Florida : A Feast for the Senses - A Guest Post by Deborah Sharp

This month, Fabulous Florida Writers is pleased to welcome guest blogger, Deborah Sharp. A former USA Today reporter, Sharp traded sad news stories for funny fiction with her Mace Bauer Mysteries, featuring Mace's wacky Mama. “Mama Gets Trashed” (Midnight Ink, $14.99, Sept. 2013) is the series' fifth book.  After a tipsy Mama tosses out her wedding ring with the trash, she drags daughter Mace to the city dump to search. When they stumble upon the body of librarian Camilla Law, the straitlaced town is scandalized. Not only is a killer on the loose, but prudish Camilla is all done up in sexy black leather. Foul play and fetish wear in little Himmarshee, Florida? Mama's blushing fifty shades of pink!  Deborah was our featured writer on September 8, 2011. Visit her online at www.DeborahSharp.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/deborah.sharp

I'm a native Floridian, old enough to remember my dad shooting a gator in our front yard in what is now an extremely urban south Florida. When I decided to write a Florida-set series, I wanted to place it somewhere like the wilder state I knew as a child. My husband and I have a little piece of property in middle Florida, a spot to escape the stresses of too much noise, too many cars, and too many people. I chose that untamed part of the state -- north of Lake Okeechobee and south of Orlando -- for my setting.

I created the fictional town of Himmarshee, and placed it in this authentic slice of Florida. It remains the sort of place a man would shoot a big alligator that ventured too close when his grandkids were swimming in the Kissimmee River. He’d plop the head on an ant pile, so the bugs and other critters could pick it clean, and then he’d give the skull to his city slicker neighbor, who comes once in a while to visit.

I know this, because I was the city slicker gift recipient. Hey, I’ve gotten sweaters I liked a lot less.

One of the most striking differences between my south Florida home and my characters' home is the unique way each place stirs my senses. When I give classes on fiction-writing, students always want to know what's missing from their stories. Often, it's the full array of the senses. We're all pretty good at describing how a scene looks. But what about what we hear, or smell? How does the texture -- the touch -- of a thing feel?

My characters experience a completely different environment in Himmarshee than I do at my home in Fort Lauderdale. I spend time in that part of the state so I can describe the sensation of life in Himmarhsee. I grew up on the coast, as distinct from Florida's interior as a seagull is from a Sandhill crane. When I think of the beach, I smell the fruit-stand scent of suntan lotion. I hear the tck-tck-tck of palm fronds rustling together in a light breeze. I feel the crunch of broken shells beneath bare feet as I walk along the shoreline.

Fictional Himmarshee sits just north of the big lake, in Florida's real-life cattle belt. When my main character, the tomboyish Mace Bauer, is outside, she notes the sweet smell of orange blossoms in citrus groves, tinged with the faint odor of manure. At dusk, she hears a chorus of croaking frogs and the steady hum of insects. She feels the sharp sting of a mosquito. The wind blows off the lake, drying the sweat on her skin.

These two different parts of Florida stir my senses in different ways. The contrasts help me create a unique setting for my characters. Writers have to be aware of all the senses. The eyes should be open, of course. But so should the ears, and even the pores of the skin. Like alligators in Lake Okeechobee, inspiration is abundant in Florida. Writers have to be receptive. Be ready to sense it.

What's it like where you are? What does it smell like? How does it sound? What can you touch?

James O. Born - A Different Kind of Cop

When James Born worked as an agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, he whiled away many long, uneventful hours of surveillance work reading novels by Tom Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin. When he was asked by crime fiction icon, the late  Elmore Leonard, to provide technical advice on police issues, Born was bitten by the writing bug and decided to pen his own stories – tales that would capture the real-life element of police work.  “I wanted to show cops as real people with wives, kids, bills to pay,” he says. “The job isn’t everything to every cop. They have lives too.”  Fourteen years later, Born is the award-winning author of five books he describes as “realistic police novels – not like the crap you see on TV.” His books give readers an up-close-and-personal look at police work, from the inside jokes to the moments of gut-clenching fear that come with the territory.

