VR Barkowski

SHUT HAPPENS

2011-11-12T00:00:00.012-05:00

I'm not much for goodbyes, so this will be brief.

Thank you for your encouragement and support over these last few years.
I will miss you all terribly. I know this because of how much
I miss you even during blogcations.
When I say, You are the best
it isn't a cliché, but a fundamental truth.

This blog will remain up for a short time in case I

change my mind (anybody know where I can score a new one?).

Eventually I will yank it—the blog, not my mind—because there are

already far too many abandoned blogs

littering the internet.

Keep writing, keep reading,

hold onto your dreams,

and never forget that every ending

holds a new beginning.

Again, my heartfelt thanks,

STRING BRIDGE Amazon Chart Rush!

2011-11-11T00:00:00.015-05:00

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hit the bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!

All you have to do is purchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, and then email the receipt to:

jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com

She will then email you a link
to download the album
at no extra cost!

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA
Amazon UK

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

If you are
not familiar with String Bridge,
check out the book trailer:

Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of my veins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page, yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones of heavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just as with any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet and musician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and the difficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout, seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure that allows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her world begins to unravel … String Bridge is a powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just a hint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of Repulsion Thrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writer of great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficult scenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holds barred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to develop character, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel. I look forward to reading her next novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen Jones Gowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:
String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell
Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/
Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell
Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

Please TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge!

Who Do, Voodoo? Rochelle Staab, that's who!

2011-11-07T00:00:00.116-05:00

Today, I am thrilled and honored to welcome one of my favorite people in the world, Rochelle Staab. Rochelle and first I met online during a UCLA Extension writing course in 2008. We both wrote mystery, we both had characters named Sophie, we both had tarot in our books. What else could we do but become critique partners?

The first book in Rochelle's fun and fabulous Berkley Prime Crime Mind for Murder Series, WHO DO, VOODOO? landed on shelves just last Tuesday. Not only is it a terrific book, but it's easy to spot with that perfect cover.

WHO DO, VOODOO? features no-nonsense Liz Cooper, a Los Angeles psychologist forced to embrace the occult to clear her best friend of murder...

When Liz's friend Robin finds a tarot card tacked to her front door, Liz writes it off as a prank, but Robin refuses to ignore the omen. Her late husband drew the same card in a reading the night before he was killed. As more cards and darker threats appear, Liz realizes someone dangerous is upping the ante. Liz turns to old acquaintance and occult expert Nick Garfield. As Nick leads her into the voodoo community to locate the origin of the tarot deck, their mutual attraction is undeniable. Things go from bad to worse when a woman is found dead and Robin becomes the prime suspect in her murder. Determined to clear her friend, Liz unites with Nick to unravel otherworldly secrets and seek help from beyond—or risk being outwitted by a cunning killer...

Thanks so much for being here today, Rochelle! It's been such a joy to watch WHO DO, VOODOO? go from draft, to polished copy, to print. In fact, I'm so excited, I'm not quite sure how you can even breathe. Hope you don't mind, but I'm going to dive right in with some questions.

You were a marketing and advertising executive with a major record label, and while WHO DO, VOODOO? is set in the entertainment industry, your protagonists are a psychologist and a religious philosophy professor with an interest in the occult. What intrigued you so much about these professions and characters that you felt compelled to step out of your comfort zone, give up your life—um, I mean devote your time—and write about them?

Making Nick a professor was an easy decision—I wanted an open-minded character with an intellectual viewpoint of the occult, not quite a believer, not quite a skeptic. I gave him a religious philosophy PhD so he could be paid to travel the world investigating alternative belief systems. Liz’s PhD in psychology made her a great foil for Nick. Her experience with human reactions and thought processes makes her bypass the woo-woo to look right into the you. I wanted her to be doubtful when Nick was didactic. Liz is based on a very wise psychologist I know who scoffs at the supernatural. As far as my background, you might be surprised how many of my supernatural escapades were music industry-related. Alternative thinkers filled my comfort zone. I learned about Mercury Retrograde the year Yoko Ono requested a retrograde single release date. The séance in Who Do, Voodoo? is partially based on a séance I attended that was conducted by an aspiring actress claiming contact with the dead. Everyone there was in the entertainment industry. And a Latin-American woman in the industry inspired my Sophie character. Scary chick, she could even sneer with a voodoo vibe. Good times. But you should talk, Miss Blood-Cult expert. How did an academic like you develop an interest and expertise in bizarre cults?

Blood rituals are common throughout history and across many cultures and religions. Think Catholic transubstantiation for example. When I ran across details of a bizarre sacrificial murder committed by a couple of self-proclaimed German vampires who also happened to be neo-Nazis, I suddenly found myself researching contemporary blood cults. Honestly, though, I shouldn't be talking about cults. Nick is far more knowledgeable on the subject than I.

All the books in the Mind for Murder series will have a twist of the supernatural. WHO DO, VOODOO? tackles tarot, hoodoo, and curses. I know you researched voodoo, took tarot classes, and visited occult shops. We both know there are police procedural nitpickers standing by waiting to hang a mystery writer for an incorrect detail, but what about the supernatural? Voodoo is a real religion and not all tarot readers are flakes. Are you afraid of backlash if you get it wrong?

I don’t know that there is a wrong. Voudo is a real religion, a syncretic combination of West African beliefs and Catholicism. However, because the original form of Voudo was practiced in secret in the mountains of Haiti under fear of discovery, no written canon exists. The traditions, rituals, and customs passed orally through generations. WHO DO, VOODOO? is a fictional story with fictional opinions by fictional characters. I attempted to address voodoo and the characters who believed with the deep respect I developed in my research. For accuracy in the tarot portions of the novel, I took four months of tarot classes to be sure I understood the symbolism. The Fool’s journey through the deck is delightful, enlightening, amazing—and subjective. While basic themes hold, I think my character Liz has the best interpretation: Tarot is similar to a Rorschach test. The answers depend on who is reading the cards. Viva, would you agree?

Yes, when reading the cards for oneself, the tarot is like a Rorschach test, although it becomes more complicated when reading for someone else. One of my characters, a tarot reader, argues the the cards are a tool to escape the prison of a mindset, in other words, to think outside of the box. Like the majority of real-life tarot readers, she perceives the cards as a look inward rather than a look ahead.

Most, if not all, of us here are book lovers. If we were to walk into Liz's and Nick's respective houses, what would we discover on their bookshelves? Would we find WHO DO, VOODOO? there?

Aw, Viva, you nudged me into a wisecrack. Of course WHO DO, VOODOO? is on Liz’s and Nick’s bookshelves. If someone wrote a novel featuring you, wouldn’t you keep a copy on your shelf?

Academic Nick’s bookcase is loaded with philosophy tomes, obscure texts on ancient belief systems, archaeology, geography and the canons of the three major religions. And baseball. Nick reads classic detective fiction: Chandler, Hammett, Cain, and Stout. But you’ll also see a collection of classic movie DVDs.

Liz only has a small bookcase with a few psychology and reference books in the den of her post-divorce townhouse. Liz left her book collection—unused cookbooks, college texts, two Nora Roberts novels from her mother (hint, hint), one erotica novel from Robin (ahem), thrillers including IN COLD BLOOD and the Sanders’ DEADLY SIN series from her father, plus her yearbooks and albums—in boxes in ex-husband Jarret’s garage. She does love crawling into bed with a smart mystery and just finished reading Laura Lippman’s I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE. Next read: WHO DO, VOODOO?

You put me on the spot. (Great exercise, by the way.) Now it’s your turn to divulge the literary taste of your characters. What are Mike, Del, and Sophie, the stars of BLOOD AND THORNS reading these days?

Ha! Much like Liz, apart from his law library which moved with him, the rest of Mike's books are still boxed and sitting in his ex-wife's garage. Del's bookshelves? That's easy, I can quote from the manuscript. "Military history and art at one end; stacks of Pelecanos, Mosley and Lehane paperbacks at the other; in the middle, Hemingway, Faulkner and Dickens." Sophie is a graduate student in sociology working on her dissertation. No question she has the "holy trinity" on her shelves: Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim, and Max Weber (can I get an amen?). Sophie does not read for pleasure, although I think she'd be a much happier person if she did.

.
Finally, what question haven't I asked that I should have?

.
Ask VRB—my critique partner. She can spot a gaping hole better than I can.

Absolutely true! And what Rochelle didn't discuss was the second novel in her Mind for Murder Series, BRUJA BROUHAHA, a story set around a Santeria botanica in the multi-cultural neighborhood near MacArthur Park. BRUJA BROUHAHA will be released in summer 2012. See how important CPs are? Count yourself lucky if you're able to find one half as amazing as Rochelle.

Before Rochelle leaves, she's agreed to fill out a little questionnaire so we can get to know her better.
Okay Rochelle? Ready, Set, Go!

Chocolate or Coffee? Coffee

Beach, mountains, or city? City

When you're writing: music, silence, or other? Silence

Plotter or Pantser? Detouring Plotter

Salty or sweet? Salty

Summer or winter? Winter

Burger or sushi? Burger

Comedy or drama? Comedy

Favorite smell? Baking

Favorite color? Red

Favorite magazine? Entertainment Weekly

Favorite TV show? The Daily Show (and Gossip Girl)

Favorite Film? Bull Durham

And a nod to Bernard Pivot:

What is your favorite word? Yes

What is your least favorite word? (a phrase) We’ll see.

What sound or noise do you love? Music 

What sound or noise do you hate? My phone ringing in the dead of night

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Sports analyst

What profession would you not like to do?  Politician

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? It’s about time, Rochelle. What would you like to know? Ask me anything.

Viva, thank you so much for this truly fun experience. But then, chatting with you is always fun and enlightening. You’re the best.

My pleasure, Rochelle, it was treat to have you here. Thanks so much for dropping by and best of luck with WHO DO, VOODOO?!

Where to buy WHO DO, VOODOO?

For more about Rochelle:

Website: http://rochellestaab.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rochelle.staab

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/rochellestaab

Author Blogs, pt. 2

2011-11-01T00:00:00.003-04:00

In part one, I talked about why author blogs don’t sell books. Today I want to discuss why it’s not only okay for authors to blog about writing, but why it may be a good idea.

There are plenty of folks out there who will tell you, if you’re trying to sell books, you shouldn't blog about writing. The argument goes thus: by blogging about writing, you're limiting your audience to other writers.

Can't argue with that. And if your every post is about writing, you may even bore your readers who *are* writers. By the same token, if you have an author blog and all you do is self-promote, you’re going to bore readers too - that is, if you have any. The same is true of any subject, whether it’s you, your kids, your pets, your political causes, or your bathroom remodel.

Rule #1 of blogging: it's not about you. Blogging is about connecting with readers. And you do that by writing something that matters to them.

Still with me? Good. Slap yourself with this (I’d do it, but a virtual smack just isn’t the same). The great majority of blog readers are bloggers themselves. Bloggers by definition write, even if writing means only penning their blog. So a blog that touches on writing every now and again makes sense.

Never forget, writers of all walks are also likely to be readers. And remember too, it’s word of mouth that sells books. If you blog about writing on occasion, and by doing so you lure in other blogger/writers who spread the word about your books. Hey, well done, you!

Conversely, if all you do is blog about your books, and nobody knows who you are, nobody knows how to find you, nobody cares what you have to say because all you do is blog about you, you, you, how much word of mouth do you think you'll generate?

Exactly!

I’ve seen a Janet Reid quote bandied about on a number of blogs, (writer blogs - go figure. Who’d guess anyone would read one of those?) and it’s always written thus:

“If you blog…don’t blog about writing.”

Actually what Janet (Ms. Reid?) said in her post was:

“If you have a blog instead [of a website], don't blog about writing.”

See the difference? Maybe I’m misinterpreting, and she actually meant the former. Maybe I’ll get a threatening email claiming libel, but to paraphrase her advice and probably put words in her mouth:

If you have a blog but no website, in other words no promotional site where your bio and publications live, then you must use your blog for that purpose. So don’t make it a writing blog.

I agree, but with all due respect to Ms. Reid, a far better idea is to GET YOURSELF A WEBSITE and continue to use your blog to connect with others who share your passion. A website doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive (Don’t miss Roni Loren’s awesome post 13 Steps To Creating An Author Website Readers Will Love here). Use your webpage to give potential or existing readers a snapshot of you and your art. That's likely why they've sought you out.

Websites and blogs are different animals. Websites tend to be relatively static sources of reference information, blogs are a dynamic tool to connect you with others. Your website and your blog should not be interchangeable. Even if you don’t want to blog, you should have a webpage. It’s your listing in the internet white pages. Readers who run across your name or one of your publications are far more likely to seek out your webpage than your blog.

When I’m looking for publication deets on an author or an author’s work, I don’t want to read his blog post about how he cross-dressed and went undercover with the girl scouts to expose cookie fraud. Okay, maybe I would want to read about that, but you get the idea.

Now for a splendid example. Anne Gallagher of Piedmont Writer has a great writing blog (although she talks about other things as well). What Anne has to say matters to readers of her blog, and what her readers have to say matters to Anne. Recently, Anne published her first regency romances THE LADY’S FATE and A WIFE FOR WINSBARREN and simultaneously launched her brand new website. Her website includes a bio, her current publications and a link to buy, along with covers, summaries, and excerpts for her upcoming publications. Anne also included a blog page for updates related to her publications. Study the difference between Anne’s blog Piedmont Writer and her website, and you’ll see why a writer, particularly a published writer, needs a webpage even if he or she maintains a blog.

Wow, this post is way too long, especially given this is NaNo month. So sorry. You can take the girl out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of the girl.

