Dave Vizard's Blog, page 7

Loved seeing the snow, but that doesn't make me crazy

We received our first smattering of snow yesterday.

At the risk of sounding like a mad man, a drunken lout, or someone suffering a total break from reality, I must say that I enjoyed seeing it for the first time this season.

More than that, I enjoyed feeling the snow. Fluffy, cold flakes sprinkled lightly on my face. Didn’t mind it a bit when some fluttered down my neck.
Cold and refreshing and invigorating. As it slowly covered the ground, my spirits rose. Shoveling it did not even dampen my mood.

Right away, I noticed nearby school kids flopping on the ground, hoping for enough of the white stuff to whip up snow angels with their arms and legs. Not quite enough to pack into snowballs, luckily, or I’m sure the kids would have pelted me.

I can’t help it. I’m a Michigan guy – a four-seasons man. Yup, I enjoy summer (who doesn’t?), spring, fall and winter. I’ve lived in the Winter Wonderland almost my whole life. Winter, snow and ice and wind and cold, is in my blood.

So, if we’re going to have winter, then bring on the snow. Come on, let’s have it. In my view, there’s nothing worse than dark, dreary days with brown grass and dirty streets.

Now, don’t get me wrong. My wife, Barb, and I do enjoy taking a break from winter during February. We usually head down to the Florida Keys for a couple of weeks to soak up the sun, warm the bones, play outside, and enjoy the ocean surf.

But when vacation is done, I’m glad to return home and dive back into what’s left of winter. By the second week of March, it really is just a short run until spring, another of my favorite seasons.

I hope my enthusiasm for Michigan comes across in my novels. Like most writers, I write what I know and what I’ve experienced. My stories are about Michigan people, places, and events.

If it’s Made in Michigan, then winter – and snow – is going to be part of the equation.
A Grand Murder

Times we live in gives new meaning to Pledge of Allegiance

Sometimes, we participate in rituals that are supposed to be meaningful but become routine because of repetitiveness.

I was reminded of that this morning when we started the Caseville Area Historical Society meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Some might consider this particular ritual to be old fashioned, but most of our members are of the age where they don’t care what most people think. Plus, this group is extremely patriotic and proud of what the Land of the Free has done for their families.

I Pledge Allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America

Like many, I have placed my hand over my heart and recited it thousands of times. My earliest recollection of developing the ritual was in kindergarten in Marlette, Michigan, my hometown, a half century ago. I think we also started the day with The Lord’s Prayer, but that may one day be a blog post.

But today, probably because of the times we live in and the unsettling idea that there are people in our midst who would destroy our way of life, the pledge took on a special significance.

and to the Republic for which it stands,

After we finished the ritual and sat back down, I kept rolling the words over and over again in my mind. They are powerful and important. I felt a little ashamed for having just gone through the motion of repeating the pledge so many times.

one Nation under God, indivisible,

Giving the pledge its due this morning was invigorating for me. Just 31 words in length, it summarizes so much of what is great about America and our people, despite our many differences.

with liberty and justice for all.

I think taking a little extra time and actually thinking through the words of the pledge would be a great exercise for all who love this country and what it stands for.

Not pessimistic about Bay City Noon Optimists

I’m generally an optimistic guy about almost everything.

But I was scheduled to be super optimistic on Tuesday. You see, the Bay City Noon Optimists had invited me to join them for lunch to talk about my new novel, “A Grand Murder.”

But that changed this morning when I heard from one of the officers of the Optimists club. She called to let me know that she had to postpone my Tuesday luncheon presentation to another date.

It seems the wires of communication somehow got crossed, and Tuesday the club is welcoming a group of new members, so I got bumped off the agenda.

But that’s OK by me. Re-scheduling will not be a problem. I’m not pessimistic about the Optimists.

In fact, I was kind of glad to get the call.
This is a busy, frantic time of year for almost everyone. I have been running like crazy the last several weeks. The unseasonably warm weather means I’m still getting plenty of real estate appointments, and I’ve been on a dead run with the book.