Born’s first novel, Walking Money, marked the debut of Bill Tasker, a state cop who becomes entangled in a complex web of embezzlement and double-crossing that puts him at odds with the FBI. Publisher’s Weekly praised the book as “a terrific debut…Born’s been there, and it shows.” Tasker reappears in Born’s next two books, Shock Wave and Escape Clause, where he goes on the hunt for a stolen stinger missile and investigates some shady doings at a Florida state prison. Born’s fourth novel, Field of Fire introduces readers to ATF agent Alex Duarte. Born’s editor liked the more serious Duarte character, so Born featured him again in his fifth book, Burn Zone.

Born’s next novel was perhaps his most unusual. Human Disguise, released in 2009, was such a departure from his other works that Born decided to go with a new publisher (TOR) and a new pen-name: James O’Neal. “I didn’t want people to be confused thinking this book was like my others,” Born explains. “I’m really excited about it because it’s so different.”  A near-future sci fi police story, Human Disguise is set in a post-apocalyptic Florida where Tom Wilmer, a lone detective, finds himself pitted against an ancient alien menace. The book took Born a year to write. His inspiration came from his experiences working for the government and from his Florida roots. “As a native Floridian, I love to think about where the state’s been and where it’s going,” Born says. According to Publisher’s Weekly  “…his (Born’s) self-assured, hard-edged writing style, solid characters and wildly entertaining thriller plot will keep readers enthralled."

A sequel, The Double Human, hit bookstores in 2010. Here, Tom Wilmer returns to go undercover in search of a serial killer unlike anything he’s ever encountered. Known as “The Vampire,” this killer is not human...and neither are his victims. Kirkus Review named The Double Human to its list of “Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2010," and USA Today Bestselling Author David Hagberg compared the book to the George Orwell classic, 1984.

Born is a writer who enjoys everything about the process. He even claims to be “one of the few writers who like having deadlines.” And when he isn’t trying to beat those deadlines, Born enjoys reading, teaching at writer’s conferences, windsurfing, kayaking, scuba diving, running, and sharing time with his family. “My goal never was to be wealthy,” he says. “If people read my books and respond to them, that’s what makes me happy.”

For more information, you can visit the author's website at www.jamesoborn.com.

Dirk Wyle - The Mystery of Science

For Miami author Dirk Wyle (pen name of Duncan Harold Haynes, Ph. D.), there are few things as fascinating as the wonders of science. After receiving a degree in chemistry from Butler University, he went on to earn his doctorate in molecular biology at the University of Pennsylvania. He spent four years in Germany as a post-doctoral scientist, and after returning to the United States, spent the next 30 years working in biomedical research.  Wyle also became something of an entrepreneur after discovering a way to convert general anesthetics into injectable form. He started a small company with its own lab that grew into a thriving business he sold 13 years later for several million dollars.

In the mid ‘90s, Wyle was bitten by the writing bug. “Reading was a constant in my life, and I always thought I had a novel in me somewhere,” he says. “I guess I could have turned into a literary type, but science eclipsed that.” He noticed that none of the books he read depicted scientists realistically. Inspired by the works of John D. MacDonald, a writer he calls “one of my influences and a kindred spirit,” Wyle decided to pen a novel that would show what life as a scientist was really like. Three years later, he had completed Pharmacology is Murder, the first in what would become a five-book series Wyle describes as “captivating mystery/thrillers with a scientific background.” Pharmacology is Murder introduces Ben Candidi, an amateur detective with a doctorate in pharmacology. Wyle calls his protagonist “candid and idealistic, a guy who thinks the world could be a better place if everyone applied themselves and tried to do the right thing. He doesn’t look for trouble, but it comes to him framed in the challenging projects he’s given.”  Publishers Weekly praises the Candidi mysteries as “pleasing for both their intrigue and their intellect.”

Pharmacology is Murder was followed two years later by Biotechnology is Murder. Here, Ben Candidi is investigating a biotechnology company that claims to have discovered a cancer cure. The deeper he digs, the more enmeshed he becomes in a web of murder and intrigue. The third book in the series, Medical School is Murder (2001), has Ben in a Miami medical school where he has taken over the lab of a dead professor. After agreeing to write the old man’s biography, Ben uncovers some disturbing clues that lead him to believe that the professor did not die of natural causes. Amazon Gold (2003) takes Ben deep into the Brazilian rainforest searching for his fiancée, Rebecca Levis, who has mysteriously disappeared.

