Down the Gravel Road

Get Updates and Book News in Your Inbox!

What’s New

Where Did Columbo 2.0 Come From?

by jphilo | May 25, 2023

Where did Columbo 2.0 come from and why is he part of the West River Mystery Series? That was the question I asked myself while developing a backstory for a new character who debuts in See Jane Dig! (That's Book 4 if you're keeping track.) The new character is the...

My Character Information Spreadsheet Saved my Writing Life

by jphilo | Apr 6, 2023

My character information spreadsheet saved my writing life today. Some of you may think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not. The innocuous character information spreadsheet pictured above truly saved my life this week. The events that necessitated this dramatic action began...

Adding Flesh to the Bones of See Jane Dig!

by jphilo | Mar 17, 2023

Adding flesh to the bones of See Jane Dig! has been keeping me busy. For those of you who are wondering what bones I'm talking about, you may want to read this post to get your bearings. What comes next in this post will make much more sense once you do. Here's what...

See Jane Dance! and See Jane Dig! Are Trucking Along

by jphilo | Feb 15, 2023

See Jane Dance! and See Jane Dig! are trucking along, and it's time for an update on both. Let's start with See Jane Dance! The last post about that book was clear back in December when I was still revising the first draft. So much has happened since then, and it's...

I’m Digging this See Jane Dig! Research

by jphilo | Feb 2, 2023

I'm digging this See Jane Dig! research more than I thought possible. Maybe you caught that in previous posts here and here. But last week, my excitement rose to new heights during a phone call with an honest-to-goodness paleontologist. Not just any paleontologist,...

Researching Dinosaur Digs for See Jane Dig!

by jphilo | Jan 12, 2023

Researching dinosaur digs for See Jane Dig!, Book 4 in the West River Mystery Series, is occupying the time I usually devote to writing. The picture shows the sources I'm digging into: Newspaper clippings from Nation's Center News. The weekly paper has been covering...