J.T. Ellison's Blog, page 11

Friday Reads 5.31.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa (or two), and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

Hello from New York! I’m here for Thrillerfest, aka summer camp for thriller authors. It’s so amazing to see old friends, make new ones, meet with the team, and otherwise hang out in one of the most fun places in the world. And the food. Y’all. I have eaten so incredibly well up here. My keto diet is not endangered at all—so many seafood salads and bowls of berries… YUM!

Today is panels and interviews, as is tomorrow, and then the big awards gala tomorrow night. I am still a little shocked that I’m up for two awards: IT’S ONE IS US for Best Novel and THESE COLD STRANGERS for Best Short Story. I have said it time and again, the honor is in the nomination, and I am beyond honored. And excited. No matter the outcome, it’s going to be a fun night.

As you can imagine at a thriller conference, there are too many books to count, and because it’s been go go go and no reading time, I thought I’d do something a little different this week. I had a fantastic extended breakfast with one of my nearest and dearest, and once we’d caught up on life in general, we talked about writing and books. We were talking about a specific story theme, and over the course of our breakfast, I suggested several to her, and she suggested several to me, so I thought I’d share!

Let’s start with my friend’s debut, one of my all-time favorite crime novels, EATING THE CHESHIRE CAT by Helen Ellis. It's a superb and twisted little crime novel that everyone should read. I’ve always loved it, and one of my friends said hey, I met someone you might like, her name is Helen Ellis. And I said — THE Helen Ellis? Cheshire Cat Helen Ellis? And now we’re very good friends, and life is so cool.

Here are the book we talked about over breakfast.

A sly and devious novel from multiple points of view, SORORITY by Genevieve Sly Crane is a superb look inside a sorority house after the death of one of the sisters.

THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain was one of my favorites of 2021. I found it unbelievably compelling, and really hammers home the concept of nature versus nurture. Phenomenal book.

Lisa Unger’s latest THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B has that really fun aspect of a being a “building book”— a story set in an old-school NY apartment building, which is so much fun. I love that particular closed-circle setting for a thriller, and this one is a stellar example. (Bonus building books reads: Georgina Cross’s NANNY NEEDED, and Riley Sager’s LOCK EVERY DOOR.)

Christine Coulson’s ONE WOMAN SHOW is a wildly unique look at a golden-age New York socialite’s life told through the medium of museum wall hangings. Seventy-five words at a time, Christine gives us erudite and elegant descriptions of Kitty’s highs and lows. It is absolutely remarkable.

When you’re thinking about modern culture, one of my oft-suggested must-read books is Karen Armstrong’s A SHORT HISTORY OF MYTH gives a wonderful perspective of the various epochs we’ve experienced as a society, starting with the hunter-gatherers. She ends before our current epoch — something I posit should be called the worship of self. Cool book.

I mentioned a classic that I’d read last week, Ira Levin’s STEPFORD WIVES, and my friend recommended ROSEMARY’S BABY, which I probably read as a kid but not as an adult. I’m going to read that one shortly. I’m not sure I’m thrilled about the horror aspect, but I figure I can skip over the scary stuff, yeah?

Another suggestion she had was THE TEACHER by Freida McFadden. I haven’t read any of Freida’s work, so I am anxious to dive in!

And the last book she recommended was ALL FOURS, which is apparently a fascinating listen, read by the author, Miranda July.

For those of you who followed along about 88 last week, there’s sad news from the rancher in southwest Kansas. I admit, I wasn’t surprised they lost the calf, but losing 88 has had me in quite the funk. There’s one bright spot, though. My granddaddy ran the Philadelphia stockyards and always wanted to talk cattle. I know he’s up there in cattleman heaven saying, “This? It took this to get you interested?”

The 22 Steps series continues with Step Seven: The Daily Grind (60K and Counting) where I do a deep dive into the stats of this book and series.

And for you fantasy fans, the Jayne Thorne series is now wide, which also means my librarians can get the digital books for their systems as well as the print. And I did a full rebrand. and y’all. I am in LOVE!!! Also, the new book is up for preorder. It will be in Kindle Unlimited for 90 days then will go wide with the rest. Print, as always, will be available everywhere books are sold or borrowed.

That’s it from me. How about you? How has it been going? I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend! Any recommendations?

PS: Don’t forget bunny rabbits tomorrow for the first of June!

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Step Seven: The Daily Grind (60K and Counting)

Hello! It’s been a minute since we chatted, and 25,000 words later, this story is actually starting to look like a book. It’s the point in the process where I feel like I will never get to the end because there is so much story left to tell, and then, suddenly, a month from now, I’ll be staring down the barrel of the climax and be shocked that I’m there…

Read more

Friday Reads 5.28.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa (or two, maybe a thermos), and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

In the infamous words of Randy Quaid in Independence Day… I’m back!

