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If you love #reading, enter now; giveaway ends June 30, 2019. 

(Early cover art design)

Sense of Place in The Blood Cries Out

Seattle Pacific University

I seem to either connect or not connect with a place; there's seldom a feeling of ambivalence. In the case of the south and Midwest, for instance, I always felt like a fish out of water. Don't get me wrong, I love the people, but I can't feel a sense of connection to the places. 

In Washington and Oregon, there's so much beauty and majesty all about you, that it's sometimes hard to take it all in. You get accustomed to it. I think this is part of the reason why it was so important to me to get the details right. I wanted to convey a strong sense of place in The Blood Cries Out.  The readers should feel like they are within the story.  They should be able to smell the salty air blowing off of the Puget Sound; the environment must add to the reading experience--not detract or distract.  Reader feedback suggests that I was successful.

I love Seattle. I attended Seattle Pacific University in the late 1980s, and I worked at the university as a staff member in the early 1990s. It's a special place, and I love the light and atmosphere of the city. I could spend a lifetime photographing it, but I never have the time these days to spend considerable time there.

Neil Low gives me the royal tour of SPD.

In the spring of 2011, we took a few days to visit areas of critical importance to the tale. This included the Seattle Police Department, where Neil Low graciously came in on his day off to give me a department tour. The tour was great, but, sadly, the Seattle weather was...a lot like Seattle weather.

Friday Harbor was that other western Washington area we visited on that 2011 vacation. The weather was lovely the first day, but things began going downhill on the second. It didn't matter much to me, though. It was wonderful to visit the island again. It had been far too long--and it has been so again! Some authors will say that that these kind of personal visits aren't necessary for fiction authors, but I think this kind of in-person research is terribly important if the writer is to successfully capture and convey the unique feeling of a particular environment.

Listen to a short author reading from the novel, which illustrates the importance of conveying a strong sense of place in fiction.

Watch a slideshow (on the book page) offering a unique perspective on all the research this novel required.

Enter to Win "The Blood Cries Out" on Goodreads!

"The Blood Cries Out tells the story of Seattle Homicide Detective David Lightholler, who becomes involved in a murder investigation that would shake even a seasoned investigator. Erickson wastes little time in presenting the reader with a ghastly murder mystery that, as it was, cries out for resolution.

This novel is firmly set in the habitations of Seattle and its surroundings. Erickson clearly knows and loves the city, for he spares little in the way of description. Being so detailed about a location can be difficult for a writer, but Erickson pulls it off.

Set against the backdrop of Seattle, Lightholler must face his personal demons as well as the rigors of modern homicide investigation. Again, Erickson shows that he has done his homework when he describes the procedural actions of the hero.

Interestingly, the personal component of the novel often outshines the criminal. In this respect, Erickson's writing packs a certain punch. For example, when the mother of a slain child arrives on scene, her reaction feels tragic and painful. Even reading the book in a reviewer's frame of mind, I was instantly dragged back into the story and made to feel the emotion.

Erickson shows this again when Detective Lightholler must inform a mentally-challenged teen that her friends are dead. "Why can't I see her?" the teen asks. After the detective informs her that her friends have been murdered, she sweetly asks, "But I can see them later, right?" Any parent who has had to deliver bad news to a child understands how big a punch that is.

The Blood Cries Out is a mystery novel dripping in Pacific Northwest details. Readers with fond feelings for Seattle and other Northwestern locales will appreciate every touch of scenery lovingly added in Erickson's debut mystery novel. Readers looking for a detective novel with a human touch will also enjoy The Blood Cries Out."


Alec Merta's 5-Star Amazon Review

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Blood Cries Out

by Karl Erickson

Giveaway ends January 12, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Win an eBook on Sunday!

It's almost been three months since my book was released.  To celebrate this milestone, I'm giving away one eBook on Sunday afternoon.  Between now and then, there will be several different ways for you to enter for your chance to win a free book.  For instance...do you receive my informal newsletter?  Well, hold onto your socks, but a new newsletter is coming this weekend!  If you don't already receive it, drop me an e-mail to be added to our distribution list, and I will automatically add you to the potential book winner list, too.  

