The Fisherman's Lily 1 Year Anniversary

"DO NOT BITE AT THE BAIT OF PLEASURE, TILL YOU KNOW THERE IS NO HOOK BENEATH IT." - THOMAS JEFFERSON

The beginning of last year was the start to a very humbling experience. One year ago to this date, after spending over four years writing my first novel, my debut crime-thriller novel, The Fisherman's Lily was published by TouchPoint Press. Some of you may have heard about it, or may have also read it (which I very much so kindly thank you from the bottom of my heart!), but what some of you may not know is the origination of the story. Where it comes from. What made me finally want to put my metaphorical pen down to paper. And with today being my one year anniversary, I wanted to fill my readers with more details about the story behind the written story.

William Buter Yeats.

William Buter Yeats.

So where on Earth did I get this idea from? Well, it all starts back when I was just a teenager. While in high school I took a creative writing class. The teacher read a short story of mine and afterward insisted that I “should be a writer.” I’ve been writing ever since. I initially wrote several more short stories before taking an immediate interest in poetry. Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Butler Yeats were like long-lost friends to me during my teenage angst. When a few of my poems were published while in high school and in college, that sparked a deeper passion to perhaps take my writing a bit more seriously.

 Author Portrait By © Gilles Decamps

 Author Portrait By © Gilles Decamps

I began working on a memoir for several years before putting it on the back burner because I felt like I had a lot more to accomplish before completing an enormous project of that kind of magnitude. That and it's deeply personal to write about. That's when a lightbulb went off in my head. Why not take a stab (ha, ha I'm #punny) at fiction? And more in particular: crime fiction. How come? Not long ago, and initially wanting a career within law enforcement, I took it upon myself to receive a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. After obtaining my degree, I moved to New York City to continue pursuing my career as a police officer. But two weeks before entering the police academy, I felt I wasn't being true to my heart. For whatever reason, even with good intentions, it didn't feel right. I also wanted to fall in love, get married and have children, but I wasn't going to share my life with someone if I was in that kind of profession. I would've chosen to only be married to the job. Something was still pulling at my heart's strings. That's when I started ferociously writing every night, just to get the ick out of me and what was going on in my life. It didn't take long before I realized I wanted to change careers to pursue my ambitions as a writer, and very quickly was inspired to write about what almost could have been. And the best part? Writing fiction of course!

Full Book Cover, front & back.

Full Book Cover, front & back.

So, what is my book about? Lily Dietz, is an attractive New York homicide detective who doesn’t take crap from anyone. Her career is hindered by her psychological and physical frailties. Apart from being a borderline alcoholic she is close to being a full-blown manic depressive. With her partner John Fremont, Lily becomes engrossed in the hunt to catch a killer who favors Asian-American women – a category she herself falls into. As the race to unmask the murderer gathers pace, Lily must prevent herself from turning from hunter into prey.

The Fisherman's Lily is like an onion. It has many layers. I would describe the novel to be a mixture of police procedural, detective fiction, thriller/suspense and a family saga. It is dark crime and I would not say it is for everyone (it can get quite gruesome) but other parts of the novel discuss the complexity of our emotions and the human condition, such as feelings of anger, guilt, redemption, sadness … love. And how it all correlates within the relationships we have with others and ourselves.

Book Trailer for The Fisherman's Lily by Suzanne Spiegoski

Here's a fun random fact about my book: I'm a proud German Shepherd owner and in general, a dog lover. I love the breed so much I felt compelled to create a dog character in the book, Cuffs, Lily's beloved K-9 working-line GSD. He is her shadow, her confidant and best friend. It wasn't until after completing The Fisherman's Lily when my real-life dog, MaQ, came into our lives. Now he is my personal cheerleader, muse and hero. ♥

With my muse, MaQ, my German shepherd dog. © Gilles Decamps

With my muse, MaQ, my German shepherd dog. © Gilles Decamps

GIVEAWAY ALERT! Are you into crime fiction? Like the thrill of the chase? Perhaps you're a natural-born bookworm who's looking for something a little different from your usual reading? In honor of this special day I'm doing a book giveaway to one lucky reader! To enter your chance of winning a free, signed paperback copy of The Fisherman's Lily go on my Instagram page (@suzannespiegoski) and just follow the rules. :)

Enter your chance to win a free signed copy of The Fisherman's Lily on Instagram NOW!

Enter your chance to win a free signed copy of The Fisherman's Lily on Instagram NOW!