What a wonderful few weeks off. Randy and I set up camp in Colorado, hiding away in the woods where I grew up. We didn’t tell anyone we were there so we wouldn’t have any distractions. It was a great success. Over 10,000 new words on the book, got to see my parents, did some hiking, ruminating, and self-therapy, saw my brother and his kids, played some (albeit chilly) golf, saw the Northern Lights, made friends with a massive great horned owl, and had extensive one-on-one time with a charm of hummingbirds who were settling in after their migration. It was cold at night, below freezing, and I know it was early for the feeder, but that chilly, sugary water probably saved a few of the littlest souls. I also saw a hummer I’d never seen before, jet black and white (black-chinned is the breed), whom we named Checkers. He hung out for a couple of days, then was off on his quest. What a cool blessing.

It’s quiet in the woods—unless the chinooks blow, which they did, merrily. Quiet enough, though, to light a fire and enjoy the scenery and let the creative spirit take hold. It was a long-overdue break from the real world, and I’ve returned feeling lighter of spirit. For a while now, I have not felt externally creative as far as the performative social scrolls go. I think I’m biding my time for the release of the new book, storing up the extra energy that goes into a book launch. Or is it just me? Do any of you feel the draw to words instead of pictures lately? To go deep instead of quick and easy? Maybe it’s because the algorithms keep changing, the goalposts keep moving, and the perpetual Charlie-Brown-kicking-the-football of social media is wearing thin. That is probably why Threads is blooming, though it, too, has its problems. Either way, I was three weeks late on my deliverables to my video manager, and I am so relieved to have that done and to be back here, chatting with you.

So, all that said… let’s talk books!

I didn’t read quite as much as I would have liked, but I did get through several good ones.

SOCIOPATH by Patric Gagne was everything. I had heard some negative things about it, and I’m so glad I ignored those comments and went in with an open heart and mind. This book is a raw, barbaric yawp of a woman who is seeking connection—and love—in the ways she knows how while also educating people on what her diagnosis really means. Fascinating, heartfelt, and educational, it was a total win for me.

THE STEPFORD WIVES by Ira Levin is a classic for a reason. Both this and the book above are research titles for my new book, and I admit I didn’t get exactly what I needed from the book. The movies are more in line with my thought process, fleshing out where the story could—should—go, so they’re on the list to watch next.

ONE PERFECT COUPLE by Ruth Ware is out now, and I got a chance to sit down with her last night in Nashville and chat. Ruth is a great author, a really hardworking author, and watching her be toured is fascinating because she has a cult following now. This book is really good, with all sorts of ethical malfeasance. Our conversation was taped; I’ll post a link when it goes live.

I’m halfway through THE STOLEN HEIR by Holly Black, and confession time, this is my first fantasy novel since IRON FLAME. Yes, that’s six months between fantasy books. Part of that is intentional—I’m gearing up to do the revision on book 5 of the Jayne Thorne series, and have waited to get into the frame of mind—but also a testament to how glorious Holly’s work is, because it’s shaking me out of the fantasy slump. This world of Elphame she’s created is truly magnificent and creative.

I’m also listening to Suzanne Collins’ prequel to the Hunger Games series, THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES, and it’s great. It is deep and moving, and I can already see how our future President Snow is going to be twisted into the hateful creature he becomes. I always have loved a villain origin story, and this is not disappointing.

And some shoutout for future reads:

MAD LOVE—the audio original written and directed by Wendy Walker—is out now. Wendy is a brilliant author (who outlines, I will add), and there’s pretty much nothing she can’t do. I’m excited to listen to this full-cast production.

MY PERFECT HUSBAND by Georgina Cross came out last week, and I can’t wait to read it! Her books are always intriguing.

I have a galley of THE WILDS by Sarah Pearse—also a must-read author for me. Cant’ wait to dig into that, probably after Thrillerfst.

And Jeneva Rose has a new book out that’s burning up the New York Times bestseller list (GO J GO!) HOME IS WHERE THE BODIES ARE is by all accounts a tour de force thriller, and I intend to get a signed copy in NY next week. I missed her in Nashville by one day, and I was so bummed!

Phew! That’s a lot!!! But wait… there’s more!

While I was gone, I did an interview with fellow author Kristen Bird, in which she christened me the fairy godauthor (I think because I tend to tell it like it is but try to do so in an uplifting manner.) It’s a wide-ranging interview with lots of career details, so it's good for you writers looking to break in.

Print Runs & PaychecksJ.T. Ellison, fairy godauthorNew York Times Bestselling Author J.T. Ellison is not only a fantastic storyteller (with 30+ books), but also a wise and generous advice giver, so I’m thrilled that she offered her time to share the insights below, much of which she said she’s “never before revealed” (I know…Read morea day ago · 1 like · 1 comment · Kristen Bird

I also came across this very interesting article on the reason behind seasonality in publishing schedules.