I am scheduled to meet with civic organizations, book clubs, college and high school literature classes, and writing circles to talk about my books and writing almost every week now through September.

The book clubs and writers’ groups are great because they are focused on the storytelling and craft of writing, editing and publishing. It’s always fun talking with people who love the written word as much as I do.

But the civic groups are terrific, too.

I enjoy meeting with individuals from those groups for several reasons. First, they are continuously looking for meeting speakers – people who can bring new ideas and fresh information to their members. My books are Michigan based and focused on real events, people, and places all neatly tied to a good piece of fiction.

In addition, civic groups are comprised of community leaders who are often well educated, forward looking, and motivated – the kind of folks who are likely to enjoy reading or know people who do.

I’m counting on them to help me spread the word about my books. In addition to the Optimists, I hope to connect with all Chambers of Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions clubs throughout mid-Michigan and the Thumb.

With what’s on my schedule and agenda for the next several months, you can see why I am an eternal optimistic with no room for pessimism.
A Grand Murder

Solution offered for those who hate to shop in this gift-hunting season

The first give-away is the panic in their eyes.

I watch men, young and well seasoned, wandering aimlessly from aisle to aisle, picking up items and then putting them back down.

It’s the Christmas shopping season and the clock is ticking. Guys, who don’t have the patience to shop or just don’t like the crowds or annual gift-hunting rituals, start to get a little desperate. I see it every week at Little House, a home décor and specialty gift shop on Water Street in downtown Bay City.

When these not-so-willing shoppers inch closer to my perch, I usually ask a question that I already know the answer to: Are you finding what you’re looking for?

They grin, look up sheepishly, and then shake their heads. “No, she’s so hard to shop for. Always tough to find just the right things.”

I nod in a knowing, but reassuring way: I hear ya. Sometimes it’s tough, real hard to find something you know she will like.

Then, I usually pause and let it sink in for a few minutes. By this time, they are peeking out of the corner of their eyes at me – and my display. A small table, chair and two piles of books.

That’s when I offer a solution: Does she like to read, would she like a good novel?

If the answer is yes, the guys move in closer to examine the books. “What’s this one about?”

I give them my standard pitch: Both books are Michigan based. They take place in Bay City but venture out to other areas. Fiction based on real-life events, people, and places.

“Really,” they often respond. “So, it’s Michigan story?”

I inch toward them, but I do not stand up, not wanting to distract or intimidate them in any way: Fast-paced, with lots of plot twists and turns, and an ending that she won’t see coming.

“Hmmm,” they often murmur, sometimes putting a finger to their lips or making another contemplative gesture.

That’s when I try to seal the deal: It will make her laugh. It will make her cry. It will make her think. And it will giver her so much enjoyment that she will want to share it with her friends. If you like, I can put a personal note in it for you, too.

“How much?”

$14.95 and you can pay up front when you leave, I say as I pick up a copy of the book he has selected, either “A Grand Murder,” or “A Formula for Murder.” I ask the buyer if he would like me to write a personal note and her name.

Usually, I get an affirmative nod. They so want this to be one of their nice gifts for their partners in life.
When done, I hand him the book and he opens it to the first page to read the personal note.

“Laura:
Merry Christmas! This novel is a special gift selected just for you by your loving husband.
Hope you enjoy!
Dave Vizard”

“Terrific,” he says, almost always offering a high-five, a low-five, or a traditional handshake.

This also is the typical response when anyone is shopping for a significant other and can’t seem to find that one extra gift that they can call special.
A Grand Murder
As my book buyer walks away, I notice another gentleman shuffling along the aisle, heading in my direction. When he looks up, I see the panic in his eyes.

'A Grand Murder' to help mayor get back on her feet

When I learned recently that Bay City Mayor Kathi Newsham was recovering at home from knee replacement surgery, I had the perfect solution to help her through this uncomfortable time.

