The Dynamic Duo, C. K. Laurence and Jerry Lyons, Creators of The Ricky Burns Mystery Series, Here at Book Readers Heaven!

 

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I am so excited to have C. K. Laurence and Jerry Lyons here at Book Readers Heaven! You've certainly garnered attention with your new Ricky Burns Mystery Series! 

Hi, I'm C. K. Laurence and I'm an author, crusader for democracy, Dolphin fan & cocreator of RICKY BURNS MYSTERIES. ... In case you're interested, it was my book, The Mystery of Jessica Benson which caught the attention of Jerry Lyons... And, by the way, of Glenda Bixler, book reviewer... I've asked her to add a link to that, since we have in a few ways, been together since then...

Hi, I’m Jerry Lyons—the real Ricky Burns. I thought you might like to know how Ricky Burns Mysteries was developed.

I started out as a uniformed police officer in Manhattan. From there I transferred to a City-Wide anti-crime unit, which was plain clothes—known as The Task Force. From The Task Force, the top officers were chosen as detectives in groups of ten or twelve. I was number one the year I was promoted to Third Grade Detective. Within five years I was promoted to First Grade Detective where I worked in the Major Case Unit. As a Major Case First Grade Detective I investigated homicides, rapes and other serious crimes. 

In 1994, after twenty years on the job I retired and became a private investigator—which I still am. As a private investigator I have been lucky enough to work with some of the country’s top attorneys on high profile murder cases such as the Casey Anthony case in Florida, the Aaron Hernandez double murder case in Boston and a doctor charged with seventeen murders in Ohio. All my clients have been found not guilty and the cases keep coming.

I thought it might be fun to write fictional versions about the more publicized cases and give inside information to the public that may not have come out in the news. The problem is that I can hardly spell, never mind write. I’d finished reading one of C.K.’s mysteries and I reached out to her to see if she might be interested in teaming up with me and she loved the idea.

And, welcome, C.K. and Jerry! I truly appreciate your willingness to allow me to ask questions about you and your books! You're the first Writing Duo visiting here so obviously my curiosity was aroused. Of course, most readers are like me and wonder just how the two of you got together to collaborate on books! Tell us Everything!

C.K.    With regard to how we met and how we work, it’s really quite a story. 

Jerry sent me a direct message on Facebook. He introduced himself and told me about his professional career as a New York City major case, homicide detective, and his work now as a private investigator. He had read one of my books, liked my style and he’d been thinking of putting some of his many high profile cases into books. He suggested that I would be the right person to write his stories. 

My automatic response to people writing to me through direct message (who I don’t know, especially males) was to delete them. Jerry sent his résumé, and just before I hit the delete button I looked it over. I noticed that he had worked in the  Stewart area. As it happens, my brother who is a criminal defense attorney lives and works in that area so I figured what the hell—I’ll give my brother a call and see if he’s ever heard of this yo-yo. Not only did my brother know him, but he had used his services, and was so impressed that Jerry wanted me to write with him that he said in no uncertain terms “do it!”

Jerry:    I've lived a pretty exciting life, first as a cop/detective and then as a private investigator. I was blessed to be able to be a cop/detective in the 1970s, 80s and 90s in New York City when crime was at its highest. When I retired and became a private investigator, I was again blessed to be able to hook up with some of the best and brightest criminal defense attorneys in America. Because of these experiences my children and other people told me for years that I should write a book. I kept putting it off but when I moved from Florida to Maryland in 2021, I decided it was time to try it. I joke around telling people that I can't spell never mind write a book, but I really didn't have the confidence in myself that I would be able to write one without help. I had the cases and the stories, but I didn't know how to put them on paper or how to build a story behind them. On Facebook we can see friends of our friends and I noticed that C.K. was a friend of a friend and also an author. I also saw on her page that she lived in "lower, slower Delaware." This area of Delaware is only 6 miles from my house in Maryland and C.K. is only a 45-minute car ride from me. I sent her a message with my ideas and asked her if she would be willing to meet with me. Lucky for me, her brother is a lawyer in Florida who I worked a couple of cases for. She asked him about me, and he gave her the green light to meet with me. A couple of weeks later we began working on Two in the Head, the first book in the Ricky Burns Mysteries. 

I've watched James Patterson constantly sharing author's names in practically all of his books. For you and Jerry, how do you work together? How do you decide what kind of mystery topic will be covered?

Jerry:    Right now, CK and I get together at her house three days a week to write. I get there around 10 and leave between 3 and 4. Each day CK's husband joins us for lunch at noon (he really makes our lunch each day and is a real good guy). While writing, we sit on the couch in the living room, and I'll go through a case and what really happened in that case. We take it in steps and do a little bit of the case at a time. After a little discussion, C.K. will then type, and I'll play with the dog. After she types a few paragraphs, she will read it back to me and then the two of us will fine tune it. We continue on through the case and through the book like this until it's finished. In the end, we do everything together and nothing goes on paper unless the two of us agree on it. 

