Category: Sam Smith Mystery Series

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Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #4

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement, #4, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

A highlight of recent months has been a growing readership in France for the Sam Smith Mystery Series. This week, Smoke and Mirrors, Sins of the Father and Stardust all featured in the top thirty of Amazon France’s female sleuths chart. Furthermore, Stardust was ranked #5 in the new releases 😃

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As usual, Sam has been wandering the mean streets of Cardiff this week. She also attended a dog show. Did you know that there are 339 breeds of dog?

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Sam also wandered close to the River Rhymney, which brought to mind Idris Davies’ poem, Gwalia Deserta, later set to music as The Bells of Rhymney by Pete Seeger and performed here by the Oysterband. Idris Davies’ poem was inspired by the 1926 General Strike and by the abusive policies of the mine owners. Dedicated to my coalmining ancestors.
Oh what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr.
Who made the mine owners?
Say the black bells of Rhondda.
Who killed the miners?
Say the grim bells of Blaina.
They’ll plunder willy-nilly,
Say the bells of Caerphilly.
They have fangs, they have teeth,
Shout the loud bells of Neath.
Even God is weary,
Say the moist bells of Swansea.
What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Put the vandals in court,
Shout the loud bells of Newport.
All will be well if, if, if,
Say the green bells of Cardiff.
Why so worried, sisters, why?
Say the silver bells of Wye.
What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Oh, what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr.
Who made the mine owners?
Say the black bells of Rhondda.
Who killed the miners?
Say the grim bells of Blaina.
Who killed the miners?
Who killed the miners?
Who killed the miners?
Who killed the miners?

One of the characters Sam encountered this week suffered from the compulsion to self-harm. If you have friends or relatives in a similar situation this article might help them and you Psychology Today

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I have been fortunate enough to receive some wonderful five-star reviews, including this one, this week, for Sam’s Song.
“I so enjoyed getting to know Sam Smith, a private investigator with an abundance of wit and compassion despite her past. Sam’s Song is well-written and contains vivid descriptions of the characters and settings. While the story touches on some difficult topics (drug and alcohol use, violence against women and children) there are no overly graphic scenes. Mixed in are some laughs as well as a blossoming romance that keep the overall feel of the book fairly light. This is the beginning of a series and I look forward to seeing how Sam’s character develops.”
As ever, thank you for your support. More news next week.

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Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #3

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement, #3, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

Due to an office fire in Smoke and Mirrors, Sam is now working out of a houseboat moored in Cardiff Bay. Where did this idea come from? Possibly a combination of DVD research watching 1980s and 1990s detective series Shoestring and Van Der Valk where boats appeared constantly, and the fact that Sam is never keen to board a floating vessel. A maxim of the series is, make things as difficult as possible for Sam. I bet she loves me for it 😉

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Mind Games, book eleven in the series, focuses on unrequited love. In the picture Dante looks longingly at Beatrice Portinari (in yellow) as she passes him with Lady Vanna (in red). From Dante and Beatrice, by Henry Holiday, 1883. Beatrice was the principal inspiration for Dante’s Vita Nuova.
According to the Roman poet, Ovid, those burdened with unrequited love should travel, avoid alcohol, engage in country pursuits and, ironically, stay well clear of love poets (!)

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Readers of my series will know that Sam, my narrator, suffered a traumatic childhood. However, research now shows that her difficult childhood is one reason why she developed into the strong woman she is today. You can read more about that research here Psychology Today
This week Mind Games took Sam to Cardiff University and the heart of the city. Founded in 1883, the university holds many claims to fame, including the fact that they allowed women to enrol as students and, in 1910, appointed Millicent Mackenzie as the first female professor at a fully chartered British university. Millicent Mackenzie, pictured in 1915, wrote on the philosophy of education, founded the Cardiff branch of the Suffragette movement and became the only female candidate in Wales for the 1918 general election.
More news next week and, as ever, thank you for your interest.