On my way to Bay City this morning, I dropped off a copy of “A Grand Murder” for her. The story is set in Bay City during 1999 when Kathi was mayor of the City by the Bay the first time. In fact, Mayor Newsham is mentioned in “A Grand Murder.”

Don’t worry. Her role in the story does not involve political intrigue, scandal, questionable thinking, or outrageous personal behavior. That kind of conduct is reserved for Bay County Commissioners.

Nope. My protagonist is news reporter Nick Steele and one of his assignments is to break in a young new reporter. Nick is supposed to show her the ropes, and part of that exercise is to make the rounds of all the news-making centers in Bay County. One of the those stops is a visit to the Mayor’s office – where Kathi Newsham is perched.

My novels are fiction, but both of them are tied to real events, real places, and real people. The characters I create to deliver the story and develop the plot are conglomerations of people I have known or worked with during more than 30 years as a reporter, editor, and columnist at Michigan publications.

Creating these kinds of stories gives my novels authenticity. The realism gives readers a connection to the story as they absorb and become engaged with the storyline.

But I’m not concerned about Mayor Newsham connecting with the story. It’s fast-paced and action packed. In fact, when it’s time to do rehab, she won’t want to put it down.
A Grand Murder

Rules for Writing, from the late, great Elmore Leonard

As I flipped through my files this afternoon looking for some background information that I wanted to use for the novel I am developing, I stumbled across a copy of Elmore Leonard's Rules for Writing.

In 2010, the legendary crime novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter who died in 2013, gave the Detroit Free Press his rules.

Among Leonard's best-known works are Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Hombre, Mr. Majestyk, and Rum Punch (adapted for the movie Jackie Brown). Leonard's writings include short stories that became the films 3:10 to Yuma and The Tall T, as well as the FX television series Justified.

Here is his advice:

"These are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what's taking place in the story. If you have a facility for language and imagery and the sound of your voice pleases you, invisibility is not what you are after, and you can skip the rules. Still, you might look them over.

1. Never open a book with weather.
If it's only to create atmosphere, and not a character's reaction to the weather, you don't want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways to describe ice and snow than an Eskimo, you can do all the weather reporting you want.

2. Avoid prologues.
They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. But these are ordinarily found in nonfiction. A prologue in a novel is backstory, and you can drop it in anywhere you want. There is a prologue in John Steinbeck's "Sweet Thursday," but it's O.K. because a character in the book makes the point of what my rules are all about. He says: "I like a lot of talk in a book and I don't like to have nobody tell me what the guy that's talking looks like. I want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks. . . . figure out what the guy's thinking from what he says. I like some description but not too much of that. . . . Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. . . . Spin up some pretty words maybe or sing a little song with language. That's nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don't have to read it. I don't want hooptedoodle to get mixed up with the story."

3. Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in. But said is far less intrusive than grumbled, gasped, cautioned, lied. I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with "she asseverated," and had to stop reading to get the dictionary.

4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said" . . .
. . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. I have a character in one of my books tell how she used to write historical romances "full of rape and adverbs."

5. Keep your exclamation points under control.
You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the knack of playing with exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in by the handful.

6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
This rule doesn't require an explanation. I have noticed that writers who use "suddenly" tend to exercise less control in the application of exclamation points.

7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
Once you start spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes, you won't be able to stop. Notice the way Annie Proulx captures the flavor of Wyoming voices in her book of short stories "Close Range."

8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
Which Steinbeck covered. In Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" what do the "American and the girl with him" look like? "She had taken off her hat and put it on the table." That's the only reference to a physical description in the story, and yet we see the couple and know them by their tones of voice, with not one adverb in sight.

9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
Unless you're Margaret Atwood and can paint scenes with language or write landscapes in the style of Jim Harrison. But even if you're good at it, you don't want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.

And finally:

10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
A rule that came to mind in 1983. Think of what you skip reading a novel: thick paragraphs of prose you can see have too many words in them. What the writer is doing, he's writing, perpetrating hooptedoodle, perhaps taking another shot at the weather, or has gone into the character's head, and the reader either knows what the guy's thinking or doesn't care. I'll bet you don't skip dialogue.