Rooftop Vibes © Gilles Decamps

Rooftop Vibes © Gilles Decamps

Got questions about my book or my writing? Leave comments below! I love interacting with new readers and other like-minded blogs, and of course, I can't leave out the familiar faces! Thank you so much for your continued love and support. I am forever grateful for you!

Thanks for stopping by and reading more about my life and my work. Don't forget to go on Instagram and enter your chance to win a free copy of The Fisherman's Lily!

Have a great rest of your Tuesday! The Fisherman's Lily is available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble, in kindle and paperback.

Follow The Fisherman's Lily on Facebook!

Love & xx's,

Source: http://www.suzannespiegoski.com/thefisherm...

The Writer's Desk

I don't know about you but I am so glad it's a 3-day work week. Life has been busy and stressful, so the idea of a cook-a-thon of some of my most favorite eats is more than thrilling. Yes, I mean this in the most non-sarcastic way. It relaxes me. And by celebrating and giving thanks, though we should be thankful every day, it's always so nice to reflect during this time of year. Because we do have so much to be grateful for.

New York City is pretty chilly today. The perks of working from home as a writer and blogger has it's pros and cons, and I will still take a break and get out of the apartment. I'll go for a run or a walk with MaQ and some of his other dog friends, or grab something to eat, or just to people watch. These daily activities are constant but today, I don't know; maybe because it's awfully cold (supposedly these are normal temps for Nov, or is it? Can't keep track anymore thanks to global warming) or because in my mind it's already Hump Day, but it was one of those days where it felt like Sunday. A case of the Monday's if you will.

So I stayed in my Calvin's, or rather PJ's I guess, and wrapped myself up in one of my hubby's shirts, then went to work. Can't get cozier than that! Along with comfort, as a writer, I also need seclusion. Here are a few more of my daily essentials I always need at my desk - the writer's desk.

My Microsoft Surface Pro Tablet. This little guy packs a mean punch. I do all of my blogging, writing, research, editing, and even conference calls on it. It is vital in my every day life. Without out, I don't know how I'd be organizing my crazy life!

Paper. Lots of paper. Sometimes I'll use my trusty ole' typewriter, but it's for rare occasions. I use paper to jot down ideas, timelines, research/case studies, or just to make a checklist or to-do list of some kind, whether it's blog-related or a simple grocery list, as a writer, I've always been constantly around the stuff.

Music. Not just any type of music. If it's just getting the day started or building a rough draft of a blog post, I'll usually listen to what's new in the music world. I do, however, appreciate every genre in music. When it's time to buckle down and work on my novel, it'll always be a certain theme in tune with what I'm writing about. I have a deep passion for Classical music, but also go for original soundtracks or instrumental music. Lyrical music while trying to write a chapter doesn't work well for me.

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Candles. Any time of the year, I adore candles. I think aromas and scents can set a tone or deliver a certain essence in the environment you want to create. Plus, they bring warmth and light to any room, which is always a good thing especially being a writer. We spend a lot of time alone! ;) All kidding aside, I have been using Yankee Candles since college. They're my favorite besides Diptyque.

My Leica Coffee Mug. We received this as a gift in our first year of marriage from a dear friend. I love the size because it holds more coffee than any other mug we own. A writer's dream, or rather, fuel to burn the midnight oil! Ha ha!

Greenery or Flowers. Visually they are pretty to look at. I write a lot about how to kill people. I need something that'll bring me back from those sometimes dark places. Plus it's the girly girl in me. Now older, I've become quite fond of plants and the idea of growth. It's also just another great way to style up your place without looking like you're trying too hard.

My i-Phone 6. I know... BAD idea to ever have a phone near you while trying to get some work done. But it's my way of staying in touch with the world. And I do give myself time intervals. Every two-three hours, depending how much writing I do, I'll take a small 15 minute break.

My Ray-Ban eyeglasses. What can I say. I'm getting older. I need these around me more and more. I'm near-sighted, so it's not a matter of not being able to focus at a close object but rather one that is at a distance. I leave CNN on mute in the background. I'm addicted to what's going on in the world because I think it imperatively matters. So, from time to time, I'll need them to see what's going on the TV screen. :)

I would've asked MaQ to join me in the photo but he was far too busy sunbathing closer toward the windows. I didn't want to wake up my angel bear. He sends is love though! <3

Have a short and happy work week everyone!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Case of the Monday's

WEARING: PURE DETROIT T-SHIRT 

B-b-b-b-b-but, I don’t compete with nobody
I just go hard, do the rope-a-dope Ali
Shuffle, and dance around my opponents, do donuts
— Eminem, 'My Darling'

Yo, Monday! We don't like you. Why must you return every week with such a vengeance?! In honor of the case of the Monday's, my pooch and I are showing our best, 'Monday, Get Outta Here' faces. Tee-hee ;) No really, though, I'm ready to kill it! Especially with this awesome t-shirt my good friend Agnes got me! Though, I think MaQ looks more confused than anything else. Like this derpy boy? He has his own Instagram account. Yes, I really do love my dog that freaking much, I'm shameless! For more adorable, funny, heart-warming daily moments with my best bud, check him out on IG @maq_life.

