Suzanne M. Trauth's Blog

It’s been an exciting and whirlwind time…launching What Remains of Love this summer,
promoting the book at libraries and bookstores and online, and attending the Bouchercon
mystery conference in Minneapolis.

Though the convention allowed me to talk about my last Dodie O’Dell mystery, Killing Time, I was also able to pitch What Remains… to attendees as a contemporary family drama with history, romance, and a pinch of mystery.

Actually, a lot of mystery! It’s been fun to talk about the book and I am grateful to all of the folks who graciously listened and responded. I am now offering to attend book clubs, in person if in the New Jersey area, or virtually, to contribute to the discussion, answer question, and provide some context for the story behind What Remains of Love. That it was inspired by true events and has been twenty- five years in the making, beginning in 1997 with my family visiting the south of France and
meeting an extraordinary women. '

A true labor of love! Some days I have to pinch myself to realize that this summer actually happened because having the book published is a dream come true.

Thanks to Between the Lines Publishing. And thanks to all of you who have been
supporting me from the beginning of this writing journey. It’s been quite a ride!

Full of quirky characters, mystery, and surprise that all combine until you cannot
put it down. A must read for fans of cozies. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5.

Thank you Books a Plenty Book Review!

I'm excited to announce that my new book Killing Time is coming out June 2!

Thank you Cozy Up with Kathy for your review.

https://cozyupwithkathy.blogspot.com/...

It’s almost officially spring in New Jersey…the birds are singing off and on, the weather is mild off and on, the rain comes and goes. Off and on. Nature has been a little confused this season. With no snow to speak of and a few balmy days in February, flowers are poking their heads above ground, taking a look around, and deciding if they should stay or go!

I am finishing up a couple of writing projects—a new play and an old novel—and beginning the promotion for my next Dodie O’Dell mystery: Killing Time, due out June 2. Wait til you see what Dodie and the Etonville Little Theatre are up to now. Yikes! Well, you’ll have to wait for a later post to find out…

Meanwhile I caught up with some of my favorite mystery writers. And what a bunch of fun reads they were. First, there was Megan Abbott’s Give Me Your Hand, a psychological thriller that kept me guessing til the last page. Then Sunburn by Laura Lippman. She’s a master of suspense who creates unforgettable characters. Lori Rader-Day’s Under a Dark Sky had enough twists to keep me up late, and Vivian Barz’s Forgotten Bones scared the dickens out of me from time to time. And, of course, there is Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache novels. I am working my way through the series, savoring life in Three Pines, Québec. All of these authors provided expert plotting, character development, and scene setting. I recommend them heartily.

So…until spring actually does arrive, hunker down with some good crime fiction. Even if it does keep you awake late into the night, it’s okay…we’re into Daylight Savings Time!

I’m sitting here in New Jersey getting over the first big snowstorm of the season! Digging my car out from under six or seven inches of snow isn’t too bad because I know it won’t be the worst or the last storm of the season.

It’s been a busy fall…I promoted No More Time at the 2019 Bouchercon crime writers conference in Dallas—signing books, sharing a panel on small town mysteries, and participating in a “speed dating session” where I pitched No More Time to a table of readers every five minutes. It was fun and amazing. By the time my partner and I made it to the 20th table our eyes were crossing and our tongues were tying! Still, I’d do it again in a heartbeat…

Just before and after the conference I completed the copyediting for the 6th Dodie O’Dell mystery—Killing Time—due out in June, 2020. I’m excited to share the story with you—Dodie is once more back in Etonville and, of course, there’s the usual chaos and hijinks…but, hey, I can’t say any more. Wouldn’t want to give away the plot!

Now I’m working on a new mystery, location, story, and characters still in the incubation phase. But I’ll keep you posted. Meanwhile, wherever you are, enjoy the holiday season whether you are bundled up against the snow and ice or lounging in beach clothes… and have a Happy 2020!

Fall is in the air…I love this time of the year. When I taught at the university, September always signaled new beginnings—new classes, new students, new colleagues. Sometimes even a new office or administration. There is always excitement about embarking on a new venture, whether it’s teaching, a different exercise routine, cleaning out closets, or the next writing project. I spent the spring and summer finishing Dodie O’Dell Mystery #6: Killing Time, which will debut July, 2020, and finds Dodie, Bill, and the rest of the Etonville gang in their own fall adventure: it’s Halloween!

