For the second time since my writing journey began in 2009, I temporarily pushed myself away from adding the next installment to my Annalisse romantic mystery series. Instead, I went to work on fiction fundamentals—to hone my skills and become a better writer. A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT has been as therapeutic as jumping into the children’s book adventure was for me.
When I wrote Mia and Nattie, One Great Team, I needed the outlet to get over the loss of our sweet Dorset ewe we’d raised in our laundry room for eight weeks and beyond. Nattie the Horned Dorset sheep spent thirteen incredible years with us. How she came to join the flock unlike our other sheep in the pasture, is a chronical of love and belonging. Both hers, and ours. Nattie had a special bond with my family—her existence an excellent reminder to children as well as adults. Nattie’s story became the little girl and her lamb working together and changing lives for the better.
A great deal of time is spent examining editorial reviews and readers’ comments for each new body of work. After my last book, Copper Waters went live, I realized the time had come for me to take a break from the familiar and sharpen the characterization skills that had become too mushy for most new series readers. Writing a series can be tricky, especially in the area of backstory. How much past information does a reader need to be brought up on the current book? How many events and details from previous novels should be presented? Developmental editors are helpful but their ideas can be subjective, each having a different viewpoint. As for me, I write novels for reader entertainment. Reviews tell a writer everything they need to know about their genre skill level.
I set up a challenge for myself.
The task to write a standalone novel unrelated to my series with new characters in a different environment—and give them entirely new problems to solve just made sense. The new mystery presented hurdles I hadn’t expected, even though pulling ideas from personal experiences helped the creative process.
I love the Annalisse series, but a mystery like A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT was necessary to propel me toward that upcoming installment in Annalisse’s saga with the debonaire, but not always perfect, Alec Zavos.
The literary break from them has made a world of difference in the possibilities…
A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT launched on October 1, 2024. The early paperback proof went to bloggers and reviewers as early as August for their feedback—something new I tried with this novel. Time will tell if my strategy to step away from the series will strengthen later books and entice new readers. I hope so.
I decided to write A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT for the reasons mentioned in addition to giving me the chance to showcase a few of my other pastimes: Cooking from scratch and learning more about the history of our great nation. This novel takes place in the fictional town of Stenburg, in the historic South. Rural East Texas is where I live with my husband of 43 years and our newest members to the flock. Katahdin hair sheep.
Marlene M. Bell brings distant friends together in the rural South only to have one of them become the victim of a brutal crime of passion.
Once celebrated for her show-stopping pastries and irresistible desserts, former celebrity chef Laura Harris is now making headlines for a far darker reason.
Laura has been accused of murder.
How could this petite chef have brutally smothered the beloved small-town matriarch, World War II ferry pilot veteran, Hattie Stenburg? Hattie wasn’t just a pillar of the community; she was Laura’s confidant and mentor. The shocking twist? Hattie had made recent changes to her will, bypassing next-of kin and leaving her entire fortune and historic estate to Laura.
As Laura scrambles to clear her name, she uncovers sinister secrets lurking beneath the town’s idyllic surface. The real murderer is always one step ahead, leaving taunting clues and threatening Laura to leave Texas—or face deadly consequences. With time not a luxury, Laura must untangle the web of deceit before the killer makes her the next victim.
A Hush at Midnight is available at Amazon.
Mystery at a killing pace.
Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch, her fans often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic suspense, thriller, and cozy mystery books as characters or subject matter.
Marlene’s multi-award-winning Annalisse series boasts numerous Best Mystery honors for all installments including the newest IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, and Global Gold Award for the fourth cozy mystery from down under.
Her children's picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written for the younger crowd, is based on true events from the Bell’s Texas sheep ranch. Suitable reading for ages 3 - 7 years and beyond, a Mom's Choice Gold Award winner, and Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List winner.
Website & Social Media:
Website ➜ https://www.marlenembell.com
Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/ewephoric
Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/marlenembell
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17642396.Marlene_M_Bell
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