"THE LONG CON": RESEARCHING THE NIGHT SIDE:

 Pre-writing: The Research Stage

When a new story idea is formulating in my head, the first thing I do is pick out a beautiful notebook, usually a large-sized lined one that becomes the dedicated notebook for that novel. I now have two bookshelves filled with notebooks. They're a reminder of all the work that went into each book.

Once I've jotted down some of my ideas and have a loose story structure, I begin researching for details and background info that might help me flesh out the story. In the case of THE NIGHT SIDE, I did a great deal of reading about psychics, the Tarot, and the investigators that make it their business to search out the con artists and grifters who use their psychic business as a cover for extortion and fraud.

The Facts and Figures

A recent US study on psychic businesses (Tarot card/palm readings/astrological advice etc) outlines the following statistics:

• 4 in 10 US adults believe in psychics
• there are at least 94,000 psychic businesses in the US
•  it's a $2 billion-dollar industry
• online business is expanding at an increasing rate, especially since COVID..
• psychics solicit business through the mail, on social media, telephone hotlines, open storefronts and sometimes even approach prospective targets on the street.

While the majority of psychics offer legitimate services at reasonable prices to clients who understand what they're going to receive for their money, there are those who cross the line into criminal practices. Who might promise to remove a curse, restore a client's health, make them rich or find the love of their life only if they come up with enough cash!

 Manipulating the Target 

Psychic scammers prey on grieving, lonely, emotionally, mentally and physically vulnerable people. They gaslight the victim and manipulate them by:

• forcing them to pay for costly services with escalating fees
• involving them in rituals that require the purchase of expensive items (candles, herbs etc)
• threatening them with future bad consequences/more curses if they don't keep paying.

What Motivates the Scammer?

These scammers are driven by complex motives, probably a combination of the following:

• greed
• dishonesty: many are consummate and practiced liars
• desperation/monetary burdens
• ego and the drive to build wealth
• the thrill of manipulation
• the 'buzz' they get from fooling others.

Many of these scammers rationalize their wrongdoing by neutralizing their actions, convincing themselves they're actually helping their victims who are only getting what they asked for. This eradicates GUILT!

More on inspiration for THE NIGHT SIDE in my next blog post!

BOOK NEWS

Here's some great news about THE NIGHT SIDE:

• the audiobook version of THE NIGHT SIDE will be out on March 12th. You can pre-order here

I'm thrilled that the amazing Helen Laser is narrating it! Helen is nominated in the Audie awards for  Best Audio Narration 2023. She narrated YELLOWFACE, the best audiobook of 2023 as well as THE PERFECT FAMILY MAN! You can find out more about her here.

• the paperback version of THE NIGHT SIDE will launch in the UK on 27th June 2024. Pre-order here. In the US and Canada in August. Pre-order link coming soon.

EVENTS

Check out my podcast episode with Crime Writers of Canada. Listen to it here.

BOOK REVIEWS

Devils At The Door by Tessa Wegert (Book 5 in the Shana Merchant series)

After I finished this taut small-town mystery, I found myself wondering why I'd never met Shana Merchant before. As a main character she's so compelling: gutsy, brave, stubborn, flawed and emotionally vulnerable. In other words a thoroughly human and relatable character. 

In this instalment of the series, Shana is struggling with the traumatic events of the past as well as the idea of settling down with boyfriend, Tim and maybe having children. Her life is complicated even further when her brother asks her to take in her troubled teenage niece, the rebellious and sullen, Hen. who lands on her doorstep and begins to cause havoc in their small town when she's found at the scene of a suspicious drowning that results in the death of a local teen.. Shana finds herself in a race against time to uncover the truth and find out how exactly Hen is connected to the crime. 

The world of Alexandria Bay is so vivid and well drawn that I was immersed in the small town, its colourful characters and unique setting on the St. Lawrence, near the Thousand Islands and the Canada/US border. The story is thoroughly engrossing with so many twists and turns that keep you guessing right until the surprise ending. A great read that kept me luring me back for more.