C.K.     I made arrangements with Jerry to meet with me. He drove from Maryland where he lives to my home in Delaware. He showed up with a stack of police files  on the Aaron Hernandez case. We had an instant connection and started writing immediately. We’ve continued to write without stopping since then. We’ve completed three books and are now working on our fourth Jerry drives from Maryland to Delaware at least three times a week and we work in my home , we laugh as much as we write and have become very dear friends. My husband and Jerry have also bonded and he’s been appointed to make our lunch on Jerry’s days here. The three of us eat together and that’s our only break on working days. 

I've read all three of your books, and another by you, C.K., but I'd like to hone in on your last book for this interview, OK? Did you know that Killer Camp has been used by other writers? In fact, I had to work to find the right one when I purchased it. Do you think that using a name that others have used is good or bad? When I saw the name, I immediately thought of it being a horror book--you know, teens going to a campsite, saws and hammers hanging for the next slasher kill... Is that what you intended?

Actually, once I started reading, I thought of the KKK. There were members in my area in my early life, and now that they are again out in the open, I was curious whether the woman killed was black... On the other hand, you called them rednecks, so my second guess was white supremacists... Who did you want the characters to be?

Jerry:    The cases for the first two books were pretty easy to decide upon. CK has a wealth of knowledge about football from when she worked for the University of Miami's football team. I worked the Aaron Hernandez double murder case in Boston, so we decided to start with that case. Two in the Head is fiction based on this case. 

The Casey Anthony case was the biggest case in America and Casey is still considered the most hated person in America. I also worked this case so it was a no brainer that we should write about it. Oh Baby is fiction based on the Casey Anthony case. 

I recently worked an appeals case where a woman was accused of killing a friend of hers by shooting her in the back of her head. Dateline covered this case. The accused woman was sentenced to life in prison. I went to visit her, and she told me that she didn't do it, that she was set up. This is probably the most dangerous case I worked on since becoming a private investigator and working for the defense. If she's telling me the truth, then the person who really did commit this murder is still out there and isn't going to be happy that I'm walking around asking questions. If she did do it, I know through my investigation that she could not have done it alone and if she didn't do it alone, that other person is not going to be happy with me. Normally I do everything by myself but because of the possible danger I had another investigator with me. In real life I think we put together a good case and hopefully my client will be granted a new trial. I wonder if Dateline will show up again if this happens. Killer Camp is fiction based on this case. 

I did not know that Killer Camp was a title used by other writers. We had a hard time coming up with a title for this book. The case happened in an area of Florida commonly referred to as the Redneck Riviera. One of the suspects would go to a hunting camp and spent a lot of time there, not always hunting. He was friends with local cops who would also go to this camp. We discussed numerous titles and believed that Killer Camp was the best fit for the book. I don't think it's a bad thing that other books have the same title. I believe it's a good title for our book. I never even thought that anyone would think it was a horror book where teens would go to a campsite and be butchered. Today we do have these adult camps where right-wing militias get together. And today we do hear talk about when the revolution comes. I thought all of that fit pretty well with our title. 

C. K.    Killer Camp was not only our most controversial and difficult book to write, but it was also the most difficult to think of a name for. Our working title was just  Rednecks. when it came time to give it a name for sale, we must’ve gone through 100 titles. We finally came up with Carter Goes to Camp: A Study in Terror, or something like that. 

Unfortunately, our publisher said it sounded like a kid's book. We thought we’d never come up with a title that we could all agree on, but we finally settled on KILLER CAMP. After we’ve chosen our titles, we found that there were already books with the same title. All three of them had duplicates. You can’t copyright a name so we decided just to go with our thoughts and hoped people would recognize our names. It seems to have worked because people are buying our books. 

Wow! I was wondering how you would use cases upon which to write your books. As a reader, I was even more fascinated reading them since they were related to actual cases!   

We all know that during the four years of the past administration, there seemed to be a lot more violence come about--the KKK, White Supremacists, even Hitler's cult and specific militias such as Proud Boys. First in Virginia, which was bad enough when one woman was run over. Was it your intent to spotlight what was happening then--you know, the January 6th Insurrection?

And, if there was a connection, how do you see what is happening right now, with Trump continuing to run for the presidency, making even more violent threats against anybody and everybody that goes against him. In your book, you talk about the practice and planning being done at the Camp, for a revolution... Is that possible, Jerry?

At first I thought that Trump was trying to use his role with the Christian Nationalists with blood on his hands... However, he keeps talking about a bloodbath of one kind or another. If there was a connection to January 6th of your book, is there also a connection to the future?

Jerry:    The woman that was killed was a white woman with a child and going through a divorce. Like you said the KKK is making a return; and now right out in the open we have white supremacists. The suspects and people I spoke with were rednecks. We wanted the characters to represent these redneck white supremacists who are supporters of Trump (red hats) and his call for a revolution if he loses the upcoming election. We wanted to bring attention to the cult followers of Trump and his constant talk of violence and a bloodbath, just as he encouraged his followers on January 6th. I believe there is a connection to the future if Trump loses the election. I personally hope he loses big and if his cult members are stupid enough to revolt, I hope the Army crushes them and we will be finished with them. I then hope Trump goes to jail for all the crimes he has committed, and we will also be finished with him. 

C.K.    We absolutely knew what was happening and our intent was one hundred percent to spotlight Trump, the MAGA movement and everything we know about it. 

