We are delighted to welcome author Stan Schatt to Omnimystery News today.
Stan's new mystery featuring Detective Frankie Ryan and reporter Josh Harrell is A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer (Pen-L Publishing; November 2015 trade paperback and ebook formats) and we recently had the opportunity to spend some time with him talking about the series.
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Omnimystery News: Introduce us to Frankie and Josh. What it is about them that appeals to you as an author?
Photo provided courtesy of
Stan Schatt
Stan Schatt: Detective Francis (Frankie) Ryan and Josh Harrell appear in my earlier novel, Silent Partner, as well as in A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer. Frankie is vulnerable but tough and dedicated to her mission of fighting evil. Josh Harrell has a highly unusual relationship with his sexy guardian angel. He is a bit cynical but also believes in doing the right thing. As a writer, I enjoy both characters because the interplay between them is interesting because while they both want to find the bad guys, they use very different methods to achieve that goal.
OMN: How do you expect these characters to develop over the course of the series?
SS: Characters have to grow to a certain extent from book to book or they become stagnant. I wrote a critical biography of Michael Connelly. He's a writer who has followed a single character (Harry Bosch) through a couple of decades. Bosch is the same guy, but he does grow. I hope my characters do as well.
OMN: How did you go about finding the right voices for these characters?
SS: I have written female lead characters in several books. I also have written books with male leads. I don't think it matters to readers as long as the character rings true. I was told by one reviewer that I had been very brave for writing one novel completely through the perspective and voice of a 14 year-old girl. The story dictates who tells the story.
OMN: Into which genre would you place A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer?
SS: My novel is a bit unusual because while it is a police procedural mystery, it also has paranormal elements. This hurts me because reviewers and promotional websites like to pigeon-hole books into narrow categories. I try to adhere to the rule, though, that my police procedural novels are solved by a detective who uses normal police procedures rather than the paranormal to solve a case. In effect, Detective Ryan works hard using police procedures while Josh Harrell takes a few shortcuts with the aid of his paranormal silent partner.
OMN: Tell us something about the book that isn't mentioned in the publisher's synopsis.
SS: What is not mentioned are the importance of the relationship between a detective and his/her partner (Frankie has two very different partners in the novel) and the philosophical issues that arise from Josh's near death experience.
OMN: How would you tweet a summary of the book?
SS: A very sexy spirit provides a ghost of a chance to catch the killer of the CEO of a high-tech startup while a detective finds a rotten cop.
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in your books?
SS: I have used my experience in the autopsy room as well as in a police department to capture the way doctors work and police talk. No one is my novels is based on a real character. If they were, I wouldn't admit it for legal reasons.
OMN: Describe your writing process for us.
SS: I have gone back and forth in terms of the process to follow in the novels I've written. Now I start with a basic outline and list of characters. Once I start writing, though, I add and subtract and let the book go in different directions. I've found that when I write mysteries as opposed to science fiction or adventure novels, I absolutely have to know where the book is going and who the killer is so I can plant clues and red herrings.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories?
SS: I spent nearly two decades in the research business and became an excellent researcher. I do extensive research. When I wrote Egypt Rising, for example, I did a lot of research on Egypt and Cairo where the novel is set. I actually used maps and guidebooks to make sure every detail was accurate. For the Atlantis side of the book, I relied on some ancient Egyptian texts. I am writing two novels at the moment that require research. A science fiction novel requires me to dive into some physics to ensure the plot is plausible while my cozy mystery requires me to investigate different forms of dementia since the novel is set in a retirement home.
OMN: How true are you to the settings of your books?
SS: I have set my two mysteries in a fictional city in Southern California. One reason is that I don't want to hassle with the LAPD over the way I depict the police department where Detective Frankie Ryan works. I also have flexibility to describe real cities in Southern California.
OMN: What is the best advice you've received as an author?