Wyle’s latest addition to the Candidi series is Bahamas West End is Murder, a novel that was inspired by his voyage to the Little Bahama Bank. “I put in at the West End Marina. It was a really funky place, full of interesting characters.  I always thought it would be natural to have Ben sail into that place and have to deal with the people there.” What starts out as a romantic vacation for Ben and Rebecca turns into an adventure complete with a dead body on a boat, a host of seamy marina characters, corrupt local police, and a new breed of pirate in a novel Booklist says, “…blends scientific smarts with quirky characters in another fine outing.”

Wyle’s latest projects include a sixth Candidi mystery that will take Ben to the Yucatan Peninsula and a stand-alone psychological thriller set in Boca Raton. Wyle finds it challenging to “fit science into exciting circumstances,” but you don’t need scientific background to enjoy his books. He hopes his novels will give readers a greater appreciation for the human side of science, and perhaps help them learn something new along the way. “I’d like to make science real enough to resonate with the reader who’s interested,” he says. And it’s easy to be interested when science blends with a healthy dose of excitement, mystery, and intrigue in an unforgettable story.

For more about Dirk Wyle, visit his website at www.dirk-wyle.com.

"Project June Bug" on Attention Talk Video

 

Since I'm proud to consider myself a member of the Florida writing community, I'd like to share with you the first in a series of interviews I did for Attention Talk Radio/Attention Talk Video. It's about my book, Project June Bug, so I thought it would be appropriate to post it here. I am truly honored to be in the company of so many Fabulous Florida Writers. I hope you enjoy it!
Best wishes,
Jackie

 

 

Frank Cerabino - A Lighthearted Look at Florida Living

Frank Cerabino became a writer by accident.  It all started in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

After graduating from the US Naval Academy, Cerabino was assigned to duty on an aircraft carrier. “It was almost like being in prison,” he recalls. “You spent 80% of your time at sea. The only leisure activities were playing cards, watching awful movies, or reading books. I was never much of a reader, but I started reading by default and realized, for the first time in my life, how terrific it was to read for pleasure.” He became a voracious reader, sometimes reading for six or seven hours a day. Then he got the itch to write.

Cerabino tried writing short stories and enjoyed it so much that he took a job as the ship’s public affairs officer. There he was charged with writing press releases, producing TV newscasts and putting out the ship’s newspaper. As press liaison, he even got to work with the White House Press Corps.  By the time his stint in the Navy ended, he had decided to make writing his career.

After earning a Masters degree in journalism, Cerabino worked at the City News Bureau in Chicago for six months. Then he was offered a job with the Miami Herald and relocated to Florida. Five years later, he joined the staff at the Palm Beach Post where he’s worked as metro columnist since 1991. His humorous observations on life in Florida have won him numerous journalism awards and spawned five books that take a lighthearted look at the eccentricities of life in the Sunshine State.

Cerabino’s first novel, Shady Palms: A Condo Caper premiered in 2000 as a serialized story in his column. Set in a fictional condominium community in Palm Beach County, the tale introduces Bernie Hamstein, the put-upon president of Building C, who finds himself caught between a pregnant renter and the outraged residents of his adults-only building.  Bernie’s trials continue in Shady Palms 2: Fowl Play (2001) and Shady Palms 3: Viagra Falls (2002).

In a second series, “Pelican Park,” Cerabino regales readers with the comic misadventures of a family in a South Florida suburb. According to Cerabino, “I wanted a break from Shady Palms, something with a younger female protagonist. I didn’t want to be known as that guy who writes about old people.” In the title book of the series, Pelican Park (2005), Cerabino introduces Pinky, formerly of Boca Raton, who has moved with her two children to Pelican Park, a suburb of West Palm Beach. Pinky’s hilarious adventures continue in Pelican Park 2: Pinky Feels the Pinch (2006).

Cerabino describes his books as “a mixture of humor, pathos and suspense.” He admits that he was inspired by San Francisco writer Armistead Maupin’s “Tales of the City,” six serialized novels Cerabino describes as “light, but with a sense of place that spoke to the community.” He also credits his association with Miami Herald writer Carl Hiaasen for influencing his writing.