What are your thoughts on blogs and webpages? Do you think writers should have both?

Next Monday, my long-time CP

Rochelle Staab

will be here to talk about (among other things)

the first book in her brand new Mind for Murder series,

WHO DO, VOODOO?

Please come say hello!

All Hallows Read

2011-10-30T09:00:00.008-04:00

Interrupting my regularly scheduled post to say

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I hope by now you've heard of ALL HALLOWS READ?

What do you mean, no???!!!

"All Hallow’s Read is a Hallowe’en tradition.

It’s simply that in the week of Hallowe’en, or on the night itself,

you give someone a scary book

[can be new or old and well-loved].

Scholars have traced its origins as far back as this blog post."

My favorite way to celebrate? Leave a copy of a favorite scary book somewhere around town for some unsuspecting, lucky reader. Don't forget to tag your book(s) with the official All Hallows Read sticker.

Looking for suggested reads? Get recommendations from Neil Gaiman and a slew of other publishing notables here.

Follow the fun on Twitter at #allhallowsread

Neil Gaiman says, "there aren't enough traditions that involve giving books."

I agree! Let's fix that!

***BEST OF LUCK TO ALL NANO'ers OUT THERE.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!***

Meet me back here on Tuesday for

our regularly scheduled broadcast:

AUTHOR BLOGS DO NOT SELL BOOKS, pt. 2

Author Blogs Do Not Sell Books, pt. 1

2011-10-24T00:00:00.038-04:00

“What Publishers Need to Understand
Word of mouth is what sells books. Not direct selling. And authors cannot do their own word of mouth. So the numbers of the author don’t matter as much as the numbers of those who spread the word for them."

~Jami Gold blogging on social media: The Insanity Behind the Pressure to Have "Numbers”

This is the first time I’ve ever opened with a quote from another blogger, but Jami Gold said it so well, so succinctly, and her post was so perfectly timed, I had no choice. If you haven’t read Jami's post yet, what are you doing here? Go. Now. Read.

You may (or may not) recall I'm sharing a few controversial truths this month (click here for Truth #1: good writing is its own hook). Now, let's move on to Truth #2.

Truth #2

Author Blogs do not sell books.

It doesn't matter whether you have fifteen page hits or 15,000. It doesn't matter what that superstar agent, hot shot editor, or big six publisher tells you. You can even ignore Amazon on this one. Author blogs do not sell books.

By author blog, I’m referring to a blog where a writer does nothing but wax poetic about his or her book(s). In essence, a Wordpress/Blogger sponsored infomercial.

Produce one hint, one scrap, one iota of substantive evidence to indicate otherwise, and I’ll listen to your argument. But do not waste your time and mine telling me about this or that writer. Anecdotal evidence will not convince me. Neil Gaiman will not convince me.

Sure, there are exceptions. There are always exceptions. But if you look up the definition of exception, you'll find most of us don't qualify.

Does this mean writers shouldn't blog? That it’s a waste of time and effort? Of course not! But writers should be realistic about why they blog, what they hope to get out of it, and most important of all, what they hope to give back.

Diagram Source

Your blog can be a powerful tool if you use it for what it was intended to do: CONNECT you with others who share your passion.

And let's be frank, if your only passion is *you*, you’re not likely to make the kind of word of mouth connections you need to sell books. Or, put another way, if *you* are your platform, Houston we have a problem.

I've discussed this before. You’ll find my post from February here along with a summary of some of the amazing feedback I received here.

Okay, so what if you don't care about any of this? Let's say you're looking for 15,000 unique page hits to get an editor’s attention and you don’t give a damn where the hits come from? If it makes you feel better about things, go for it. Numbers are easily manipulated. Hire a company to run up your stats. Just don't buy into the hype those numbers will translate into book sales. They won't. Again, I refer you to Jami’s post.

I stumble around the blogosphere on a daily basis and have yet to accidentally run across an unknown author blog that's had me running to the nearest bookstore or clicking over to Amazon or Indiebound. How about you?

Conversely, almost every new book I pick up, I learned about from a participant in the writing/blogging community or from an active book blogger. Yes, I'm breaking my own rule by giving anecdotal evidence. Sorry, but the Publishing World will just have to live with it. I listened to their unsubstantiated arguments, it's only fair I should get to air mine.

I’m not saying authors shouldn't have blogs. I’m not saying authors don’t need a platform. But statistics don't sell books. You have to reach out and connect with others to make it happen. Remember Jami's words: “…the numbers of the author don’t matter as much as the numbers of those who spread the word for them.”

Questions? Comments? Spoiled fruit? Let it fly!

Because this was such a long post I’m breaking it into two parts.

Tune in next week for part 2 of

AUTHOR BLOGS DO NOT SELL BOOKS:

Why it’s not only okay for authors to blog about writing,

but why it may be a good idea.

RU Kidding Me? Another #$%^&* Rule Post?

2011-10-17T00:00:00.005-04:00

As this blog draws ever-nearer to its inexorable denouement—hey, I'm allowed to use big words like inexorable and denouement, I'm a writer—there are a few truths I'd like to share. Feel free to disagree at any time. In school I took rhetoric instead of English, so it’s all about bringing you to my side of the table, or vice versa.

Let us begin with me. After all, this is my blog.

After writing fiction for five years, I now realize I am not a genre writer. I should have figured it out early on when I fit none of the molds, had to force my standalone into a series (de rigueur in the mystery and thriller genres), and found the great majority of well-received books in my presumed genres to be—so sorry!—a major yawn.

Not being particularly astute, none of this made an impression, and I soldiered on. When the lesson came, it came hard, with others telling me what was wrong with my stories rather than what was wrong with my writing. I mentioned this in my last post, but I'm repeating it here, because it's so important. Don’t let this happen to you!

Okay, on to our first truth...

TRUTH #1
Good writing is its own hook. If you write well—and I hope that’s your goal—starting with character, backstory, or even the weather can be just as compelling as any action open.

I still remember the day my father took me to The Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time. It was the early summer of 1945, and we walked through the streets of a Barcelona trapped beneath ashen skies as dawn poured over Rambla de Santa Mònica in a wreath of liquid copper.

“Daniel, you mustn’t tell anyone what you’re about to see today,” my father warned. “not even your friend Tomás. No one.”

“Not even Mommy?”

My father sighed, hiding behind the sad smile that followed him like a shadow through life.

“Of course you can tell her,” he answered, heavy hearted. “We keep no secrets from her. You can tell her everything.”

Shortly after the Civil War, an outbreak of cholera had taken my mother away. We buried her in Montjuïc on my fourth birthday. I can only recall that it rained all day and all night, and that when I asked my father whether heaven was crying, he couldn’t bring himself to reply.

~Opening lines from THE SHADOW OF THE WIND by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

To say it another way, when someone suggests “your story starts here” and is pointing to page sixty of your manuscript, consider the feedback carefully. She may be spot on if you’re writing a traditional mystery, or a thriller, or horror, or an action fantasy. But she could very well be wrong.

Not all books are created equal, especially not yours.

Prepare your arguments and tune in next week for

TRUTH #2

AUTHOR BLOGS DO NOT SELL BOOKS

Writer Reality Check

2011-10-10T00:00:00.037-04:00

"It is easy — terribly easy — to shake a man's faith in himself. To take advantage of that, to break a man's spirit, is devil's work." ~GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

I’ve been struggling with whether to continue this blog, and if I do, what direction it should take. I once read that bloggers should never ask readers what they want to read about. Why? Because if a blogger has to ask, she has nothing to say. I concur.

Source: Inkygirl.com

Where exactly that leaves A Writers Blog is a discussion for another day. Because here and now, I do have something to say. Moreover, it’s important; so please, listen up.

Don’t believe the rumors. It really is okay to cater to the preferences of readers if you are writing what makes you happy. What is NOT okay is buying into the myth that we all enjoy reading the same thing. We don’t.

There are those readers who hunger for the same type of book over and over. That’s why series are pandemic. There is comfort in familiar characters, in knowing all will be well, in every mystery solved, every romance a happily every after, and every foe — human or supernatural — vanquished (or at least on ice until the next installment). I rarely watch television, but when I do, old I Love Lucy episodes still make me smile. Sure, I’ve seen ‘em a million times. It doesn't matter.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in seeking this well-worn familiarity in books, just as there is nothing wrong in writing for this large and appreciative audience. But don’t be lured into believing it is your only option.

Source: Inkygirl.com

Me? I don't want formula. I yearn for complex characters who grow and change. I crave surprise and story lines that challenge and move and shock. I don’t want every loose end tied up in a great big bow. That’s not what I enjoy reading, and it's not what I enjoy writing.

Every writer should have the choice of writing what he or she loves, whether it be a feel good series, an angst riddled thriller, or something in-between. There are all kinds of readers; don't be swayed by amorphous publishing trends that suggest otherwise. Trends, by definition, are vague and in perpetual flux.

One last point. Confirm that your crit partners understand your goals. If you write edgy, dystopian fiction, and your crit partners write romance or mystery or YA or epic fantasy, that's fine, but make sure they're at ease with your work and comfortable with your genre and what you are trying to accomplish.

Critical feedback should address your writing, not your story. Never let anyone, no matter how trusted, tell you how to write your story. Your work belongs to you alone. Hold it close, cherish and protect it. Create something that makes you proud.

Over and out.

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

2011-10-05T23:00:00.001-04:00

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”
-Steve Jobs, The Wall Street Journal, May 25, 1993

Good night, Steve. Sleep well. You deserve it.

Got good news?

2011-10-03T00:00:00.011-04:00

Anyone there?

I’m back from vacation. It was a brilliant month filled with art, architecture, wonderful people, heart-stopping landscapes, brutal heat, and far too much food.

I’ll spare you a trip report but will share two pieces of travel advice.

1) If heading to a non-English speaking country, and you’re unfamiliar with the language, do not depend on your Kindle as the sole repository of your guidebooks, travel documents, and relaxation reading, because you may find airport security has done this to the display (at left).

I now know from experience, Italian bookstores stock few guidebooks written in English. My advice is, along with your e-reader, drag along an archaic print back up—that is providing you can still find a book in print. If your e-reader makes it through airport security, then pitch the hard copy and wear your digital badge with pride.

Keep in mind this Kindle survived multiple flights before meltdown. Not unlike many extraordinary first novels, your e-reader’s past performance is no guarantee of future success.

That said, Amazon was awesome, I had a replacement Kindle within two days of arriving back in Atlanta. Of course, I haven’t even touched the thing. My hate-hate relationship with e-readers continues.

2) Wear a mask on the plane to avoid whatever plague the airlines are harboring at the time of your scheduled flight. While I’m grateful they didn’t release the virus until the trip home, I could have done without bronchitis altogether (although I think Mr. VR is pretty happy about the laryngitis end of things).

That’s it for now. Promise my next post will be about writing.

Hope you’re all well. Any good news to share?

PSA: Name That Blogger!

2011-08-16T12:00:00.007-04:00

Starts today! BE THERE!

***

I have an amazing blog roll, which I don't post on my blog but you can see if you view my profile. Instead of a blog roll, I list writers along with links to their blogs (or in a few instances, websites). Why? Because our names are more important than cutesy blog titles that play on the word "write." What are the chances a reader is going to search Amazon or IndieBound for a book by the guy who writes the Walk, Write, Buy blog? See my point?

Anyway, I've been fighting with Blogger on this for two years. Blogger defaults to the blog title but allows me to change to the writer's name manually. All well and good EXCEPT whenever the computer reboots, these changes are lost and have to be re-entered. In Georgia, this has proven to be a time consuming and repetitive task due to all the electrical storms.

To make a long story short: I give up. Any blogs defaulting to a title and no name, are going to be nixed from the name list. If you were formerly on the list and your name has disappeared, it's because your name wasn't connected to your blog title.

I still love you. I still love your blog. I will still visit. You're still on my blog roll!

For those of you writing for publication who don't have your name tied to your blog, consider making the change. You don't need to change your title, simply create a JPEG of your blog header and use it at the top of your page. In your profile, list your actual name as your "display name." Don't miss an opportunity to get your name out there.

Okay?

Okay!

June 2011 Reading Wrap Up

2011-08-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Quick and dirty snippets of June reads. Quick and dirty because it’s August, which means I’m still running a month behind. ARG!

June 2011 Round-up of Fiction Masterpieces Novels
THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE, HORNS, SISTER, SKELETONS AT THE FEAST, DEAL BREAKER** (**Harlan Coben’s DEAL BREAKER, the first book in his Myron Bolitar series, will be reviewed in a later post.)

THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE by Julie Orringer
Going straight for the cliché here: this is truly "a sweeping family saga." THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE tells the story of Andras Lévi and his family, Hungarian Jews, during WWII. Set in Paris and Hungary, the book is exquisitely written and the historical context fascinating. I knew little about Hungary during this period (or, I'm ashamed to say, any other period). It was the writing and the history that kept me turning the pages. Andras and his family, while infinitely likable, are a little too perfect. And the romance at the book's heart, too idealized for my taste. Had the story been less harrowing, less politically nuanced, the writing less compelling, I would have put the book down. Alas, that was not the case. This is a five star read. If you enjoy historical fiction, run, don't walk, to the nearest copy of THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE.