As you know, all our books are based on actual cases Jerry has or is working on. KILLER is based on one that took place in redneck country. His life was threatened more than once and they actually did bring on another (junior) investigator so he’d have someone to back him up. We do fictionalize portions of his work and blend other cases in occasionally. 

None of the characters in KILLER were Black, but there are plenty of Lesbians. There is a Lesbian trailer camp that is terrorized by white supremacists—I would guess there are others as well. We’ve seen Roe destroyed. We have watched Trump say and do outrageous things, while making it very clear he wants to be a dictator, destroy his enemies, turn women into handmaidens and wipe any people out of America who are not White Anglos. We’ve witnessed how he treats women—I cringe regularly at his disgusting treatment and actions toward taking away all of their rights (along with anyone else that doesn’t fall into line with his beliefs). He proudly says outrageous things that anyone else would already have been tried and jailed for. Yet, while his followers are getting punished for obeying his commands, he’s still free and promising to escalate his horrendous agenda. I believe he’s got to be stopped NOW. Should he somehow get elected, we will see democracy destroyed immediately. I believe people when they tell me who they are. 

I was raised by very liberal parents. They were activists and because of that I was exposed to an amazing world. At three I was handing out bumper stickers for Adlai Stevenson. I marched with them with Martin Luther King. I worked on JFK’s presidential campaign, as well as RFK, McGovern and others. I ran the Miami Office in Clinton’s campaign and, of course, Obama (where I had the good fortune to share a couple of small dinner parties with now President Biden). We’d need a huge amount of time to talk about all the campaigns and candidates I have worked for and with. Suffice it to say I treasure democracy and it is one of my greatest pleasures to have worked with so many who also feel as I do. 

Writing with Jerry gives me a chance to speak out during this extraordinary time and I so appreciate the fact that I didn’t ‘delete’ him before I knew what a special relationship we would forge. 

I don’t think anyone we’ve been interviewed by knows what I’m about to tell you, but you’ve been so supportive of us, I am going to share a little insider info with you. I think everyone knows that Jerry is the real-life Ricky Burns, but no one knows I call him Ricky or Mr. Burns. Regardless (here’s your little ‘scoop’)… Our days begin with a text that begins with “Good morning, Mr. Burns”—followed by “Good morning, Mrs. Burns.” We are the ultimate book husband and wife writing team!

I Love It! It reminds me of an article I was asked to write about working daily with men. I titled it "The Warning!" Think I'll have to pull it out and blog it on Book Readers Heaven... There is indeed the capability of working closely with men... It's wonderful to have friends of the opposite sex. If democracy is to survive, we need to know how to interact with anybody and everybody! 

So, what's the next book that is coming?! Can you share anything about it?

Jerry:    The next book is again based loosely on one of my cases. A married guy with a girlfriend (imagine that) who gets upset when she wants to include other men in their relationship. She somehow goes missing and then a bunch of women are being killed. We just started this book but it's coming along well, and I think it will be a good one.

I'm glad I asked each of you to provide answers. It is clear reading this discussion that you two indeed make up a Dynamic Duo, one which will continue to create many future novels spotlighting Ricky Burns! I'm so happy to have had a chance to learn more about the two of you in this small way... May God be with you as you share how just one man who works to do good and one woman who writes and also crusades for democracy, together, can create a fantastic series of good over evil! 

Can't wait for your next book! Thanks again for visiting Book Readers Heaven!

Please Welcome Joss Sheldon, Author of Freedom: The Case For Open Borders - A Book For Today's World!

 “The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respected stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges.” --George Washington

I am honored to welcome Joss Sheldon to Book Readers Heaven, to talk about his book, Freedom: The Case For Open Borders... It was 2016 when I first met Joss through his wonderful book, The Little Voice.  It was one of those books that I got excited about, so, take a few minutes, and go check out my post to learn more... But first, Joss, would you tell us a little about yourself, your books, and why you chose to write the type of books that you do...

Because I wouldn’t know how to write any other type! I write about the things which I’m passionate about – to say the things which other public figures aren’t saying. My first book was about a conscientious objector in World War I. I was motivated to write that novel, because I was horrified by how British society was becoming more militarised in the wake of the Iraq War. People were beginning to use jingoistic language as a matter of course, referring to soldiers as “heroes” who were “brave” and who “defended us” –all without any kind of kickback or debate. The UK introduced an Armed Forces Day. The red poppy, a symbol used to pay homage to soldiers, was becoming ubiquitous – plastered across every newspaper, featured on sports jerseys, and even worn by presenters on the supposedly “neutral” BBC. 

So I wanted to provide a counterpoint. To speak up for the people who refused to go abroad and slaughter people in their millions. To glorify the activists who campaigned against war, and to champion the conscientious objectors who refuse to take up arms. To call them the “heroes” who were “brave” and who “defended us.” I’ve carried that passion throughout my career – telling the stories which aren’t being told, giving a voice to the good people and good causes which make the world a better place.

