Location Scouting

You’d never know it by how infrequently I post to my blog, but I’m a writer. “Author,” I say confidently. That’s a writer who has actually published books. I have sixteen of them on Amazon under two different author names. Nineteen of them if I count correctly. And four more to be released within the next month.

But my writing has changed some over the past few years. I last published a book under my own name almost two years ago. All ten people who will ever buy The Volunteer have already done so. But in that same time, I’ve published eight books under the name Devon Layne that are racy, erotic romance and adventures. I’ve written many more that were published for free at an adult story site.

I hate to say that my writing was sidetracked, but I just didn’t have the interest in publishing a mystery that would sell a hundred copies max when my latest erotic serial has been downloaded 1.5 million times. For free. I just wasn’t getting the same kind of response to my ‘serious’ writing. That’s about to change.

Well, the response might not change, but the interest in writing the next Dag Hamar mystery is certainly changing. I plan to write it during Camp NaNoWriMo in April while I’m visiting sites in Greece and Turkey that I’ve written about but have never seen. I love writing on trains! The new mystery, For Mayhem or Madness is a sandwich filling, meaning I’m writing a book that comes between For Money or Mayhem and For Blood or Money.

My temporary cover.

The brief synopsis is this:

Computer forensics detective Dag Hamar is back and this time his elusive nemesis is a hacker who is creating havoc on the international scene. The worst part is that no one wants him stopped, but if he isn't war could be the next option.

Dag's contract takes him away from his peaceful office on the Seattle waterfront where he and his dog Maizie recover hard drives and missing passwords, to a jungle in Hawaii where Internet service is at a premium, to a tiny bungalow in northern Thailand where a beautiful young backpacker is hiding a dangerous secret.

Dag is at his forensic best as he tracks down the hacker and then has to decide if he really wants to stop him.

 The bungalow

Well, one of the things I needed to get me off dead center was a good interesting location for Dag to have to chase down his prey. I found it. The little bungalows where I’m currently sitting and writing my next serial is providing some fantastic fuel for the mystery. Not only the location, which includes dense foliage surrounding tiny cabins, bubbling fountains, a pristine swimming pool, and great food, but also has a ready-made cast of characters to fill out the story. And several exciting locations in and around Chiang Mai where the ancient Buddhist temples vie for attention with the lure of a fast Internet connection at this retreat for digital nomads. Here are a few of the possible locations for Dag to practice his craft and search out his quarry.

In addition to simply relaxing in cool water during the heat of the day, I’m working. Really.

If you are interested in a bit of racy erotica with a great storyline and characters you can care about, visit Devon Layne’s page at http://www.amazon.com/Devon-Layne/e/B009L4XMP6

For the full series of Dag Hamar books and other more mainstream offerings, try Nathan Everett’s page at http://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Everett/e/B004QVVE1S/