HORNS by Joe Hill
Ig Perrish wakes up the morning after a bender and realizes he’s sprouting horns. As an added bonus, he can now read the darkest secrets of everyone around him. This new skill comes in handy, because Ig is aching to find out who viciously murdered his girlfriend, Merrin. There will be those readers who try to turn HORNS into a morality play or automatically label it satanic (a pitchfork on the cover, a protagonist with horns, do the math). If this is you, leave the book on the shelf. This is a smartly written, original story with well-drawn characters and some laugh-out-loud moments. For me, the final showdown drags on a little too long, and whether intentional or not, the story is more mystery than horror. No, it’s not great literature, but it’s an enjoyable read. If there is a message here—and only Joe can say for sure—it's that evil is a choice.

SISTER by Rosamund Lupton
Beatrice returns to England to help search for her missing sister, Tess. When Tess's body is found in a London park, and the death is ruled a suicide, Bee is determined (to the point of obsession) to prove Tess was murdered and to find the killer. Complex characters, a fascinating exploration of family dynamics, and sharp writing make this debut a stand out. Lupton’s seamless tense switches slowly build suspense throughout. One criticism: I knew “who dunnit” almost from the moment the character appeared on the page. While this bruised the integrity of the mystery and flattened the end twist, SISTER worked beautifully as a psychological thriller.

SKELETONS AT THE FEAST by Chris Bohjalian
Near the end of WWII, a group of refugees flee the advancing Russian Army, moving toward the safety of the British/American lines. Included in the group: a pro-Nazi Prussian family of aristocrats, a Scottish POW, a young German Jew who escaped a train bound for Auschwitz and is now disguised as a Wehrmacht officer, and in a parallel narrative, a group of Jewish women on a death march west. Bohjalian’s powerful writing captures this poignant moment in history with all its privations, fears, hopes, and bonds—fraternal, romantic, and familial. Written from multiple POVs, SKELETONS AT THE FEAST provides a close-up look at the war from divergent perspectives, but two motifs remain constant. War benefits no one, and labels—Nazi, Jew, Scot, aristocrat—don’t define who or what is moral.

So, what are you reading?

It Can't Suck, it's a Bestseller!

2011-08-03T00:00:00.002-04:00

An interesting feature in the Huffington Post recently caught my attention and gave me the idea for this post. In the Huff piece, readers were asked to list books they hated that everyone else loved.

A couple books mentioned had me nodding. The wildly successful EAT, PRAY, LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert, wasn't a favorite of mine. There were also books that shocked. THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak, for example. Zusak’s book is the first to make my top ten list in almost a decade. Someone didn’t like it? How can that be? Impossible!

All in all, the lineup was fun, enlightening and entertaining. Honestly? It's a good thing we don’t all like to read the same thing, ‘cause dudes, we sure don’t all write the same thing. Who knew there were folks out there who didn’t enjoy LORD OF THE RINGS, ANGELA’S ASHES, or THE ROAD?

I’m sure you can see where this is going.

My personal pick for a book everyone else loved but I hated: SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS by David Guterson. I should have loved it. All the elements were there: elegant writing, a Puget Sound setting—where I lived at the time I read it, a murder, courtroom drama, social justice. But for me, nothing clicked. Not the characters, not the storyline, not the descriptions, not the theme (if there was one).

There is a connection between reader and book that runs deeper than plot and protagonist. Although, I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, I know when it's there. With me and SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, that connection was missing.

Now the fun!

What book did you dislike that everyone else [readers, not book critics] loved? C'mon, 'fess up. Don't be bashful!

You Can't Be Series-ous?

2011-07-27T00:00:00.028-04:00

Having already stated my position on series more than once (in short, not a fan), I won’t bore you again with details. But I am interested in what makes series tick. Why are they so popular? Why do readers choose more of the same when they have the option to explore something new, exciting, and unique?

Is it readers’ relationship to the protagonist that encourages this devotion? Or in the case of epic fantasy, the need to find out what happens in book after book after book, ad infinitum? Or perhaps it has nothing to do with readers at all. Maybe it’s about publishers who want to hook — read manipulate — book buyers into a near-guaranteed future sale.

Release Date 11/1/11

To explore the protagonist question, I've decided to read a series straight through until I surrender to boredom. Will it take three books or ten? My literary victim is For purposes of this research, I’ve selected Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series. First, because I've enjoyed Coben’s standalones in the past; and second, because my awesome CP, Rochelle Staab, you may have also seen her here, really enjoyed Bolitar. (More about Rochelle nearer November 1, when the first book, WHO DO, VOODOO? in her Mind For Murder series is set for release).

My progress thus far: just cracked the cover on the third Bolitar book, FADE AWAY. Interest is waning a bit, but I'm still enjoying the journey. I'll keep y'all posted.

I see series as a catch-22. Readers want the same MC, but that often leaves character arcs flapping in the wind. Plots are easy. Coming up with meaningful character arcs that don't change the character so much that loyal readers revolt? That's damned hard, and many an established writer has failed to meet the challenge.

Moreover, series authors are often brutalized when they break formation with a standalone. Writers identified with successful series may no longer have the luxury of 'writing for themselves.' Readers expect another series entry, and a standalone, no matter how extraordinary, will never meet that expectation.

What’s the answer?

No clue.

One intriguing approach is the loose series. For example, Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad books. Her protagonist changes with each book, the stories are unrelated, the unifying factor is that each protagonist is a member of the Murder Squad. I could read this “series” forever, because the stories and characters are unique with each entry. But that begs the question: is this really a series?

Now some questions for you.

Do you have qualms about getting trapped by a series, either as a writer or a reader? When you begin to read a series, do you think about whether there are a finite number of books as with HARRY POTTER and THE HUNGER GAMES, or whether the series has the potential to go on forever, like George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF FIRE AND ICE?

And finally, are series franchises a threat to a writer's creativity? Isn't there a jump the shark moment for every series? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Are Publishers an Endangered Species?

2011-07-19T00:00:00.002-04:00

I adapted [stole] this title from Michael Levin’s essay in the May issue of Forbes Magazine. I think it’s a salient question and worthy of discussion. More and more writers are skipping the traditional agent-publisher path in favor of self- (or indie, if you prefer, but I still think of indies as books published by smaller houses) publishing.

Levin, a non-fiction author, writes this about publishing:

In no other industry do producers actually wait passively to see what products are suggested to them, instead of doing market research to see what people really want to buy. Yet publishers seldom generate book ideas; instead they wait for literary agents to submit proposals. Houses decide which book to publish based on little more than a gut feeling that says, “I think we can make money selling this!”

Yet the books that publishers choose are almost entirely of zero interest to actual book-buyers. After 9/11, there were a ton of books about 9/11, which nobody bought. Same thing with the Iraq War, the rise of Obama, the economic meltdown, and even, inexplicably, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Or the books are rehashed business lessons, religious truths, sports clichés, motivational babble, exercise fads, weight loss techniques, or pandering to the political left or the right. Who wants these books? Almost no one. ~Author/Business Writer, Michael Levin (Read the full article “Are Books An Endangered Species?” in the May 20, 2011 online edition of Forbes Magazine)

I think we all agree on two things. First, publishing is an industry in flux; and second, it moves at the speed of molasses during a January freeze. Perhaps that’s as it should be. Books have been around for a very long time. Would it be right for the industry that produces a product with such longevity to change overnight? Although with Borders closing, it feels a little as though everything is changing at once, doesn't it?

Here in the blogosphere, we often discuss whether print books are obsolete and if they'll survive the digital age. But what about publishers, print, digital, or otherwise? Are they an anachronism and barely hanging on? Is the trend toward self-publication affirming we don't need publishers anymore? Or is it simply an indicator that publishing must change to stay relevant in the twenty-first century? What changes would you recommend?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

2011-07-14T00:00:00.026-04:00

[Warning: non-writing post ahead]

Happy Bastille Day!!!

Whether you call it Bastille Day, 14 juillet, La Fête Nationale, French Independence Day, or the French Fourth of July - ten days later and with better food, today is the day!

What does Bastille Day commemorate? On July 14, 1789, anti-monarchists stormed the Bastille [prison] in Paris, and the French Revolution was born. Who cares if there were only seven prisoners, and the mob was really looking for ammo? It's the thought that counts.

Next to Halloween and All Saints Day, Bastille Day is my favorite holiday. Still not sure? Here are just a few reasons to love Bastille Day:

* Fireworks at the Eiffel Tower

* A chance to celebrate liberty, equality, and fraternity.

* Military parades down the Champs-Élysées

* Great excuse to sing La Marseillaise

* French wine and champagne - Okay, they have nothing to do with Bastille Day, but they are French and traditional.

* A Bastille Day feast. We're not talking your mama's hot dogs, folks. This is my feast, you'll probably want to plan your own:

Pâté & baguette
Salad Lyonnaise
Coq au vin
Potato Gratin 
Mousse au Chocolat
Fresh strawberries with crème chantilly

* Don't want to cook? Bastille Day is the perfect time to visit a French restaurant.

* Patrouille de France over Paris

Vive La France! Vive La Republique!

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

Do you have a favorite holiday?

Let's hear it. I'm in the mood to celebrate!

Stick A Fork in It

2011-07-12T00:00:00.007-04:00

How will I know when my manuscript is done? As I edit, re-edit and re-edit again, this is the question that haunts my nightmares and eats at my soul.

The answer? I won’t. It never will be. Published and on the shelf, I will still find flaws, things I could have done better: better words, better phrasing, stronger voice, a missed opportunity for conflict.

The real question is not how will I know when it’s done, but how will I know when to let it go?

When I find the answer, I'll post it here first.

At present, I’m using the deadline method. My manuscript will be complete on September 1, for no other reason than it has to be. Who says so? Me.

How do *you* determine when a writing project—book, article, short story, or blog post—is done? Are you able to stop tweaking? If so, please share your secret.

May 2011 Reading Wrap Up (Part 2)

2011-07-08T00:00:00.002-04:00

Just in time for the weekend! Part 2 of May’s Book Round-up. I do realize this is July and I’m still working on May, but I’ll catch up eventually. Who knew that without the computer to distract me, I’d get through so many books in one month?

May 2011 Book Round-up (Part 2)
This month: THE LOCK ARTIST, A PLAGUE OF SECRETS, THE WORLD AT NIGHT, NIGHT ROAD, THE GLASS ROOM, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE

NIGHT ROAD by Kristin Hannah
Poverty stricken, abused, motherless teen, Lexi, befriends rich overly-mothered teens, Mia and Zach, and high school tragedy ensues. I read the first chapter of NIGHT ROAD in a waiting room after shunning People Magazine. Even though the story was already veering toward hackneyed, the writing was so compelling that after my appointment, I went out and bought the book. This is very much a when bad things happen to good people story, along the lines of a Jodi Picoult novel. The characters are a little too idealized, the story line a little too cliché, and it's not really my taste, but I don't deny I was riveted. Funny thing happened when I went to fetch an image for this post. I noticed Stephanie at Misfit Salon had reviewed NIGHT ROAD [favorably] in March. Since I try never to miss a Misfit post, I'm not sure how this one got past me. Had I read Stephanie's description of the book, I probably would have realized this wasn't my sort of story and opted for People Mag. Did I mention I was riveted?

THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE by Pat Conroy
It's the mid 60s, the war in Vietnam is escalating, and Will McLean, a Savannah boy and our narrator, is a cadet at the Carolina Military Institute (read: The Citadel). Much of the book explores the institute's plebe system with a nod to Charleston's caste structure. The story takes a turn toward suspense when Will, in his senior year, is assigned to keep an eye out for Tom Pearce, the first black plebe in the history of the Institute. A clandestine group wants Pearce out. I loved this book. I picked it up and didn't put it down until I'd finished it two days later, all 500+ pages. What's not to love? Wonderful storytelling, lyric prose, conflict, romance, humor, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. Most important? Memorable characters I truly cared about. I admit to figuring out the end twist long before I arrived, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. By far the most memorable novel I've read this year. [Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of Southern Gothic]

THE GLASS ROOM by Simon Mawer
In pre-WWII Czechoslovakia, newlyweds Liesel and Viktor Landauer build a magnificent modernist glass house. THE GLASS ROOM chronicles the Landauers, from marriage, to their flight from the Nazis (Viktor is Jewish), and beyond. But THE GLASS ROOM is also the history of the Landauers' extraordinary house, a history that in many ways is more compelling than that of its owners'. Although THE GLASS ROOM is fiction, Simon Mawr was inspired by a very real house in Brno, Czech Republic which you can see here: Villa Tugendhat. Mawr is a fine writer (THE GLASS ROOM was shortlisted for the Man Booker in 2009), and while I didn't always connect with the characters, the Czech history was engrossing. Moreover, I was fascinated by the house itself. This was a very difficult review to write because I could discuss the symbolic meaning of this book for days. For me it boils down to this: Even through the darkest periods, light, balance, and reason will out. THE GLASS ROOM is well worth your time.

So how about you:

If you spent less time on the computer would you read more?

May 2011 Reading Wrap Up (Part 1)

2011-07-05T00:00:00.022-04:00

I had no reading goal for May, but since I was on Internet hiatus the entire month, I managed to read six novels. Think I may have figured out why I don’t read as much as I used to! Since I like to keep posts brief, May’s round-up will be delivered in two parts.

Today, Part 1!

May 2011 Book Round-up (Part 1)THE LOCK ARTIST, A PLAGUE OF SECRETS, THE WORLD AT NIGHT, NIGHT ROAD, THE GLASS ROOM, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE

THE LOCK ARTIST by Steve Hamilton
Mike Smith is a boxman—that is, a safe cracker. At age eight, a traumatic experience robbed Mike of his ability to speak. This is his story, written after nearly a decade in prison. THE LOCK ARTIST is an original and beautifully crafted mystery replete with captivating protagonist. Mike's narrative voice is clear and true as he struggles to unlock the secrets within himself just as he works at his safes. Although I haven't read Steve Hamilton in the past, I look forward to correcting the error of my ways. THE LOCK ARTIST was awarded the Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel this year (The Edgar, named after Edgar Allen Poe, is awarded by the Mystery Writers of America) and deservedly so.