As I began to read Freedom, I was intrigued about your first major relocation to India to write. I remember back in highschool, I, too, had a dream of moving to Australia--I chose an English-speaking country for easier ability to begin working there for a living... As with many, however, I wound up staying within the area I was born. But have traveled quite a bit, thankfully, to capture some of the essence of different cultures... So, Joss, I'd love to hear more about how and why you went to India, and which of your books you wrote there... and, the good or bad or painful emotions you felt as you worked to live in a new location...

It was never a permanent migration. And I think that’s an important distinction to make. So much of the discussion about migration focuses on those people who move from one place, and then make a permanent home in another. Usually, it’s pitched as a discussion of immigrants coming here, taking our jobs and homes! But of course, emigration is another dimension – it’s about our right abroad to retire, or live in a place with cheaper housing.

And then temporary migration, nomadism, is yet another dimension--it's about our right to go on holiday, travel, study, tour with a band, follow a sports team, or receive healthcare where its more affordable. That was the case for me: I went to India to launch my career as an author, because I knew the cost of living was cheap. I could get by on just £5 a day. So I could live out there for 18 months, whilst writing my debut novel, and that cost around £2000 (when you include flights and visas). That bought me the time I needed to write. I couldn’t have ever dedicated 18 months to writing, unpaid, had I remained in Britain.

For my second novel, “Occupied,” I travelled around Palestine and Kurdistan--for research. And then I returned to my village in India to write that book. That was that. It was never meant to be permanent. I was a kind of nomad. As for the emotions: There were no bad ones! I felt so liberated, escaping my career to dedicate myself to something I was passionate about. I used to clean my teeth each morning, look in the mirror, and think “I’m happy.”And I meant it.

Joss, your enthusiasm for writing--and life--is exciting to learn about! I'm so thankful that you agreed to allow me to spotlight your book, as well as talk with me in even more detail than you have in your book. Personally, I was amazed at the scope, the breadth, and, yet, a totally comprehensive look at the situation which is. at a focal point, a book about Borders...but looking at it through the lens of personal freedom... I was enthralled as I turned the pages and saw how you began your book... My question is, is this your normal method for writing, or did you feel you had to build your case right at the beginning?

If people don’t like the first few pages of a book, there’s a good chance they’ll stop reading. So you have to catch a reader’s interest. And the introduction has to give a flavour of things to come – to set the scene. 

I like to fill my non-fiction work with stories, to make them easy to read and entertaining. And, likewise, I like to base my novels on real world facts and situations, to make them relevant. I like to blend the two forms together.

I'm glad to hear your thoughts on catching the reader's attention. Having read thousands of books, I can immediately tell the difference and weigh my options... Most of the time, I go ahead and read the book but having to read, say, about 50 pages and still be looking for something to hold my attention is, simply tedious... If I were reading it as a review, I would often highlight this issue, hopefully received as a critical recommendation for consideration...

I wondered about the short tale about not knowing which country someone lived in and its relevance to the weather... A bit of sarcasm, a delightful joke, or what meaning did you want to have set the stage for what was to come?

Do you mean the David Graeber quote at the beginning of the book? I love Graeber, he’s a big inspiration. So I’ll use any excuse to put a quote of his in my work! But yeah, the point was simple enough: For the majority of history, people governed themselves within their communities. They had very little interaction with the governments which supposedly ruled over the land, and which later drew borders onto maps. Such things were an irrelevance. People continued on with their lives. And with the exception of serfdom and slavery, most people had the right to go wherever they wanted, as though those borders didn’t exist. Borders really only became an impediment to movement around the time of World War I.

Almost immediately you hone in on 2015 and Donald Trump's beginning to speak about running for the presidency, citing Immigrants as a major problem. Tell me, was that when the idea for this book began? Did it have to do with the blatant false accusations he was making? Or was his speech just the icing on the cake of an idea that had been festering for awhile?

The point is that it’s not just Trump. He’s just the poster boy for the anti-freedom movement. But he has clones in almost every country. I’ve been more concerned about his so-called “opposition.” Trump and his ilk are saying immigrants are bad, immigration is too high, we need to take away people’s right to move, and spend a fortune to stop travellers going wherever they please. And his opponents are like, “Yeah, we agree: immigration is too high, and we do need to reduce it… Just not like that. And won’t you please tone down your language?”

None of these politicians are saying that immigration is amazing, that immigrants improve our economies and societies, that we should be encouraging more migration, and improving our freedom to move. Well, a few are in places like Canada, China and Japan – as I cover in a later chapter. But in most nations, these voices have been gagged. So I felt I needed to speak up. To be the voice of the voiceless. To widen the discussion, and the political spectrum.

I totally agree! It was only after Trump was in office and we began to see his inclination to "believe" Putin, or "fall in love" with Kim Jong Un, et.al., that we saw his unhealthy behavior towards dictators!

While it is difficult for me to ask, what can you tell me about how America is being perceived based upon immigration issues piling up?

 I think the rest of the world has its own issues. I certainly know of people in Britain who thought you were mad to elect Trump. But then we elected Johnson, so it’s not as though we hold the moral high ground! People in the Philippines seem quite warm to Americans in general, and indifferent to international politics. But there are certainly people in those countries which have felt the full force of American military intervention which I’ll have a thing or two to say on that front!

