Sources of Inspiration
and sale on print books
Inspiration comes to authors from many places. In March, I read an article by a Chinese-American mystery novelist about how she used the elements of the Chinese new Year celebration to structure her latest mystery, and I realized that the Jewish holiday of Purim could provide the same framework. Dog of Deliverance will be out next year.
Recently I read an article in the New York Times about iyashikei. Japanese “healing fiction,” which often involves a cat with magical powers. Since I think Rochester has a touch of magic about him, I immediately wanted to write my own book in that genre. I’ve been working on The Smiling Dog Café all month—dogs guide people in need of healing to a very special Brooklyn café.
(This is an image I’m working with for the cover of The Smiling Dog Cafe.)
Sometimes when I start a story, I have an image or a sentence in mind, and my imagination takes off from there. For the first story in this genre, though, I was finding my way, and I spent this morning restructuring the opening chapter. I originally began at the protagonist’s lowest point—he’s lost his girlfriend, his apartment and his job, and a golden retriever appears to guide him to the café.
I realized it would be more impactful to tell the story chronologically—beginning with the girlfriend’s departure. What she says to him sets up the whole story. Then he discovers a programming flaw at his company, and his boss rejects his idea. When he heads home, he finds that his building has been condemned. And the next morning, because of his programming discovery, his whole department is being outsourced.
Hopefully this structure will make his struggle more meaningful. I’m zooming on this project, two linked novellas, and hope to have it out by inauguration day in January 2025, when I think a lot of readers will need something comforting!
In the meantime, Ingram, who I use to provide print copies of my books, has a special sale on until December 2, waiving the setup charges assessed against me. I’m passing those savings on to readers. If you want one of the following books in print, either for yourself or as a holiday gift, take advantage of the lower prices! I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to upload my entire catalog to Ingram yet, because I’ve been so busy writing, but I’ve hired my cousin’s daughter as my virtual assistant, so I hope to have all the remaining books uploaded to Ingram by the end of the year.
Remember, these links are only good until December 2, when the print prices will go back up. You may find that in some cases the new print price from Ingram matches what you’d pay Amazon or another retailer, but Ingram’s print quality is better. The links below will take you to Ingram, who will print and ship the books to you and then pay me directly. I end up making the same $$ as selling elsewhere, because I’m passing the savings on to you. I hope you’ll find something in this list that appeals to you.
Title Series # Sale Price
GOLDENS
In Dog We Trust Goldens #1 $11.99
https://tinyurl.com/In-Dog-We-Trust
The Kingdom of Dog Goldens #2 $10.25
https://tinyurl.com/TheKingdomofDog
Dog Help Those Goldens #3 $10.75
https://tinyurl.com/DogHelpThose
Dog Bless You Goldens #4 $10.25
https://tinyurl.com/Dog-Bless-You
Whom Dog Hath Joined Goldens #5 $11.50
https://tinyurl.com/WhomDoghathJoined
Dog Have Mercy Goldens #6 $10.25
https://tinyurl.com/DogHaveMercy
Honest to Dog Goldens #7 $9.99
https://tinyurl.com/Honest-to-Dog
Dog is in the Details Goldens #8 $9.99
https://tinyurl.com/DogisintheDetails
Dog Knows Goldens # 9 $9.99
https://tinyurl.com/DogKnows-Plakcy
Dog's Green Earth Goldens #10 $9.50
https://tinyurl.com/DogsGreenEarth
A Litter of Goldens Goldens #11 $9.50
https://tinyurl.com/A-Litter-of-Goldens
Dog's Waiting Room Goldens #13 $9.50
https://tinyurl.com/DogsWaitingRoom
All Dog's Children Goldens #15 $9.99
https://tinyurl.com/AllDogsChildren
Dog of Thieves Goldens #16 10.99
https://tinyurl.com/DogofThieves
In Dog's Image Goldens # 17 10.25
https://tinyurl.com/InDogsImage
Blessing of the Dogs Goldens #18 $10.00
https://tinyurl.com/BlessingoftheDogs
Food of the Dogs Goldens #19 $9.99
https://tinyurl.com/FoodoftheDogs
GEORGE CLAY
Bless Our Sleep George Clay #1 $11.99
https://tinyurl.com/BlessOurSleep
MAHU
Unruly Son Mahu #12 $9.99
The Virgin Homicides Mahu #13 $10.99
https://tinyurl.com/VirginHomicides
ANGUS GREEN
The Next One Will Kill You Angus Green #1 $10.99
https://tinyurl.com/TheNextOneWillKillYou
Nobody Rides for Free Angus Green #2 $10.99
https://tinyurl.com/NobodyRidesforFree
Survival is a Dying Art Angus Green #3 $10.99
Brackish Water Angus Green #4 $10.99
https://tinyurl.com/BrackishWater
ORMOND YARD
Gentleman and Spy Ormond Yard #1 $11.99
https://tinyurl.com/TheGentlemanandtheSpy
Lord and Frenchman Ormond Yard #2 $11.99
https://tinyurl.com/TheLordandtheFrenchman
Saving the Boxer Ormond Yard #3 $10.99
https://tinyurl.com/SavingTheBoxer
HAVE BODY, WILL GUARD
The Feet of Blue Pigeons Have Body #13 $10.99
https://tinyurl.com/TheFeetofBluePigeons
Designer/Fortune Have Body #14 $10.25
I hope you are able to enjoy the blessings of Thanksgiving this year. We’ll be taking the dogs and a pre-made dinner up to my mother-in-law’s to celebrate with her.
Neil
I have had the pleasure or writing you before asking about Banneret in the Body Guard Series and I think we discussed Pennsylvania as well.... I am thoroughly enjoying George' adventures in 1968 Miami and had to laugh when he applied Piz Buin suntan lotion. I though I was the only one in the US that bought that product. Enjoy your writing so much.
Brad Coath
St. Petersburg