Toby Speed



What's New

Welcome to my website. This space is for occasional odd jottings to let you know what's new and exciting.

I'm more than halfway through the first draft of my new murder mystery, DEATH OVER EASY--featuring the intrepid Emma Trace, Long Island-born freelance editor who is usually in the wrong place at the right time, and her sidekick, LaRue Fusticola. Emma is matching wits with Detective Pete Zahn, who has gotten off on the wrong foot with her and has yet to see the error of his ways.

This is my first book for adults, and I'm loving it. I enjoy planting clues and red herrings, but find it hard knowing whodunnit without giving the solution away. The best things are watching my characters develop and listening to the guidance they whisper in my ear. They surprise me all the time with their demands and have led me to make many fun detours as the story moves ahead. If they don't like what I've plotted out for them, they balk and refuse to go along with me. But if I listen to what they have to say, the story gets past the roadblocks and begins to move again. It's been a great writing adventure so far.

Autographed copies of some of my children's books are available. Email me for availability and cost. You can also find most of them in your local library.

Enjoy your visit!

Toby
April 2009

Selected Works

Mystery Novel
Death Over Easy
An Emma Trace mystery
Work in progress
Picture Books
Brave Potatoes
Super spuds do battle with Chef Hackemup
Two Cool Cows
Why the cow really jumped over the moon
Water Voices
Small puzzle poems about sprinkler spray, mud puddles and other forms of water
Whoosh! Went the Wish
A wish gets stuck in bushes, briers and brambles
Hattie Baked a Wedding Cake
Strange ingredients go into a cake
One Leaf Fell
A story of a leaf and its travels
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