In a past blog post, I admitted that I am a Pantser—someone who does not outline anything and simply writes, taking the story chapter by chapter to see where it leads. Yes, that's me! I have a vision in my head, and I go with it. It's my way of "painting by numbers."
I have each scene in my head as I write; I can see the room, the city, and the atmosphere, and I know the personality of the characters. It might sound strange, but it's like watching a movie in my head, and just like a movie I haven't seen, I don't know where it's going next.
🗺️ The Genesis of An Irish Mystery
An Irish Mystery was born during the pandemic. I started by writing about a man in an 8x4 cell. Why Arizona? I'm not sure, but it was in my head. Why a German man? I had been learning German again, a language I first encountered as a young boy when my dad was stationed with the Royal Green Jackets in Minden, Germany. Learning those words made me want to use them in my story. That’s how Hans Fischer came to be.
After writing his escape, I had to figure out what happens to a released prisoner, and that led to the creation of his sister, Daniela: beautiful, intelligent, but with her own issues. The parole officer, Cameron, and the fact that Daniela was a single mum were afterthoughts designed to ground this stunning lady in a realistic life.
I didn't know where the story was going. I love Clive Cussler's books, the thrill of the chase, and I love history. The show The Curse of Oak Island also really stuck with me while writing. What is this mystery? Is there anything really there? That kind of question is what fuels my stories.
🕵️ Cedric Newman and the Team
I decided Hans was framed for drug trafficking—something he absolutely didn't do—because his boss, Cedric Newman, had become involved in high-stakes, black-market treasure hunting. Cedric was a very rich man who had achieved everything he wanted. He was simply bored, and starting a collection of supposedly lost, expensive items was a challenge he found intriguing.
Before Hans was incarcerated, he was Cedric's go-to man. Alongside Hans were Joe and John from Houston, Texas—nomads hired as bodyguards who ran complex errands for Cedric. I know I go off-trail when I write, but that's how the story unfolds! I follow the characters and their backstories, knowing that the past never truly goes away.
🧠 Do I Get Writer's Block?
It's a question I'm asked often, and the answer is not really. I have moments where I have to step away and do research because I know what the scene looks like in my head, but I don't know the laws or procedures to make it factually correct.
- Logistics: When describing driving from one place to another, I use Google Maps to determine the exact route and time.
- Setting: If I'm researching a hotel room, I'll look at pictures and website descriptions to accurately detail the room, including the menus or even the sheets they use.
If I truly get stuck, I’ll just pick up a book. It’s amazing how reading helps. You can read a scene in your genre, and it can give you a simple idea for how your characters can move through a space. I'm not talking about copying—it's more like finding a basic solution (e.g., finding an open, high-up window and moving drums to climb through) and then writing the scene in your own style and words.
📝 What Am I Writing At The Moment?
My time has been monopolized by the publishing business, but I have several projects bubbling:
- Book 2, An American Treasure: Has a few mistakes that need rectifying based on my ARC readers. I want to buy a program called Atticus to do this myself, but the cost of the new cover design for An Irish Mystery means it will have to wait. However, an excerpt will be available soon to all my newsletter readers!
- Book 3: The storyline is finished, but it’s only about 70,000 words, which is a bit light for me. I need to develop one of the characters a bit more and edit the whole book before sending it off to my ARC team.
- Book 4: I’ve started this one and am about 45,000 words in, but it’s on the backburner until I need it.
- Novella: The prequel to the Newman Adventure series is currently 10,100 words in. This will hopefully answer some questions that fans have about the past life of all the characters!
🌟 A Look Back (and Forward)
Back in February 2025, I never believed I would have a book out in the world that people were actually buying! Five months on, I've seen An Irish Mystery on sites like Waterstones and Hatchards, the oldest bookshop in London. The ebook is now available on Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Fable, and is even available to libraries across the world.
Once the new cover is completed, my aim is to get the hardcopies onto more distribution sites, as currently, they are only available on Amazon. I am determined, but sales will ultimately determine how many books I write and how often I release them. The aim was to get Book 2 out by the end of the year, and while the costs for editing programs and covers are certainly slowing me down, I'm not saying it's impossible!
📘 The New Cover: Decisions, Decisions...
Yes, last week's blog was all about the frustrating cover search! On a spur-of-the-moment decision, which seems to happen a lot lately, I decided to take the plunge with a new design company. If I didn't, another week would have passed, and I know that the longer I wait, the less my book is in front of readers.
The only slight downside is that they cannot start on my cover until October 20th, 2025. So, we are probably looking at a November release for the new cover. I'm already excited to see what it will look like and can’t wait to have my own new physical copies!
However, I have some big deliberations to sort out now. Do I:
- Stop selling the current copy and resize the book to a more UK-friendly size? Apparently, you can do this and transfer all your hard-earned reviews over to the new edition, but it sounds like a lot of work.
- Stick with the 6x9 size that my original publisher designed?
The other question is: white or cream paper? These may sound like insignificant details, but if I am rebranding and want all the books in the series to look professional and cohesive, I need to sort this out now, not later.
Watch this space as I decide what to do! I can't wait to show you what the new cover will look like when it's done.
📚 What Am I Reading? (A Final Update!)
I’m thrilled to report that I finished The Berlin Wife by Marion Kummerow! As I suspected, once the story built, I couldn't put it down. This is a powerful historical novel that offers a compelling look at life in Berlin as the Nazi party rose to power...
I gave the book 4 stars and left my full review on both Goodreads and Fable if you want to check it out. It's a must-read for fans of WWII historical fiction that focuses on the domestic fight against tyranny.
Starting the Next Read
And because an author always has a book lined up, I've already started Everybody Lies by L.J. Breedlove. I'm about 28% into it and am really enjoying it so far. This looks to be a much different pace from the heavy historical fiction I just finished, and I'm ready for the next mystery this book throws my way!
What are you currently reading? Let me know in the comments—I need suggestions for my next read!
About me:
Hello and welcome to Swmming Upstream the home of my blogs. I am D.C. Salmon and I write pulse-pounding adventure thrillers that blend real-life unsolved mysteries with modern-day action.
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Keep going it come to those who persist on their dreams