Natalina Reis's Blog, page 28
January 11, 2019
Interview with Allison Garcia
Please join me in welcoming Allison Garcia, author of Vivir el Dream and Finding Amor.
N: Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
In college I DJ’d a radio show with my roommate…It was called The Allison and Charlene Show, and we won DJs of the Year. We were very silly and had loads of fun!
N: What’s your favorite scene in “Finding Amor”, and what makes it a fave? Would you care to share an excerpt from the scene with us?
Sure! My favorite scene is…oh my…this is hard. I’ve been staring at the screen for five minutes. I can’t pick! Also I don’t want to pick a scene toooo far into the book and give anything away. I kind of like the scenes where Emanuel meets his grandmother, Mami Sandra. I know a lot more about the character than everyone at this point, so the way she connects with Emanuel is pretty miraculous and outside her normal character. Also it turns out she has a pretty good sense of humor. Who knew?! Here is a scene where they are eating breakfast together in Nashville. I apologize for the large amount of Spanish. There are footnotes in the book! J
Mami Sandra let out a sigh and took another swig of her coffee. “Regresemos al río.”
Emanuel nodded and walked alongside her until they got to the railing overlooking the flowing waters. The sunset was brighter and glowed with a mixture of orange and red, like mangos and jocotes.
“Vamos a comer por allá. El puente tiene bancos.”
They walked up the steep bridge until they got to the top, where they sat on a metal bench, looking out over the river below, its surface reflecting the changing colors of the sky.
Mami Sandra swallowed another gulp of coffee and passed Emanuel a warm wrapped sandwich from the paper bag. “Okay, I’m awake now. ¿Qué querés saber?” She checked her watch. “Tenés quince minutos para preguntarme todo lo que quieras.”
Emanuel stopped with his biscuit sandwich halfway to his mouth. “¿Por qué habla español con acento?”
“Out of practice,” she responded with a full mouth.
“Why?”
“I don’t like speaking Spanish.”
“Why?”
“Because.” She picked off a piece of her biscuit and threw it to a group of nearby pigeons.
“Because why?”
Mami Sandra narrowed her eyes but didn’t answer.
“Me dijo ‘todo lo que yo quiera saber de usted,’” Emanuel reminded her, taking another sip of the flavorless juice.
She swallowed hard and looked out over the river. “Me recuerda a la Guerra.”
Emanuel sat back. “Oh. Por eso salió del país, ¿verdad?”
She nodded and tossed another crumb to the birds. “It really messed me up.”
He had a million other questions floating around in his mind. Why had she abandoned Mamá? Why hadn’t she helped her get papers or waited so long to help Emanuel? Why did everyone seem to hate her so much?
He nibbled on his sandwich and studied her saddened face and her leg that restlessly shook the bench, deciding that la Guerra might be the answer to most of his questions. So he chose an easier one. “¿Por qué me está ayudando?”
Mami Sandra glanced at him, a strange far-off look in her eyes. “I don’t know.” She shook her head and finished off her biscuit and coffee, tossing the garbage into the trash. “Fifteen minutes are over.”
Emanuel laughed. “Ni llegué a cinco.”
“Oh, well. Son mis reglas.” Mami Sandra shrugged. “If I’d known you were so smart, I wouldn’t have let you ask me questions.” She ruffled his hair and stood up. “Let’s go.”
Emanuel swallowed his last dry bite of sandwich, gulped down the juice, and followed his grandmother down the hill. He smiled. Mami Sandra was strange, but for a moment, she’d reminded him of Mamita. Despite everything he’d heard about her his whole life, he couldn’t shake the feeling that somewhere deep inside, she was actually a good person.
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N: If you could spend some real-life time with one of the characters in the book, who would you choose and why?
Emanuel, hands down. He is a cool kid. He is so strong and has been through so much, and yet the world hasn’t dragged him down. He has a good heart and a lot of love to give.
N: On the flipside, which character would you probably least get along with? Why?
Carlos. He is the worst. When my editor made me write scenes from his POV, I bucked back hard. But, alas, it helped grow the story. And, don’t worry, horrible things will happen to him. Mwahahaha
N: Let’s take off your author cap and put on your reader cap for a moment: what do you look for in a book, what sort of protagonists do you love, and do you have a favorite genre/sub-genre?
I’m a sucker for the classics. My fav book is Jane Eyre. But I also love Harry Potter and The Hunger Games and The Giver and And Then There Were None. My favorite recent book is The Hate U Give. I’d say I read whatever, as long as it has a good story and characters I care about.
N: What are your least and most favorite things about being an author?
I love writing. I haaaaate editing, though I love the final product. It is really awesome holding a book you wrote in your hands and seeing it on the shelves of a bookstore. Also I only have 2 books out, so next year I would looove to be in the black. J
N: Have you ever written a line, paragraph, or passage, and thought, “Darn, that’s pretty amazing, even if I do say so myself”? What was it?
Yes. There is one scene in Vivir el Dream, my book that has won 5 awards, where it talks about Juanita and her 3-yr old daughter Linda’s traumatic border crossing. So…I think the last line is the most powerful, but it needs context so here ya go!
Juanita had heard stories about people dying in the desert. Hundreds of people, maybe thousands. Searching for freedom and a better life for their families. She had heard other stories, too. Stories about what the coyotes did to women, stories she didn’t want to believe were true. She took a deep breath and looked ahead with determination. She wouldn’t be one of those bodies lying out for the vultures to find. They were going to make it.