I’ve also been avidly following the Twitter feed of a rancher in southwest Kansas who has the most pregnant cow in the universe. After the collective awe of the Aurora Borealis showing itself to the whole US, I wanted more happiness from my feed, and the wholesome education in both the challenges of farming in the US and cow husbandry has helped ground me. I grew up in the 4H world, and this is right up my alley. Much love to 88!

That’s it from me. How about you? How has it been going? I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend! Any recommendations?

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Friday Reads 5.3.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

Hello from…elsewhere! I’m at 25,000 feet as you read this, jetting off for a writing retreat. I’m at a critical juncture on the new book, and, for a while now, have been planning to slip away to get some serious work done in a totally focused environment. I want to be thinking about the book—and only about the book. I have five other projects in various stages of completion, and they’re distracting me. I happened to catch a ticket sale, so I booked it, and off I went.

I’m combining this getaway with a two-week digital detox so I can stay really deep. I’ve deleted all social media from my phone and iPad, loaded up instead on good books in all formats, and plan to have a very quiet, writing-centric time. It helps that the wifi/cellular where I’m headed isn’t the best. I thought it important to alleviate all distractions so I could be very present. For the first 10 days, it will be work like mad. Then I’m joined by family, so it will be work like mad at half speed. I hope to come back having turned a corner. Super excited to see what this break brings.

But that means no Friday Reads for a couple of weeks. I’ll be back May 24, with hopefully tons of words done, gearing up for the trip to NYC and Thrillerfest madness.

These deep work times are absolutely vital to my process. I’ve normally already had one solid break by this time of the year, but my social media sabbatical wasn’t as…complete as I wanted. This time, I know you will all give me total leave to disappear entirely. I debated whether to post an entire blog today or not since I won’t be in the comments to cheer you on, but I love the community we’ve formed, and I love it when you chat amongst yourselves.

In the meantime…

I (finally) finished SLOW PRODUCTIVITY this weekend, and what perfect timing to take all of the thoughtful discourse right into a retreat. It’s a great book, and if you’ve never read any of Cal’s work before, a great place to start. It’s a boon companion to DEEP WORK, for sure. Why did it take me so long? Heh. I’m distracted, and I wanted to pay attention. (Really, the universe gives you what you want — but also what you need, if you’re paying attention. See above regarding ✈️ 🎟️.) I was reading* in three formats — print, ebook, and audio, depending on what my attention span could take, but mostly audio — so it really did take me a while. But one of the big takeaways is something I’ve always tried to follow: Do your deep creative work somewhere other than where you do your business work. Even if that means taking your laptop into a different room (or a different state), tricking your brain into knowing this is deep time really helps.

(*Hot Take: Reading is reading no matter your chosen format. Yes, this was a huge controversy this past weekend. No, I am not going to link out. It’s ridiculous.)

I also read THE SUCCESS MYTH which bolstered many of the thoughts I’ve been having about my career and life of late. I had a long chat with my BFF/therapist this weekend about how to go about this sabbatical, and she encouraged me to lean in and do the full disappear-for-a-few-weeks break. Emma’s book had the exact same message in a slightly different format. Really great stuff if you find yourself suddenly questioning what success looks and feels like. (Remember, my definition of success is FINISHING, and I haven’t finished anything yet this year despite having written 50k of fiction, so…)

I pulled the trigger on SOCIOPATH from the library this morning. It’s perfectly timed for where I am in the book, and I hope it brings me a lot of great insights. It’s one thing to read about a serious personality disorder in the DSM-5. It’s a completely different approach to hear from a person who identifies with the term.

The divine Kerry Lonsdale’s FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA didn’t disappoint. I gobbled it up, completely hooked from page one. She’s such a great storyteller. You’ll love Matt and Julia as much as I did, guaranteed. (Head’s up, it does involve elderly memory care, in case that’s something you’re not interested in reading right now, though it’s handled with grace.)

My preordered, first edition, signed copy (SQUEE!) of Erik Larsen’s THE DEMON OF UNREST came just before I left, too. Thanks to the Poisoned Pen for securing me a copy. Larsen’s THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE was one of my favorites a couple of years ago, and I have high hopes for this new tome. Erik's books find that sweet spot of history that you don’t know the details of, and it’s fascinating.

Nichole Severn’s THE GIRL WHO SURVIVED is coming out Tuesday, and I hope you’ll jump on it. This is her first full-blown suspense, and I’ve heard great things!

I’m also packing up a slew of books to take with, including Kate White’s THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HIM. I love Kate’s books and if you haven’t read her, this is a great place to jump in. Superb standalone suspense.

And DEAR WRITER, YOU NEED TO QUIT by Becca Syme, which arrived on my birthday, a surprise from our dear I was touched and can’t wait to dive in!

(Yes, this week I’m officially another year older, and hopefully, another year wiser, too. Go, team Taurus!)

won the $25 indie bookstore gift card last week! Loved seeing all your indie faves.