Not into newsletters?  That's okay.  Tweet the message below--being sure to add @PacNWCathWriter on the end, so I can track it.

Win a great eBook on Sunday! RT to enter! #TheBloodCriesOut #kindlebooks #mystery #Seattle #amwriting #amreading #Seattle

More into Facebook?  Great!  "Like" my author page, and just message me that you've done it, and to please enter you into the eBook contest.  

Good luck!!

Sounds and Words, A New Monthly Newsletter of Writing and the Arts

Kimberly's art in the gallery.

My wife Kimberly and I have enjoyed having an informal newsletter for years, but we've decided the time has come transition to something a little more polished and consistent in features.  

So, beginning this weekend, the first issue of Sounds and Words will arrive in e-mail boxes across the United States--and beyond.

It's not going to be fancy, but we hope it will provide some enjoyable and enriching reading for our growing audience.  I'm still making final decisions on the feature categories, but most likely there will be at least one article on writing, one faith article, a Catholic testimony/profile, possible current event commentary, and assorted other surprises (to me, too).  

I also welcome fellow members of the Catholic Writers' Guild to join me if they wish to submit short pieces for consideration.  While, of course, I hope that this brings a bit more attention to my books, I am also looking forward to trying something new here.  I think this will be fun.  

In case you're wondering where the name of the newsletter came from, I invite you to read The Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists.  This 1999 letter is as inspiring today as ever before.  The phrase that caught my eye is found in its first paragraph.   

Be sure not to miss the upcoming interviews.  Watch for details coming later on social media and the newsletter!

Writing Quality Fiction

Writing fiction can be a lot of fun, but other times it can feel like herding cats.  Marketing, in particular, often turns into a chore because we (as writers) fail to understand or respect our audience.  When talking about understanding the audience, a good essay on the topic--especially for Catholic authors--is this post be Regina Doman.  This is a good starting point, but, of course, just because fiction is written by a Catholic doesn't necessarily imply its Catholic fiction.  The latter term implies a writing infused with belief and the substance of our faith.  This does not mean preaching, but simply describing the spiritual realities of the world, not shying away from anything.  This quality then leads us to the absolute necessity of respecting one's audience.

This is beautifully addressed by C.S. Lewis in Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories.  Here is a passage that describes what I am referring to--especially with regards to children's literature.

The third way, which is the only one I could ever use myself, consists in writing a children's story because a children's story is the best art-form for something you have to say: just as a composer might write a Dead March not because there was a public funeral in view but because certain musical ideas that had occurred to him went best into that form. This method could apply to other kinds of children's literature besides stories. I have been told that Arthur Mee never met a child and never wished to: it was, from his point of view, a bit of luck that boys liked reading what he liked writing. This anecdote may be untrue in fact but it illustrates my meaning.

Whether we are talking about children's literature or a work for older audiences, one dimension of this respect lies in whether, or not, the story comes first. Many years ago, for example, I tried to use a short story format to write a tale to prove that some people find right behavior wrong and wrong behavior right. These days we hardly need reminding of this, but, at that time in my life, I was exploring the moral compass of a drug dealer. The story didn't work for many reasons, but probably the main reason was that it began as a kind of moralizing piece; the story was secondary to the message, and this almost always brings ruin to the writer's endeavor.

When it comes to fiction for older readers, my pet peeve is sanitizing dialogue or situations for the taste and preferences of the writer or a select group of potential readers. If you have a story, tell it truthfully. As Flannery O'Connor so eloquently put it,"Fiction is about everything human and we are made out of dust, and if you scorn getting yourself dusty, then you shouldn't try to write fiction. It's not a grand enough job for you.”

