Standalone or Series?

As readers, do you prefer standalone or series? As a writer, I have written both. My first publication was the six book Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit Mystery Series. I also have several books with sequels: The Back Wing and The Front Wing; Court Trouble and Paradise Court. I also have the Omnipodge Trilogy of Old Detectives Home, Last Gasp Motel, and A Mystery Yarn. My other nine published books are standalones. The reason for standalones are that I get an idea and want to pursue it even though it might not lead to a series. Some examples: Unstuff Your Stuff is a mystery that came about because I got interested in what professional organizers do. Murder in the Museo Kircheriano is a historical mystery based on the fascinating character Athanasius Kircher who was know as the last man to know everything. The Tesla Legacy is a thriller based upon inventions of the brilliant inventor Nikola Tesla. Mystery of the Dinner Playhouse came about because of family members who have been in the theater world. Murder on the Switzerland Trail is a historical mystery set in the mountains of Colorado where I hiked on all the publicly available sections of what had once been a narrow-gauge railroad bed. The Best Chicken Thief is a biography of a World War II veteran I met who was in the infantry in Europe, captured by the Germans and liberated by the Russians. The VV Agency is a paranormal private investigator novel and happened because my then agent suggested that I should explore a paranormal mystery. The idea for Death of a Scam Artist came about when I became intrigued with elder abuse and people who preyed on seniors. My upcoming middle grade mystery, The Adventures of Sure Luck Holmes, which will be released in November can become a series.

Speaking Opportunities

I always appreciate being invited to give a presentation to non-profit and service organizations. Earlier this week I spoke to a church group who liked my sense of humor and asked terrific questions.

Critique Groups

I’m in a online critique group with four other writers. We submit up to twenty pages to each other every two weeks and then meet on Zoom to discuss our comments. This is an excellent way to get feedback on a manuscript from fellow writers who are also discerning readers. When I started writing in 2001, I met with a fellow employee to discuss our manuscripts. Then I joined an in-person critique group of mystery writers and another critique group that met in my town. Along the way I also joined an online critique group. Then for a number of years I was not in any critique group. I’m glad to be back in a critique group because this is a way to improve my manuscripts and help others improve theirs.

Taking Care of Grand-cats

I’m currently feeding our daughter’s two cats. They come running when I get there, because they associate me with food. After they gobble their food, I give them a good scritch before leaving.

 

Men of Mystery

Last Saturday I participated in the Men of Mystery one-day mystery conference in Long Beach, CA. Along with the other authors, I gave a brief pitch about my two most recent mystery novels A Mystery Yarn and Murder in the Museo Kircheriano. I enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones.

Fighter Pilot or Bomber Pilot

One over-simplified classification of how people act is to determine if they are like fighter pilots or bomber pilots. Bomber pilots are very single focused on their target. Fighter pilots are scanning the skies around them for threats and targets. Are you a fighter pilot or a bomber pilot?

The Adventures of Sure Luck Holmes

The electronic edition of my middle grade mystery, The Adventures of Sure Luck Holmes, can now be pre-ordered:

The Adventures of Sure Luck Holmes - Kindle edition by Befeler, Mike. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Fifth-grader Sherman Holmes and his sidekick Johanna Watson solve mysteries surrounding the Baker Street Elementary School in Londonberry, California. Nicknamed Sure Luck, Sherman always cracks the case, but invariably for the wrong reason that only Johanna catches, particularly when it involves Sherman’s nemesis, the school bully Jim Moriarty. Johanna also assists Sure Luck as he prepares for his second level private detective’s exam, involving both a written section and a surprise practical test that will require all of Sure Luck’s skill.