A PLAGUE OF SECRETS by John Lescroart
In Lescroart's 13th Dismas Hardy novel, Maya Townsend, a politically connected socialite is linked to the murder of an employee. Along with the dead body, police find a backpack full of weed. Seems the victim was selling more than lattes out of Maya's coffee shop, and his clientele included some of San Francisco highest rollers. Dismas Hardy to the defense! If you enjoy legal thrillers, I highly recommend Lescroart's Hardy series with one caveat. While there's nothing wrong with A PLAGUE OF SECRETS—far from it—a month after I closed the cover, I couldn't remember what the plot was about. The storyline blended in with all the other Hardy novels I’ve read, and I had to dig the book off my the shelf to write this mini-review. I prefer books that offer something that sticks with me, something I can take away. A novel doesn’t have to be literary (See THE LOCK ARTIST above), but I want it to be unique. A daunting task for a writer locked into a single character and basic premise for thirteen novels.

THE WORLD AT NIGHT by Alan Furst
In Nazi occupied Paris, film producer Jean Casson is drawn into the Resistance and reconnects with his lost love, Citrine. THE WORLD AT NIGHT is a well-written, atmospheric novel, but I never connected with the protagonist. Since I have an affinity for flawed, conflicted characters, and Jean is nothing if not flawed and conflicted, I'm surprised the book didn't work for me on this level. Wish I could be more specific. Possibly because I’m writing about this period myself, I was distracted by the trappings—occupied France—when I should have been focused on Jean. There is a second book by Furst featuring the same protagonist titled, RED GOLD. It’s on my TBR pile. I intend to to give Jean Casson a second chance to woo me, because I think the one failing of this book may have been me.

Wow, three books, all in my genre. That doesn’t happen very often.

Your turn! What are you reading? Time to share the juicy details!

Tyopos... Uh, Typos

2011-07-01T00:00:00.048-04:00

Am i the only one who has typo issues? I proof my blog posts, and for the most part, my manuscripts are squeeky clean—even my agent says so. But Facebook, Twitter, or blog comments? Not. A. Chance. I screw up of every one of them.

And they’re out there for-ev-er. What’s a writer to do?

I don’t have time to edit my bloggy comments, tweets, or Facebook status updates. And even if I did, wouldn’t it be wrong? Wouldn’t it kill the in-the-moment spontaneity?

For years, I was employed in and around finance. Didn’t matter how long I did the work, I continued to type

F-I-N-A-N-C-E

F-I-N-A-C-E

I do believe this is pronounced: fine ass.

I worked for non-profit and government. Trust me when I tell you, putting in writing that one works in the Fine Ass Department does *not* instill the confidence you might think.

Honest, I know the difference between:
*then and than
*it’s and its
*there and their and they're (bet Microsoft Word wishes it could say that!)
*Heck, I even know the difference between fine ass and finance

But somewhere, there is a disconnect betwixt my brain and my fingers which is now immortalized on the internet.

Did I mention forever?

Anyone else suffer from typocitus? Is there a cure?
How about a support Group?

Happy Fourth of July!
Stay safe, have fun, and make it
a weekend worth writing about!

It's All About the Writing

2011-06-28T00:00:00.052-04:00

Hate to burst your bubble, but wrong, it's not all about the writing. And if you believe it is, better wise up before reality knocks you on your ass.

This doesn't mean writing isn't important. Without writing, all the other things―agents, publishers, book sales, brilliant reviews, signings, [and depending on the trajectory of your authorial fantasies] accolades and bestseller lists―matter not one whit. Agents can't represent work that doesn't exist. Editors and publishers can't publish what hasn't been written. When was the last time you attended a book signing for a writer with no book? Ever hear of a nonexistent tome winning an award or making the best-seller list? Thought not.

Which brings me to the point of this post. If you spend all your time talking about writing rather than generating pages, you need to look inside yourself and ask why.

It's only natural to be afraid of the failure and rejection that go hand and hand with dreams of publication. Writing, like most worthwhile pursuits, is damned hard. It's okay to bitch now and again. It's cathartic. And it’s reassuring to share the ups and downs with others on the same journey.

But if you're looking for excuses, if you're kvetching because writing is a chore that brings you no satisfaction or pleasure, maybe it's time to lay down your pen. If you don't enjoy the process, for goodness sake, stop! You can still update your Facebook status, tweet, blog, and scour reviews for great reads. Just because you love to read books doesn’t mean you have to write one.

I used to think I became a writer to share my love of the written word. Altruistic, don’t you think? Turns out that was only half the equation. I also write to explore why we humans do the things we do and how our choices shape us. Unlike most mystery/thrillers, my stories aren't so much about how life impacts my characters, as about how my characters’ choices impact their lives.

Yep, non-formulaic is a bold way to go. But when it’s just me and the keyboard? It *is* all about the writing.

Why do you write?

Sex Advice

2011-06-23T00:00:00.002-04:00

If we were to take all the writing rules and line them up in a row—you know the ones: no adverbs, no passive writing, no dialogue tags, no head hopping, no omniscient POV, so on and so forth—there is one that rises far above all the rest.

Bow your heads and pay your respects to:

EVERY SCENE MUST HAVE CONFLICT

This is the golden rule, my blogging friends, the one that keeps readers turning the page. And in my book (ha!) this includes sex scenes. Regardless of whether your genre is romance, mystery, sci fi, YA, or manga, if you've written a sex scene that doesn’t involve some type of conflict, for the sake of all that is good and great and holy, delete it!

It does not matter how many beautiful body parts you describe or in what excruciating detail, if there is no conflict, there is no tension, and that scene has no reason to be there.

Let’s take it a step further: a sex scene without conflict is worse than gratuitous; it is boring.

This is not to say there's anything wrong with having a happy, contented, loving couple boinking in your story, just don’t have them do it on the page. And don’t think because you’ve use the word tumescent, you’re covered. Literary isn’t a substitute for conflict. Nor is titillation. If you are attempting to create conflict from graphic description, you’ve got it backward. Try reversing the process and watch the magic happen.

Fact: throbbing and heaving do not equal conflict.

There, I’ve had my say.

What say ye?

Back to the Light

2011-06-20T00:00:00.004-04:00

My month-long blog sabbatical stretched to fifty days, but I'm back!

Why the extension? I changed projects mid-stream, dumping my then-current WIP for an already-drafted version I liked better.

The downside? I suspect the manuscript is unpublishable. There is no procedural detail, no cozy banter, no feisty heroine—in fact, no heroine at all, no knitting patterns, recipes, food or beverage talk, no quaint village setting, crime-solving pets, not a single one-liner, and no paranormal. It is doomed as a mystery.

The upside? Everyday, I celebrate the joy of writing. I write for the love of it, and that means writing what I love. I bow in awe and admiration to those who can write for hire or write to the market. Truth is, I have neither the discipline nor the motivation.

Below are some reflections on my hiatus. May was spent nearly computer free. I wrote with paper and pen and checked email only sporadically, dipping into social network sites once a week for a minute or two. Confession: I did use the ‘net for research. In June, I went back to the internet part-time and once again cozied up to my beloved Scrivener.

WHAT I DISCOVERED BY GOING INTERNET/COMPUTER FREE

Writing and Editing are easy peasy without a computer. Research? Not so much.

Hugh MacLeod

Blogging - I missed you all. A lot.

Yahoo Groups - Biggest waste of time out there. Hundreds of messages each day, 25% of them blatant self promotion (BSP), 74.99% of them obsequious genuflecting immediately following the BSP. The remaining .01% imparting news and information I’d already read about on Facebook.

Email (five accounts) - Discovered a quick perusal of ancillary accounts once a week was more than enough, begging the question: other than keeping up on spam, why am I continually checking my email? Argh!

Twitter - Totally ignored Twitter except for responding to new follows. Didn't miss it, but never spent much time there anyway.

Facebook - Facebook provided the best way to keep in touch without being a tremendous time suck. Sure, I missed a lot, but since I was out of the loop anyway, I didn't notice

I missed you! What have you been up to?

What are you working on? Any news?

Spill! The good, the bad, and the ugly!

Z is for ze End of ze Challenge, ze Crusade, & ze Lights Out

2011-04-30T00:00:00.019-04:00

(To be read aloud with a very bad French accent)

Today ends ze A to Z Blogging Challenge and ze Writers' Platform Building Crusade. General observation: going from two posts a week to six was definitely a huge challenge during zees busy month.

Now, onto ze business at hand.

A big round of applause for all ze Challenge hosts:
Arlee Bird's Tossing It Out
Jeffrey Beesler's World of the Scribe
Alex J. Cavanaugh Alex J. Cavanaugh
Jen Daiker's Unedited
Candace Ganger's The Misadventures in Candyland
Karen J. Gowen's Coming Down the Mountain
Talli Roland Talli Roland
Stephen Tremp's Breakthrough Blogs

And let's not forget ze most awesome hostess of the Platform Building Crusade:
Rachael Harrie at Rach Writes

Thank you all, you did ze most amazing job!

********

AND NOW AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
LIGHTS OUT!

At 12:00 am EST on May 1, I plan to shut down the comments on this blog and GO DARK for May. Seriously. No internet, no blog visits or blog posts, no Facebook or Twitter or Yahoo groups or Goodreads, just pen and paper. I’d planned to go no email, but decided that was bordering on lunacy, so I compromised: I will check email twice a week.

Anyone care to join me?

Y is for Yakking About Great Books

2011-04-29T00:00:00.041-04:00

Whew! The next to the last A to Z Challenge post. I had no idea April was such a long month. Today’s letter is ‘Y’, which is awesome, because I’m in the mood to Yak about some amazing books (for you English lovers, that's "yak" as in trivially converse rather than large domesticated wild ox with shaggy hair, humped shoulders, and large horns used in Tibet as a pack animal).

My Reading goal for March and April combined was six books, and I squeaked by with six. In my defense, UP COUNTRY was 736 pages. Because there are so many books to yak about, I’ll keep my reflections über brief.

March and April’s (brilliant) Round-up

THE NAZI OFFICER’S WIFE, UP COUNTRY, FULL DARK NO STARS, THE FIFTH WITNESS, UNBROKEN, THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS

THE NAZI OFFICER’S WIFE by Edith H. Beer (Audio)

This is the WWII memoir of Edith Beer née Hahn, a well-educated Viennese Jewish woman who survived a slave labor camp, escaped deportation, and with the help of false identity papers, lived as an Aryan married to a Nazi officer. Sound riveting? It was. It's a grueling and unsentimental tale of the resilience of the human spirit.

UP COUNTRY by Nelson DeMille

This is apparently DeMille's second book with protag Paul Brenner, but I neither read nor saw THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER. Doesn’t matter, this book works well as a stand alone. UP COUNTRY is fascinating on so many levels I'm not sure where to begin, especially since this is supposed to be a brief review. The story: retired Chief Warrant Officer Paul Brenner returns to Vietnam undercover to investigate the decades old murder of an American Lieutenant. In UP COUNTRY, DeMille tackles the social, economic, political, and cultural impacts of the war in Vietnam, something I would have predicted held absolutely no interest for me. I was wrong. Every aspect is beautifully detailed, from Brenner's travels across Vietnam, to his memories of old battles, to his relationships. It is not a quick and easy pleasure read nor a breakneck paced thriller (which is what DeMille is known for). But UP COUNTRY will give you much to think about. A fine book.

FULL DARK NO STARS by Stephen King

To be honest, I hadn’t intended to read this. I picked it up, skimmed a few pages and was hooked. Although not a rabid Stephan King fan, I do enjoy his writing if not always his subject matter. And I far prefer his suspense/thriller material to his horror stuff. The four novellas that make up FULL DARK, NO STARS fit the bill. I especially enjoyed BIG DRIVER, a story about a mystery writer who plots revenge after she is attacked and left for dead. Heh, heh, heh! Never mess with a mystery writer.

THE FIFTH WITNESS by Michael Connelly

This legal thriller from Connelly stars defense attorney Mickey Haller (THE LINCOLN LAWYER). There's a silly murder (one of Mickey's foreclosure clients is accused of murdering a mortgage banker), lots of courtroom theatrics, and an altogether implausible plot. I loved it. Mickey Haller makes it work. He's half optimist, half cynic. I can relate. I also appreciate that Connelly writes characters. No one would confuse Mickey Haller with Connelly's other great protagonist, Harry Bosch. This is not true of many mystery/thriller writers whose characters may have different names but who remain virtually interchangeable across series.

UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand (Audio)

UNBROKEN chronicles the true story of Louis Zamperini, a young man who turned from juvenile delinquent to Olympic runner to Japanese POW during WWII. It is an extraordinary tale, harrowing in fact - Zamperini survived six weeks on a raft after his plane went down at sea and two years as a POW. And that only scratches the surface of his extraordinary life. Hillenbrand's (she wrote SEABISCUIT) narrative ranges from cinematic to anecdotal and held my interest throughout. That said, had I known Louis wrote his own memoir, DEVIL AT MY HEELS, I would have read his book first—or instead of Hillenbrand's.

THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS by Roland Yeomans

This isn’t a review. I don’t feel comfortable reviewing friends’ books here, and Roland is most definitely a friend. But if you’re familiar with his blog, Writing in the Crosshairs, you already know Roland is a master storyteller. In THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS, he spins an epic tale of good vs. evil, layered in celtic myth and Native American legend. As I said, this isn’t a review, but I will give you this much: if you chose to join wise, brave, loyal Hibbs the Bear on his journey, you will have no regrets. Did I enjoy THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS? Enough that I’ve already purchased Roland’s other work, RITES OF PASSAGE and ADRIFT IN THE TIME STREAM.

How about you? Read anything fun the last couple of months? Reading a great book now? C'mon, share!

X is for Xerox

2011-04-28T00:00:00.039-04:00

As we near the end of the A to Z Challenge, it’s high time for an English lesson, don't you agree?

Let’s begin with X is for Xerox.

Have you ever asked yourself why the letter ‘X’ appears twice in a single word [Xerox], and yet is pronounced two different ways? You're a writer and/or a reader of English, are you convinced English is a clear, straight-forward language, based on rules, easy to learn, easy to speak?

Take a look at the sentences below and prepare to eat those words: **

The bandage was "wound" around the "wound."
The farm was used to "produce" "produce."
The dump was so full that it had to "refuse" more "refuse."
We must "polish" the "Polish" furniture.
He could "lead" if he would get the "lead" out.
The soldier decided to "desert" his "dessert" in the "desert."
Since there is no time like the "present," he thought it was time to "present" the "present."
A "bass" was painted on the head of the "bass" drum.
When shot at, the "dove" "dove" into the bushes.
I did not "object" to the "object."
The insurance was "invalid" for the "invalid."
There was a "row" among the oarsmen about how to "row."
They were too "close" to the door to "close" it.
The buck "does" funny things when the "does" are present.
A seamstress and a "sewer" fell down into a "sewer" line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his "sow" to "sow."
The "wind" was too strong to "wind" the sail.
Upon seeing the "tear" in the painting I shed a "tear."
I had to "subject" the "subject" to a series of tests.
How can I "intimate" this to my most "intimate" friend?

Let's face it, English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.

"Sweetmeats" are candies while "sweetbreads," which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and
hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, two geese. So one moose, two meese? One index, two indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not a single amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat ... hmm? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

People, not computers, invented English, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick'?

UP, UP and AWAY!

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand "UP" meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake "UP?" At a meeting, why does a topic come "UP?" Why do we speak "UP" and why are the officers "UP" for election and why is it "UP" to the secretary to write "UP" a report?

We call "UP" our friends. And we use it to brighten "UP" a room and polish "UP" the silver; we warm "UP" the leftovers and clean "UP" the kitchen. We lock "UP" the house and some guys fix "UP" the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir "UP" trouble, line "UP" for tickets, work "UP" an appetite, and think "UP" excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed "UP" is special.

And this "UP" is confusing: A drain must be opened "UP" because it is stopped "UP." We open "UP" a store in the morning but we close it "UP" at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed "UP" about "UP." To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of "UP," look the word "UP" in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes "UP" almost a quarter of the page and can have "UP" to about thirty definitions. If you are "UP" to it, you might try building "UP" a list of the many ways "UP" is used. It will take "UP" a lot of your time, but if you don't give "UP," you may wind "UP" with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding "UP." When the sun comes out we say it is clearing "UP." When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things "UP." When it doesn't rain for a while, things dry "UP."

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it "UP" for now as my time is "UP," and therefore, it's time to shut "UP." **

** I ran across this essay in my notes. If anyone knows who wrote it or where it came from, please let me know. I would love to give the author credit. Thanks!

W is for Writers on Writing

2011-04-27T00:00:00.014-04:00

In today's A to Z Challenge post, we meet the letter W — as in writers and writing. In fact, let's see what some very fine writers have to say about writing, shall we?

Only bad writers think that their work is really good.
Anne Enright

Read widely and with discrimination. Bad writing is contagious.
PD James

Don't try to anticipate an "ideal reader" – there may be one, but he/she is reading someone else.
Joyce Carol Oats

Never use the word "then" as a conjunction – we have "and" for this purpose. Substituting "then" is the lazy or tone-deaf writer's non-solution to the problem of too many "ands" on the page.
Jonathan Franzen (YIKES, REALLY????)

My breakthrough with the first book came through persistence, because a lot of publishers turned it down.
J.K. Rowling

As far as I'm concerned, the entire reason for becoming a writer is not having to get up in the morning.
Neil Gaiman

You need a certain amount of nerve to be a writer.
Margaret Atwood

Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't.
Mark Twain

You cannot write for children They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.
Maurice Sendak

If you can't think of what to write, tough luck; write anyway. If you can think of lots more when you've finished the three pages, don't write it; it'll be that much easier to get going next day.
Philip Pullman

Avoid cliques, gangs, groups. The presence of a crowd won't make your writing any better than it is.
Zadie Smith

I have pretty thick skin, and I think if you're going to be in this business, if you're going to be an actor or a writer, you better have a thick skin.
John Irving

Very few editors worry about heresy - their goals are much too commercial, thank goodness.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

If you have to read, to cheer yourself up read biographies of writers who went insane.
Colm Tóibín

Try to leave out the part readers tend to skip.
Elmore Leonard

The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think.
Harper Lee

Louis Pasteur said, 'Chance favors the prepared mind.' If you're really engaged in the writing, you'll work yourself out of whatever jam you find yourself in.
Michael Chabon

Pace is crucial. Fine writing isn't enough. Writing students can be great at producing a single page of well-crafted prose; what they sometimes lack is the ability to take the reader on a journey, with all the changes of terrain, speed and mood that a long journey involves. Again, I find that looking at films can help. Most novels will want to move close, linger, move back, move on, in pretty cinematic ways.
Sarah Waters

Thoughts or comments? Personally, I think Neil Gaiman nailed it.

V is for Me!

2011-04-25T00:00:00.084-04:00

DUDES! This is the easiest post in the A to Z Challenge. V is for Me!

There are still a few diehards around who call me by my first name, but most folks refer to me as V or Veve.

As for my other sobriquets? I reveal them only on a need to know basis, so don't hold your breath.

Now, getting down to the point of this post. Names are important. Research has proven the names we are given at birth carry substantial psychological weight. They are tied to our identity as well as to how we define ourselves. This is true for nicknames as well.

Want proof? Give ⬅Capt. Kick Ass a call and ask him. (I don't know for sure, but I'm betting he's not really a captain.)

Because I'm a wuss, the nicknames I use in my stories all derive from my characters' given names. I kowtow to that #$%^&!! rule which insists too many character names throw readers. Deep down, I don't believe this. If the characters are well-drawn and the story well-told, it's amazing how many names and nicknames a reader can keep straight.

“The creations of a great writer are little more than the moods and passions of his own heart, given surnames and Christian names, and sent to walk the earth.” ~William Butler Yeats

Do you worry that too many names will confuse your readers? How do you come up with your character names? Do you ever use nicknames?

U is for Umami

2011-04-25T00:00:00.081-04:00

Welcome to the final week of the A to Z challenge! Today’s headliners: the letter ‘U’ and the word umami.

What is umami? Borrowed from the Japanese, umami is often described as the fifth taste. Neither sweet, salty, sour, or bitter, umami is an exquisite level of flavor far beyond boring, humdrum delicious. In English, it’s often described as savoriness.

MERRIAM-WEBSTER defines umami as: a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as glutamate and aspartate).

I first learned the meaning of umami when I read Arthur Plotnik's wonderful SPUNK & BITE several years ago. Ever since, I’ve been trying to find a way to work umami into a story. Hasn’t happened yet, but I still love the word. And yeah, I know umami when I taste it.

What about you? Ever have a love affair with a word or phrase you *wish* you could work into a narrative or dialogue, but common sense dictates otherwise? Do tell!

T is for Title

2011-04-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

T is for Title: A short A to Z Challenge post in 3 parts

Part 1: The Twelve Worst Book Titles Ever according to Lee A. Jacobus's June 29, 2010 post on the Huffington Post blog (and these titles are truly awful). For Lee's full analysis of the titles—a great read—visit HuffPost Books

1. GAMES YOU CAN PLAY WITH YOUR PUSSY
2. COOKING WITH POOH
3. FELLOW FAGS
4. YOU'LL NEVER BLUE BALL IN THIS TOWN AGAIN
5. ORAL SADISM AND THE VEGETARIAN PERSONALITY
6. CURBSIDE CONSULTATION OF THE COLON: 49 CLINICAL QUESTIONS
7. THE BIG BOOK OF LESBIAN HORSE STORIES
8. BANDER SNATCH
9. CRAPY CORNELIA
10. THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING INTELLIGENT DESIGN
11. REUSING OLD GRAVES: A REPORT ON POPULAR BRITISH ATTITUDES
12. THE DORK OF CORK

Part 2: An instructional vid on how to title your book

Part 3: Confession time: What was your worst title ever? Mine? LURKING WITHIN. It still makes me cringe. Your turn, 'fess up!

Chag Sameach Pesach!

Happy Easter!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

S is for Sexism

2011-04-22T00:00:00.028-04:00

I wrote this post a couple years ago and stand by every word. Regardless of your gender, you may disagree. Feel free to say so. I respect your opinion. And even if you take issue, you have to give me credit for having the courage (stupidity?) to post it not once, but TWICE!

Being an American female writer of crime fiction who rarely reads books by other American female writers of crime fiction, I suspect I'll be skewered for my bias, but here goes. I prefer my protagonists male, and I prefer them written by men. Even more bizarre, I prefer my female protagonists written by men (say Michael Connelly's Rachel Walling, Dennis Lehane’s Angela Gennaro, or Nelson DeMille's Kate Mayfield). Why? For one thing, I don’t care to read about clothes, hair color, or Sex in the City chick-chat.

That's not to say I don't concern myself with these things in real life - well, maybe not the chick chat, but the clothes and certainly the hair. I’m obsessed with a good haircut and no visible roots. But the issue runs deeper.

Deeper than roots you ask? How is this possible?

My shift to male writers was not a conscious one. There are so many wonderful books in the world, I decided it was important to read only what I truly enjoyed. But when I noticed virtually every female writer had dropped off my to-be-read list, I had to explore why.

Here's what I discovered. Brace yourself: more sexism ahead.

In the majority of books written by American women—including my own—female think finds its insidious way into almost every scene and major character. What is female think? It is a pervasive over-analysis of relationships, all relationships. And it’s not only women characters who succumb. Men, too, are victims. And there's the rub. As a rule, real, living, breathing men do not over-think relationships.

Not that these female-attributed male thoughts aren't exactly what a man would be thinking if he were constantly thinking about relationships. But that’s the point. Men don’t spend every waking moment thinking about such things and its evident in their writing.

Please don't misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with female think. For obvious reasons, millions of women readers can relate and are drawn to these books. The problem lies not with the books or with the readers. The problem lies with women writers who believe they are victims of discrimination because men won't read their work.

Not a few women in the writing community, particularly female crime writers—ahem—believe it’s a male conspiracy. Men have banded together and decided amongst themselves they won’t pick up a book with a woman’s name on the cover. Typical male behavior, these writers claim, sexist and arbitrary.

This same group of women writers complain they are now forced to include blood, guts, and destructive behavior in their work to attract a male audience. What's worse? It isn't working. Men still aren't buying their books.

Clearly, this is gender bias on the part of men. Yes? Throw in some gratuitous violence and action and male readers should come flocking. Yes?

No.

Because brutality can’t disguise the all-pervasive female think that underlies nearly every female-penned story. We are what we are, ladies. Face it.

Should women be envious because men have the ability to write without imposing male think on their characters? Who can say? Given that so many women believe male think is an oxymoron, it's probably a moot point. (That's supposed to be a joke, guys, really!)

R is for Reading Ruth Rendell

2011-04-21T00:00:00.041-04:00

NOTE: This is to atone in advance for tomorrow’s A to Z Challenge post in which I outline why I prefer male authors to female authors.

R is for Reading Ruth Rendell, because if you enjoy psychological suspense, you really, really should.

Um ... read Ruth Rendell, I mean.

"Some say life is the thing, but I prefer reading."
~Ruth Rendell

British crime novelist, Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine/Baroness Rendell of Babergh CBE, has long been my favorite mystery writer. It all started years ago when I picked up a copy of Rendell's novel, THE BRIDESMAID. THE BRIDESMAID not only changed the way I viewed mysteries, it inspired me to write. If you’re interested, you can read my review of THE BRIDESMAID here.

Yes, it’s true that Lady Rendell writes the Inspector Wexford series, but my heart resides not with her procedurals, but with her stand alones. These books inevitably zero in on a clash between society and the individual. Not just any individual, either, but an individual driven by internal or external forces into socially unacceptable behavior. Deviants, my friends. Ruth Rendell writes about deviants. Even more tantalizing? She takes you into their tangled psyches without ever once letting down her social conscious.

"I try, and I think I succeed, in making my readers feel sorry for
my psychopaths, because I do."
~Ruth Rendell

Don't expect a happy ending. A twist, something that stays with you for days, even years, after you've flipped the book closed or turned off your Kindle, yes. But happily ever afters? Not so much.

Until the advent of Amazon UK, life for an American Ruth Rendell fan was not easy. It could take as long as a year and half for her latest to make it to this side of the Pond. Today, Americans willing to pay exorbitant international shipping, can easily access the Baroness's work hot off the presses. But why bother? Lady Rendell has dozens of impeccably crafted mysteries and psychological thrillers waiting on library shelves for anyone looking for a unique, intelligent read. Might that be you?

What writer(s) in your genre inspired you to pick up a pen?

Q is for Querying

2011-04-20T00:00:00.002-04:00

Querying! The ultimate Q for the A to Z Challenge.

