Ann Eichenmuller's Blog

 It has definitely been a while! Much of my attention has a writer has been focused on writing in the past four years. I was commissioned in 2020 to write a historical non-fiction book documenting the founding and growth of a local rescue group. After a year of interviews, followed by almost two years of writing and editing with the group's leadership, the book was finished in 2023 and released this July. It is titled There When Needed, A History of Smith Point Sea Rescue , and is available on Amazon. All proceeds go to the organization. At the same time, I have been finishing a novel of historical fiction which I just shipped off to my editor. We'll see where it goes. I am constantly reminded that writing fills my soul and keeps me sane. 

 It has been challenging to write in the time of COVID. I have a new respect for the Renaissance writers who produced such elegant and passionate plays and poetry at a time when theaters often had to shut down and quarantines were common. At first I thought all of that alone time would make it easier, but I found myself sitting despondently at the computer, staring at the screen, paralyzed by a sense of impending doom. I could write non-fiction, but I couldn't seem to focus on fiction. I had four novels going at one time--science fiction, modern mystery, and two pieces of historical fiction--that's how scattered my brain felt!  I would write a few pages on one and then my attention would wander to another, so I was bouncing between Bronze Age Greece, early Judah, futuristic time travel, and Sandi Beck on her sailboat in Florida. It was confusing, frustrating and disheartening.   It wasn't until the days got warmer and I was able to get outside, see other human beings...

Feeling the need for a little escape during these difficult times? We're running an Amazon Countdown Sale on the Kindle version of the three Lies murder mysteries. Starting April 9, for 40 hours, each novel is just $.99. But hurry--the price goes up to $1.99 on April 11,  $2.99 on April 14, and $3.99 on April 15. Regular pricing resumes on April 16.

Want to know more about Sandi Beck? Read her journal! I've met with quite a few fans who ask about Sandi Beck and tell me she's "such a real person." With that in mind, my character will be starting her own blog at www.sandibeckinvestigations.com . You can read about unpublished past cases and her current adventures aboard Andromeda.

Enjoyed the Q&A at a recent workshop I gave in Kilmarnock. It got me thinking about characterization. One of the attendees said she just didn't feel she "knew" one of the main characters in the sci fi book she was writing, and she wanted to know if she should just forge ahead or if she should try some exercise to figure it out. Here's the thing--for a character to be a living, breathing presence on the page, you have to know him or her intimately, perhaps better than you know yourself. So how do we learn about ourselves? By analyzing how we react in a myriad of situations. You see a stray dog--do you call the animal shelter? Do you feed it half of your sandwich? Do you walk by, pretending you don't see? Do you move to the other side of the street because you are afraid? What if it were a homeless man instead--or a mother trying to control three small children? Your reactions to these everyday, common situations say something about who you are and can help pr...

The Lies Beneath , the third book in the Lies series, will be out this July. As I did with The Lies We Are , I tried to incorporate contemporary issues while still crafting a fast-paced "whodunit"--this time looking into the use of biological weapons and potential threats to our country's food supply. I also listened to readers on this one--especially those who told me Sandi needed to "stop looking out for everyone else and do something for herself." The novel begins (of course) with a murder, but this time Sandi is on the move, sailing from her small town marina to Norfolk and points south, in search of a new life. So yes, expect a "side of romance" this time!

Flying Like the Wind (originally published in longer form in Chesapeake Style Magazine ) Our sailboat is slow. There, I said it. We have a full keel, a nearly 12-foot beam, and a solid 2” thick fiberglass hull. We could run through a dock—just not quickly. This has been hard on my husband. He is a racer at heart. If we are on the same tack as another sailboat, he will adjust the sails to within a millimeter of their lives so we can pass them. And he’s good. We have actually passed much sleeker, faster boats, though in the spirit of full disclosure, I am not sure they were aware we were in a competition. I take the helm, and he loosens and tightens lines, ponders telltales, and optimizes…and tweaks…. I know how this all started. In the days before we could afford an actual boat, Eric raced windsurfers. At one point, his name even appeared in Windsurfing Magazine as holding third place in the Mid-Atlantic standings. He had a full quiver of sails and four different boards, w...

My new novel, The Lies We Are, is scheduled for publication in May 2018!  It continues the story of Sandi Beck as she gets involved in a client's search for her past in a Civil War era diary, and uncovers a secret that could lead to murder.

August has been a great month, both creatively and for book sales. Thanks to everyone who attended the Maryland book signing -- it was so nice to see so many people!  Thanks also to the Northern Neck Power and Sail squadron for inviting me to speak at their dinner, and to all the members who purchased a book. A special thanks to Chesapeake Bay Magazine for their flattering review of Kind Lies! I have passed the halfway point in writing the sequel, but I am also excited about some other projects, including a historical novel that is nearly complete and my new foray into short stories. Of course, I'm still writing articles --they pay the bills-- and thoroughly enjoyed the most recent interview for my Motorhome column. The more I write, the more grateful I am that I have the opportunity to be paid to do what I love!

I'm excited to be coming "home" to St. Mary's for a book signing at Fenwick Street Used Books and Music on August 4. First Friday festivities begin at 5 p.m., and there will be live music on the square as well. Please come out and say hi! I'd love to see some former students!

I started a new ad campaign and giveaway on Goodreads this week. What could be better than a free book? https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/239338-kind-lies

Have you ever noticed that most Disney cartoon heroes or heroines lost their mothers? I think it is for the same reason that widows and single women make such interesting characters. Mothers and husbands tend to  protect--but that protection is a hindrance to the storyteller.

The second novel in the Lies series has a tentative title of Surface Lies . It is going to involve a Civil War diary that contains information that may threaten waterfront development in the 21st century, and of course Sandi will continue as the heroine. I am still working on the details, but I am thinking about posting some chapters as I write and soliciting feedback. Any thoughts?

It is interesting how characters take on a life of their own. When I envisioned Wayne Kremm, for example, I had this kind of stereotypical politically incorrect guy in mind. Then I started to  develop his back story in my mind, and suddenly he became a much more sympathetic character. I feel Sandi's fondness for him, and I could almost picture a future where the two might get together way down the line...or not.

Reading your own work after a few weeks or months is always a humbling experience. I wonder if anyone ever thinks that what they wrote is "good enough" or if you always see places it could be improved. Even when the story line is strong--and I think it is in Kind Lies --I re-read it this morning and thought of  a half-dozen additional chapters I could have added. It is a good thing I have #2 in the works!

I know we always hear that you can't judge a book by its cover, but as an author, the cover matters. It is the first thing you see, the one that will draw you in. I love that this cover captures the integral part the water plays in this story, and the peaceful harbor juxtaposed with the lightning fits so well with the tension between the two words in the title.

It's hard to believe my baby is going to make it into print! I am so grateful for the feedback and encouragement of the Rappatommac Writers and the support of my husband Eric. Now if I can just get past these butterflies in my stomach....