While Killing Time is in the hands of my wonderful publisher, Kensington Books, and I await the copyediting phase, I am commencing work on several projects both old and new: completing a play that I’ve been working on for a year, doing a final revision (I hope!) of an historical novel that has been percolating on my computer for a decade, and tackling a new mystery—different genre and characters, a fresh setting, special twists to the murder plot. Can’t say more than that or I’ll spoil the story! But I am eager to dive in…

So enjoy these autumn days and your own new beginnings. I’ll keep you posted…

Summer is in full swing here in New Jersey…that means warm, sunny, humidity-filled days! A perfect time to get away and spend a few days at the beach. I have the perfect companion for you: Dodie O’Dell and her next adventure—No More Time! She’s taking a few weeks off from Etonville to escape to the Jersey Shore. And of course there’s a mystery involved…so stay tuned!

Here’s an update and hint of what’s to come…

Restaurant manager Dodie O’Dell has found her niche in the cozy New Jersey town of Etonville, creating menus that make a delicious double-act with the community theater’s productions. Now she’s ready for a vacation at the Jersey Shore town she called home before a hurricane hit. Sun, salty air, and seagulls make for a nostalgic escape from regular life—until a contingent from Etonville arrives to compete in a Jersey Shore theater festival.

Roped into helping her former boss cater the event, Dodie also gets a visit from her old flame, Jackson, who’s hoping to revive his charter boat business and is looking for a place to crash. Before Dodie can tell him that ship has sailed, Jackson’s partner is found murdered on his boat. Dodie knows her ex is a mooch, but she’s sure he’s no killer. But as she follows a trail of evidence that leads into her own past, Dodie stumbles on a dangerous conspiracy theory that could bring the festival to a shocking finale…

2019 has been a very busy year so far, preparing for the arrival of NO MORE TIME, book #5 in
the Dodie O’Dell mystery series. There were copy edits, reading page proofs, and now setting up
online promotions for the July 23 debut. All the while I’ve been writing book #6 – KILLING
TIME!
But in the midst of the creative, critical, and marketing processes, I carved out time to attend the
Tennessee Williams Literary Festival in New Orleans in March. It was a wonder! Master classes,
literary workshops, performances at various venues, and special guest appearances (actress
Patricia Clarkson and novelist Michael Cunningham). Not to mention the food, drink, and music
of the city… It was indeed a festival, a celebration of all things literary – fiction, non-fiction,
plays, poetry. There was something for everyone. I personally attended master classes focusing
on writing dialogue, establishing a sense of place in story, and creating forward momentum in a
narrative. But one session was particularly notable: the power of observation and use of detail in
one’s writing. For example, the workshop leader asked attendees to make a list of ten details we
noticed on our way to the historical museum that hosted the master class. New Orleans being
New Orleans, there was plenty to observe…the line at Café Beignet, street musicians already
playing at nine a.m., the hustle and bustle of tourists, natives, and street cleaners. We were then
asked to integrate the details in a piece of writing. The results were rich and interesting!
Since I’ve returned from the festival, I find myself “noticing” more as part of my daily routine:
the neighbor’s flower bed just beginning to bloom, the gray house with broken shutters that looks
deserted, the newly paved parking lot where construction equipment stood last month. And the
man in the red hoodie, black socks, and striped shorts walking his tiny dog. See what I mean? All
I have to do is look around…
So as I spring into summer, I am determined to be more observant. Who knows what I’ll see…!

I am reading books by my current favorite mystery writer – Louis Penny – from first to last. I have finished #3 – The Cruelest Month - and am looking forward to book #4 – A Rule Against Murder. She’s written thirteen so far. I am eager to dive into her most recent book, but am steadfastly refusing to read her books out of order. I want to see how her primary characters, mainly Chief Inspector Gamache and his team of inspectors, develop over time. I’m also interested in how the inhabitants of Three Pines, a small town in Canada where her novels are set, grow and change and form new relationships. Her town and characters provide a rich tapestry upon which she has embroidered colorful, heartwarming, funny yet poignant stories of crime and redemption. I have to force myself to take a break between her books to work on my own! At the present moment that means No More Time, book number # 5 in the Dodie O’Dell mystery series. (Just in Time will be out September, 2018) Louise, if you see this…I am such a FAN!

Here on the east coast we’ve had three nor’easters in as many weeks…snow, wind, sleet, and more snow. In New Jersey, we had two feet of the white stuff last week and a few more inches today! So a hot cut of tea, a roaring fire, being bundled under a warm blanket might all seem in order…But for me? I think I might let my imagination warm me up in a Dodie O’Dell mystery. Though book #4 (Just in Time) is due out September, 2018, I have just begun book #5 (No More Time) and am wondering if I should bring in the Jersey Shore where Dodie lived before coming north to Etonville… summer at the beach! The brilliant sun, warm sand, crashing waves, noisy seagulls, the smell of suntan lotion…

It’s enough to make one forget to go outside and clean the snow off the car. Spring is coming…eventually!