A while back I likened querying to sitting in a boat on a raging sea and throwing pebbles into the water, waiting to see if a ripple comes back. No, it’s not impossible, but much of what happens during the query process is out of a writer’s control, so it may seem impossible.

If you happen to be in that unsteady boat, riding those bucking swells, should you give up?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!

Keep pitching until you hit the sweet, calm spot in the roiling surf and your ripple finds its way back. But understand, too, that you must have the right stone.

Make your query letter and manuscript perfect. Easy to say, hard to do.

Aim true. Don’t direct your paranormal thriller at an agent who specializes in children’s picture books.

And remember, that oh-so-turbulent sea is filled with overworked, query inundated agents (including but not limited to Query Shark) who are fighting swells of their own: new writers, growing slush piles, and wholesale changes in the world of publishing.

Bottom line, patience and perseverance will overcome all difficulties. I know this is true because one, my mother told me so, and two, because I have an agent.

Now, get out there and master those waves!

P is for Peach

2011-04-19T00:00:00.001-04:00

This is a quickie A to Z Challenge post in honor of my recently adopted home.

Georgia: the PEACH STATE

Just how peachy is Georgia? Very.

According to Fun Trivia, 55 streets in Atlanta have the word "Peachtree" in their name.

Let me demonstrate Atlanta's peachification by providing generic, albeit accurate, directions to my house. Let’s assume you’re traveling due south, two blocks from my north Atlanta home. How do you get to my front door?

From thoroughfare PeachA
Take a right into development PeachB
Then take the first left onto PeachC, followed by a quick right onto PeachD
Mine is the peach-colored house on the right. I kid you not.

Is it any wonder we receive so much mis-delivered mail?

Even stranger? I’ve yet to see a peach tree in Georgia. Clearly, I need to get out of Atlanta.

Your turn!
Name your state, county, or territory,
and share a little trivia with the rest of us A to Z Challenge participants!

O is for Opening Pages

2011-04-18T00:00:00.002-04:00

Today, the A to Z Challenge continues with O.

What is an ‘O’ but a beautiful, perfect circle evoking wholeness, cycles, perfection, balance, infinity, completion, and inclusivity?

For writers, there is no more important ‘O’ than opening. Our initial pages are a pledge to readers that if they soldier on, they will be rewarded. While it’s true there are as many unique openings as unique writers to write them, there are also time honored techniques to frame that all-important first promise—the promise that will hook your reader and make your initial pages shine.

Below are my favorite opening “promises”:

Voice/psychological intimacy connects reader to narrator.
Foreshadowing, the promise of trouble ahead.
Conflict creates tension on the page along with a promise of future resolution.
Subtlety and understatement give readers the chance to fill in the blanks. Less is always more.
Symbolism, a powerful tool for connecting a story’s superficial action to its deeper theme and meaning.
Language, including strong verbs, beautiful imagery, and elegant syntax, will help ensure readers turn the page.

Are there others? How do you draft your opening pledge to your readers and ensure they will read on?

N is for Numbskull

2011-04-16T00:00:00.060-04:00

That would be me—

for talking myself into the A to Z Challenge.

Twenty-six posts in thirty days???? What was I thinking?

Fun yes, but is anyone else feeling the burn?

Go ahead, cry on my shoulder. I'm here for you.

Okay, deep breath, chin up.
The Challenge continues.
Go out and make it a weekend worth writing about!

M is for Mystery

2011-04-15T00:00:00.001-04:00

Hmm, I write mysteries. M is for mystery. Bet you didn’t see that one coming!

Someone* once said: every story is a romance.

Not in my world.

There are scores of great tales that are not only void of romantic elements, but that eschew that old romance stalwart: the optimistic and emotionally satisfying ending, aka the happily ever after. What makes a romance unique is not its romantic elements, but the conflicts that couch those elements.

So, what does all of this talk of romance have to do with my A to Z Challenge offering?

M IS FOR
**

While not every story is a romance, every well-told story is a mystery. A tale doesn't have to be crime fiction or a whodunnit to be a mystery. All good yarns involve an unexplained secret, a central unanswered question, something to be discovered. It’s what drives us as readers to turn the page. We are compelled to find answers. And what is a mystery if not an unanswered question?

Who, what, where, why, when, and how lie at the heart of every plot. That makes us all mystery writers doesn't it?

* Actually, it was then-president of the San Francisco chapter of the RWA, Sophie Littlefield, at the April 2009 Berkeley Mystery Writing Intensive

** if you live in California, M is for Mystery is also a really awesome independent mystery bookstore in San Mateo. Do NOT miss it!

L is for Light

2011-04-14T00:00:00.016-04:00

L was a toughie, an alphabetical thorn in the A to Z Challenge lineup. Too many tantalizing possibilities: libraries, literature, liberty, life, and lust, who could forget lust?

But the real issue was this: I’d already decided I wanted the post to be about writing.

What to do?

That's when I ran across the following passages by Stephen King (from the Afterward to his novella collection, FULL DARK, NO STARS):

“Here’s something else I believe: if you're going into a very dark place… then you should take a bright light and shine it on everything. If you don't want to see, why in God's name would you dare the dark at all?"

What King is talking about is a writer’s obligation to write the truth. Don’t sugarcoat, don’t pander to an audience. The goal is truth, no more, no less.

“And sure, truth is in the eye of the beholder. But when it comes to fiction, the writer’s only responsibility is to look for the truth inside his own heart. It won’t always be the reader’s truth, or the critic’s truth, but so long as it’s the writer’s truth—as long as he or she doesn’t truckle, or hold his or her hat to fashion—all is well.”

“Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observations; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do—”

So, fellow writers, this post is dedicated to shining a light into the darkest of spaces, whether mine shaft, bedroom, human psyche or soul, to reveal the truths that we were born to tell.

Tell me, where does your light shine?

K is for Karma

2011-04-13T00:00:00.033-04:00

Today's A to Z Challenge post is brought to you by the letter K.

What is Karma? The idea that the sum total of a person’s actions (in both present and past lives) decides their destiny in future existences.

The philosophy behind Karma isn’t restricted to Hinduism or Buddhism.
❧ As ye sow, so shall ye reap. (Jeremiah)
❧ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Golden Rule)
❧ An’ Ye Harm None, do what ye will. (Wiccan Rede)

While I may be a little iffy on the planes of existence idea, I do believe that what goes around comes around. For every action there is a reaction, and positive actions engender positive reactions.

We create our own reality.
We can be happy or miserable.
It’s our choice.

So...
Do good.
Do right.
It may not ensure a perfect life, but it guarantees a happier one.

Karma happens.

That’s how I roll. How about you?

J is for Joie de Vivre!

2011-04-12T18:00:00.004-04:00

JOIE DE VIVRE

noun

1. Enjoyment; enjoyment of living; happiness; ebullience; zest for life.
Etymology: From the French, joie de vivre, literally "joy of living".

I am jumping for joy! Things are looking up health-wise at Casa VR (aka Casa del Maledetto). Okay, maybe not so much *looking up* as *sitting up*, but that's a vast improvement over *tossing up*.

Hence, today's A to Z Challenge post:

J is for joie de vivre

or just plain joy de Viva!

I, for one, am thrilled. In fact, I'm ... um ... overjoyed

Yo!

I feel so much better, I plan to be back on track tomorrow with K is for…

Uh uh! Not yet.

You’ll just have to tune in tomorrow to see.

I is for Italy

2011-04-11T23:59:00.000-04:00

I love the language, that soft bastard Latin, which melts like kisses from a female mouth, and sounds as if it should be writ on satin with syllables which breathe of the sweet South." ~LORD BYRON

Welcome to a belated, half-arsed A to Z Challenge post from Casa del Maledetto, this one in honor of my planned September sojourn to italy. (Tuesday’s post will be up later today)

THREE Reminders for my upcoming holiday:

ONE: If possible, avoid Alta Acqua in Venice. Very disturbing to watch dead pigeons floating by while standing on a raised platform in the narthex of St Mark’s Basilica.

TWO: Sortie means exit in Italian. Good to know if one plans to escape the Vatican Museum.

THREE: Art in Florence, food and wine in the hill towns, history in Rome, Byron and Shelley at Lake Como, and dolce far niente everywhere else.

Do you have vacation plans this summer?

If not, where would you most like to visit?

I LOVE vicarious travel.

Take me away!

**The above panoramas of Venice and Florence are from my last visit to Italy fifteen years ago.

H is for Humor

2011-04-09T21:00:00.022-04:00

I had no idea the A to Z Blogging Challenge would turn out to be this much of a challenge. Now that I've shared the flu with Mr. VR, illness continues to rein supreme in my household. Please forgive the following, another repost from 2009.

What would life be without humor? Without laughter or mirth? A bloody bore, right? Humor comes in endless flavors, from spoken jokes to physical pratfalls. So, what makes you laugh?

Surprise?

Our differences?

Our sameness?

Questionable Taste?

A play on Words?

What about cute animals?

Do you like cartoons?

Or maybe you enjoy your
slapstick spiced with irony?

What do you think, is it possible to write a readable novel without injecting some humor along the way? Wouldn't the book be too grueling? How do you work humor into your scenes? Is it a conscious process? Organic? Both?

G is for Gypsy

2011-04-08T14:55:00.002-04:00

G is for Gypsy the Cat

Roland Yeomans' muse, family, and friend, whom readers were

lucky enough to know through Roland's beautiful words.

Gypsy took her last breaths in his arms on Thursday.

Please keep Roland & Gypsy in your thoughts and prayers.

"Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods,

and the judge of words, and the president of the sovereign chiefs

and the governor of the holy Circle; thou art indeed...the Great Cat."

~ Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes

F is for Flu, Fever, the Fates, and Forgiveness

2011-04-07T00:00:00.095-04:00

Due to vacation, I readied several of my A to Z Challenge posts in advance. To be precise: A through E. It turned out to be a much smarter move than anticipated.

A couple of days into vacation, I acquired a slight cold. I was a crybaby about it: "I'm never sick," I announced to anyone who would listen. "I'm not a good sick person." I pouted, I moaned, and in a day or two, with a few extra hours sleep, the worst was over.

Until ten days later when I arrived home and the stomach flu hit. For the past three days I haven't been able to sit up without my head swimming and we won't even talk about my so-called digestive track, which until recently only went in one direction.

VALUABLE STOMACH FLU TIP: AUDIO BOOKS. No need to tempt nausea by opening one's eyes. Since Sunday, I've made it through unabridged versions of both the NAZI OFFICER'S WIFE and UNBROKEN.

Today, while I am able to sit upright at my computer, I'd like to take a moment to focus on the letter F, to honor the flu and fever that wrecked such unexpected havoc in my life. Far more important, I want to apologize for tempting the Fates. I had no business proclaiming myself "never ill." The arrogance!

Will I be forgiven? Check back tomorrow and see if there's a post for G.

E is for Elwyn Brooks White

2011-04-06T00:00:00.036-04:00

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

~E.B. White

E is for Elwyn Brooks White, better known as E.B. White, author of STUART LITTLE and CHARLOTTE'S WEB, winner of an honorary Pulitzer, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and venerable co-author of Strunk and White's, THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE,

Yep, I'm talking that White.

As a toddler, I begged for my dad to read CHARLOTTE'S WEB over and over. As an adult, I tackled the book on my own and loved it still. The story made me laugh and cry and beg for a pet pig. For awhile, I even began to view spiders with less suspicion.

So what did E.B. White really think of writing and the English language?

"Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar."

"English usage is sometimes more than mere taste, judgment and education - sometimes it's sheer luck, like getting across the street."

"Genius is more often found in a cracked pot than in a whole one."

"We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry."

Or writing.

Any other E.B. White fans out there?

C is for Critique Groups

2011-04-04T00:00:00.137-04:00

Arrived home from Santa Fe feeling very tech savvy — my A & B Challenge auto-posts went up without a hitch. I'm still running behind, so today's C is for Critique Groups is a repost from 2009. Confession (also a C!): I'd rather blog hop and hear what you've been up to than write a new post.

***

Pat Holt, former book critic and editor at the San Francisco Chronicle has a fantastic article on her website/blog Holt Uncensored on the Ten Mistakes Writers Don't See (But Can Easily Fix When They Do). Pat also refers to the list as “10 COMMON PROBLEMS THAT DISMISS YOU AS AN AMATEUR,” a far scarrier title for those of us who hope to be published one day. It’s tempting to have a cursory go at the list here, but visit Holt Uncensored. Pat outlines the ten points better than I ever could.

What is so extraordinary about Pat’s column is her suggestion that writers comb through their work BEFORE submitting, not just to agent or publisher, but to a critique group, friend, or even to mom. Her message: don’t show your work to anyone before it’s ready—before it’s the best you can make it. A first draft is always going to be a [shitty] first draft. But that doesn’t give the writer an excuse to be lazy and avoid taking responsibility for his or her work.

I’ve participated in a number of critique groups over the years and have noticed more than a few writers submitting uncorrected drafts and expecting the group to fix grammar and punctuation. Instead of commenting on pace, unmet intentions, flat dialogue or characters, I've found myself correcting syntax, adding commas and periods just to make sense of the prose.

Here's my rant: critique groups should not be used as substitute copyeditors. Familiarity with the mechanics of writing is essential to free the writer to express him- or herself. Vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar are the writer’s tools, not optional accessories to be jettisoned out of indolence.

If you’re not sure you know how to use your tools, get a copy of Strunk and White’s ELEMENTS OF STYLE and dig in. Hemingway was right when he said: “There is no rule on how to write.” However, there are rules of language. Nothing wrong with breaking the rules, just make damn sure you know what they are first.