That’s it from me. How about you? Good week? I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend! Any recommendations?

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Friday Reads 4.26.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

It’s not only Friday but indie bookstore weekend!!! I highly encourage you to visit your local indie tomorrow and show your support — and if you can’t make it to them, give the closest a call. They will be happy to pre-order a certain big pink book for you (wink wink, nod nod 😜)

People, it has been a week. Every once in a while, I feel like those professors in the movies whose hair is sticking out in all directions, and they’re standing in their offices, staring at the stacks of books and piles of papers befuddled. I look at them and say — I see you, nutty professor, and I up your overwhelmed befuddlement with three doses of you missed a stack and what in the hell is happening in the world.

Yes. I got overwhelmed earlier this week. It happens. While I’d like to pretend I’m only writing my novel (hello, editor dear, if you’re reading, that *is* all I’m doing, nothing to see here) but there are some weeks that are the perfect storm, and that was the first half of this week. Short story edits, newsletters, blogs, blurb books, Joss stuff, backlist titles (boy do I have a fun surprise coming for YOU!) scandals (I pulled out in January) and debates (I disagree with this thesis)… there’s just not been enough time in the day. The stress gave me a happy little flare, so I lurched around for a couple of days, but that’s better. Might have been the cheese, who knows. The upside of the cheese: learned how to make asparagus properly at last, so que sera sera. (It’s the blanching…) Adding it to a Parmesan cream sauce… delightful.

Anyway. The good news is, the book is working!!! I made a bunch of changes and the next thing you know…words. Creepy, dark words. I am over the moon. I wrote all weekend, and it all finally started gelling. Got back to it in full force yesterday, and it’s been a great writing week.

I am reading an absolute blast of a book, SPLINTER EFFECT by Andrew Ludington. This is a rollicking adventure featuring a chrono-archeologist who is tasked with going back in time to save a famed menorah from ancient Rome. It is brilliant, has tons of historical context, a really cool sci-fi aspects with the time travel, and the main character, Rabbit, is really fun. And he has a nemesis, of course, a woman in the same field who keeps beating him to the goods. Combo quest, action, sci-fi, and I suspect a partnership is forming? Great book. If you like Indiana Jones, you’ll love this.

Next up is FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA by Kerry Lonsdale. I’ve been a huge fan of her work from day one, and I am so excited to have an advance copy of her latest! Kerry’s books have such soul, they are immersive character studies with gorgeous settings. One of my faves.

Hiding underneath the stack of books to my left is…drumroll please… a galley of Ruth Ware’s newest, ONE PERFECT COUPLE. I can’t tell you how loudly I cheered when I opened the package. Y’all know I’m a huge fan, and I’m super excited to chat with her again when she comes through Nashville for book tour in May! We had a blast last year.

My dad is a big Jack Carr fan, and his newest comes out in June. But ONLY THE DEAD, #6 in the series, is out in paperback… Hey dad, you can watch him talk with Barbara Peters at Poisoned Pen about it here…

Also, the wonderful Robert Dugoni was at the Pen this week chatting with Barbara. Man, if I lived in Scottsdale… But I live in Nashville which means I enjoy most of these online. You can learn so much about writing watching these interviews. Happily, Parnassus is going to start streaming select events as well - BRAVA!!!

In case you missed it, the April newsletter is out, in which I discuss all the publishing things.

—you won the A VERY BAD THING galley - please email or DM me your address!

I’m down to just a few copies so I’m going to pause AVBT giveaways for a bit, but this week, as a very special tribute to our indie stores, I will give a $25 giftcard to one of you to your favorite store - or one of mine. Leave a comment with your favorite indie bookseller so we can all learn about some great new places!

That’s it from me. How about you? Good week? Calmer than mine, I hope! I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend. Any recommendations?

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Friday Reads 4.19.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

It’s been a little lean on the reading side of things this week. I have a *very* good excuse…well, maybe not a very good excuse, but an excuse. We were finishing watching Ripley, which, I must say, gets a 98% thumbs up from me. I had one little quibble about the relationship between Dickie and Tom, (I wanted to see a little more chemistry on Dickie’s part, he was a touch too laconic) but as for the rest? It was worth sacrificing my night reading time to watch. Sumptuously shot in black and white, it is one of the most beautifully realized adaptations of Highmith’s seminal work I’ve ever experienced. And it is an experience.

Oh, and we had a snake in the kitchen. (You try reading after that.)

Oh, and I was reworking HLN from the ground up. (paywall)

Oh, and I got braces on Wednesday, and my head has been throbbing since. (You folks listening might hear my brand-new lisp. Joy.) I had the full Monty of braces, headgear, and rubber bands for years as a youngster—it was quite something to be thrust back into this world again. Teeth shift and move as you age, and mine were making it impossible to close my jaw completely. Wear your retainers, kids.

OK, no real excuses. Sorry. But I have plenty to talk with you about!!!