My most important rule is one that sums up the 10.

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative. It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing. (Joseph Conrad said something about words getting in the way of what you want to say.)

If I write in scenes and always from the point of view of a particular character -- the one whose view best brings the scene to life -- I'm able to concentrate on the voices of the characters telling you who they are and how they feel about what they see and what's going on, and I'm nowhere in sight.

What Steinbeck did in "Sweet Thursday" was title his chapters as an indication, though obscure, of what they cover. "Whom the Gods Love They Drive Nuts" is one, "Lousy Wednesday" another. The third chapter is titled "Hooptedoodle 1" and the 38th chapter "Hooptedoodle 2" as warnings to the reader, as if Steinbeck is saying: "Here's where you'll see me taking flights of fancy with my writing, and it won't get in the way of the story. Skip them if you want."

"Sweet Thursday" came out in 1954, when I was just beginning to be published, and I've never forgotten that prologue.

Did I read the hooptedoodle chapters? Every word."

Good stuff!

Planned to write about murder plot, but San Bernadino changed my mind

I was all set to write about how I developed one of the murder plots in my latest novel tonight, but San Bernadino changed my mind.

I have no taste for it right now. The latest mass killing in this country cooled my desire to write casually about murder. Not now. Too many dead. Too many injured. Too many lives changed forever as a result of another bloody rampage.

We still don't know the motive for the San Bernadino slaughter, but the reason for it doesn't really matter. What could possibly justify or rationalize this kind of killing?

They seem to be happening more frequently in our country, and they are occurring in almost every walk of life. Social services center, women's health clinic, movie theater, school - K through 12 - college, post office, military base.

No place is safe. Not even the boondocks of Michigan where I live. The nut jobs, disillusioned, and disenfranchised are everywhere. They seem to have no trouble gaining access to weapons and our country gives them the freedom to roam unchallenged.

Mass shootings are becoming so commonplace that any author - of all genre - could easily add a bloody rampage as a subplot to a story and it would be completely plausible to any reader paying attention to the headlines. I find that sad and quite disturbing.

But I won't be among those authors. Not tonight.

Book sales without book stores

It's no secret that book stores are fading from view all across the country. The ways people look for and buy books are changing. In my view, it's simply a cultural shift.
Like a lot of authors, I've had to hunt for new retail outlets in key places where I think there would be an interest in my books.
I was really lucky to make one such connection with Little House on Water Street in downtown Bay City. It's a high-end home decor and unique gift shop. The owner, Kathy LaLonde, views my books as a specialty item for her customers and she treats them that way. They get great display and her sales force never fails to mention that the books are created and signed by a Michigan author who visits the store regularly.
Kathy has invited me to sign books and talk with her customers each Sunday from the week before Thanksgiving to Christmas. I DO NOT play high-pressure sales games - just greet & meet and answer questions about my work. It's surprising how many people are curious about the writing and creative process. They are eager to learn, and I am eager to make a sale.
So far, it's been great. I'm meeting hundreds of people, introducing myself and my books, and making connections. At least once every Sunday, I meet an active reader who is in a book club. Once I sell them on myself and my novels, they ask if I would be willing to come meet with their members after they read my book. YES!
I'm also meeting people who have experienced my first book, or used to read my column when I worked for the local newspaper. I figure if they've paid their hard-earned money to read my work and they are still talking to me, that's a huge victory.
I love book stores almost as I enjoy libraries. But many stores are losing the retail game. Authors need to adapt. Specialty stores are working for me.A Grand Murder

Here's why our writing contest is important for young people today

When friends hear that our writer's group is launching the Celebration of Young Writers Creative Writing contest again, they invariably ask this basic question: "Why? It's so much work, and what do you get out of it?"

It's a fair question, because the contest is a ton of work. Members of the Huron Area Writers Group and our friends end up reading hundreds of entries. We take the time to judge the work based on an evaluation sheet. Each entry gets at least five reads. It takes weeks to complete the task and tabulate the results. Every entry gets recognized and the winners get small cash prizes.

