Melinda's Writing Pages: Pen to Paper

I am proud and honored to have New York Times, Best Selling Author, Margaret Coel here with us. She is the outstanding author of The Wind River Reservation Mysteries, and her latest installment of the series, “The Silent Spirit.” So, Margaret lets get started

1. Tell us something about you and your books

I’m a not-wholly recovered historian who writes mystery novels set among the Arapahos on the Wind River Reservation. There’s lots of mystery in my novels, and a lot of history. I’m fascinated with the past the way it keeps creeping into the present and forcing us to deal with all over again.

2. Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

If you haven’t read Lisa Unger and Craig Johnson, get going! They are both great.

3. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Never give up. Keep writing, work on your craft, get better and better and never let the rejections discourage you. Keep going.

4. What’s your latest book “The Silent Spirit” about?

In “The Silent Spirit,” a young Arapaho, Kiki Wallowingbull, is found murdered on the reservation. When my main characters, Jesuit priest Father John O’Malley and Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden, realize that Kiki had recently returned from Hollywood where he had gone to find out what happened to his great-grandfather in 1923 Hollywood, they follow Kiki’s trail, both to Hollywood and into the past. They soon find another murder, one committed almost a hundred years ago when the Arapahos were in Hollywood to appear in the silent Westerns. In order to solve Kiki’s murder, Father John and Vicky must first figure out what happened long ago in Hollywood and why someone is willing to kill to keep it secret.

5. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

I do a lot of reading, and I spend time with my Arapaho friends on the reservation For “The Silent Spirit,” I had a good time reading about 1920s Hollywood, which was a crazy, anything goes kind of place. A columnist from that time, Walter Winchell, called Hollywood a place that had to be seen to be disbelieved. Since my character, Vicky, goes to Hollywood, I spent some time there, visiting the museums, walking Hollywood Blvd., going to Grauman’s Egyptian and Chinese theaters, and generally soaking up the atmosphere. I ate at Musso and Frank Grill, just as Vicky does, and just as actors did in the 1920s. Charlie Chaplin’s booth is still there.

6. What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors?

This is tough. The internet today is the most important place to promote your book. Keep an e-mail list and send out a notice when the book comes out. Tell people how to get it. Visit blogs. Start your own blog. By all means, get yourself a website, make it interesting, and keep updating it. Work with your publisher and try to fill in the things they are NOT doing. Hopefully they will send out review copies. It’s tough to get reviews on your own. They may even set up signings for you, and send you on a tour (although don’t expect that on the first book.)

7. What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent?

Pick up one of the great books on the subject and follow their advice. Many are written by agents, and they are very current on how to approach an agent today. I also like going to conferences and meeting agents face-to-face. A lot of connections are made that way.

8. Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

          Write, write, write.

9. As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

Be a writer. That was my goal. I started writing stories when I was about 6, I think.

10. As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing

E-publishing is a big term. My novels are available as e-books, which is arranged by my publisher. I think any way that books can become more easily available is good. However, in the case of e-publishing where the writer publishes her own book, you’re looking at a lot of problems in marketing and selling the book.

11. What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

Get an agent. Spend the time and effort in getting an agent to handle your book. An agent can open the doors to a big publishing company. You can’t, at least not easily.

12. Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

Oh, my. Here goes: Including The Wind River Reservation Mystery Series:

The Eagle Catcher

   The Ghost Walker

      The Dream Stalker

          The Story Teller

             The Lost Bird

               The Spirit Woman

                 The Thunder Keeper

                   The Shadow Dancer

                      Killing Raven

                        Wife of Moon

                          Eye of the Wolf

                            Drowning Man

                              The Girl with Braided Hair

                                  Blood Memory

                                    The Silent Spirit

And two non-fiction books:

                    Chief Left Hand (biography and history of the Arapahos.)

                      Goin’ Railroading, a book on railroading in early Colorado for Railroad buffs.

13. How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

I spend a couple of months doing general reading, then I plunge in and begin the writing, As I go along, I realize the specific things I need to learn about. Then I go and research that. Sometimes that means doing more reading. Other times it means talking to experts.

14. How do you give credit to any research you do?

I always acknowledge the people who help me with my research in the front of the novels.

15. What inspired you to become a writer?

Wonderful stories that my parents read to me with I was a kid. Alice in Wonderland, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, David Copperfield. The list is long.

16. How did you go about getting published?

Followed the advice I gave above. First: Wrote the best book I could. Second: Went looking for an agent. Read books on how to find an agent to conferences to meet them. Then contacted those I thought I would like to work with.

17. Where do you do most of your writing?

In my study. I have a wonderful view of the Rocky Mountains and a beautiful expanse of hillside where all kinds of wild animals might show up, from herds of deer to fox, coyote and even a bear or mountain lion.

18. Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

I write short stories. A collection of my stories will be published in March.

19. What do you enjoy most about your writing?

Absolutely, hands down, the most fun is the writing process itself. Getting lost in the story that is unfolding on the screen in front of me, living with the characters, laughing and crying with them—it’s all wonderful.

20. What is your website address:

http://www.margaretcoel.com/

Well Margaret, I am so delighted to have learned so much about the Arapahos and all of your amazing books. I cannot wait to read the whole series of your Wind River Mysteries.

Walk in peace and harmony,

Melinda