Not too long ago, I was discussing a work of fiction with some fellow Catholic writers who were very passionately debating their view that profanity had no place in fiction--especially the writing of a Catholic.  While I don't agree with the premise at all, it did encourage me to lighten the profanity in my own novel, The Blood Cries Out.  (As an aside, I hope when fellow writers make recommendations along these lines (that you accept in part), they have the courtesy to at least read your work.  If they have no interest in the art you create, I'd just as soon they keep their writing suggestions to themselves; they're not part of your audience.)  Some might say that my lightening of the profanity was an unnecessary sacrifice to political correctness, but I suggest that realism and truth can be achieved with a lighter touch at times.  Finding that balance can be hard, but it's what lies at the heart of writing that matters the most: truth. 

Like I wrote for Seattle Pacific University in "Art and the Christian Gospel," we engage the culture around us for Christ by seeking truth even if we happen to be writing fiction or creating another form of art.

Art calls us to worship; it also empowers us to engage our culture with the gospel. Given the present world crisis, I believe Christians have a responsibility to address the moral issues facing us in this troubling time. The words of Christian writers and theologians from C.S. Lewis to Dietrich Bonhoeffer still give us much to consider and discuss. From Michelangelo to Handel, our Christian heritage is also replete with the finest artists and composers who have ever lived. This rich Christian perspective plays a vital role within our culture. It is our responsibility to ensure that this legacy endures and continues.

Christians are aware that there is more to life than what simply meets the eye, and that the spiritual world is just as real as the earth they are standing upon. The Christian must focus and hold on to “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” That is the only way we can maintain our clear vision and grip on the eternal priorities facing us.

"The Blood Cries Out" Great Review Giveaway!

Win original sketch by Kimberly Erickson!

You've probably heard the news--The Blood Cries Out is now available as an e-book through both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  (Soon, it should also reach traditional distribution.)  The challenge now is how does one jumpstart the online reader reviews when no one seems to want to go first?  Well, we have a plan!


If you purchase and honestly review the tale (at either online retailer) between now and August 3rd, we will enter you for a chance to win this original sketch completed by artist and illustrator Kimberly Erickson (author's wife).  All you need to do is to e-mail Karl when your review goes live online.  If you do two reviews--one for Kindle and one for Nook readers--you'll receive one extra entry to win the sketch.  

We're going ahead, though, and throwing one more enticement into that winner's lucky hand.  Kimberly has just launched a Summer Art Sale online.  It will features many paintings and prints at a reduced cost--for a week only.  Our randomly-selected winner will also receive a coupon code good for 25% off any art purchase (for this online sale only).  

You should know that this art sale will also feature one work by Kimberly's father, John Carroll Collier.    

So, don't miss out!  Submit your review today!!

The Blood Cries Out is Released!

Happy to announce that The Blood Cries Out is now available from Light Switch Press!

Seattle Police Homicide Detective David Lightholler finds himself on a case unlike any he's faced before. In the midst of working the darkest double homicide of his career, he unearths violent secrets of his family's past that promise to haunt him for many years unless he can bring redemption and meaning out of the evil of the past--and present.

While the tale is set between Seattle and Friday Harbor, it also incorporates some important Oregon frontier history. The novel is first be available for Kindle and Nook readers, then it should reach traditional distribution channels. For regular updates, "like" the book's page on Facebook!

Interested in learning some of this novel's backstory? Read "Beginning at the Middle". For more story details, read last year's "Locked and Loaded." (The excerpt has been updated because of changes since the editing.)

Locked and Loaded, A Sneak Peek at "The Blood Cries Out" Newsletter!!

I have a confession to make; "Locked and Loaded" may not ultimately be the name of my new newsletter, but I figure why not try it on for size first?  It is kind of growing on me...

Now, if you're familiar with my Kickstarter Project (Spare a Dollar for a Great Book?), you've probably seen me referring to the newsletter.  I thought I'd offer just a glimpse of the kind of content I have planned.  First, I'd like to offer look at part of the novel's outline.  Second, I'll offer a few words about the places in and surrounding the story.  Third, I am going to include a short excerpt from the novel.  Fourth, I'd like to try a Q & A section.  The challenge here, is that I'll be asking and answering the questions.  In the future, I'd like to invite other authors to answer a few questions about writing--among other things.  As it is, I'll do my best to ask myself hard-hitting questions.