SS: I have received lots of good advice about writing over the years — often from the various Facebook and LinkedIn groups I belong to. One is to write a first draft and not worry too much about editing until that version is done — what tends to happen otherwise is that you become so fixated on every word and phrase that you lose your creative spark.
I am convinced that editing is the key to great writing; every time I go through a manuscript I catch something or see a place where I can improve. Another very good piece of advice is not to worry about criticism and bad reviews. Once my book is published, I rarely read the reviews although I do look to see how many stars I receive.
OMN: How did A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer come to be titled?
SS: The title reflects a plot point. The character who talks with a ghost (the ghost whisperer) is shot and undergoes a near-death experience. My first book in this series (Silent Partner) reflects the fact that the spirit is silent to everyone but Josh Harrell. She also serves as his partner in helping him solve a case.
OMN: Was it also your working title while you were writing it?
SS: My working title was Ghost Book, but I thought of the title early and it seemed perfect to me.
OMN: How involved were you with the cover design?
SS: Pen-L was completely responsible for the cover. I liked it immediately because it captured the way I think of Andrea as well as calling attention to the Midnight Whisperer tabloid.
OMN: What kind of feedback have you received from readers?
SS: Actually the most enjoyable feedback I receive is for my juvenile fiction. I had a child write to tell me it was the "best book I ever read." I assume he hasn't read too many books yet, but it was a great feeling. Also, I had a parent write that his child has autism and that reading the book together helped them communicate. He asked me to please write more books in that series.
As far as my mysteries go, I have received nice reviews from people I know and respect. It gives me a great feeling to realize that they enjoyed something I wrote.
OMN: Suppose A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer were to be adapted for television or film. Who would you like to see in the lead roles?
SS: I haven't thought much about casting A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer, but I have thought about who I would want as the lead for a science fiction novel I wrote (Alien Love). He's a great young actor who does commercials — Josh Covitt.
OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?
SS: I read science fiction and popular fiction in all major genres including mysteries. I read everything I could get my hands on as a kid. I think all that reading just reinforced my love for books. I haunted my local libraries and dreamed of being a novelist in my spare time. I never really thought of it as a career.
OMN: And what do you read now for pleasure?
SS: Lately when I find a writer I like, I read everything the writer has written. I read all of Michael Connelly's books and then sat down and wrote a reader's guide to his novels. I read all Daniel Silva's novels and then wrote a reader's guide to his works. So, I read a lot of mysteries as well as science fiction and best sellers.
OMN: What's next for you?
SS: I'm currently working on two novels. Murder at the Riverbend Resort is a cozy mystery set in a retirement home. Battle for the Stars is a science fiction book that deals with wormholes and teleportation as well as colonization.
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Stan Schatt draws upon his experience in his writing. He has been an autopsy assistant, a police department administrator, a network manager, and a college professor. He spent many years as a futurist, responsible for forecasting future products and markets. He taught at the University of Southern California, the University of Houston, and Tokyo University. Schatt is the author of over 35 books. His fiction includes mysteries, science fiction novels, young adult novels, and juvenile fiction. His non-fiction includes books on career changing, American culture, telecommunications, and data communications. He has also written books on Michael Connelly and Daniel Silva.
For more information about the author, please visit his website at StanSchatt.com and his author page on Goodreads, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer by Stan Schatt
A Frankie and Josh Mystery
Publisher: Pen-L Publishing
When the CEO of Zynx, a high-tech startup company, is found dead at his desk, determined Detective "Frankie" Ryan is assigned the case. She learns that everyone entering and leaving the super-secure building is logged in and out automatically — it would take a ghost to get through that kind of security.
She enlists reluctant gossip columnist and ace reporter for the Midnight Whisperer, Josh Harrell, to help her solve the case. After all, he has his own ghostly assistant, a seductive spirit that only he can see. But can she save Josh and Frankie from the killer's bullet?
— A Bullet for the Ghost Whisperer by Stan Schatt