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Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #2

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement, #2, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

This week I’ve been following Sam around the Vale of Glamorgan, a picturesque region of Wales. Chapters five to ten of Mind Games are largely set in the Vale, including two chapters set at Nash Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse was constructed in 1831, illuminated in 1832 and electrified in 1968. It holds the distinction of being the last manned lighthouse in Wales, before automation in 1998. I’m pleased to say that the writing is going well and that the book is on schedule for publication in June.
I came across this quote from Marcia Muller recently and I can identify with it in relation to Sam.
‘A professional writer’s life is not easy, no matter how high you climb on the best seller lists. For one thing, you work for yourself, and that self is the most demanding boss you’ve ever had. I don’t know about non fiction writers, but those of us who deal in fiction are never left alone by our characters. They haunt you, they tell you what to do. There are times when I feel my detective, Sharon McCone, is sitting on my shoulder, saying, “No, not that. Do this.” Usually she’s right. But I’m waiting for the day I’ll prove her wrong.’

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As you know, my books are based on serious subjects, but I like to insert some humour occasionally. Here are two pieces I posted on social media this week. Both received a terrific response 😃
Definitions from the dubious dictionary…Shinbone, a device for locating furniture in the dark.
How many authors does it take to change a lightbulb?
Ten.
One to change the lightbulb.
Five to say that they’d already thought of the idea for changing the lightbulb, but they didn’t want to go public with it yet.
Four to say that lightbulb changing is old hat and already covered by the literary greats.
Three to complain that with blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc they have no time to change lightbulbs, but they’ll do it anyway.
Two to insist that old technology is best and that the lightbulb will never replace the candle.
And one to figure out that while authors are great with words they are lousy at mathamatics.

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I have joined Author Reach. More news of that in the future, but for now here is the link and an invitation to follow and join my mailing list.
http://hannah-howe.authorreach.com
Also, an invitation to connect with me on my new Facebook page.
https://facebook.com/HannahHoweSamsAuthor
More news next week and, as ever, thank you for your interest.

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Sam Smith Mystery Series

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #1

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement, #1, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

We published Stardust this week, book ten in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, and I’m delighted to say that the book smashed my pre-order record and was included in the Amazon America and Amazon France top fifty hot new releases. Also, this weekend, Smoke and Mirrors, a number three book in France, broke into the Amazon.com top one hundred. Meanwhile, Sam’s Song continues to hold a place in the Amazon top twenty.

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This week, I made a start on Mind Games, book eleven in the series. Mind Games is a love story, ‘of sorts’. If you read the book you will see what I mean. Mind Games centres on Sasha, a young chess player. The book also develops Faye’s story.
I’m delighted to say that Suzan Lynn Lorraine has agreed to narrate Secrets and Lies, her sixth Sam Smith narration. Suzan is a very talented narrator who brings her acting and radio experience to the characters and it’s always a thrill to work with her. We hope to have Secrets and Lies ready for an early summer release.

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Along with a number of experts, we are looking into the prospect of producing a Sam Smith Mystery card game, along with other associated Sam projects. Discussions are at an early stage, but if we can make it happen it would be fun to do. Watch this space.
When you write from life, as I do, you hope to capture a moment of authenticity, to present a situation that people will recognize as true. That’s why I was delighted to receive this five-star review on Amazon: “Super Sleuth. Her (Sam’s) dealings with an abusive ex husband were spot on. Can’t wait to read more.” If you have read a Sam Smith book and enjoyed it, please consider leaving a short, one line, review. It would make a big difference to potential readers, and make my day.
As ever, thank you for your interest and support. More news next week. Meanwhile, remember this 😃

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Hannah's Diary Sam Smith Mystery Series

Books Ten, Eleven and Twelve

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January was an exciting month for the Sam Smith Mystery Series with bumper sales and top twenty chart positions in ten countries, including #1 on the amazon.com private detective chart. February has started well with lots of writing and editing. Currently, I’m polishing the Stardust manuscript for publication on March 1st while working on the outline of Mind Games and developing ideas for Digging in the Dirt.

Mind Games is centred on a chess player, though you don’t need any knowledge of chess to understand the plot. Essentially, Mind Games is a love story, of sorts. If you read the book you will understand what I mean by that statement.

Digging in the Dirt features a murder set in the world of archaeology. One of the subplots to this book might include the story of Alan’s grandparents, and their activities during the Second World War. This strand ties in with the theme of the main story, the way the past affects the present and the future.

As ever, thanks to everyone who’s read a Sam Smith book, and if you haven’t read one yet, here’s a shopping link. Book one, Sam’s Song, is free while the other books in the series are only $0.99/£0.99 each 😃

https://www.amazon.com/Hannah-Howe/e/B00OK7E24E