"​Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?" is a crime drama that takes us into the Victorian times in 1888, in the city of Bradford, England. Young John Gill has been murdered in a most dastardly manner, his body hacked up, and his organs displaced, in a method eerily similar to the London murders committed by Jack the Ripper.

​But is this the work of Jack the Ripper, or a copycat murderer? Kathryn McMaster takes us on a heart wrenching journey as she puts together clues and hints at what might have happened. She takes you skillfully into the street where the events take place, and you experience the tension and sorrow surrounding the crime.

It was about half-way through the book that I realized this was based on a true-story and is a fictionalized account of the true murder of a young boy in Bradford, England, based on documents and trial transcripts.
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As we delve deeper into the story, we find out that John was last seen in the company of one William Barrett, whose movements and actions on the day of and in the days following the murder are suspicious. Many in the city believe in his innocence, and without going into details to avoid spoilers, the big question is:
Is William Barrett innocent?

Whether you know how the trial ended, or were surprised by it as I was, this book will take you on a journey you will not easily forget.
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Kudos to McMaster!
​Buy it on Amazon

​Most female authors are comfortable with creating interesting female characters, the heroines, or the MC (main characters). But compared to a male MC, there are certain characteristics specific to females.

Females think more (and often worry more), they are more demonstrative with their facial expressions and body language, and they talk in long sentences compared to their male counterparts. Your female MC can be feisty, adventurous, brilliant, haughty, humble, or shy. But she will have a lot of inner thoughts, conflicts, and self-deprecation or self-doubt.

Two important features are Characteristics (what she thinks or does) and Descriptions (how she looks).

Characteristics:

Each female character should have her own unique characteristics, highlighted via dialogue, inner thoughts, and actions. In this situation, the reader cares about what she is like rather than what she looks like.

Dialogue:
If your MC is witty, she’ll have interesting comebacks in her dialogue. Short, crisp and incisive.
If your MC is shy, she’ll hesitate with ums and ers.

Inner thoughts:
If your MC is conflicted or under-confident, she’ll obsess about what others are saying or doing, wondering how she should react, thinking she is being too forward, worrying about what others feel about her. If she is confident, her inner monologue with be what she anticipates other people will say. If she is shy, she will try to blend into the background and try not to express her thoughts and feelings.

Actions:
The shy, nervous one will wring her hands together, knit her eyebrows, drop her gaze or sit with her feet crossed, hands in her lap. The haughty one will stick her chin up, her eyes flashing. The angry one will clench her jaw or tap her foot. The one in love will look into her guy’s eyes, her pupils dilated, her lips parted.

Appearance:

While the reader is happy enough knowing what your MC is like, they like to imagine what she looks like. Not every female MC must be a stunning blonde, blue eyed beauty. So, how do you show what your character looks like? Don’t fall for the cliché ways like looking in the mirror and describing how she looks. She knows she has blue eyes. She knows she has dark hair. It’s better to slip it in surreptitiously in dialogue, actions, or inner thoughts.

Telling:
For minor characters, a quick way is to cut short description by telling important details: Her blonde hair was now peppered with grey (she is getting old). In two inch heels, she towered over most men (she is tall). She stuck a strand of silky black hair behind her ear (Her hair is black). She gets sunburnt in ten minutes and envies those who tan (she is pale). The dress that fit her well last year now stretched across her hips (she is putting on weight).

For more important characters, try to blend the descriptions with dialogue, inner thoughts, or actions.

Dialogue:
Someone can mention, “You couldn’t have missed her. She was at the party. The platinum blonde. White as porcelain, red collagen-infused lips, baby blue eyes.”
Or you can slip in something like: “He bought me a sapphire ring to match my eyes.”
He can give her a peck on her nose and say, “Love those freckles.”
Inner thoughtsShe can think: “Why wasn’t he attracted to her? Did he hate brunettes?”
She can think: “If only her hair was like her mother’s golden waves. But she was stuck with straight black hair, falling like a curtain around her face. No amount of heat treatments or curlers gave it a kink.”

Actions:
To describe brown hair, pointed chin and full lips: “He tucked a stray strand of her brown hair behind her ear and ran his finger down the side of her face, coming to a stop at her pointed chin. Then he pulled her closer and pressed his mouth against her full lips.”
Instead of “She was voluptuous”, you can write: “She slipped into a clingy dress which emphasized her curves, the low neckline showing off a cleavage models would kill for.”
She put on the padded bra and looked at the sides, wondering if the mastectomy scar would show. 

Finally, a good writer combines characteristics with appearance to make memorable, interesting female characters, be it the curly-haired, witty, brilliant Hermione, or the toad-in-pink soft-voiced, wicked Dolores Umbridge.

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​I came upon this book without knowing anything about the plot, thinking it would be an easy, fun read. It would be a dynamic between two sisters, possible jealousy, possible sibling rivalry. So I picked it up and began to read it. And boy, Kyla Stone has a way with words! In the short read of 45 pages, she has packed character development, character arc, dialogue, setting, foreshadowing, and a satisfying end.

The opening scene with flies is gut-wrenching, because it foreshadows something sinister. The relationship of Emmalyn with her new boyfriend is sweet. He seems like a clueless slob, but appears to love her, and is the only real relationship she has. Then comes Emmalyn’s family, in the midst of a challenging time, and the reader longs to know what is happening. We know it is something ominous and creepy, and the author hints at the issue.

I particularly liked the way Stone dealt with the relationship between the sisters: genuine and intense. The scene about Ava, the little sister, destroying Emmalyn’s school project without remorse, but with delight, lasted with me a long time. We know no one is inherently bad. But why does Ava behave in that manner? Is she acting out? Is she just seeking attention?

And then comes the hard truth. You know it is happening. You know what it must be. And when it happens, you want to cry for the family.

​Stone has knitted a story highlighting harsh reality with raw intensity that was at times difficult to digest, but rendered me incapable of putting it down. 

Buy it here.

I am pleased to interview Courtney Cannon, the cover designer of my upcoming novel The Blue House in Bishop ​

Check out her work at her website. They provide many services for authors. 

What got you into book cover design? 

I have been doing graphic design on and off for 11 years. I started out small on my fansites for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter. Then I started manipulating photos to make money on some freelance sites. Then last year, my friend Janae needed a cover made for her debut book, so I tried my hand at it and fell in love with book design and editing.

What other services do you provide?

Currently, I am providing the following services:

• Editing (copy and developmental)
• Beta reading
• Cover design
• Formatting
• Book trailers
• Promotional images and teasers
• 3-d mockups
• Likes on your author page
• FB event and rafflecopter setup
• WordPress design and set-up
• Promotional voice over
• Audio-book narration
I hope to soon offer newsletter services that you can run your free and discounted books in.
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What genre do you like to write?
I like to read and write fantasy and paranormal, but I also do love stories from time to time. Most of my writing focuses heavily on character development and how their decisions shape their relationships with others. I write a lot about friendship and sibling bonding.