I finished at last THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW by I.S. Berry. I have FEELINGS, people. It’s a wonderfully written book with a lead who is quite the byronic hero. I don’t know that I liked him at the end—and I think that was exactly the point.

Friend of the blog Olivia Barry has a lovely new devotional called Mornings in 50 Words: Change Your Life One Word at a Time that you should check out! I might not want to tackle traditional morning pages and write three pages of stream of consciousness, but 50 words? That’s eminently doable.

Have y’all read Leif Enger yet? He’s a favorite of so I feel compelled to add him to my repertoire. His latest, I CHEERFULLY REFUSE, just released and looks wonderful. He is best known for PEACE LIKE A RIVER.

Alexandra Bracken is one of my favorites and when I found out she has a King Arthur themed book out I bought it right away. SILVER IN THE BONE is the title, and it is staring at me from the shelf just begging to be read. I will admit…I haven’t read a fantasy novel since IRON FLAME. Am I spoiled for fantasy forever??

Alyssa Cole’s ONE OF US KNOWS is in the running for my favorite cover of the year. I had to get it, just because it’s so beautiful. And I know the story will be stellar!

One of the nicest guys in the thriller world, Mark Edwards, has a new one out this week called THE DARKEST WATER. I’m happy to spend a few hundred pages in the Lake District, thank you very much.

I have a few books on my blurb pile, but as soon as they’re done, I am all in for the new Sandford. Reading his books reminds me of a time not so long ago (yes, it was forever) when I was just noodling the idea of writing a book and read MIND PREY and went, oh, OH! THIS IS IT! THIS is what I want to do!

And y’all asked, and I was happy to comply—this page lives on my website, but it wasn’t up to date. Here are the soundtracks for all of my primary books.

you were lucky number 17… You won the A VERY BAD THING galley - please email or DM me your address!

This is fun; let’s do it again. Leave a comment and I’ll pick another next week!

That’s it from me. How about you? Good week? I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend. Any recommendations?

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Step Seven: The Daily Grind (35k and Going Rogue)

"You don't need to worry about progressing slowly.
You need to worry about climbing the wrong mountain."
— James Clear

None of you will be surprised to hear that the outline I so preciously created in opposition to my normal method of writing a novel has failed me.

Maybe you are surprised. If you’ve been following along on this journey writing novel #32 with me, you know that I’ve given my all to the classically defined prep work that most writers go through when they set out to write a new book. I went past my normal concept, synopsis, and 40 Scenes to learn how to develop a full-blown outline using Save the Cat and a few other methods. I was proud. It seemed almost too good to be true. Reader, it was.

The story is still intact, which is a relief. The story is fine, actually, and the end result isn’t changing much at all. The problem stemmed from my main character. This story is told from two perspectives (already an issue that will be resolved; I’m used to many more POVs), and while one character is dark and brooding and challenging and interesting, the other, the one I’ve spent the majority of my time with because it is her story overall, is…none of those things. She is normal. A normal, well-adjusted human on a normal, if slightly exceptional, trajectory.

Normal? She was downright plucky. I don’t write plucky characters. I write deeply disturbed characters for whom manipulation, deceit, even murder are second nature. I write people whose worlds have been devastated and are crawling out of the morass, starting to see the light after eons stuck in the dark. Complicated. Destructive. Designed to make you uncomfortable.

Plucky? Not so much.

So you can understand that I have struggled with her. I love her, but she’s just too…good.

On the surface, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a character being good or plucky. Nancy Drew is plucky, and look where it got her. And it’s been nice, actually, to have someone who wasn’t so damaged to work with. But for me, a young, plucky character can be surprisingly difficult to write. She stymied me. And it wasn’t because of her good-naturedness. It was more profound than that. More problematic.

Photo by Mel Poole on Unsplash

Read more

Friday Reads 4.12.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

The weeks are flying by, aren't they? There’s so much happening in the world that it’s hard to keep on top of it all. There are so many great books, so much good writing, and so many threats of war and fear. It takes up a lot of brain energy. The juxtaposition of doomscrolling and literary delight has captured me this week, for sure. And taxes didn’t help. Lots of good reading time was lost on my tax spreadsheet. Bleh. And then, of course, there’s the fact that my outline has failed me. I’m writing a separate piece for 22 Steps on that, should be out next week. So a mixed bag from Casa Ellison this Friday.

First, though, let me say THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW by I.S. Berry is blowing my mind. It has all the elements of a beautifully classic spy tale, compelling setting, a flawed lead, a hint of mystery… it’s superb, and I’m savoring every page.

Karen Olsen has a new book out, AN INCONVENIENT WIFE, a riff on Henry VIII in a modern mystery setting, and that’s something wonderful!

John Sandford’s TOXIC PREY showed up on my Kindle this week, too. I have always loved a Lucas Davenport novel, and this one features Letty, his adopted daughter, too.