When you begin to spotlight the need for free borders, do you know, and accept, just how long it might take to achieve such a goal? 

As Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” He was talking about ending apartheid, which must have seemed impossible for many decades. Then it happened in super-quick time. Female enfranchisement would’ve been similar. Activists spent over a century demanding votes for women, but as soon as the first few countries got onboard, lots of others followed suit. 

We see something similar with borders: Most borders were undefined for most of our history. Then there was a flurry of border making in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Passports came into fashion a little, fell out of use, and then were used as a tool for shoring up hard borders around the time of World War I. So that all happened fairly quickly. 

If open borders can become closed borders in a relatively short period of time, why can’t hard borders become open in a similarly short timeframe? When it happens, I doubt it’d take long, but the journey up to that point may very well take a while.

 I think we need to start the conversation, which is what I hope to do with this book. We need to ask people to think about things from their own personal perspective – wouldn’t you like to have the right to go and live somewhere cheaper, or somewhere where jobs come with longer holidays, or somewhere with a better climate? Then you stretch it to others: Well, if you think that you’d like that, don’t you think others would like it to? Why should we discriminate against other people on the basis of where they were born? Why not give everyone equal rights, regardless of their birthplace or nationality? 

One of the things that pops into my mind, because I know it exists, are these issues: Love of Self, or Fear of others; also greed and power-hunger... To me, these have grown so much that I wonder could we eliminate each individual's need for security and basic needs... I'm referring specifically to Maslow's hierarchy of needs... Even in America, many are struggling for food security and housing, which are the first of basic human needs. And, if they are not met, are we faced when continued death by these limits. Obviously I'm referring to Africa, Gaza, Syria, and countries in South America who are being run by drug cartels... 

Yeah, that’s why we need to frame it in terms of the self. How would you wish to be treated if you were starving, or homeless, or persecuted. Wouldn’t you want to have the ability to move somewhere else, where you’d be freed from that suffering? That’s how you build empathy. 

This, of course, includes the rights of Americans to emigrate. If an American is “struggling for food security and housing,” then they should have the right to leave, and make a home for themselves in a place where those things are cheaper or more readily available. There are lots of Americans here in the Philippines--mainly retirees. If they’d stayed in the USA, they’d be really struggling. But out here, they live like kings! 

I could never have bought a house in Britain. But I bought my first house in Bulgaria for less than a garage would’ve cost me in London. In the Philippines, I have a nice new house on 1.7 hectares of land. Emigration made that possible. 

Right now, we sadly have in America a man who negatively informs the response to immigrants. Even if Trump doesn't get elected, the individuals who supported him are so different than the people needed to open our borders, even in a rational, planned manner. I believe that our border system is also being politized. I used to tell thousands of students and teachers "where to go" as a classroom scheduler. Any bureaucratic process can be made to function efficiently. We should be doing this right now.

 You’re not going to win Trump’s hardest supporters over. But you could at least categorise them as “anti-freedom” and “freedom haters.” They’re denying us our freedom to move! You could challenge their authoritarianism; with their lawfare, aggressive guards, and border walls. And you could call out the amount they’re wasting on these things--billions of dollars of taxpayers money a year. We need to make these emotional arguments. It’s not enough to go on the back foot--defending foreigners for Trump. We must also go on the front foot--challenging Trump’s supporters for the anti-American hatred of freedom.

But my main target is the so-called “Moderates,” who’ve allowed their views and policies to be dragged towards those of Trump. Biden is spending more on border control than any other president in history--way more than Trump spent during his term in office. Biden and his peers are buying into this notion that people can be “illegal”, and that travellers should be stopped from crossing an imaginary line someone drew on a piece of paper once upon a time. And that’s deeply worrying – it means there’s no real opposition to Trumpism. So we need to broaden the conversation. We need to pull these Democrats back to what would’ve been deemed a moderate position in the past. 

And, in Britain, are we looking at a limitation of land by which decisions are made? Specifically, is there enough land there or in other smaller countries where many additional immigrants could be housed?

There’s an abundance of land all around the world. It’s really not in short supply. There’s around 48 million square kilometres of habitable land on planet Earth--enough for about 6000 square metres of land per person. 

We do have a shortage of housing in some places in the UK, but there’s a simple answer to that: Build more homes! And do you know who can help us to do that? Immigrants can! Immigrants are more likely to be of a working age, and they’re more likely to actually work. They’re the very architects, plumbers, bricklayers, electricians and scaffolders we need to build those very homes! 

We should also bear in mind that there’ll be even more land available in the northernmost parts of our hemisphere when climate change kicks in. Places like Canada, Greenland and Russia are going to have millions of square kilometres of land which wasn’t habitable before, but which will become liveable in the near future. There’ll be more than enough for everyone – which is fortunate because a lot of people who live near the equator will be forced to move away! And the good news is that Canada and Russia are already encouraging inwards migration. The Russians are giving a hectare of land away for free to anyone who moves to its Eastern Provinces. 

Historically, if we know that people who relocated to the United States, at the same time also forced indigenous people already living across the nation to lose their land so that eventually, they were forced to cluster, never to roam again as their nature and culture demanded, how can we delete the selfishness and "rights" that now people have?

