The Wheels of Publishing: Critique Partners Share Thoughts
by Lois Winston and Donnell Ann Bell
If you have children or grandchildren, chances are you’ve heard, perhaps even sang, The Wheels on the Bus. The combination lyrics/music are so catchy, you can’t help singing along as every stanza deals with taking that bus apart from its wipers, doors, driver, even to the babies on the bus going “Wah Wah Wah.” 
Why am I comparing a children’s song to publishing? Simple. With every book we write, there’s a process, and like a school bus it’s all connected.
Today my friend and critique partner Lois Winston releases her 12th book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series. To a reader who doesn’t consider the intricacies that go into writing a book, and as prolific as Lois is, it may seem she sits down at the keyboard, and in a matter of months, voila! a 257-page story is written and ready for reader enjoyment.
Lois, what do you think? Am I close to what happens? Did Book 12 of your series magically write itself? Give readers some insight into how much time and effort went into A Crafty Collage of Crime?
Author Lois Winston
Oh, Donnell, wouldn’t that be every author’s dream? Writing is hard work. Anyone who thinks they can sit down and knock out a bestseller in a week or two is in for a rude awakening. We both know that’s true, right?
Every book is different. Sometimes the words flow nonstop. Other times it’s a tug-o-war to yank them from my brain, and that blinking cursor on the blank page is like those darned windshield wipers going back and forth on that bus, a constant reminder that we’re stuck—on the bus or in front of the computer monitor WITH NOTHING HAPPENING.
The germ of an idea for A Crafty Collage of Crime came from my move from New Jersey to Tennessee two years ago. Readers were asking when Anastasia,
the ultimate Jersey girl, would pack up and follow me.
I know my sleuth well enough to know that wasn’t going to happen. Anastasia would go on strike and convince all the other characters to join her. Instead, I sent her to Tennessee wine country on her honeymoon. Of course, she stumbles across a dead body within hours of arriving. In my defense, though, I do write amateur sleuth murder mysteries, as I’ve repeatedly reminded her whenever she complains about the increasing body count.
Anyway, that was the easy part. With this book, the hardest part was figuring out whodunnit. I had several viable candidates and was three-quarters of the way finished with the book before I settled on the killer.
Even then, this book took less time to write than some of my others, which is surprising because around the time I began writing the book, I contracted with a narrator/producer to put the entire series out on audio. Each audiobook takes hours to review and edit. Then, there are the grandkids, the reason for our move south. I love those little guys, but they do require lots of grandma time.
Looking back over these past months, I’m wondering if I’ve developed some new superpower. Or maybe it’s related to insomnia. If you can’t sleep, write. Or perhaps it’s just because twelve books and three novellas into the series, I know these characters so well that they’ve become a second family to me.
Then there’s all the work that goes into promoting the book once it’s flown from the nest out into the world of readers. Like this conversation we’re having because not only is today the official release of A Crafty Collage of Crime, the twelfth book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, it’s also a special day for you, isn’t it?
Author Donnell Ann Bell
It is, Lois, thank you! As someone who critiqued and beta read A Craft Collage of Crime, I predict you have another winner. Yes, those wheels continue to go round and round because even after your book has been on the shelves or platforms for some time, there’s always promotion to consider. Speaking of promotion, Betrayed my third standalone romantic suspense goes on sale today, June 16 through June 30, for the discounted price of $.99.
Betrayed has been one of my best sellers. I wrote this book during the Waldo Canyon fires in Colorado Springs in 2012. That school bus came to a screeching halt when there was more suspense going on outside my 
window than at my keyboard.
Combine fire with shifting winds and drought, you have a force of nature beyond any mere mortal’s control. When the fire unexpectedly turned east and sprinted down the mountain toward our beloved Mountain Shadows neighborhood, I was glued to the television and not my keyboard.
Firefighters during Waldo Canyon Fire
Only when the fire was contained by myriad heroes from numerous agencies, could I focus on Betrayed. The Waldo Canyon fire destroyed 346 homes and burned 18,247 acres (28.511 square miles) in the Pikes Peak National Forest and Colorado Springs. Two lives were lost. My dear friend Author Barbara Nickless lost her home in that tragedy. There’s no mention of fire in Betrayed, but fire has certainly influenced my writing as I create a Hotshot firefighter in subsequent books.
Speaking of subsequent books, I have another surprise! My publisher has placed TWO BOOKS ON SALE today, June 16 through June 30th.
Want to discover what happens to my Hotshot firefighter? Check out my COLD CASE SUSPENSE SERIES. I introduce Seth Walker in Black Pearl. Seth is back in Until Dead, which also goes on sale today for $.99.
Yes, publishing has so many facets, I can easily compare it to The Wheels on a Bus. It’s exciting when all our creative labors come to fruition. Although, in between I can tell you that I, along with many of my fellow authors, are known to lament like that baby on the bus, “Wah, Wah, Wah!”
Happy Reading and thanks for checking out our books!
Donnell and Lois
About A Crafty Collage of Crime:
An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 12
Wherever crafts editor and reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack goes, murder and mayhem follow. Her honeymoon is no exception. She and new husband, photojournalist (and possible spy) Zachary Barnes, are enjoying a walk in the Tennessee woods when they stumble upon a body on the side of a creek. The dead man is the husband of one of the three sisters who own the winery and guest cottages where Anastasia and Zack are vacationing.
