writing the great american mystery novel (part deux)

The Return of Colt Brandisher.

I have decided to write my first mystery. I have found through research that the key to capturing the reader is usually in the first paragraph and I surely did not want to start with; "It was a dark and stormy night." So let the writing commence. I will walk "my public" through the writing process. 100 years from now they will not have to ask; "how did he write this classic?"

Hmm! OK!...Here goes...!!!! RED: (The process) white: (The Novel)

Brutus, the feisty wolf pup, frolicked in the zoo enclosure on Christmas morning, his mother keeping a watchful eye as she munched on what looked like a pile of beefsteak tomatoes rimmed with cottage cheese. packages and toys were scattered about. Sadly it was not tomatoes. it was not cottage cheese.

It was Santa Claus.

It's my job to figure out what happen. I'm a cop." (so far...so good.)

I got my idea for my great American novel from reading two books at the same time.

I was reading "Dewey, the Library Cat" and "Santa Fe Rules" by Stuart Woods.

My wife asked me what I was reading and I was a little confused and I told her that Dewey was a cat that murdered someone in the Santa Fe Library. I had the two stories mixed together. back to my story.

Hmmm! I am going to google "The detective name generator".

Wow! There is a detective name generator.

It is a toss up between Hollis Truslow and Delmar Spurger. perhaps I could use the original name I thought of in Part I. Colt Brandisher. I like it. I must have a female love interest for Colt. I am leaning towards the names: Candida Goldblatt, Lotus Blossom Finkelstein or Lucretia Shellhammer. I think I will go with Lotus Blossom Finklestein. She will be of mixed ethnicity. Japanese mom, Jewish dad, but was raised a Zen Baptist.

"The names Brandisher, Colt Brandisher, Inspector Colt Brandisher, Police Inspector Colt Brandisher, City Police".

He flashes his badge for a millisecond. He didn't want anyone to know that he had lost his original badge and purchased a "Frontier Town Amusement Park" badge on the internet.

"Everyone step back. Let me through. Has this guy been ID'ed yet?" Female detective Candida Goldblatt, the hottest detective on the force, perhaps in the city, stepped forward.

"Still having those hot flashes, Candida?" " Ya...I think I am going through my changes....Damn, I am only 27 years old."

This may explain why she was wearing a tube top and short shorts. or perhaps she was on a vice stake out when the call came in.

"The guys name is Claus. I checked his ID. He has a rap sheet a mile long. mostly breaking and entering. I think he is a sex offender also. He tries to get children to sit on his lap and ask them to "Go for a sleigh ride". He has got stuck in numerous chimneys, has been accuses of animal abuse. He once pinched a reindeer so hard on the nose that it got all red. He tells the reindeer that they can fly and he makes them jump off the roof. He has delivered weapons to children. This guy is a real sicko."

"Yup, were lucky to have this guy off the streets." They just arrested his wife for aiding and abetting. They also booked her on Elf abuse and possession of stolen property. she had these little guys working for her in the basement. no breaks, worked 7 days a week. They never went anywhere. The DA thinks they are from Bosnia or Cambodia.

Illegals for sure."

"What about the mayor? What's he think?" Brandisher queried.

"Oh, He got a $400 haircut and a Spanish translation book and went for a walk on the Appalachian Trail. You could ask his wife what she thinks. She's home."

"Well, let's wrap up the crime scene and go for Christmas dinner."

I am a little stuck on moving forward. If anyone has ANY suggestions to break this plot blockage please let me know. I would like this novel on the street by Christmas...I think.

help me!!!

Things I will need help with:

• plot
• Character description of " Colt" , Candida(She's good lookin!!!)
• middle
• End