My library hold for WELLNESS by Nathan Hill is here, but I have to finish Berry’s book first. This one was a suggestion from friend of the blog and I’m excited to dig in.

I’m hearing mixed reviews of SOCIOPATH by Patric Gagne. Have you read it? It’s in the queue, but I really want a good examination/memoir of this intriguing disorder, so let me know.

Don Winslow’s last book, A CITY IN RUINS, came out this week, and you can see him in conversation with Barbara Peters and Robert Anglen at Poisoned Pen. What a bittersweet moment, knowing you’re retiring from writing.

Is anyone watching Ripley? I am in love so far. Just the noir look is captivating, and I am hooked.

My A WORD ON WORDS interview with Stephen Bouro on his debut novel, THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF ANDY AFRICA, premiered this week, and I’m telling you, it was a fascinating conversation.

The always-interesting M.L. Rio from has a great lesson in outlining.

Oh, I have another galley of A VERY BAD THING to giveaway today. Just leave a comment below and I’ll choose one of you to get the big pink book! The PR has started gearing up for this book, so I’ve added a slot on Fridays to do interviews and essays. But I can share something new: the soundtrack! Enjoy!

That’s it from me. How about you? Good week? I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend. Any recommendations?

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Friday Reads 4.5.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

Welcome to April—and the chaos that is spring weather. We had tornado watches on Tuesday. It is not my favorite. I love a good thunderstorm, as does Jordan, but the possibility of tornados sets off a low-level anxiety that shakes me to the core. Happily, our porch seems to be a barometer, and it said no tornados. It has yet to be wrong. I’m starting to trust it.

So that day of anxiety drove me to work on the new book, and sure enough, in my heightened state, I realized something was wrong. Did it tell me what? Of course not. So I was up most of Tuesday night thinking. I finally decided it was time for an editorial call with my agent, and we talked at length about what was bothering me. Of course, she saw the issue right away, and we talked it out, and I’ve spent the rest of the week fixing it. It’s just a character issue…but it was a big one. Sometimes, it really helps to have someone else’s brain on a problem. Don’t ever hesitate to ask your critique partner or editor or agent or friend to be a sounding board. It’s quite helpful. (If you’re part of the 22 Steps community, you can always reach out to each other in the chat…)

The reason I even landed on the issue was reading this great interview that Clay Stafford did with Jeffrey Deaver. In it, he talks about outlining. He says, “Writing from an outline might work and does for many writers, but I realized it didn’t work for me because I wasn’t getting an organic story. The characters weren’t as rich as I wanted because they were sort of set at the beginning.”

Boom goes the dynamite. Y’all know I don’t normally outline. What I realized is though I have an idea of the story, and can outline that, the joy of writing is the discovery of the character. Part of the issue I just solved was I wasn’t connecting the way I should be with the main character.

Another must-read this week comes from , talking in particular about the New York Times: Why the bestseller list should not be your goal.

I agree with this, and here’s why. You have absolutely zero control over the list. But you do have control over your work. Write the best book you can, every time. My goal is to finish. Finishing keeps you in the game — and staying in the game is what makes your career.

I finished A KILLING COLD by Kate Alice Marshall and wow. I loved this book. It’s not up for preorder yet, but when it is, I will get y’all a link. Such a great story and a compelling character to root for. (We’re in character mode this week, obviously.)

I started a superb book called THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW by I.S. Berry. It’s a debut spy thriller and has been nominated for the Thriller Award. I can see why. It’s lyrical and shocking and I am here for a female-written spy thriller every day of the week.

I also grabbed LILITH by Erik Rickstad. I’ve seen a lot of folks talking about it, and the premise is fascinating. If anyone’s read it, let me know.

I have IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay on my side table. Alex’s books are always winners, and I have no doubt I’ll devour this one this weekend. It’s getting unbelievable early press!

And I’m almost finished with SLOW PRODUCTIVITY. Cal’s book is so thought-provoking. I am trying to process how it applies to what I already do—obviously, by its very nature, novel writing is the ultimate in slow productivity—but also in how I tackle the myriad projects on my plate. Do less. Do Better. Know Why. has been my mantra for a few years now. This brings it all home.

That’s it from me. How about you? Good week? What are you reading this weekend?

PS: Kathy Branfield, you are my ARC winner of A VERY BAD THING from last week. Please send me your mailing address, and I’ll mail it to you!

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This post may contain affiliate links. They help defray the cost of running the site — and buys the cat her favorite treats!

Interim Step Three: Let's Talk About Fate

Welcome to another interim step in the 22 Steps series. This one is free for all subscribers.

The Daily Grind being what it is (there’s only so much to be said…goals are being hit, but I’m not quite at 40k yet) I thought I’d circle back to something I neglected to discuss earlier in this series. The seven basic plots and how they can be used to define your core story.

