Sally Goldenbaum | Writing by the seat of my pants

Sometimes (usually) when I sit down to begin a new mystery, I literally freeze. “Breathe,” I remind myself. So I do, slowly. In and out. That blank computer screen is sometimes as terrifying to me as rewatching The Shining. And that’s where I am these days—staring at the screen, trying to remember how I started MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM (the newest seaside knitters mystery) as I begin the next one. What came to my mind first as I began writing MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM? The murderer? The motive? The victim? The answer came to me with a start. It wasn’t any of those things. In the case of the Lambswool Farm book, it was an article I read about an organic farm that hosted dinners in a beautiful field, the well-set table groaning with the farm’s fresh produce. It had little to do with a murder, but was rather a place where I’d be happy to spend the months I would devote to writing the book.

So I began creating the farm itself, its fields and lambs and a barn turned into
my dream kitchen. Without a murderer. A victim. A motive. It’s the way I
write: scene by scene, conversation by conversation, not a single outline in sight.

In writers’ lingo it’s often called writing as a pantser, writing by the seat of your pants. Sometimes I envy those writers who carefully plot and outline a whole book. But I can’t work that way. The mystery of the mystery stays alive for me because I don’t always know what’s going to happen next. I wait for my characters—for Izzy, Nell, Cass, and Birdie—to take me by the hand and help me out. And that’s what they did in MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM. Pieces slowly began to fall in place, some around the farm itself: Ben breaks his arm in the barn; a stranger’s car breaks down outside the farm gate; Birdie begins inviting friends to the first Lambswool Farm dinner.

And a friend gets killed, slowly, uncomfortably.

The motive came to me early on, about the same time as I realized who was going
to die. It revolves around an issue both the knitters and I were interested in.
The perp emerged as a surprise, but in retrospect, not so much. It fit, although
for a while I thought the knitters were taking it all in a different direction.

And so it goes. Piece by piece, some pieces floating down slowly and others
falling with a thud. Until finally peace returns to the idyllic farm and Sea
Harbor life resumes its gentle pace.

I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you!

Giveaway

What is your biggest fear? Tell me below to be entered to win either MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM or A FINELY KNIT MURDER.

About Sally Goldenbaum

Sally Goldenbaum is the author of more than thirty novels, most currently the Seaside Knitters Mystery Series, set in a seaside town north of Boston. MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM, the eleventh in the series, was released this month and A FINELY KNIT MURDER is being released in paperback. Sally divides her time between land-locked Kansas and Cape Ann, MA, the geographic inspiration for her series.

Seaside Knitters

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About MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM

Late summer blooms in beautiful Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, and while a harvest thrives, Izzy Chambers Perry and the other Seaside Knitters will need to cast on their sleuthing skills to save a local farm. Unfortunately, finding a killer can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. . . .

Seaside Knitter Birdie Favazza has long loved knitting, but lately she’s taken on a new challenge—making a family farm operational again. With help from friends, Lambswool Farm is now up and running, with thriving crops and grazing sheep. In addition, the farm will host rustic, six-course prix fixe dinners plated by local chefs and served on a gorgeous restored harvest table, decorated to perfection with colorful knitted vegetables crafted by Izzy Chambers Perry, her aunt Nell, and the other Seaside Knitters.

But on the night of the first meal, everything spins out of control when one of the guests, Seaside Harbor’s family physician, becomes fatally ill. It seems that behind Dr. Alan Hamilton’s friendly bedside manner was a man with enemies and secrets.

Soon the town is gossiping and pointing fingers at all possible suspects—including the women at Lambswool Farm. Now the Seaside Knitters must join together to uncover the truth in Dr. Hamilton’s complicated past—and restore peace to town and country alike.

Buy MURDER AT LAMBSWOOL FARM: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Powell's Books | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR

Comments

20 comments posted.

Re: Sally Goldenbaum | Writing by the seat of my pants

My biggest fear is high places. I can't even stand to look out the windows of a tall building. If I stay at a hotel I try to get a lower floor or keep the windows covered. Thanks.
(Sharon Extine 11:39pm May 10, 2016)

My biggest fear - well there is a big list - LOL - but I think the main one is not being able to lose my excess weight.
(Felicia Ciaudelli 10:53am May 11, 2016)

My biggest fear is SNAKES! I can't even write the word without breaking into a sweat and having a panic attack. Judging by the cover of the book, it doesn't look like I'll find any of those slithering creatures at Lamsbwool Farm. It's too pretty. :)
(Jamie Stein 12:30pm May 11, 2016)

My biggest fear is not being well and healthy enough to look
after myself.
(Sharon Berger 12:46pm May 11, 2016)

My biggest fear is wondering if my cancer will ever come
back or if a new type will develop
(Maryann Skaritka 2:21pm May 11, 2016)

I am terrified of RATS!
(Tanja Dancy 1:19pm May 12, 2016)

cancer or being caught with no money and no friends
(Angela Parrish 3:47pm May 13, 2016)

snakes
(Ann Unger 4:18pm May 13, 2016)

Spiders and snakes are my biggest fears.
(Gloria Rutkowski 8:51pm May 13, 2016)

My biggest fear is of bad health I hate to feel sick. But hey I can relate to all of these.
(Marilyn Watson 4:43am May 14, 2016)

My biggest fear is cancer . I have watched several relatives , and close friends pass away with this and right now my oldest sister is in the hospital under Hospice Care which I have been seeing everyday and will to her last day .
(Joan Thrasher 9:57am May 14, 2016)

fear of heights
(G. Bisbjerg 3:34pm May 14, 2016)

My biggest fear is bees, when I was 4 I went outside to play and ran right into a swam of them I scream and ran back in the house crying my Mom check me I had no bees on me and did not get stung.
Penney
(Penney Wilfort 4:39pm May 14, 2016)

my fear is fire I am afraid of being burned in a fire
(Jeri Dickinson 6:54pm May 14, 2016)

Cockroaches and centipedes-- I really don't like the creepy crawlies!
(Nancy Mejia 12:30pm May 15, 2016)

I am afraid of being trapped in a submerged car.
(Renee Grandinetti 10:30pm May 15, 2016)

I would love to enter and get to know
your work
(Jane Squires 4:28am May 16, 2016)

Cancer is my greatest fear. I lost a very close family member to the Big C.
(Anna Speed 12:05pm May 16, 2016)

Electricity. My step-father's grandmother was standing in water
next to her laundry and she was shocked as she pulled the chain
of the light. I was about 9 at the time and helped her to speak
again.
(Leona Olson 9:03pm May 16, 2016)

chickens
(Dianne McVetty 11:13pm May 16, 2016)

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