Now that I'm blogging again, I've been thinking a lot about changing the name of my blog and giving it a fresh, new start. What is it, you might wonder? ::Drum roll please:: MaQ + Suz! The Q is capitalized for the meaning of one of my most favorite words - quicksilver /ˈkwikˌsilvər/ noun: used in similes and metaphors to describe something that moves or changes very quickly, or that is difficult to hold or contain.

We, ourselves, are always changing. In a city like this, that tends to go quickly. Sometimes it's for the better and sometimes, unfortunately, it happens whether you like it nor not. We're all reaching a goal. A destination. A yearning. An acceptance of belonging to something.  I would like to think this way in terms of my new way of blogging. It will always be transforming with many different topics and discussions, and because of this, hopefully, this will also affect my readers.  The simple idea of sharing social media about our different cultures, backgrounds and style, it's something we can all relate to because we are all connected; no matter how far we go, geographically or emotionally, we are always constantly growing and changing. Together, as one, like quicksilver.

Speaking of change, I have to discuss last night's episode of the season finale of True Detective. All in all, I was truly disappointed in Season 2. Comparatively to Season 1, this season was weak. The first season was so in-depth with their characters and the story. It was clean, smart and compelling. In prep for the second season, I re-watched the first season not only to get hyped up for the new one but also for study and research on my current work project, my second crime novel. Last night's episode and overall feel, I thought the strongest character, Ani Bezzerides played by Rachel McAdams (and no it's not because I love strong female lead characters) were kind of swept under the rug. I wanted to know more about her background because even though the writers did give us some, I still wanted to know more to better understand her. I wasn't satisfied with just her relationship's with her father and her sister. Yes, I liked the sentiment of change, which I feel to be the focused theme of this season. Ani's final change was her firstborn son. His father, Detective Ray Velcoro, was killed before he even knew he was going to be a dad again, sadly repeating the same vicious cycle with his other son, (who looks way too much like a 'redheaded stepchild') of not being able to really connect with him and therefore, not ever really knowing him. His final change is death. 

Frank's death was lame. I know he's supposed to be one tough S.O.B, but watching him get stabbed felt like getting sucker punched. I mean, really? He's supposed to be this hardcore gangster, even though he detests the label when his wife uses it on him. The last scene of him and his wife, Jordan, was not my favorite. I really wanted to have a deeper rush of emotions, a kind of reaction to his sadness of not making it to his wife. Because their relationship between each other was very complicated and good, the ending between them should have been more, not some cheesy goodbye inside a train station. And the damn crows. Overkill.

I did find the scene with Jordan and Ani's baby touching. Her eyes said it all. Bittersweet. Even when Velcoro's ex-wife finally gets the paternity results it's no real shocker if you've been paying attention. I didn't like all the weird last names. It is one thing to keep names of characters original and memorable, but not to the point where I have to look it up online to make sure who is who. Too confusing. And don't get me started on all the aerial shots throughout each episode. Guys, you can totally do better than that! I swear I've seen them in every single episode! Transitions are made to be used in meaningful ways not to fit in a minute of California freeways and desolate lands. I figure you can't win one without losing one, so maybe if they do a third season, it'll be better like the original one! I look forward to what they will come up with and change from this season. See? Everyone's always changing. :)

To end off on a better note, I leave you a snapshot of my work desk... oh boy, looks like another manic Monday! To see more about the products in the photo, please check out my Instagram @suzannespiegoski for more details. And lastly a Monday Quote or as I call them, 'Monday Suzisms' of my current mood/thoughts.

Got to get back to the grind! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Come back tomorrow for some foodie goodie deliciousness!

LOVE & XX'S

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Author Interview

Good morning everyone! Check out my first author interview with Eva Phillipson!

Author Interview

The Fisherman's Lily is now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

Happy Reading :)

Suzanne