Thematically, there are only seven basic plots in the literary world. Each has to do with conflict. Each can be manipulated in many forms, combined, stripped down, or otherwise utilized to help you distill your story to a core design principle. There are plenty of arguments that there are only three, or five, but I think they boil down to these seven (especially now, with shifts in how people interact with society in general.) They are:

      Man versus Man

      Man versus God/Religion

      Man versus Nature

      Man versus Machines/Technology

      Man versus Self

      Man versus the Supernatural

      Man versus the Environment/Culture

You’ve heard people say there isn’t anything original out there, that everything is derivative, blah blah blah. This is why. Of course, we know that’s not true. Unique stories and scenarios can absolutely be created. How? By writing in your own very distinctive voice. More on that in another post, though. Voice isn’t something that can be taught. It’s special.

So…elemental plot. Regardless of how unique or derivative a story might be, they will all fall within this particular framework. Man vs. X is as old as time, and I challenge you to show me a story that doesn’t have one of these seven plots at its core, regardless of genre.

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

A few times in the past, when I’ve agreed to teach a creative writing class, one of my favorite exercises is to help my students build their own short stories. I made a pinwheel out of an old frisbee, put a spinner on it, and passed it around so they could spin the “Wheel of Plot.” Whichever plot they landed on was their core story. Then I gave them photos of a few different settings, photos of a few people to choose from as a main character, and then a photo of an inciting event to write about. I asked them to write 500 words and gave them 15 minutes to do so. (I know that sounds like a lot of words, but if you’ve got all the elements with visuals to write a story, it goes much faster.)

The first time I taught this class, I also tried my hand at the exercise. My spinner landed on Man vs. Man, and I ended up with the plot idea for The Cold Room. So trust me when I say this works! It’s a super exercise. Throw a setting together with a couple of strangers, spin the wheel of plot, and boom—you have a story to work from. It’s the ultimate shortcut.

We can deconstruct this even further. There are a hundred arguments about how many plots exist. But in The Basic Patterns of Plot1, William Foster-Harris says, “Attempts to find the number of basic plots in literature cannot be resolved any more tightly than to describe a single basic elemental plot:

“ALL PLOTS STEM FROM CONFLICT.”

You already know that characters and settings need conflict to keep the story moving at a decent clip. So do your plots. But being able to recognize with whom—or what—that conflict happens is vital to your creative process.

Foster-Harris breaks it down further into three basic plot patterns.

Type A – Happy Ending
When the central character makes a sacrifice
(a decision that seems logically "wrong") for the sake of another.

Type B – Unhappy Ending
When the central character does what seems logically "right"
and thus fails to make the needed sacrifice.

Type C - The Literary Plot
When nothing the central character does will change the story.
What follows is inevitable, often tragic.

Don’t be fooled by the Happy Ending, Unhappy Ending, or Literary—we’re not talking Happily Ever After here. Crime fiction is a superb genre to explore these three types of stories. The happy ending is justice. The unhappy ending is a twist that shows the story isn’t what it seems. And the literary ending is heavily based on fate, with no clear resolution to the story.

Fate as an ending comes from the classical Greek notion of tragedy, in which the hero can’t avoid what’s coming for him. A decision is faced at the beginning of the story, and the end result is inevitable regardless of the attempts the main character makes to change the course of the story. All paths can be traced back to that one moment. I would argue, though, that there is no way to escape your fate, no matter how hard you try. (Perhaps this is why cats are rumored to have nine lives? What’s the etymology of that one?) (Okay, I looked it up, and while it’s in dispute (naturally), it can be traced back to a Persephone-esque tale of an Egyptian god who turned into a cat to go to the underworld and then sired eight more gods, effectively becoming immortal. Cool.)

Anyway. While my core theme in almost all my books is women finding their power, my core plot question is—can you ever escape your fate?

I’m examining this today because I’ve hit a point in my story where I must decide how to apply my core plots. It’s going to up the ante tremendously. I’ve already hinted at it, but I’m a quarter of the way in, and now I need to goose it so the main character is forced to act and, in so doing, put herself in harm’s way. Is this her fate? Has she escaped one fate only to be forced into another? Only time will tell.

The notion of trying to escape your fate is one of the core plot conflicts in many of my favorite books.

(spoilers ahead…)

Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy (Man vs Man; Technology; God; Self) has one of my favorite examples of fate and destiny. Primrose Everdeen dreams she will be chosen in the Reaping, and sent to the capital to battle to the death in the barbaric Hunger Games. She is young, petite, unable to defend herself. If chosen, she will most certainly die. When she *is* chosen, her capable older sister Katniss volunteers to go in her place, setting in motion the ultimate man versus man plot device. Katniss tries to save her surrogate sister in the arena, Rue, and fails, a precursor of what’s to come, and a reinforcement of how futile her task really is. In the end, though she avoids the Games themselves, Primrose is killed in the final battle. Neither she nor Katniss could change her fate. Their actions simply delayed it.