B is for Breathtaking Book Quotes

2011-04-02T00:00:00.008-04:00

These are all from the extraordinary Carlos Ruiz Zafón

From the SHADOW OF THE WIND

"Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you." — The Shadow of the Wind

"Once, in my father's bookshop, I heard a regular customer say that few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart. Those first images, the echo of words we think we have left behind, accompany us throughout our lives and sculpt a palace in our memory to which, sooner or later—no matter how many books we read, how many worlds we discover, or how much we learn or forget—we will return."

— Carlos Ruiz Zafón (The Shadow of the Wind)

From THE ANGEL’S GAME

"Poetry is written with tears, fiction with blood, and history with invisible ink."

"I quarreled with every word, every phrase and expression, every image and letter as if they were the last I was ever going to write. I wrote and rewrote every line as if my life depended on it, and then rewrote it again."

"Literature, at least good literature, is science tempered with the blood of art. Like architecture or music."

"The only way you can truly get to know an author is through the trail of ink he leaves behind him. The person you think you see is only an empty character: truth is always hidden in fiction."

"A writer never forgets the first time he accepted a few coins or a word of praise in exchange for a story. He will never forget the sweet poison of vanity in his blood and the belief that, if he succeeds in not letting anyone discover his lack of talent, the dream of literature will provide him with a roof over his head, a hot meal at the end of the day, and what he covets the most: his name printed on a miserable piece of paper that surely will outlive him. A writer is condemned to remember that moment, because from then on he is doomed and his soul has a price."

A is for Anathema, Adverbs, and Avoiding Redundancy

2011-04-01T00:00:00.075-04:00

We’ve all heard it: adverbs are anathema. They weaken our writing.

Let your verbs do the work for you:
Not walked slowly, but plodded
Not ate voraciously, but gorged

And for heaven's sake, avoid redundancy:
Not plodded slowly, just plain old plodded
Not gorged voraciously, just plain old gorged etc, etc, etc.

It's true, adverbs often signal a lazy writer. It's so much easier to write: 'Susan took the championship,” Tom said excitedly.' than to SHOW Tom’s excitement.

All that aside, I'm here to make an argument in favor of the lowly adverb. Sure, in many cases adverbs add nothing, weaken writing and make the writer look like a lazy lout. And at no time should an adverb be used after the word said. Ever. Under any circumstances. Never, ever. Sorry Dudes.

However, if you want your writing to shine, adverbs are essential. You want proof? Name one remarkable writer who doesn’t use adverbs.

Ha! Gotcha.

The question to ask is this: if you remove the adverb, is the meaning of the sentence changed to communicate something other than what is intended? If you can remove the adverb without effect, then it is unnecessary, redundant, superfluous. And here we bump into another of writing’s golden rules—when in doubt, leave it out.

Example one: (adverb NOT Necessary)
Jeff Sneezed but narrowly avoided sending the car off the cliff.
Jeff Sneezed but avoided sending the car off the cliff.

Example two: (adverb necessary)
Jeff sneezed and nearly sent the car off the cliff.
Jeff sneezed and sent the car of the cliff.

To be fair, an argument could be made for rewriting the second example so that it doesn’t require an adverb: 'Jeff sneezed and the car veered to the right, teetering off the cliff edge.' But that brings us into the world of show vs. tell, which is all about S and we're only on A!

Santa Fe Trail

2011-03-18T00:00:00.136-04:00

Again, many thanks to Roland Yeomans from Writing in the Crosshairs for swinging by on his THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS blog tour. If you didn't get a chance to drop in yesterday, do yourself a favor and click here to read Roland's fascinating reflections on world building.

I'm off to the not-so-wilds of NM for a couple of weeks. Don't scold, I'll have my WIP with me, and I do plan to attend Left Coast Crime 2011. Yes, it's a legitimate conference, and no, I can't explain why Left Coast Crime is being held in Santa Fe, a city nowhere near the left coast (or any other coast for that matter).

Don't forget the A-Z Blogging Challenge begins April 1. My first entries are set to auto-post, so I'm ready. How about you???

My posts will meet you back here on April 1, and

I'll be here in person on April 4

I'm outta here! Take care y'all!

TOUR: World Building with Roland Yeomans

2011-03-17T00:00:00.076-04:00

Today is a very special day, indeed. Not only is it St. Patrick's Day (you may have noticed an excess of green around here), but far more exciting, the über talented Roland Yeomans from Writing in the Crosshairs is here to talk about world building and his new Kindle ebook, THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS.

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Welcome, Roland and Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's great to have you on this side of the comments. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your blog tour. Let's dive right in, shall we?

I know you've touched on this in earlier interviews, but for benefit of readers who haven't been able to follow every step of your tour, tell us a little about the world you created for THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS and what sparked it?

♣ My mother, of course, wove stories in the frigid darkness of that frozen-in Detroit basement apartment. She used legends she remembered of Celtic heroes and the mysterious Sidhe. She also used the teaching tales told her by her Grandmother. I rembered her teaching tales to me. Those I used as well. But as I grew older, I built on what she had given me.

What were the moral codes of the Celts, Sidhe, the Lakota, and the other races still living in Hibbs' strange world without the White race?
Why did I remove the White race?

We sometimes think: oh, if only there were no Moslems to terrorize us, no Russian Evil Empire, no Chinese Giant threatening us with its sheer size and icy regard of us! You could go further: if only no rich, no elite, no Republicans, no Democrats, no politics.

John Lennon said: if only no religion, no faith in God.

I chose to remove the Whyte race. And those races that remained still warred with each other.

The supernaturals were no better. They massed into the horde called the Darklings to terrorize those less powerful and fewer than they. The Sidhe ate their own in endless clan feuds. Which is why Hibbs found that there were far fewer males than females due to the casualties. Also I showed different ways in which the void of the Whyte race had robbed the world in literature, invention, and social progress. I could have removed the black race or the Chinese or the gender of men, making women have infants another way or making the remaining people immortal -- all showing why the parts of the whole each have their vital function -- showing it takes all the colors to bring depth to the canvas we call life. But I had other themes to interweave in my story, and the thirty Iscariot coins demanded I remove the Whyte race as the catalyst, which sets Hibbs on his quest.

Most of us are writers here, so I have to ask, how much world-building do you do before you put fingers to keyboard?

♣ I do a "crime board" of sorts, showing how economics, religion, politics, and greed impact the world I made.

In FRENCH QUARTER NOCTURNE, I envisioned a world of layers.

First: the layer of the world we see now about us.

Second: the world behind the curtains where revenant Abigail Adams rules America Corps as Madame President. And Empress Theodora rules Europe's revenants in a form of the Roman Empire that never truly went away -- but rules the European state heads from the shadows. And China and Japan being ruled by aliens fleeing Lovecraft's Old Ones (Ningyo's). In essence, the Ningyo rule the revenants even through the use of their advanced intellect. No slave is so useful as the one who thinks himself King.

Third: Samuel McCord, having been dragged against his will in the mid 1860's by President Johnson and then Grant into shepherding a treaty which granted the Lakota their own nation in America's center -- he made damn sure the treaty with his name attached would never be broken: Neither Indian or White may cross the borders of the Great Indian Nation. Deadwood acts as the embassy of sorts for the U.S.A. Of course, both Indian tribes and the American government hate McCord.

When you put such detail into your world, the plot seems to take on a life of its own, raising, then answering intriguing questions.

Do you approach world building in the same way for all your stories? Is it more difficult to create a world from scratch than to start with a well-known city like New Orleans and build from there?

  ♣ When you research the legends and ghost stories of New Orleans. It sparks story ideas. Of course, old-standing musings take part too. Watching JURASSIC PARK, I wondered if Man evolved from apes, what manner of being would have evolved from raptors? How would they live, where, and what would their social structure be?  

I considered New Orleans with its proximity to water and the waterways, then the swamps would be an ideal location. I looked for an applicable Indian legend and found the Soyoko -- who then proceeded to makes the lives of Samuel McCord and Victor Standish ... interesting (especially when civilization died after Katrina.) Think about building a house from scratch, then re-modeling. The re-modeling is always the more challenging and difficult of the two. Starting from scratch gives you elbow room and leeway to adapt that remodeling does not. Same with world-building.

What else do you want us to know about world building or THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS?

♣ With THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS, world building became a musing game. What myth would I use for the Sidhe? Having decided upon the myth of them being the undecided angels in the war of Question against Answer, I had to decide what their fate would do to their mind-set, their aspirations, their very natures.

I decided that you take you wherever you go. Undecided some of them would always stay. Some would rebel against their former choice of not deciding and rush rashly into one disasterous mistake after another. Some would choose the middle course, reflecting then acting -- usually as meddlers in human affairs.

When I started world building in my fable. I thought about the world ... as the Lakota saw her. The Turquoise Woman. And I set about to insert her into the reason why the Whyte race was no longer around -- and nto the solution. I thought about what her perspective would be : certainly global, certainly not particulary fond of the maggots called Man that chiseled away at her or ignored her completely.

And what would her personality be like? Certainly shaped by the totality of all she saw, all the life forms on her body. Would she feel lonely with no one to share it with? It occurred to me lonely would be too small a word for what she felt. And that would set her up to be manipulated and betrayed by the being calling himself The Dagda, who also saw the cosmic view.

Lonely, betrayed, cast aside, The Turquoise Woman would do what? Like a human bereft of her only child, perhaps she would snatch a child not her own. What would happen then? And so Hibbs, the bear with two shadows, had his beginnings and his end.

What question didn't I ask that I should have?

♣ None. You did a brilliant job, Viva. You humble me with your great kindness and insight. I hope I did some small justice to your questions.

Okay, I probably shouldn't have included that last bit - now I'm blushing. But this is exactly why you are so well-loved, Roland. You make us feel special. Thank you so much and best of luck with THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS. It's been an honor having you here today. I hope you will return with each new book - I foresee many in your future.

Synopsis of

THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS

In a land just beyond your mirror lies a realm few discover. It is a magical, dangerous dimension. There lurks your darkest nightmares and your fondest hopes.

For nearly two thousand winters there, the seasons have flowed inevitably one into another. Life is as it always has been. The Huron war with the Iroquois, the Commanche with the Lakota, and the Apache with everyone.

Across the great waters, the Mongul storm the great wall of Chin. The samurai of Nippon invade Indus. And the vast Collisium lies in ruins, overgrown with vines and olive trees.

The deer and bear roam the deserted villages of Gaul. And the lonely wind whispers through the towering monoliths of Stonehenge. The race called Whyte is not even a memory. Except to Estanatlehi, The Turquoise Woman, once named Gaia, Goddess of the Earth, by the People she alone remembers.

All of which means exactly nothing to the young bear Hibbs. For as long as he can remember, he has been raised by The Turquoise Woman, whom he simply calls GrandMother.

Trained by her, hunted by the Lakota, accompanied by the strange hawk, Little Brother, Hibbs has happily ambled from mountain to desert to forest, even sometimes across the great waters.

Often he has asked GrandMother why she has led him to so many different lands. The answer has always been : Because a moving target is harder to hit.

He thinks it is a joke. It is not. He is hunted by more than the Lakota. He is being hunted by a being now known as the Gray Bear, though that has not always been his name.

Hibbs is the unknowing key to rescuing the race once called Whyte from oblivion. For that very purpose the Turquoise Woman has raised and trained him. But now she repents of her actions.

She has grown to love the young bear. And for the Whyte race to live, Hibbs must die.

So she has hidden him in the ancient land of Eire, home of all manner of strange beasts and wonders, ruled by the stag-being Cernunnos. Here she hopes she can cause Hibbs to be lost among so many fearsome creatures.

It is a vain hope.

Hibbs, large of heart, bold of spirit, cannot see pain without trying to help. He has become a healer. And heal he will do no matter how much Cernunnos protests.

And protest the tyrant does -- with his vast army of Darklings. To survive, Hibbs and Little Brother must escape, using a mysterious construct called a Sidhe Mound.

Estanatlehi sees her plan to save Hibbs further unravel as the bear and hawk find themselves in Avalon, now being bloodied by an eon-long civil war.

There, in the crystal and gold palace of Caer Wydr, Hibbs interrupts the dark ritual, Diatheke, setting the race called Whyte a step closer to their destiny and himself into a desperate struggle of spirit with the Gray Bear.

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Okay, folks, Roland is offering some AWESOME signed editions to celebrate his blog tour:

• NARCISSUS IN CHAINS by Laurell K. Hamilton

• ODD THOMAS by Dean Koontz

• HANGING OUT with the DREAM KING by Neil Gaiman

• WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE by Jim Butcher

To enter, leave a comment.

For another TWO entries: Link to Twitter or Facebook. (Be sure to email Roland at rxena77@yahoo.com to let him know.)

AND if you post a legit review of THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS on Amazon by March 31, you will get THREE entries in the drawing. (Drawing on April 1)

Don't miss Roland's next tour stop: tomorrow you'll find him at N.R. Williams, Fantasy Author

And now, T&A! Wait, sorry. I meant Q&A

2011-03-14T00:00:00.028-04:00

Let’s begin with Q.

Q is for Question, and here is mine:

Once a month I do a wrap-up review of my previous month's reads. It amounts to a line or two of description, followed by what I did or did not like about the books. I try to be specific about what doesn’t work for me so that readers get an idea whether or not the book might work for them. I am very sensitive to the fact that just because I don’t like a book doesn’t mean you, or that guy sitting next to you, won't enjoy it.