I don’t think that “rights” are a bad thing. I’m arguing for the right to move. And that should include the right to roam for indigenous people.

In the UK, we grant gypsies a number of pitches where they can make camps, before moving onto another location. We don’t provide nearly enough, and those communities are subject to a lot of abuse. But it is something you could copy. If you did, that’d make life better for more nomadic people and for wanderers in general. 

We also have public pathways in the UK, where people have a right to roam. I’m talking here about footpaths which cut across fields in the countryside – land which is owned by private farms. That right was actually secured by mass trespasses–where people young and old marched across the countryside, demanding the right to access that land.

Wow! I love that concept. I have about 13 acres surrounding me, but I try to prevent hunters crossing... Movement could be from one of my own outside cat family and I don't want them harmed... Still...  You believe on an individual basis, most people will try to help others, I agree. But… are known obstacles really able to be reduced or eliminated?

As Tony Benn once stated, “Every generation has to fight the same battles.” We can eliminate some obstacles, and then others will appear. And then we’ll have to fight to remove those. There is no final victory, or final defeat. 

I’d like to think that technology should help though. It could help us to get international passports and international citizenships--working out how long we spent in any given place--to whom we should pay our taxes, and from whom we should receive our pensions. We could register online whenever we arrive in a new place – removing the need for border agents. We’re already seeing something like this in Estonia. And we’re seeing digital nomad visas slowly coming into fashion across the world. These things are all reducing those barriers you mention.

Thank you so much, Joss, for providing a bright spot of a possible future for all of us--those who dream about wanting a better place where we have chosen to spend our lives. Or, the thought that those who wish to relocate for whatever reason, is an exciting and hopeful future that could start happening...and spread! You started by saying that you write about issues that you are passionate about... May your passion begin to be shared here in America, simply by acknowledging that immigration was, has been, and should be again, what America is all about!

Leah McCurry Responds to Questions About Her Life and Writing...

Many pictures used are from Leta's
trip to Ireland with friends...

I’ve always been a voracious reader. My mom said I was reading Dick and Jane by the time I was three.  I know the adventure, companionship, comfort and inspiration I received from being an avid reader is what first inspired me to put on paper the stories that were bouncing around in my head.

And, I had an English teacher in high school, Rosemary Bell, who gave me a lot of encouragement and helped me believe I could be a writer.

Leta, I just had to add a picture of your first book...I think it will never go out of date! Many children have read this story and probably many more will...

What is the very first thing you ever had published?

The local newspaper published a poem, “The
Death of Kathy Fiscus” when I was about twelve. It was about a little girl who fell down an abandoned well in our area and died.

Wow...did you keep a copy? Would love to read it...This tragedy was also put to song... Memories last, don't they?

How much does your upbringing influence your writing?

A lot. My upbringing and the cultural and social environment played a great role in shaping me as a writer. The Texas Hill Country, where I grew up, is prominent in my first two books, and figures significantly in my work in progress.

I don’t believe writers can escape or ignore their life experience and knowledge. It is who they are and that in some way and to some extent influences a story.

Leta, I was touched by both of your books... We are not so far apart in age that I don't remember my own mother with three children, working continuously to bring us up...And there were many who were far worse off than we were... I agree that life experiences do much to add to the depth and breadth of each book... and you have effectively used them to bring your stories alive for readers...

What are your most rewarding experiences from writing?

Leta, the tilt of your hat makes me
sure we would be friends; I've
got a red one I wear like that!

The most rewarding experiences are when a reader tells me the story resonated with them and they think about it long after they finish the book.

I appreciate every reader review but the one that probably touched me most was the reader who said, “For the first time ever, I found myself 'talking' to her characters as if I was actually there. That is how real her characters feel.”

While in the middle of reading High Cotton Country, another reader told me that she was riding in the car with her husband, and turned to him and said, “I wonder what Owen’s doing now?” It took her a minute to stop and think Owen wasn’t real.

I love it when characters are this real to readers.

That is such wonderful feedback for you and I can verify that both could easily be correct! I'm almost through reading and can easily remember and think about the actions of your many characters and what their lives meant to bring about those actions...

What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey?  

Two come to mind: the letter I received from an editor at Prentice Hall during the publication of my only non-fiction book, and the moment I held that first book with my name as the author in my hand.

Congratulations! Not too many writers get the chance to have a publisher reach out and commission a book! Certainly speaks well for your reputation and writing expertise! And I can see where part of your life experience came into play in your first novel!

Do you come up with your title(s) before or after you write the manuscript? 

Before.  But I changed the first one from Hummingbird to High Cotton Country and the second one from The Family Bible to A Shadow Life. I can’t see changing the third one though – Dancing to the Silence.

Hmmmm, I think you made the right decisions on both books!

What is your genre and why?

Women’s fiction because I am fascinated by strong women who grab life by the horns and wrestle it to the ground while hiding their vulnerabilities from the world.

Or a fancier way of saying it- I write about women on a journey to self-discovery, about the inherent dignity of the human being, of the burning desire to be in command of one’s own destiny, of the will, not only to survive, but to achieve, and to face adversity with courage and honor. I write not only about the fighting spirit of the main character, but also about the people who influence her self-esteem, shape her self-image and participate in her destiny.