By taking up the mantle of trying to change her sister’s fate, Katniss changes the fate of her entire world. What would have happened if Katniss was chosen from the beginning? We would have a compelling story—the hunter becoming the hunted and fighting back—but it would be a shallower tale. When she volunteers, Katniss shows courage, leadership, bravery, and humility (though she wouldn’t call it those things at all.) She becomes the Mockingjay, the symbol of freedom to an oppressed people. If she can show such courage, surely they can rise up from their bonds to gain their freedom, too. She alters her fate by putting herself in harm’s way. But in the end, she can’t change Prim’s fate, which is the only one she cares about.

This story is also perfectly designed with Save the Cat beats. More on that here.

The Harry Potter series (Man vs. Man) is a much more in-your-face fate story, one we’re all too familiar with. A child is saved from death and must grow up to vanquish the one who caused him pain.

Harry’s journey comes from a prophecy made well before he is even born.

“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...”2

Because Harry is born in July, survives a death curse from the Dark Lord himself, and is thusly marked with a curious scar, a lightning bolt on his forehead, everyone assumes the prophecy is about him. But in a fun turn of events, we find out there is another boy born in July who has the power to vanquish the Dark Lord: Neville Longbottom. He is an unlikely choice; he is awkward, can hardly do magic, and is almost a joke among his housemates until he discovers his power under Harry’s careful tutelage.

The irony of the prophecy is that it’s about both boys. They both need to kill Voldemort. Years ago, I came across a meme that made me gasp aloud: Harry was chosen for a solo mission, and Neville was chosen to lead the army. Both boys are fated to kill Voldemort, and they do—together.

Fantasy lends itself well to this trope: it’s called the Chosen One, and it is everywhere. (I utilize it myself in the Joss Walker novels.)

But outside of fantasy, we see these stories play out again and again. Another excellent example is John Grisham’s Sooley (Man vs Self), a wonderfully poignant fate story. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a Sudanese phenom basketball player who’s chosen to try out for an American basketball program. He is almost left behind when he can’t qualify, but his grit and determination impress his coaches, and they decide to take a chance. He leaves his village in South Sudan, an area ravaged by an ongoing civil war, and it is soon overrun by soldiers. The entirety of Sooley’s male family is killed, and his mother and sister disappear. Sooley should have been there. If not for the largesse of a coach with a soft heart, he would have been murdered with the rest of his family. He escapes his fate…only to have it catch up to him just before his dreams all come true.

There are hundreds of examples I could cite, but these are some of my favorites, and most obvious examples.

These seven elemental plots can be found in any genre of literature. I suggest picking one to work within, or your story can wander too far off track and lose its tension.

Science fiction has very clear themes of Technology, God, and Environment. Romance has obvious Man vs. Man and Self, too. Literary delves into any and all elemental plots, but especially Self. Fantasy can also derive its core story from any of the seven.

Crime fiction almost always has Man vs. Man elements at its core, especially when law enforcement is involved. This is one of the myriad reasons I love writing in this genre, because good versus evil is always fun, and the cat and mouse of a detective and a killer makes for intense reading. Man vs. Self is a prominent trope, too, the alcoholic detective being the prime example. Can the PI get out of his or her own way in time to solve the case?

Modern suspense has more leeway and allows you to bridge into some of the other elemental plots. Gothics often include elements of Man vs. God, Man vs. the Supernatural, and Man vs. Nature. Psychological thrillers can go deep into Man vs. Self and Man vs. God. Legal stories can get into Man vs. Environment or Technology. And they all can have elements of Man vs. Man, to boot.

HLN’s core conflict is (Wo)Man vs. Man combined with a (Wo)Man vs. Nature story. And there’s a Man vs. Self subplot. I’m working on defining these core elements right now, and it will make the story stronger down the road. This could—and should—tip to Nature, but there are three very distinct stories that I’m working with, and damn if it doesn’t seem like each plot thread has its own elemental theme. That’s why I’ve pulled back and looked at this today: I don’t want to muddy the waters by getting too many core elements into play. This is a tale of fate, and I want to keep it simple and focused.

Next time, I’ll discuss how, if we agree that there are only seven core plots, a distinct and remarkable Voice will help your work stand out from the crowd.

In the meantime, a small assignment: In thinking about the seven basic elemental plots, can you define which your story falls into? What, or who, is your main character battling against?

And do you believe in fate?

Write hard!

This is part of my Craft series delineating the 22 Steps of a novel’s lifecycle from concept to publication day, following my journey as I write my new novel, #HLN. Start here if you’d like to follow along in order, and be aware that after the first post this series is for paid subscribers. There’s plenty of free content on the Creative Edge, though. Subscribe below for more writing and craft talk.

The Creative Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

1

Foster-Harris. The Basic Patterns of Plot. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1959.)

2

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (New York: Scholastic Press, 2003), 841.