A Glimpse of the Outline

What happens when Seattle Police Detective David Lightholler must face the brutal death of a friend?  The story, divided into two parts of six chapters each, opens with the protagonist responding with his partner to a particularly bloody murder scene in Seattle.  He soon discovers something about the victim that sends his emotions spiraling out of control...

A Sense of Place

I seem to either connect or not connect with a place; there's seldom a feeling of ambivalence.  In the case of the south and midwest, for instance, I always felt like a fish out of water.  Don't get me wrong, I love the people, but I can't feel a sense of connection to the place.  In Washington and Oregon, there's so much beauty and majesty all about you, that it's sometimes hard to take it all in.  You get accustomed to it.  I think this is part of the reason why it was so important to me to get the details right.  I wanted to convey a strong sense of place in The Blood Cries Out.  Early reader feedback suggests that I was successful.

Neil Low gives me the royal tour of SPD.

I love Seattle.  I attended Seattle Pacific University in the late 1980s, and I worked at the university in the early 1990s.  It's a special place, and I love the light and atmosphere of the city.  I could spend a lifetime photographing it, but I never have the time these days to spend considerable time there.

  In the spring of 2011, we took a few days to visit areas of critical importance to the tale.  This included the Seattle Police Department, where Neil Low graciously came in on his day off to give me a department tour. The tour was great, but, sadly, the Seattle weather was...a lot like Seattle weather.

St. Francis Catholic Church, Friday Harbor, Washington

Friday Harbor was that other western Washington area we visited on that 2011 vacation.  The weather was lovely the first day, but things began going downhill on the second.  It didn't matter much to me, though.  It was wonderful to visit the island again.  It had been far too long--and it has been so again!  Some authors will say that that these kind of personal visits aren't necessary for fiction authors, but I think this kind of in-person research is terribly important if the writer is to successfuly capture and convey the unique feeling of a particular environment.

Welcome to Oregon's Wallowas.

While it's true that the northeastern region of Oregon referred to as the Wallowas only plays a minor role in the novel, that wasn't the original plan.  More on that later!

The Blood Cries Out Excerpt  (Updated July 2014)

It was early Friday morning by the time David was finally in bed.  Exhausted, he fell into an uneasy sleep, his bloodshot eyes closing on the image of his badge and holstered .45 caliber Smith and Wesson with its ejected magazine beside it on the bedside table.  The room was dimly illuminated by the moonlight beyond the rustling lace curtains.   Outside, the night wind blew the old madrona’s branches against the house.  The clanging of sailboat rigging blowing against the tall masts drifted up from the harbor along with sound of a distant foghorn.  The Friday Harbor ferry terminal below lay dark and still.  Deep sleep came eventually, but then the nightmarish blackness seized him.  He was dragged to the place he dreaded the most.  He tried to turn away, to run, but he stood immobile now before that evil house on Parkmont Place.  It was late evening with an unsettling reddish light, and he was utterly alone.  A damp and cold wind blew, and he felt something pulling him forward, towards the steps.  Against his own will, he pushed the unlatched door, and it creaked in protest--or warning.  He walked silently up the steps and turned into the second bedroom on the left.  The stillness of the room was in sharp contrast to his beating heart.     