Cerabino’s most recent publication is a departure from his other works. “Writing Like a Taller Person: The Best of Frank Cerabino,” published is 2011, is a collection of columns written for the Palm Beach Post over the last 20 years.  In addition to writing five columns each week, Cerabino keeps himself busy teaching a class, biking, running, and playing the accordion. But it’s his writing that brings him the most satisfaction.  “You put a piece of yourself on paper, and there’s a sense of permanence in that,” he says. “It’s something immortal - a little marker to show you’ve been here. That’s all the satisfaction I need. Of course, I’d also love to be rich and famous.”

For more about Frank Cerabino, go to www.palmbeachpost.com/staff/frank-cerabino

 

Victoria Allman - A Chef on the High Seas

When Victoria Allman took a year’s sabbatical from her job as a chef at one Calgary, Canada’s top restaurants, she never intended to become a world traveler.  She merely wanted to expand her horizons a bit and sample some different cuisines. But that was before she met her sea captain husband and took a job as a yacht chef.  Now, 14 years later, Allman has visited some of the world’s most exotic locales and collected many mouthwatering recipes. She shares both her recipes and her adventures with readers in two unique books – Sea Fare and SEAsoned.

Allman’s voyage from kitchen to writer’s desk began in Canada where she wrote food features for a Canadian magazine. When she moved to Fort Lauderdale and joined the crew of a luxury yacht, the magazine wanted stories about the places she visited. “I knew what I wanted to say, but not how to say it,” Allman explains. So she took some classes and joined a critique group.  Soon her columns were appearing in other travel magazines like “Dockwalk,” “OceanLines,” and “Marina Life.”  Then she hit on the idea of compiling some of her articles into a book. Seven years later, Sea Fare: A Chef’s Journey Across the Ocean was published. 

Sea Fare, a book Allman describes as “an adventure travelogue,” is a collection of essays that focus on food and travel. But her concern about privacy issues prevented her from sharing some of her more colorful experiences. “Truthfully, I was worried about keeping my job and seeming disrespectful to people, so I ignored the funny situations the crew often found themselves in. I didn’t want to insult anyone or give away any personal secrets,” Allman explains. “Even though I received wonderful reviews,  everyone wanted to know the real story, the gossip.” So she decided to address this in her next book.

In SEAsoned: A Chef’s Journey with her Captain, Allman fictionalized her life. The stories are true, and Allman and her husband, Patrick, are still the main characters, but the adventures take place on a fictional boat with a fictional crew. Allman did this “to facilitate the story of Patrick becoming captain of his first yacht and all the craziness that goes along with such an uncontrollable situation.”  She admits she had more fun writing SEAsoned because she was free to tell her stories without worry. She also received help from other Florida writers. “The Florida writing community has been so supportive,” she says. “They pointed me in the right direction.” Allman even earned  Royal Palm Literary Awards from the Florida Writers Association for both books.

One of the distinctive features of Allman’s books are the recipes that end each chapter, recipes she learned from locals in the places she visited. According to Allman, “The recipes are 100 percent authentic. I was learning how to cook as I traveled. ” With this in mind, she planned to write a third book which would pick up where “SEAsoned” left off  - with Allman and the crew embarking on a world tour. Unfortunately, the tour had to be cancelled due to the yacht owner’s hectic schedule. “Life in yachting changes faster than the weather,” Allman says.

Not to be deterred, Allman changed course and is close to completing her third book, SEAside. It is the continuing story of Allman’s nautical journeys closer to home, in America and the Bahamas. The story focuses on the relationships between ten crew members living in close quarters as they serve an ever chaotic flurry of on-board guests. Allman says that her stories have been cited as “the ‘Downtown Abbey’ of Yachting.”

Allman hopes her books will open up the world for her readers. “I want to inspire people to travel more,” she says. “It’s hard to harbor hate and bigotry when you travel. It’s a big world, and we all have to eat. So despite our differences, we’re all connected in that way.”

For more about Victoria Allman, visit her website at www.victoriaallman.com.

Next: Frank Cerabino - A Lighthearted Look at Florida Living
 

The Many Worlds of Jeffrey Wilson

Jeffrey Wilson has had a window into many worlds. This Tampa writer has experienced life as a firefighter, paramedic, actor, jet pilot, diving instructor, naval officer, and Vascular and Trauma surgeon. He also served two tours in Iraq as a combat surgeon with the marines and a Joint Special Operations Task Force. He brings these experiences to his writing by creating unforgettable characters and placing them into weird worlds and fantastic situations. The result is an edge-of-your-seat reading experience that will keep readers riveted until the last page is turned.