I like that, but I do hope you also list under the historical genre...There is much to find regarding the role of women and how some responded--both good and bad--to those conditions... Women have advanced, but only when you read what happened to many historically, can we appreciate and strive for...more...

Do you always write in the same genre?

I never intended to write non-fiction but when Prentice-Hall, New York offered me a contract, I accepted. That was just an unexpected side trip.

I refer to my genre as women’s fiction but I have been told it is more general fiction. High Cotton Country has been read and reviewed by several men and I’ve had really good feedback from them so I guess it is a cross-over between general and women’s fiction.

Oh, Leta, let's put it right where it is...Historical Literary Fiction!

What was your inspiration for High Cotton Country and A Shadow Life?

For High Cotton Country, it was an incident that happened in our little town when I was about nine. It was so shocking, I never forgot it.

Ahhh, I surely can guess that incident and can fully understand your need to share it with readers...

For A Shadow Life, it was some family records found in a very old Bible of my mother’s after she died. It totally contradicted family history we’d always believed.

This book turned into somewhat of a mystery...I couldn't see where you were going...and the suspense started to build until the climatic ending. Really, I think you've already moved into multi-genre material...


Who is your favorite author and why?

I can have only one? I could list at least a couple of dozen. If I can have only one, I would say, Ayn Rand because she was a visionary and she had courage.

Actually, Leta, I normally respond to either favorite book or author, with...the one I'm reading right now...Why choose! LOL

It's like that ice cream cone you're enjoying...Why limit yourself to just one flavor or type cone! LOL... And then there's sherbet, frozen yogurt!
Just like...too many books, not enough time!

Who are the literary heroes that inspire your writing?

Fannie Flagg, Harper Lee, Carson McCullers, John Steinbeck. Larry McMurtry, Ayn Rand, Susan Crandall, Robert Walker, Mark Twain, Pearl S. Buck. I could go on and on.

What are your favorite books?

Way too many to list but definitely Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (she makes me think - I’ve read it about six times), The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Shogun by James Clavell, anything by Fannie Flagg.

I also like Elin Hildebrand – she entertains me.  Susan Crandall and Robert Morgan because I love their “voice”. They’re from my “neighborhood”. And Lincoln and Childs for a change of pace - they transport me to other worlds.

I totally agree with Lincoln and Childs, but my favorites tend to be more contemporary with, perhaps, J. D. Robb's series one of my favorites... I think I've traveled more through books than any other way...and am grateful for all the books I've had the opportunity to read here at Book Readers Heaven...

What has been the biggest help to you in your journey as a writer?

First, when I decided to actually sit down and write, I was lucky enough to be the beneficiary of the tough love, encouragement and guidance of the Lewis County, Washington Writers Guild. They really held my feet to the fire; they demanded I leave my comfort zone behind and write better and better, but in a kind and encouraging way. I was also fortunate to become a member of another great critique group online after I left Washington.

Next, feedback from readers gives me clarity about my writing and is a big help in my on-going endeavor to become a better writer.

And, support, input and guidance from other writers through local and online communities. I’m a member of several but probably at the top of the list is the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

What other work have you done, and how has it impacted your writing career?

Sales. I think sales taught me to take risks and put myself out there. And not to take rejection personally. And, raising five children.

How long did it take you to publish your first novel?

About a year and a half from writing the first chapter through to publication.  (although I had been writing it in my head for about thirty years ).

Do you have any special time or place you like to write?

I write every opportunity I have in a little cubby-corner office at home.  Nice big windows with a view of the green Oregon trees and mostly blue sky. The squirrels put on quite a show most every day and we frequently have deer just over the fence.



Are you published through a traditional publishing house? If yes, how did you find your agent and publisher?

Yes. Non Fiction. College Text Book. Publisher Prentice Hall. As mentioned earlier, I was commissioned to write the book.

Why did you choose to go the self-publishing Indie route in lieu of traditional publication on your novels? 

I had interest from agents on both novels and am confident I could have gone that route. I chose Indie publishing or several reasons but the main one was because of the time factor involved in getting a book on the market via traditional sources. It just seemed that a year to two years was a long time.

Authors and publishers are always talking about finding your “Voice”. Exactly what does that mean to you and how did you find yours?

I think an author’s voice is the perspective on life that is unique to each of us.  It is the culmination of our circumstances of birth, the “imprinting” we received as we grew to adulthood, our experiences, and our emotional journey. The voice is always changing, growing, expanding, because as long as we are alive we are continually influenced by the world and people around us and our responses to those circumstances.

Great Response! Do you follow a structure pattern such as staying in chronological order, or alternating points in time or different POV’s?

I don’t follow an exact chronological order but I do follow a loose time framework. I write each chapter in sequence though. I have writer friends who may write chapter 20 then come back to 5 then write chapter 18 then 35 and come back to 6.  That would drive me crazy.

Writers are usually “pansters” or “plotters”. Which are you?
I write by the seat of my pants. When I sit down at the keyboard, I just let’er rip and worry about editing and finessing later. I know other people are avid plotters and outline the story from the first chapter to the last, but that’s just not my style.

