Mystery Writer Kicks Off His Fifth Online Serial Novel

Two years ago, Robert Burton Robinson set out to write a free serial story online---like a soap opera. With no experience and no plot, he began writing three chapters per week, never dreaming the story would lead to a four book series of mystery novels. He has just started writing and posting the chapters of his new cozy mystery, Sweet Ginger Poison. It is available to read free on his website, along with his other four novels.

Robert Burton Robinson has just kicked off his fifth online serial mystery novel, "Sweet Ginger Poison." It is free to read on his website at http://www.robertburtonrobinson.com/. He is writing and posting two to three chapters per week.

His mystery writing began two years ago, as an experiment. He would try his hand at writing a free serial story online---like a soap opera. Would people read it? Would they like it and keep coming back? With no experience and no plot, he began to write and post each chapter, not knowing where the story would lead.

After a few weeks, he had picked up faithful readers who were anxious to know what was going to happen next. "It was crazy. I didn't even know whether I could really do it. I just made it up as I went along." He began to realize that his story was a murder mystery. So, the little serial story he had named "Private Music Teacher" became the serial mystery novel, "Bicycle Shop Murder."

That first book grew into the Greg Tenorly Mystery Series, which had been read by tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. The series consists of "Bicycle Shop Murder," "Hideaway Hospital Murders," "Illusion of Luck," and "Fly the Rain." All four books are available to read free at http://www.RobertBurtonRobinson.com. Paperbacks are also available, from Amazon and other retailers.

In preparation for his new serial mystery novel, "Sweet Ginger Poison," Mr. Robinson took a different approach. Before writing the first chapter, he created a detailed plot, character profiles, a murder suspect list, back-story, etc. "But my characters still surprise me sometimes. Once I've created them, I only have limited control over what they do." This fifth book kicks off his Ginger Lightley Cozy Mystery Series. What is a cozy mystery? Think "Murder She Wrote."

Mr. Robinson's biggest surprise from his online fiction experiment? It turned him into a writer.