When the local sheriff sets his sights on the widow as the prime suspect, her sisters close ranks around her. The three siblings are true-crime junkies, and thanks to a podcaster who has produced an unauthorized series about her, Anastasia’s reputation for solving murders has preceded her to the bucolic hamlet. The sisters plead for her help in finding the real killer. As Anastasia learns more about the women and their business, a host of suspects emerge, including several relatives, a relentless land developer, and even the sisters themselves.
Meanwhile, Anastasia becomes obsessed with discovering the podcaster’s identity. Along with knowing about Anastasia’s life as a reluctant amateur sleuth, the podcaster has divulged details of Anastasia’s personal life. Someone has betrayed Anastasia’s trust, and she’s out to discover the identity of the culprit.
Craft project included.
About Lois Winston: USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Lois Winston began her award-winning writing career with Talk Gertie to Me, a humorous fish-out-of-water novel about a small-town girl going off to the big city and the mother who had other ideas. That was followed by the romantic suspense Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception. Then Lois’s writing segued into the world of amateur sleuths with her humorous Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, which Kirkus Reviews dubbed “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” The series now includes twelve novels and three novellas.
To date Lois has published twenty-one novels, five novellas, several short stories, one children’s chapter book, and one nonfiction book on writing.
Website:http://www.loiswinston.com
Newsletter sign-up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r2e9v1
Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog: www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/anasleuth
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anasleuth
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/722763.Lois_Winston
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lois-winston
Buy Links
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3NX6O13
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-crafty-collage-of-crime
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-crafty-collage-of-crime-lois-winston/1143442079?ean=2940161008225
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-crafty-collage-of-crime/id6448801378
About Donnell Ann Bell: Donnell Ann Bell knows statistically that crime and accidents happen within a two-mile radius of the average residence. For that reason, she leaves the international capers to world travelers, and concentrates on stories that might happen in her neck of the woods.
Over the last few years, Donnell has fallen in love with writing multi-jurisdictional task force plots, keeping close tabs on her theme SUSPENSE TOO CLOSE TO HOME. Her single-title romantic suspense novels, The Past Came Hunting, Deadly Recall, Betrayed, and Buried Agendas, are Amazon bestsellers.
Traditionally published with Belle Books/Bell Bridge Books, Black Pearl, a Cold Case Suspense is her first mainstream suspense and book one of a series. Her second book in the series, Until Dead is also available wherever books are sold. To learn more, sign up for her newsletter via www.donnellannbell.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/donnellannbell, Twitter @donnellannbell Donnell Ann Bell Books – BookBub
Buy Links: Until Dead
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VVTYNKT
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/until-dead-donnell-ann-bell/1141238717?ean=9781610261760
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Donnell_Ann_Bell_Until_Dead?id=yBJlEAAAQBAJ&pli=1
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/until-dead
Buy Links: Betrayed
Betrayed – Kindle edition by Bell, Donnell Ann. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
https://books.apple.com/us/book/betrayed/id913907015?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=books_box_link
Betrayed by Donnell Ann Bell | eBook | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Donnell_Ann_Bell_Betrayed?id=GKdiBAAAQBAJ
Donnell, always a pleasure to partner up with you! Thanks for featuring my new release today and good luck with your sales!
My pleasure, Lois! Happy Release Day!
I enjoyed this discussion. Congrats to Lois on the release of A Crafty Collage of Crime!
Thanks so much, Vera!
Lois and Donnell,
Thanks for sharing some thoughts on the writing process. It’s always educational (and fun) when either one of you shares with your readers and fellow authors.
Take Care & Keep Writing
Thanks for stopping by George!
George, thanks so much for the support!
Just bought Lois’s new one, and two by Donnell. Best of Luck to both of my Stiletto Gang Sisters!
Gay, thank you!!! I hope you enjoy.
Thanks so much, Gay! Hope you enjoy all of them!
I love the comparison with the bus and the kids’ song. Good luck with your new books, Donnell and Lois.
Thanks, Susan!
Hi Donnell and Lois! Fun blog post! 🙂
I’m happy the fire missed your home, Donnell. And congrats to the both you and Lois on your books. You’re both pretty prolific as far as I’m concerned. 🙂
Francelia, vice versa, my friend. So impressed with your anthologies, short stories and podcasts. You’re crushing it in publishing 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks, Francelia! Glad you could stop by.
Love this blog, Donnell. You and Lois are always insightful and entertaining. And thanks for the mention. The Waldo Canyon Fire was a harbinger of things to come.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Barbara!
Oh, Barb, Yes. Would that we had a time machine. When I look up words like formidable and unstoppable, I think of you. Thanks for dropping by. Your success is so well deserved! xoxo
Congratulations to you both for having written–and continuing to write– such excellent books! Yes, those wheels on the bus just keep on turning as we go from one season to the next and one year to the next, writing and launching new books as we move along. Thanks for such a great metaphor for what we do! Very best wishes on your new release, Lois! And thanks to you and your publisher for such a great discount on your books, Donnell!
Thanks, Margaret! Glad you enjoyed the post.
Thank you, Margaret! I have another metaphor for you rather than the Wheels on the Bus. I will call you Energizer Bunny! Hope the Pacific Northwest appreciates you the way the Rocky Mountains do!