Monday, November 26, 2012

Mystery We Write Blog Tour ~ M.M. Gornell





Thanks, Madison, for hosting me today—the first day of our tour. I’m certainly excited to be on tour again, and I’m especially enjoying meeting and visiting with you. One of the items I really like about Anne’s tours is meeting new authors and readers!

And starting off our tour with “setting” as the topic, certainly gets me in the talking-about-writing mode. It’s not news that many authors consider setting so very important. I’m one of those. And the key, I think, is not only including setting in your tale, but most importantly, taking your reader “there.” And that’s so much writing-fun for me—tantalizing the reader’s senses with my narrative, and verbally painting the location through my character reactions/interactions with their environment.

You’ve asked in particular, what makes the setting in my most recent book unique?

To start with, a key to my story ideas and plots is a particular location that has appealed to me. Indeed, called out to me. Lies of Convenience encompasses several such places that were the inspiration for this particular tale. The foremost being the view from a wonderful cousin’s high-rise apartment on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. They have the most wonderful view of a section of Lake Michigan’s waterfront. Then there’s a Quonset hut in my area, and then there’s Route 66 itself, and then there’s the Mojave Desert and its challenges… My book’s Preface tries to bring all those elements together:

The world of this author’s mind is populated with a multitude of places and characters—many composites, and many imaginary. Occasionally, some of these people and places escape—intermingle with reality—and become backdrops and inspiration for tales of mystery.
Situated on Route 66 as it crosses California’s Mojave Desert, NewTown is a fictional place, but its inspiration is drawn from the many “small dots” spreading themselves along The Mother Road. This particular NewTown tale—even though populated with imaginary characters involved in fictional events—is nonetheless, triggered by the realities of High Desert terrain, weather, and the fortitude of its very real inhabitants.

CHICAGO, on the other hand, more than halfway across the country from NewTown, and at the start of Route 66, is on a capital-letters-scale, a world-renowned, sophisticated, and larger-than-life city. Indeed, to experience Lake Michigan’s unparalleled waterfront, especially under the magical shroud of night, with city lights a-sparkling—is to be bedazzled, awed, and visually imprinted for life.
Besides their shared Route 66 heritage, how do these places and people—real and imaginary—intersect? Therein lies the story…

Thank you, Madison for hosting me on my first tour stop. It’s been lovely spouting off about setting!

Bio for Madeline

Madeline (M.M.) Gornell has four published mystery novels—PSWA awarding winning Uncle Si’s Secret (2008); Death of a Perfect Man (2009); Eric Hoffer Fiction finalist and Honorary Mention winner, the da Vinci Eye finalist, and Montaigne Medalist finalist Reticence of Ravens (2011); and PSWA award winner and Hollywood Book Festival Honorary Mention Lies of Convenience (2012). Both Reticence of Ravens and Lies of Convenience are Route 66 mysteries.

Madeline is also a potter with a fondness for stoneware and reduction firing. She lives with her husband and assorted canines in the Mojave Desert in a town on internationally revered Route 66.

Contact and Buy Info from Madeline (M.M.) Gornell:
Madeline’s books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Smashwords, in paper and e-book formats. You can visit her online at her website http://www.mmgornell.com , or her BLOG http://www.mmgornell.wordpress.com or email her directly at mmgornell@earthlink.net

Book Giveaway:
Buster, Dobie, and Mugs (the latest) are each drawing a name from comments for free copies of Lies of Convenience (or a M.M. Gornell title of your choosing)

Buy link for Lies of Convenience:






15 comments:

M.M. Gornell said...

Glad to start my tour with you this morning, Madison! And I always like talking about setting...

Madeline

M.M. Gornell said...

Glad to be visiting with you, Madison, on the first day of our blog tour! And I always enjoy talking about setting...

Madeline

Unknown said...

Thanks Madeline, it's great for you to stop by my blog.

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Madeline is my friend, not just from the Internet, but in real life. I loved reading her post, as usual I always find out little tidbits about her and her books I didn't know before. Thanks for hosting her, Madison.

Lynette Eason said...

I'm branching out and trying to find new authors. I've never heard of these books, but they sound interesting. Thanks for the post, Madison. Reading about the author's thoughts on setting was enlightening. I look forward to reading the books. :)
Lynette

Lynette Eason said...

Reading your thoughts about how important the setting is was interesting. Thanks for sharing. I've never heard of these books before, but after reading the interview, I'm curious and will have to check them out. Thanks again,
Lynette

Marja said...

Madeline, Your books have given me a lot of entertainment. I enjoy the characters, the settings and the stories. I hope you've got a new book on the back burner. Can't wait!
Marja McGraw

Jean Henry Mead said...

Madeline, your books are so beautifully written that I plan to read them all again at my first opportunity!

M.M. Gornell said...

Lynette, thank you so much for taking the time to stop by! Setting is very important to me, and glad you enjoyed my ramblings!

Oh Marja, you never fail to buoy by spirits! Yes, trying to get the next one finished, but it's not "right" yet. And life keeps interfering...

Jean, I'm now blushing, squirming, and doing a happy dance. What kind words--which go a very long way with me! So glad to be on tour with you again. Have the flu--but maybe you've cured it! (smile)

Madeline

Designs by Barb said...

Madison is so awesome to promote all these good writers.

Designs by Barb said...

OOPS, I did not copy all my post. The rest said that I look forward to checking out the new authors that are promoted by Madison.

Collin Kelley said...

Great to find out more about MM Gornell and looking forward to featuring her my Modern Confessional blog on Tuesday (Nov. 27) as the MWW Blog Tour rolls on!

Michelle Fidler said...

Hadn't heard of this series before, but it sounds interesting. Thanks for the giveaway!

catbooks(at)rocketmail(dot)com

Alberto Gonçalves said...

A very interesting writing, humor and a good place that i , obviously , i'm gonna follow fom Lisbon...

M.M. Gornell said...

Designs by Barb, thank you so much for stopping by. Yes, that's one of the great things about our tours, meeting new authors and readers!

Collin, looking forward to visiting with you tomorrow. Love all the great stops on our tour.

Nice to introduce my writing to you, Michelle, and thank you for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.

Alberto, how wonderful you're following our tour from Lisbon. Much appreciated!

Madeline