stone M. S. Spencer
Book Up Blog interviewed me recently and one of the questions concerned my writing process. Do I carefully plot or let the characters drive the story, do I outline, do I write in the wee hours or in the noonday sun—that sort of thing. Since most stories tend to take on a life of their own somewhere in the third chapter, I wondered if any part of the initial envisioning remains in the finished product.
I usually have a story line, a setting, and a dynamite conclusion already in my mind when I begin a story. The story line is just for fun since, once I’ve established the heroine’s character, the novel will unfold on its own with only a nudge now and then from me. I only go back to my original notes when I need a good laugh.
As to setting, I use a number of beloved places, mainly for an excuse to return (er..for research…of course). Paris being my favorite, if at all possible I provide the heroine with at least a layover in Paris. In Lost in His Arms, Chloe Gray spends time in the Burgundy region of France (with a layover in Paris); in Lost and Found, we find Rose Culloden in the wilds of Maine looking for her husband (no Paris layover. Sigh). Dagne Lonegan spends a year in Chincoteague in Losers Keepers (no Paris either…hey wait a minute!). Then in my fourth novel, Triptych, a tale of three sisters set on the Potomac River, Miranda Cabot does (well, finally!) have a layover in Paris before flying on to Strasbourg. In my latest release, Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders, Milo Everhart only gets to sigh about Paris (do a word search: it comes up once). To make up for all those other stories, the heroine of my latest WIP, Love in the Air, stops in Paris in every chapter, and the story begins and ends in Paris. Take that!
Only one element is cast in stone: the conclusion. As the germ of a story unfolds in my head, I always hear the final words. That last line is a beacon guiding me to home port while I draft the story. The language almost never alters.
I’d like to introduce you to Milo Everhart and her merry band of artists. Milo makes beautiful needlepoint and her friend Tekla Spirikova makes large metal cones. Together they fight City Hall (literally) when it wants to give their beloved Torpedo Factory Art Center away. Things get complicated when their greatest adversary turns out to be the man Milo loves, and even more complicated when too many murder victims turn up. Read all about it in:
Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders
To be released April 24, 2012 by Secret Cravings Publishing
65,000 words; M/F; 3 flames
Contemporary romantic Suspense/Murder Mystery
Murders, misdirection, misfits, and miscreants—needlepoint artist Milo Everhart has her hands full. Can love blossom amidst it all?
Blurb:
Waiting out the rain, Milo Everhart takes stock of her widowhood and the handsome man standing in the door to the bar. Little does she know she will meet that man again and again under both passionate and terrifying circumstances.
Tristram Brody waits for his date, too conscious of the beautiful woman sitting by the door. Little does he know that she will hate him for trying to destroy her beloved art center, and even suspect him of murder. Nor that she will be drawn inevitably into his arms.
Little does either of them suspect they will be embroiled in not one, but two murders, in which the fate of the Torpedo Factory, an art center housed in an old munitions factory on the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria, will be decided.
EXCERPT (PG): The First Meeting
The bartender backed out past the man, who made no move to get out of his way. Milo frowned. The fellow appeared oblivious to the fact that his position inconvenienced everyone. At first she’d assumed he was waiting out the rain, but his body language said expectant. Every minute or so he’d poke his head out and look up and down King Street.
For lack of anything more exciting to do, she fell to observing him. The top of his head brushed the door jamb, making him about six feet three inches. His bulk didn’t jibe with his height though. She guessed him to weigh in at maybe 175 pounds stripped. He was undeniably her type—lean, trim, tall, clean-shaven—none of that painted-on five-o’clock shadow male celebrities sported nowadays. And old enough for once. Maybe forty? She could only see his profile at the moment, which revealed thick black hair curling over his ears, slices of silver gray relieving the dark waves at the temple, a straight nose, moderately rosy—from drink? Or the cold?—and a forceful chin. Without warning he pivoted and Milo caught the full impact of a deeply masculine face right in the kisser. Whew. Even with the Armani suit, definitely not gay.
He tapped a highly polished Gucci loafer with impatience and pulled out a pocket watch. By this time Milo had dropped all pretence and openly scrutinized her subject. He thrust the watch back in his pocket with a scowl and spun around toward the bar, almost colliding with Tony. He took Milo’s glass from the startled bartender. “Thanks, just what the doctor ordered.”
Milo began to rise in protest. Tony looked at her and the man followed his gaze in surprise. He held up the whiskey. “Er, I take it this isn’t for me?”
Milo tried to come up with a flip response but his rich baritone rattled her. Tony stepped between them. “Yes, Sir, that drink belongs to the lady. May I get you something?”
The man didn’t answer. He stared at Milo more or less the way she was staring at him. Flustered, she plopped back down on the narrow bench, barely avoiding an embarrassing slide to the floor. He continued to stare. She resisted the impulse to pat her short fawn-colored ringlets which always appeared tousled no matter what she did, and blinked. He blinked back. Finally she blurted out, “Would you care to join me?”
He shook his head as though to clear it and replied, “Thank you. Forgive me—I’ve never seen such lovely eyes…I mean, eyes that color…I mean…sorry, what would you call them? Mahogany? Bronze?” His admiring gaze did wonders for Milo’s discomfiture and her mood took a decided uptick.
“I just call them brown. But thank you.”
“I’m sorry about purloining your drink. Can I buy you a freshener in restitution?”
“Okay. Did you want to sit down?”
“I’d better not. I’m waiting for someone.”
“Oh.” His plight, though not unexpected, depressed her. Of course Armani man had a date. He probably always has a date, even during Lent.
Tony brought another glass. The man paid him, then hesitated as though considering. “You know, she is awfully late. Since you’re right in the window seat with a commanding view of the entrance, may I change my mind and sit here until she arrives?”
Ulp. “Not at all.” Good—got that out without stuttering.
“Thanks.” He pulled a low barrel stool next to the bench and clinked her glass. “Cheers.”
They sipped their whiskies in companionable silence. The rain pummeled both the sidewalk and the pedestrians with barely concealed antagonism. Milo decided her heart had settled down sufficiently to ensure a quaver-free sentence. “I’m Milo Everhart.” And I’m Gorgeous George. You don’t mind if I seduce you, do you? No, wait—he didn’t say that. I did. Hopefully in my head. “Um, I didn’t catch your name?”
“Tristram Brodie. Pleased to meet you.”
Biography
Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled on five continents, the last 30 years have been spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. She divides her time among Virginia, Maine and Florida. All of this tends to insinuate itself into her works.
M.S. Spencer has two fabulous grown children. She has only one cat (down from three, plus a dog, a snake and two hamsters). It’s a quiet household now, but since her study window looks on a park and river there is plenty of wildlife to distract her from her writing.
M.S. Spencer would love to be contacted at any of these links:
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/M.S.SpencerAuthor
Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
April 22nd, 2012 at 4:17 pm
Thanks for having me today Angela! I’d love to hear from your readers. M. S. Spencer
April 22nd, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Thanks for joining me again! I’m glad you’re here.
April 22nd, 2012 at 7:33 pm
I left a note on your blog too! btw, here’s the buy link for Artful Dodging–it’s up on the publisher’s site today: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=17&products_id=311