By SANDRA WARREN
Something mysterious was going on in the Scuppernong Room at the Trilogy Lake Norman community center, for more than a year. If you passed by on a Tuesday afternoon, you’d have found five members of the “Adventures in Writing Club,” huddled together, bent over their computers. Around the table, two poets, Annette Larkin and John Stickney; a sci-fi writer, James Salkeld; and two historical fiction writers, E. Jax Willoughby and Sandra Warren, were doing what some thought impossible – writing a cozy crime mystery – together. Yes, that’s correct. All five were attempting to write a novel!
It all started with a suggestion to write a murder mystery play and quickly morphed into writing a novel instead. No one voiced the possibility that it couldn’t be done. It’s safe to say, however, a collaboration of this kind could only happen with respect, something these writers had in spades. They respected each other’s imagination, creativity and writing skills. And, even though not everyone had publishing credits, no one writer had more control than the other.
From week to week, the writers, now known as the Lake Norman Writers Guild, developed interesting characters, created a setting ripe for mischief, produced a crime with many suspects and dropped in a few red-herrings.
Inspired by the community in which they all live, the writers gleaned and tweaked their experiences to form a tapestry of guilt and intrigue that you could, but hopefully won’t, find in any active adult community.
The Lake Norman Writers Guild is proud to present their first crime novel, Auras of Deceit: A Trivolity Cozy Mystery, hot off the press in time for holiday shopping. This cozy mystery marries a lighthearted look at life in an active adult community with daring and intrigue, when a “game of murder” goes horribly wrong.
Auras of Deceit debuted at a book launch on December 2nd at the Trilogy Lake Norman Event Center. It is available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.
Members of the Lake Norman Writers Guild are available singularly, or as a group, for book talks in person or via Zoom sessions.
Members of The Lake Norman Writers Guild are:
Annette Larkin – Corporate escapee, life coach, world traveler and aspiring poetess.
James Salkeld – A retired programmer who can finally pursue his passion for writing. His debut speculative fiction novel will be released in 2026.
John Stickney – A writer of poetry and short crime fiction whose works have appeared in print and online magazines: Tough, Needles, ThugLit, and Demolition, among others.
Sandra Warren – An award-winning author with publications in multiple genres. sandrawarren.com
E. Jax Willoughby – Author of Comfort’s Rebellion, a historical fiction novel. jaxwilloughby.com