The blood was everywhere, and Catryn lay exactly as he had first seen her.  Only this time there were no uniformed officers milling about outside, no detectives taking notes or talking on the phone, and no squawking radios in the background.  The night beyond the windows was an impenetrable mass now with no sign of life or light, a darkness that could be felt.  Her mouth was agape at a distorted angle, a mockery of life, and she was crumpled up in the corner like so much garbage left on the roadside.  Her torn blouse exposed that jagged and terrible laceration in her chest.  It was too horrible to look at, but...curse his eyes!...there it was.  He couldn’t turn away from the silent woman gazing up from the crimson floor.  His eyes were drawn to her slender fingers, now bloodstained.  No, it was impossible, but something was happening!  Her index finger gestured for him to come closer, but he managed to hold his ground.  It was madness.  In desperation and terror, David felt for the reassurance of his holstered service weapon, but it was gone.  Suddenly, his hand fell unexpectedly upon his grandmother’s familiar rosary, the one he sometimes kept in his pocket.  Something like a distant bell sounded from far off, and the icy chill of the room began to melt away. 

Questions and Answers: Karl and Karl

Q: What's a fiction passage you've read recently that you not only loved, but that somehow conveys something important about how you think about the art of writing?

A: I love Flannery O'Connor, and one thing I love about her is that her characters are real to me; they're authentic.  It's so hard to find characters I can connect with in a lot of modern fiction.  Flannery O'Connor has my attention at her first word.  Here's a passage from her short story "Revelation" that I am particularly fond of.  (It's not quite the same unless you read it in its entire context.)  


The book struck her directly over her left eye. It struck almost at the same instant that she realized the girl was about to hurl it. Before she could utter a sound, the raw face came crashing across the table toward her, howling. The girl’s fingers sank like clamps into the soft flesh of her neck. She heard the mother cry out and Claud shout, “Whoa!” There was an instant when she was certain that she was about to be in an earthquake.



Q: Why else is it important to visit the areas about which you want to write?

A: Another reason is that people are so different from place to place.  Having a conversation in Joseph, Oregon is entirely different than speaking with someone on the streets of downtown Seattle.  Authors who don't take the time to understand their settings, also usually fail to understand their characters.

Q: This Kickstarter thing of yours is kind of annoying.  Why are you doing it?

A:  Sorry!  I’m doing it because the publishing market has changed so drastically over the last decade.  This seems like a legitimate option to help an author bridge the gulf between the children’s market and adult fiction.  (I always have to mention now that, no, I don’t mean that kind of adult market.  I mean older readers, folks!  I also don’t plan to start writing romance novels…)

Q: What’s in it for me?

A: Well, I think crowd funding is a rather cool way to raise funds for projects close to people’s hearts.  It brings a sense of shared community and purpose, and it allows people be a part of some pretty exciting endeavors.  I was happy to be able to make a (very) small donation to Sean Astin’s recent Kickstarter success  for example, and I found it pretty rewarding to have played a tiny, tiny part in that project’s success.  

In my case, it’s only a novel, but I think in the right hands, this book could go far.  I will also say that I am always happy to help a fellow author with a similar venture down the road—if I feel that I can connect with their tale.  Some types of fiction are hard for me to enjoy, but I will do my best!

Q: I know your one of the original founders of the Catholic Writer’s Guild.  Has this book been awarded their Seal of Approval?  

A: No, unlike Tristan’s Travels, this book has not received this important stamp of approval.  There are a lot of reasons why I didn’t want to rush into that too early.  For one thing, the novel requires a strong editor’s hand.  I’m learning it takes a special author to successfully edit his own work.  Many self-published authors end up embarrasssing themselves with a wyde variety of editorial problemzs.  

My use of a hybrid press, such as Inkwater, is an effort to create the highest quality work I can possibly create.  Another reason is that the content of the book strives for realism, and realism isn’t always pretty.  In my younger days, I spent countless hours racing along as an observer with police officers in Washington State—from Yakima to Seattle and Port Townsend.  It was awesome for a young man to experience the excitement tearing down dark streets with lights and siren (at close to a hundred miles per hour a few times), and those experiences really helped shape my novel.  Realistic scenes and characters are always my goal.  I’d also add that, as author and teacher Regina Doman has pointed out, the Catholic reader is sometimes…a strange duck.  More on that another time perhaps.

Q: Are you planning to write a sequel?

A: YES, but I haven't started yet.  :)

If any of the preceeding content caught your interest, I hope you will check out my project on Kickstarter!