Second Sight: How a Novelist Crafted Her Second Book in a Murder Mystery Series

Before writing fiction, JC Clark worked as a public relations and marketing communications professional, starting as a publicist in the GE News Bureau. While Clark grew up and resides in Connecticut, she spent a number of years in Massachusetts, first at Merrimack College in North Andover, then working at a technology company in Waltham. During this latter period, she became enthralled with the area’s rich history and set both her novels in the Boston area. A long-time participant in the Westport Writers Workshop, JC Clark has studied advanced fiction. Sanctuary is her second crime/murder mystery novel, picking up where her first novel, The Incident, left off. Here, Clark talks about writing the second novel in a series and the decision to publish the work independently.

Tell us a little about Sanctuary, your second Hannah Hart—Mike Gavin murder mystery.
Sanctuary, my second novel featuring Hannah Hart and Detective Mike Gavin, is a crime/murder mystery that takes place in and around Salem, Massachusetts. The story begins when a fire on Jack Easton’s 40-foot sailboat, Sanctuary, leads investigators to discover Easton’s body. Based on seemingly incontrovertible evidence, police suspect Alex Hart, the owner of a neighboring boat. Alex’s sister, Hannah Hart, a novice private eye, struggles to prove her brother’s innocence with the help of Mike Gavin, a Boston police detective she helped solve a previous case. Their shadow investigation leads them into the dark corners of the murder victim’s life where they discover others with motives for the crime amid shocking revelations of who delivered the final blow.

How long did it take to write the novel from start to finish, and how does this compare with how long it took to write the first novel in the series, The Incident?
For Sanctuary, I began drafting an outline and high-level plot treatment in April 2018. The entire process from first draft to finished product took about three years, taking into account a short writing break along the way. During this period, there were many Westport Writers Workshop sessions where I received line edits, peer reviews, editing and then, of course, first reads and proofing final copy before publication in e-book format. My first novel, The Incident, actually flowed a bit easier as I had the plot pretty much in mind from the outset, whereas Sanctuary’s evolution was a surprise even to me, with a few unexpected twists along the way.

How did writing Sanctuary differ from writing The Incident?
I knew from the start I wanted to tell the story behind The Incident, since much of it was based on actual events and sitting in my head for a while. Having only written technology copy during my business career, I soon learned that creating a novel was a very different beast. My second novel also stemmed from a real-life experience when our boat was damaged from a fire that took place on a neighboring vessel. That was the inciting moment for the development of Sanctuary. From there, the characters, setting and plot took off.

What challenges apply specifically to writing a second novel in a series?
Since I wanted to carry The Incident’s main characters, Hannah Hart and Detective Mike Gavin, into the second novel, I needed to incorporate backstory into Sanctuary. This can be tricky as I wanted to weave in enough history without retelling the whole book. Also I wanted Sanctuary to be a standalone novel.

How did you work through these issues?
As most authors will tell you, if you want to write, read a lot, especially in your chosen genre. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers, from Stephen King and PD James to JK Rowling/Robert Galbraith and Tana French. They never fail to inspire and instruct.

What did you enjoy most and least about writing this new novel?
The history that imbues the Salem area is fascinating, from its maritime past to the infamous witch trials. Also, Margaret Press’s nonfiction book, A Scream on the Water, was a great inspiration and excellent read, with its details about the investigation into the tragic death of Salem’s Martha Brailsford in 1991. My college roommate, a longtime Salem resident, offered her recollections of Martha and other local insights that were useful in informing my story.

Getting into the details of an investigation from the time of the murder to the arrest of a suspect can be challenging, requiring attention to police procedures. I wanted to make my story as compelling and credible as possible, so I put a lot of time into relevant research. I also run my books by a legal professional, which helps ensure that I have the legal aspects of the story right.

What do you feel is unique about writing this particular genre of fiction, compared with other genres?
A mystery requires fitting a lot of pieces together to create a believable, satisfying conclusion. You need to lead the reader down several paths and plant just enough red herrings without giving away “who dunnit”.

What aspects of the writing process would you like readers and other writers to know?
It can be difficult keeping all the elements that go into writing a mystery straight, so I use a spreadsheet that outlines the book chronologically by chapter and date. This makes it easier to add, move or delete sections or entire chapters to keep the plot, characters and overall timeline consistent and credible.

How did you decide to publish the novel independently in general and via Amazon in particular?
After completing my first novel, I wrote targeted query letters to some 200 agents. I also attended ThrillerFest in NYC, participating in the PitchFest session where I could meet in person with about 10 agents with 5 minutes to present my book to each. While I got some interest and requests to send pages, ultimately nothing came of the effort. I ended up self-publishing The Incident as e-book on Amazon for Kindle, which, by the way, is not an easy process either, but at least you have control. Fortunately, I have a tech-savvy friend who managed this effort for me.

When it came to my second book, I contacted only a few independent publishers who didn’t require an agent. Two used Submittable, where considerable details about the book were requested. While an interesting, albeit time-consuming, exercise (reminiscent of a college exam), nothing came of these queries. Even if the publishers had bought the novel, it would have taken at least a year to see the book in print due to a lengthy editing/publishing process. Rather than write for money, I write for the joy and satisfaction of creating a story that will entertain my friends, family and other readers. Something Phillip Roth’s biographer said about him resonated with me: “He never had children, so books would be all that would survive him.” The Incident, Sanctuary, and whatever might come next, will be my legacy.

JC Clark holds a bachelor of arts in English from Fairfield University and lives in Redding, CT, with her family, which includes Rusty, their very demanding cat.

Clark's novel is available on Amazon at Sanctuary.