A day in the life of this writer

I had to give some thought to what I do as a writer every day. Well, the thing is, I don't do the same thing every day. I like to mix it up a little, so to speak. I typically will wake up between 7-8 a.m. eat breakfast(usually a Pop Tart and tea. Not really a big eater), exercise, then take a shower. From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. I write. I have a half hour break to regroup or eat a snack and from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. I watch documentaries of crimes and get ideas for my stories.

Right now I have been spending a lot of my time researching and compiling information for the cases for my Duke Wellington, P.I. crime fiction series. I never realized that people were so mentally unstable and the things that they do to carry out their crimes are crazy, but enough about that. I also take the time to flesh out a story idea that has come to mind. It is a thrill when you get another story to work with.

I tend to go to the library two or three times a week to check out how my books are doing in the eBook Marketplace. Touch basis with people on Facebook and Twitter and get more information and download more videos of documentaries on crimes. Yeah, I know that sounds creepy, but somebody's got to do it. I have compiled so much character information for my series that I can write several books.

Some days I may just write the entire time or I may watch crime stories. So, there is never a day of me doing the same thing that I did the day before.

I think, personally, that if you do the same thing day in and day out it becomes repetitious and boring. Writing is what I love and it is not meant to bore me. 

By the end of the day I have done what I set out to do and have accomplished a lot. I feel that if I get things done then the day isn't a waste of time. It doesn't really matter to me whether or not I write a book ever day, just as long as I am thinking about what I can produce next. 

The Method to the Madness-Idea for Duke Wellington, P.I.

I got the idea for the character Duke Wellington, P.I. when someone asked me, since I was considered a romance novelist, could I write a book that even men would want to read. Now, I know that if a person likes a good story, they would read anything from any genre. I am aware that people have a preference on what kind of books they will read. I gave it some thought and then let it go for a little while.

Writing romance novels was a safe bet, as I know that women like to curl up to a good romance and a glass of wine or tea. I am a romantic at heart and I know what I would like to read, ergo a romance writer. I will admit that I did not wish to be pegged as just a one genre writer, so I needed to revisit my decision.

One day I had read about the pros and cons of casting Idris Elba as the next James Bond. Typically, Bond is a Brit, but there was so much ado about Bond being white and Idris Elba is, obviously, not. A couple of days later, I heard question pop in my head again, "Can you write a book that men would want to read?" Eureka! People are against the idea of Idris playing Bond and I need to write a book that men want to read. I knew what to do, and kill two birds with...you know the rest. I would write a character for Idris to play. The character would be a African-American private investigator and I will turn it into a series.

Thus, the character Duke Wellington, P.I. was born. With his many cases we could go a few books and I would feel that I have done a great justice in helping a talented actor by offering him a fantastic character to play. I would have written books for men to enjoy and everyone is happy. I have come up with several ideas for the cases for the series. I even have an idea for a case that will find Duke going to the U.K. Now, I can't say that he will 'run' into Bond while he's there, but who knows what could happen down the line.

Duke Wellington, P.I.

**This is the the working introduction to Duke Wellington, P.I. in Murder of Innocence. The cover art is courtesy of my son, PrinceG.**

Natalia Rawlings and Kenzi Davis, were thirteen-year-old best friends who loved to have fun. Unfortunately, their determination to experience life no matter what happened led to their murders. It was too late for the teens to realize that they were better off playing with their dolls than with fire. Why were they in that old abandoned house in the first place? What happened? Why were their bodies disposed of in that trunk? The police were doing their best to solve the case, but their efforts were not enough for the mothers, Spencer and Joan.

Enter Duke Wellington a suave, no nonsense former beat cop who emits the gritty edge of the North East Coast streets where he was groomed. The African-American private investigator meets and befriends Pastor Charles, after the minister saves his son Devin's life after a car accident that claimed the life of Duke's wife and daughter. As a promise, Pastor Charles "loans" Duke's business card to his parishioners who are in dire need of his help. Such is the case when Duke is hired, (pro bono) to investigate the deaths of the two girls. Their brutal murders shock their families, as well as the community. The mystery is right up his alley as he is a proponent for children and works diligently to get justice for them.

What Duke uncovers during his hunt for answers takes him from ethnically mixed suburbia to the projects. He learns that the girls were in over their heads in their quest to have fun. During the mystery he is involved in a high-speed chase in his 1965 Corvette Stingray convertible. In the end he discovers the meaning of pure evil in a suspect no one expected.