Occasionally in my reading, I come up against a book that truly disappoints. I HATE writing bad reviews. I never want to discourage anyone from reading. Still, I refuse to fib and say I liked a book that I hated.

Here comes the question part.

Does it bother you when someone criticizes a book? We all know the author worked hard. That alone deserves a nod, doesn't it? How best to review a book I don't like? If I can’t say anything nice, should I leave the book out of my wrap-up? Or mention it by title without a review? Are you ok with bad reviews as long as they're civil and delivered with respect?

Please share your thoughts!

❧❧❧❧❧❧❧

Moving on to A.

A is for Announcements, and here they are:

The amazing Roland D. Yeomans from Writing Through the Crosshairs will be here on Thursday (St. Patrick’s Day!) to talk about world building and his recent ebook release, THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS. Learn about the rich archive of myth and lore from which Roland draws to create not just his characters, but the worlds they occupy,

If you haven’t yet signed up for the A to Z Blogging Challenge, well why not? Twenty six letters in the alphabet, 26 posting Days in April, it's a match made in heaven! Visit Arlee Bird's blog Tossing it Out and sign up today.

You may have noticed I’m so excited about the challenge, I got in a little practice with today post.

Have a great week!

February Reading Wrap Up

2011-03-10T00:00:00.017-05:00

My Reading goal for February was three novels. I barely made it through two. Anyone have a problem with that? I didn't think so. Read on for all the detes.

February’s Round-up
THE DEVOTION OF SUBJECT X and A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES

In Keigo Higashino's THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X, the question is not who dunnit, but can they get away with it? When divorced, single mother Yasuko strangles her savage and abusive ex-husband, Yasuko's neighbor, the admiring and analytical math teacher Ishigami, disposes of the body and meticulously plans a cover up. Soon, the police are on the scene aided by brilliant physics professor—nickname Gallileo—an old schoolmate of Ishigami's. A riveting game of wits between Ishigami and the authorities ensues. THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X somehow manages to be both spare and complex. While it's true the story centers on an intellectual battle, it is also a book about passions and how they drive us. I think this is the third or fourth book in Higashino's "Gallileo" series. I hope it proves successful here. I'd love to see the earlier books translated.

Deborah Harkness's A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is the tale of a long lost alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, discovered in Oxford’s Bodleian Library by visiting Yale historian and witch-in-denial, Diana Bishop. The manuscript leads Diana to 1,500 year old vampire Matthew Clairmont, and a ho-hum romance follows. I really wanted to like this book. For one thing I hate to give bad reviews. For another, the book sounded fun. Witches and vampires all thrown into a box and tied up with history and science? What could be better? Regardless of what you may have read or will read, science and history have little to do with A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. While the University scenes are well done—not surprising given that the author is a history professor at USC. Unfortunately, a tell versus show writing style, absolutely no chemistry between the two main characters, and a weak protagonist who spends far too much time eating, sleeping and describing her clothes, made the 600 pages a slog for me. Now you know why I read only two books last month.

How about you. Read any good books lately?

Joyeux Mardi Gras!

2011-03-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

First things first. Congratulations to

Carol Kilgore, who received a Derringer nomination

for her flash fiction, “Blues in the Night”

(May 2010 edition of Dark Valentine).

and to

Donna Hole, whose short story

“Two Minutes in Tomorrow”

will be published in Bewildering Stories

(March 28, 2011, issue #424).

Toss the confetti, open the bubbly, and applause all around!

Ladies, you are an inspiration!

* * *

COURIR de MARDI GRAS: A Cultural Tradition

Today is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, your last chance to party before Lent. If you are in search of some Mardi Gras history, check out Roland Yeomans's post from yesterday. Roland also outlines his blog tour in the post. The tour begins today. Don't miss it!

Okay, back to Mardi Gras.

When folks think of Louisiana and Mardi Gras, it’s usually New Orleans that pops into their heads: alcohol, parades, half-naked women and beads.

But Southern Louisiana culture is fascinating and varied despite the fact that New Orleans seems to get credit for the majority of it. Take Cajun and Zydeco music. Regardless of what you may have heard, neither is indigenous to New Orleans. They belong to rural Southern Louisiana. This isn’t to say New Orleans shirked her cultural responsibilities. Far from it. Please credit her for American Creole culture, fine Creole cuisine, and hot jazz.

But in rural Acadiana, the twenty-two parishes that make up "Cajun Country," Mardi Gras is less about beads and parades and more about a tradition that dates from Medieval France now called the Courir de Mardi Gras: Fat Tuesday Run.

There are plenty of idiosyncratic local twists, but here's the gist. Participants in the Courir costume up, and led by un captaine, walk or ride horseback from house to house to beg for ingredients for gumbo. To be specific, they beg for a chicken. Every few stops, a resident of one of the houses throws a live chicken in the air and participants give chase.

At the end of the Courir, it’s back to where the revelers began for dancing and food. This is a community and family event. Less nudity and alcohol, more bonding and tradition. [Roland, I know you’re not riding horses or chasing live chickens in urban Lake Charles, but if I have any of this wrong, please correct me].

Southern Louisiana is near and dear to my heart. It's a place of unique and astonishing natural beauty as well as rich culture. If you're ever lucky enough to visit, get out of New Orleans, open your eyes, your ears, and yes, your mouth, and savour the amazing diversity.

Tell me your favorite place to visit! The only stipulation? It must be in the country where you live.

Mardi Gras, Mamou, Louisiana 2010

Joyeux Mardi Gras!

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Worth Writing About

2011-03-04T00:00:00.054-05:00

THE CRUSADES
First order of business: a brief introduction to the AWESOME members of my Mystery/Cozy’s/Suspense/Thrillers Crusader group. Treat yourself! Visit their blogs. Follow them on Twitter. You'll be glad you did.

❧ Sarah Tate (The Sarah Tate Blog) [Twitter]

❧ PJ Lincoln (PJ Writes) [Twitter]

❧ Jordan McCollum (Jordan McCollum) [Twitter]

❧ Susan L-S (Wiggle Room: Because Every Writer Needs A Room of Her Own) [Twitter]

❧ Sierra Gardner (Sierra's Writing Adventure) [Twitter]

❧ Juniper (Title to be Determined Later)

❧ Clarissa Draper (Listen To The Voices) [Twitter]

AWARDS
Second item on the agenda: AWARDS - you know, those things I said I wouldn’t sit on, but I lied?

A huge Thank you to the following bloggers for sharing the honors below. I hope you're following these bloggers. You're not? That's okay, too. It's never too late to right a wrong.

At left: the gorgeous Happy Blogger Award came to me from the talented Tricia J. O’Brien @ Talespinning.

The yummy Cherry On Top/ Life is Good Award (yes, it is!) was passed on by the delightful Carol Kilgore @ Under the Tiki Hut. With it came a challenge question: If I had the chance to go back and change one thing in my life, would I, and what would it be?
The answer: No, I’d change nothing. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, but I’ve learned some hard, valuable lessons along the way. If I HAD to pick one thing to change, well ... I just wouldn’t.

The always inspirational Words Crafter @ The Rainy Day Wanderer shared both the wonderful Write Hard Award and the Pass the Love 2011 Badge. Appropriate, because I love these!

New blogger and fellow Crusader, E.C. Smith @ E.C.’s Ramblings flattered me with the Stylish Blogger Award. This award requires that I reveal seven things about myself. Fortunately, I made this confession in an earlier post, which you can read here.

Okay Gentile Readers, do you see an award that calls to you? Please take it for your own. Just keep in mind any of the caveats mentioned above. Each and every one of you is amazing and deserving of every award that finds its way to you.

That’s a wrap for this week.

As always, go out and make it a weekend worth writing about!

Tips & Tricks: Characters—pantsers only need apply

2011-02-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you draft a twenty page in-depth character profile for your protagonist before you begin to write? Then walk away. This post isn’t for you. This post is for the pantser who sets pen to paper, scratch that, fingers to keyboard, and lets her plot and characters develop on the page, the writer who is so genuinely in the dark about where his story and characters will lead, that every plot twist is a surprise.

Recognize yourself? Then read on.

Plots can be hammered out as you go, but for readers to connect with your characters, the characters must be consistent. This doesn’t mean Tom, Dick, and Mary can’t evolve. What it does mean is, you’d better have some idea who your primary characters are from page one.

So what's a pantser do? Whip out a fifteen page bio? Don’t be ridiculous, we’re pantsers and we’re proud!

For me, the answer is a quick CHARACTER MAP. This is a SINGLE-PAGE (at most) info sheet with just enough superficial facts to get me started but not enough info to inhibit my character’s growth on the page.

While the first half of my CHARACTER MAP is a bio sketch, the second half is devoted to the character's story arc. This includes wants, obstacles, and needs - often described as GCMs = goal conflict motivation, if you’re into that jargon. Me? I prefer words to acronyms. Probably why I'm a writer.

Because you're a pantser, you may have trouble completing much of the character arc section before you begin to write. Doesn't matter. Having the questions in front of you will keep them alive in your mind. That's important, because character is the crux of any well-told story. Eventually, you will have the answers.

And if you don't? Not an option. Keep writing until you do.

Below is a copy of my blank character map worksheet. If you're game, modify it to suit you and give it a try. Remember, it shouldn't take more than few minutes to fill out, and completed, it should not exceed one page.

Will the answers change as you write? Possibly, maybe even probably. The character map is just a starting point, a level field to begin developing your characters.

Okay pantsers, I've shared my character building tip. What d'you have for me today?

January Reading Wrap Up + Lie Reveal

2011-02-23T00:00:00.004-05:00

LIE REVEAL for Monday’s Crusader Challenge Post: The legging/panty episode happened exactly as described, except it occurred immediately outside the main entrance of the Kirkland, Washington, Costco. It *is* true that I once horribly embarrassed myself in front of a class, and that I was discussing research methodologies at the time. I refuse to provide additional details (look at the photo). Yes, I was applauded.

* * *

Reading goal for January was four novels. Number read was five. YES!

January’s Round-up
THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE, SANDMAN SLIM, AMERICAN GODS, THE PERICLES COMMISSION, THE SENTRY. This is a lot of books so I’m going to keep these brief as possible.

THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE by Katherine Howe tells the tale of Harvard Graduate student, Connie, who spends a summer sorting through her deceased grandmother’s things. When she finds a Bible, a mysterious note and a key, the story is off and running. The book shifts between 1991 Marblehead Massachusetts (Connie’s present) and late 17the century Salem. While the storyline is intriguing—albeit derivative—the writing is weak. Stereotypical characters and flat prose had me skimming my way through the last 200 pages, wishing it were over. If you want to read a book about the Salem witch trials, consider reading THE HERETIC’S DAUGHTER by Kathleen Kent instead.

After eleven years in Hell (where he worked as an assassin), Richard Kadrey’s SANDMAN SLIM, part-time hit man/full-time magician, returns to Los Angeles to find out who betrayed him and killed his girlfriend. If you like anti-heroes, James Stark (Sandman Slim) is your man. A great cynical voice combined with non-stop action make this dark urban fantasy shine. Although one can’t help but think of Butcher’s Harry Dresden, I find dark and gritty Stark a more compelling hero. There’s no hesitancy in this book. If you are sensitive about language and/or violence, it probably isn’t for you.

Eesh, I always try to sum up books in a couple of lines, but Neil Gaiman’s AMERICAN GODS is the biggest challenge yet. The novel is essentially a picaresque, describing the adventures of protagonist, ex-con Shadow Moon in a world where the gods of yore, now relocated to North America, are ready to go head to head with contemporary deities, the “gods of credit card and freeway, of Internet and telephone, of radio and hospital and television, gods of plastic and of beeper and of neon.” I enjoyed AMERICAN GODS, but not unlike Shadow Moon, the plot wandered. What resonated for me were the glimpses into Americans and American culture by an “outsider.” Gaiman wrote the book soon after he moved to the United States. His insights are poignant, sometimes barbed, yet there is great affection in the mirror he holds up. Not a perfect book by any means, but as with all Gaiman’s work, definitely worth your time.

In the THE PERICLES COMMISSION by Gary Corby, Nico, the son of a sculptor ends up an unwitting detective when the dead body of Ephialtes—an early leader of the democratic movement in Ancient Athens—lands in front of him on the street. THE PERICLES COMMISSION is a smart, clever high stakes murder mystery couched in fascinating history and politics. Anyone who reads this blog likely knows I’m not a big fan of procedurals. For THE PERICLES COMMISSION, I’ll make an exception. What makes this story work is not that Nico is an engaging amateur sleuth (he is, but they're a dime a dozen), or the wit and charm of the storytelling (there’s no end of clever, engaging mysteries on bookstore shelves), it’s the riveting social, cultural, and political history that Gary weaves in seamlessly throughout the tale. He reminds us that history doesn’t live through chronologies, it lives through the people.

My final book for January is THE SENTRY by Robert Crais. Although this book comes late in this Elvis Cole/Joe Pike Series, it's the first of Crais's work I’ve read. It begins with sometimes-mercenary Joe Pike interceding in a gang shakedown at a sandwich shop. He saves the day and falls for the niece of the shop owner. As it turns out, neither the woman nor her uncle are who they purport to be. When the pair disappear—well, you get the idea. I don’t feel I can adequately review this book other than to say it didn’t work for me as a stand-alone. The story was nothing special, and I wasn’t vested enough in the characters to care. To be fair to Mr. Crais, at some point in the future, I will go back and start with book one. My only recommendation: if you haven’t read Robert Crais, THE SENTRY is probably not the best place to start.

How about you? Read anything fun last month? Reading a great book now? Share! What’s one more book on my TBR pile?