I do, however, keep a running chronology of events as I write just so I don’t have someone getting married when they’re six!

What is the hardest part of writing?

First, it’s not the writing. It’s getting exposure for my books. With the advent of Amazon, the competition for the reader’s attention is fierce. There are hundreds, even thousands of really exceptional books that never garner any real following simply because they are lost in the plethora of titles constantly hitting the market.

Second, is getting reviews. Reviews, if they are not the single most important factor in the success of a book, they are very near the top for an Indie writer. It’s not that readers don’t have good intentions when it comes to reviews; mostly they do. It’s just that life spins like a top for most of us and a lot of good intentions fall by the wayside. If readers understood how critical reviews are, I think they would make the effort. I appreciate every single review of my books because I know that person took of their time and energy to do it.

Another reason people don’t review is that they think they have to make some really fluent, pithy comments. This isn’t so; just a brief comment that the reader liked the book or not and why is a great help.

Word of mouth is the most powerful success factor of all, so the best thing a reader can do is tell all their friends about a book they liked.

Lastly, what, for me, was stunning and unexpected was my vulnerability. There are a lot of really helpful and worthwhile resources out there, but there are just as many scammers. People know that new and inexperienced writers are eager to get recognition for their work, so this is a field ripe for harvest for the bad guys. This ranges from unscrupulous vanity publishers to “expert teachers” who offer empty courses, writers of meaningless “how-to” books, and marketers who promise to get your book in the hands of thousands of readers – all for a fee, of course.

Marketing our work is really the hardest part for most writers I know and there is plenty of “help” out there. I remember one “how-to” book that had a great title – sounded just like what I needed – and it was only 99 cents. It was useless. The only thing of value about it was the title. That was the cheapest of the lessons I learned.

There are some great – in my opinion – resources for writers. Some are free and some are not. A few that I have found viable and helpful are:

Women’s Fiction Writers Association
Mark Dawson’s Self-Publishing Formula
Story Genius and Wired for Story by Lisa Cron (Must read for writers.)
Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Writers in the Storm (blog)
Fiction University (blog)
Author Marketing Club
Blasty
Book Funnel
Publishing and other forms of insanity (blog)
Dave Chesson – Kindlepreneur (blog)
Kirsten Lamb’s Blog
Indie’s Unlimited (blog)
Book Marketing Tools (blog)
Create Space (print on demand publisher)
Pronoun (ebook publisher)

I’m sure there are others but these come to mind.  Some bloggers ultimately have something to sell you; others don’t. Even those on this list who do have something to sell aren’t pushy (if they are I don’t hang round) and they routinely provide good, free information.

Important information, and one thing I would suggest...Check out potential reviewers...see if they've reviewed on Amazon of Goodreads and other sites and see what they've said. Reviewers can be shysters as well, sad to say...

Write – write – write! There’s a saying that water doesn’t flow until the faucet its turned on and that is especially true with writing. You can have a desire to write; you can have a lot of ideas. Doesn’t matter. Nothing happens until you sit down and write something.

I would add read, read, read...I've had quite a few people submit material and when I mention other authors in the genre, they indicate they rarely read! I'm thinking, ahhh, now I know why your book writing, format, and editing activities are as bad as they are...

How do you develop your ideas? Do they come to you full-blown? Do you have an idea of the ending before you begin?

I’ve never had a concept for a story come to me full blown. It always starts as the smallest seed of an idea. A spark of some kind – like the story from my childhood for High Cotton Country or the discovery of a family record in an old Bible for A Shadow Life.

That’s the point where you have to turn the faucet on and start writing. Once I begin, my mind takes over and starts filling in the “what if’s” and the more I write the more fertile and active my mind becomes. It is kind of along the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s exciting. The flow has always been there for me.

I may have a general idea of the ending when I first start, but a story takes on a life of its own and usually builds its own ending.

What if a new writer has an idea but doesn’t know what to write or where to start?

Every idea has a character at the center of the story. Set the story line aside for a while. Get acquainted with the character. She must have a name. Write that down (you can change it later). How old is she when the story begins? You must have some idea. Marital status? Kids? Love chocolate cake and hate oysters? You’ll probably never use any of this in your actual story, but the idea is to turn that faucet on. Write! Give your mind a chance to amaze you.

It's very clear that you're sharing your own advice...great ideas!

What is the most interesting thing about the writing process?

People think I’m crazy when I say this, but the most interesting thing is how characters have a mind of their own. Sometimes they won’t do what I want them to do. There’s a saying – writer’s block is when your imaginary friends stop talking to you (or get sulky and testy)  - how true. It’s a writer’s thing!

Leta, I've heard that from some other authors...My creative stories always come in dreams, only one I was able to remember and write as a short story...LOL  I guess what I'm saying is that I don't believe that everybody has a book in them, especially fiction... It takes more than a desire to be a writer, don't you think? It takes all that you've shared above and more... And the ability to apply it... You certainly have it, but I know I don't--I have ideas but not the ability to mold them into a complete novel-length book... But that's OK for me to acknowledge that...because I know what I am...A Reader!
Who is constantly thrilled to be reading so many wonderful writers' works...

A Great Discussion! Now my part starts...First Review next!