“I’ve done everything on my eight-year-old wannabe list – other than being an astronaut,” Wilson says. “My mom attributes it to my short attention span.” His short attention span didn’t prevent him from earning a degree in biology from William and Mary College and a degree in medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School. He does, however, say it’s the reason he started to write short stories. His first published work was a short story printed in his middle school’s magazine. As he continued writing, his stories won several fiction competitions.  “I always wanted to write a novel,” he admits, “but I didn’t think I had the attention for it.”

This all changed after 9/11 when Wilson was deployed to Iraq. “Being in a war zone consists of long hours of boredom broken up by short periods of excitement you can do without,” he explains. Wilson decided to fill those long hours by writing the story of a marine stationed in Fallujah who is shot in the chest and wakes up as biology teacher in Middle America. He then begins to have vivid dreams of Iraq that cause him to question whether his life or his dreams are the true reality.  What started as a short story gradually evolved into a book.  “I found novel writing liberating,” Wilson says. “It was actually easier to develop the characters and back story.”  The novel, Fade to Black, is scheduled for release on June 14, 2013. Wilson will be in New Orleans that day with his wife, signing copies of the book at the Stoker Weekend/World Horror Conference at the Hotel Monteleone and hosting a launch party later that night.

Wilson’s debut novel, The Traiteur’s Ring was released in 2011 and was actually the third book he had written. It is the story of Ben Morvant, a Navy seal who comes into possession of a mysterious ring that brings him visions of evil, pain and death. Forced to face a dark secret from his past, Ben realizes he is a soldier in a greater battle than he could have ever imagined. The Traiteur’s Ring was originally published as an e-book before being picked up by Journalstone Publishing as part of a three-book deal.

Wilson’s 2012 release, The Donors, is a fantasy horror novel set in a modern-day hospital. The story centers around Nathan Doren, an abused five-year-old, and Jason Gelman, the doctor who cares for him. The two must face demonic creatures who stalk the hospital halls, feeding on the fear they create in their victims. According to Wilson, “The whole idea of demons harvesting fear from bad people came first. Making a child the hero came later.” Wilson admits that writing in Nathan’s point of view was a challenge, but having his own five-year-old son was a huge help. “Being a dad,” he says, “I could relate to how a kid’s brain works.” The West Orlando News called the novel “a very professionally written tale of nail-biting, chilling horror." The Donors has also been featured on National Public Radio.

Wilson has recently finished his fourth novel, Julian’s Numbers, a story he says involves “a 12-year-old with a terrifying gift, a father with a haunted past, a family sailing vacation from hell, a handful of ghosts, and a hammer.” This book, like his others, echoes his personal experiences. “My favorite leisure activities involve my kids – taking them to the beach, going boating or skiing,” he says. “After working such long hours, I really appreciate family time.”

2013 promises to be a busy year for Wilson, with the book launch in New Orleans in June and  an appearance as one of 22 authors hosting fans in New York City at “Fanfest”, a new event that is part of the International Thriller Writer’s annual Thrillerfest, later this summer. Wilson will host fans at the event on July 12^th beside some thriller giants like Lee Child, Joseph Finder, Heather Graham, Michael Palmer, and RL Stine, just to name a few. “It’s a bit intimidating to mingle beside some of my writing heroes,” Wilson admits, “but it's sure to be a great time!” And of course he is hard at work on novel number five, which he hopes to finish writing by summer’s end.

In addition to his own writing, Wilson is also the proud father of an up-and-coming author. His son, 12 year-old Connor Wilson, made headlines last August as the youngest traditionally published fiction writer in America. Connor’s award winning book, A Giant Pencil, keeps father and son busy with book signings, media appearances, and a busy schedule of school appearances around the country.While Wilson sometimes finds it difficult to balance writing with his busy life as a surgeon, a husband, and the father of three, Wilson loves the process. “Writing is like watching my favorite TV show,” he says. “I can’t wait to find out what will happen next.” And anyone who has read one of his books is sure to feel the same.

For more information about Wilson and his books, visit the his website at www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com

Find out more about his son Connor Wilson at www.thegiantpencil.com