“A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” – Steve Jobs As of today (November 22, 2014 when I’m writing this piece), I have written seven full-length Original Sinners novels, seven Original Sinners novellas, and approximately twenty Original Sinners short stories for a grand total of over 1 million words. When writing a series of this scope with stories that span three decades, the challenge is how to keep things fresh and interesting for readers when they know your characters and this world almost as intimately as you (the writer) knows them. That’s where the Steve Jobs quote above comes in. Now it may seem strange to take writing inspiration from a computer designer and CEO, but the late-great Steve Jobs was the man responsible for the smartphone which I assume 99% of people reading this article own. You might even be reading this article on your iPhone (or another brand of smartphone, but let’s be honest, Steve Jobs is responsible for even the non-Apple smartphones). Apple was a computer company that turned into a phone company because one day Jobs and his team were sitting around a table complaining about how…

“Where do you get your ideas?” Writers get this question all the time. It’s an honest question asked by readers and in some cases interviewers who want to know about the process. I understand the impetus behind the question. I just don’t have an answer for it. The fact is, if I had a formula, a foolproof means of finding a good idea for a novel, I could get one whenever I wanted and this job would be… well, I’d still have to write the book, so “easy” might be something of an overstatement. But it wouldn’t be as hard, by a discernible margin. My latest book, INSPECTOR SPECTER, is the sixth in the Haunted Guesthouse series. You’d think after five other books with the same characters it would be a struggle to find something for them to do. Not at all. This one came from the characters, which is the best place to start. Alison Kerby owns a guesthouse on the Jersey Shore and it happens to have two ghosts haunting it. They get along okay, but that’s a long story all by itself. She also has a PI license, and in this book is asked by Lt. Anita…

Is there a ghost story from your youth that stands out in your mind? One that gave you chills? Maybe a local story or a traditional campfire tale? Holly Miller is moving to Wagtail Mountain. She hasn’t given the tale of Becca Wraith any thought at all in years. When she was a kid, her cousin wouldn’t sleep alone after hearing the story, but Holly wasn’t scared. Now ghost hunters are arriving and checking into the Sugar Maple Inn where Holly works. They’re coming to research the legend of Becca Wraith. Holly still doesn’t believe in ghosts, but most people in Wagtail do. It’s an old town where people used to come for the waters. Residents report seeing Becca’s ghost, as well as those of her ill-fated suitors, around town. Holly isn’t worried. After all, it’s just a story. But as spooky things happen, Holly realizes there must have been some historical basis for the ghost story about Becca. Still, it’s all in good fun until someone is murdered, and Becca’s ghost was seen nearby. About the Author New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Paws & Claws Mysteries for animal lovers that debuted in December with MURDER,…