But we know it's worth all the work when we see the faces of our contestants and their parents on Author's Day, which happens to be Saturday, May 16, this year. They are usually so excited they can hardly contain themselves while waiting for the announcement of the awards.

That's reward enough for our members. But we also have other motives for running the contest, which is now in it's fourth year.

Our goal is to promote the art of communicating through the written word. We want to encourage young people to develop skills that very often get lost or beaten into the ground in today's fast-paced, abbreviated world of social media. I feel sad when I hear young people say they write all the time these days - texting, Tweeting, posting on FaceBook, and e-mailing. Sorry, but that's not enough.

Writing and communicating effectively requires much more than that. We know that English and literature teachers in our schools are fully aware of this. And we are happy to work with them to advance the skills of their students. That's why our contest is run through the schools across the Upper Thumb of Huron County. We want students to work with their teachers and put together great essays, short stories, plays, or journalistic and narrative writing. Students have the freedom to select the topic and genre for their writing projects.

We also want students to understand that learning how to communicate effectively will help them in the business world when they have completed their studies. Companies today want employees who can organize their thoughts and spell them out in logical, coherent forms. Great ideas rarely get implemented if they cannot be expressed in terms that are easily understandable.

Finally, writing is just plain good for the soul. It's a great way to pour out your deepest feelings and thoughts. Expressing yourself in creative ways can be excellent therapy. If you feel like you're being misunderstood, then sit down and write about it - all about it.

We are running the contest again this year with our partners at the Thumb Area Arts Guild. No one gets paid to do this work. We are happy to do it. But we could use some help in gathering the funds to cover the cash prizes to our students and our basic expenses.

All HAWG and TAAG members can accept donations. No amount is too small. Remember, all donations can be a tax write-off, so don't be shy with your checkbooks. For more information and submission guidelines, email HAWGcontest@hughes.net or call Diana at (989) 874-4016.

A tad too predictable

Gray Mountain,             John Grisham            368 pages in hardcover            Doubleday
            Review by Dave Vizard
            Most of the time, readers of John Grisham can count on him to deliver a legal thriller that’s a thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced, page burner with plenty of colorful characters and local scenery.            “Gray Mountain,” the Southern author’s most recent work, does all of that, but it’s just a tad too predictable for my taste. Early on, I had the feeling that he was writing by formula.            Consider the basic plot. Sweet and lovely Big City lawyer gets bounced out of her job during the economic crash of 2007-2008. She gets to keep some benefits and possibly come back in a year when the economy rebounds if she takes an unpaid internship at one of a dozen or so non-profits where lawyers are in great need. Our heroine, Samantha, ends up in Appalachia working for a legal aide outfit trying to save coal miners from everything evil: coal companies, black lung, devastation of the environment, bankruptcy, domestic violence – you name it, they got it.            Of course, she meets Mr. Wonderful, a man named Gray, who is not wielding a whip, a chair, a gagging ball, and is totally shade-less. No, this Mr. Gray is a brilliant lawyer who has dedicated his life to fighting coal companies, the very villains who have leveled his family and Gray Mountain. Problem is, Mr. Hotstuff is killed in a mysterious plane crash by … guess who? See what I mean? That leaves poor Samantha to take up with his brother, equally dashing but a terd in college and not lawyer material.             As time passes, Samantha becomes more and more enthralled with the people of Appalachia who need her and less eager to return to New York where no one needs anybody. You can see where this is going. I don’t have to tell you the ending. And that’s the problem with this book – predictable. I wanted exciting plot twists and daring turns in the story, but there were few.            “Gray Mountain” is very timely and topical, also Grisham trademarks. Readers will learn a lot about Appalachia, local customs and culture, as well as the business and history of coal mining. But that’s also part of the Grisham formula.            It is, however, still a pretty good read. I did not feel cheated. I give it 3 stars out of a possible 5.