All of a sudden, the old man in front of her stopped, swayed, and dropped onto the sand, dead. She made the sign of the cross over her chest and stepped around him, continuing on.
N: When you sit down to start a new book, how do you decide whether it will best be told in the first or the third person?
I almost always write in 3rd person, and starting with Vivir el Dream, I have written stories from usually 3-4 POVs. I usually decide the main people I’d like the story to be about and go from there. I am a “pantser” so the story develops as I write.
N: Let’s talk tropes: do you have a few favorites that you enjoy both writing and reading? If so, what are they and what makes them your faves?
I sort of hate tropes. I don’t like things to be predictable at all. Though…I suppose I would say that I am a sucker for the underdog or for surprise declarations of love.
N: Describe your ideal fantasy writing environment—the beach in Monaco, a sidewalk café in Paris, a thatched cottage in the English countryside—wherever you can dream of.
I have written some really good stuff while down visiting my in-laws in Guadalajara. But I’ve already been there and I’ve never been to Italy, so I think there!
N: If you could choose one of your books to be adapted for the silver screen, which would you choose? Why do you think it would translate well to film?
This is hard because I see all of them in my head like a movie, but people seem to really love Vivir el Dream. I think the characters are lovable (most of them!) and it is very poignant. Finding Amor would also be cool. I can see people falling in love with sweet little Emanuel.
N: If I were to interview Ana and Emanuel what would they say about you?
Give us a break, Allison! I think they’d be mad about the next shoe that is dropping in Finding Seguridad (book 2 of the Buscando Home series) and the following shoe in Finding Paz (book 3). I like to make people squirm and care and worry, because these are real things that happen in the real world. I hear stories like theirs every day as a counselor. I want it to be authentic and not a fake, happy, perfectly-tied-up-in-a-bow ending.
N: Thank you so much. Finding Amor sounds very interesting. I wish you all the best in your writing career and hope you visit us again soon.
Buy Links
January 8, 2019
Star Crossed-Book Review
Star-Crossed by Pintip Dunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is not my first book by Dunn but by far my favorite. Love the tension between the two young lovers, the doubts and fears in Vela’s heart, the subtle social message, her relationship with her father (made me cry a bit), and most of all the ending. I’m not going to lie I was yelling at Pintip last night as I approached the ending. Things were not looking good, lol. But she delivered a satisfying end. Well done.
January 1, 2019
Recipe for Disaster-Book Review
A Recipe for Disaster: A deliciously feel-good romance by Belinda Missen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A romance about second chances. Since I believe in second chances (some would say a bit too much) I identified with the main character–the roller coaster of emotions she was on, wanting and not wanting, not knowing what to trust or what to believe, in love and angry, forgiving and resentful… I could go on, lol.
I can’t say I was “in love” with her husband which I guess was the author’s intention. I was never quite sure whether he was trustworthy and that he truly loved her or if he was just playing her. The story is told from the main character’s POV so we kind of struggle with our feelings for her husband alongside her.
Those who love a story sprinkled with food will love this one. At times, it actually made me hungry. All in all a well-written, entertaining and easy read with a satisfying end.
December 30, 2018
A New Year Begins…
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“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.”― Brad Paisley
I love this quote not only because it pulls at my writer’s sensibilities, but also because it’s true. Obviously we are not always in control, and lots of what will happen may not be of our own doing. However, we can at least strive at doing the best we can.
Every year I have all these dreams of what I will accomplish or at least try. Like with most people, those things normally end up at least partially undone. As I get older though, I developed this sense of hurry, of urgency that was not there when I was younger. I’ve always been patient, willing to wait, never rushing. But for the past three or four years, I’ve had this need for speed. It’s almost as if, as my life draws near to the end, I realize I still have so much to do and possibly not enough time to do it. When you’re young, time just drags and old age is a very distant and abstract idea. When you get to my age, the end is suddenly very concrete. Most of the adults of your childhood are either dead or dying, your heroes, your idols, everything is dwindling down and you know that you’ll go sometime next.
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I had always wanted to be a published writer. I had a knack for writing and did it constantly since very early on. My dream finally came true four years ago. Nine books later, I still find it hard to believe it actually happened. My next “dream” is to actually be mildly successful at it. It’s a very slow process and I get antsy. I don’t have a life in front of me to wait patiently for the world to discover my stories, I need it now. Talk about self-induced anxieties, lol.
Those of you who are in the last quarter or so of your life, getting ready to become silver foxes, do you feel this way too? This anxiety to accomplish a thousand things all at the same time and frustration of not having enough time for it? Or energy? It has gotten so bad for me, I avoid things I used to love (and still do) and that helped me relax so that I have time to finish that story, or work on that ad, or interact with my audience. It’s exhausting.
So for this new year I still want to accomplish all of that, but I also want to learn to relax, to allow myself those moments of blissful peace when there is nothing to do, no place to go.
What are your plans for the new year?
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December 23, 2018
Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic
Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I came across this book on accident and boy, am I glad I did. I got sucked in shortly after I started listening to it (I bought both the book and the audible book) and it was a roller coaster ride of epic proportions. Loved it and will be buying the second in the series as soon as possible. My only issue was that there wasn’t much romance in it. I had been under the assumption it was a romantic urban fantasy. But it’s not like I missed it too much. Loved Jade’s voice, her sister, the complicated relationships with the other magical beings, and ultimately the mystery all rolled up into a thick layer of chocolate frosting. Lovely. Excited I have found a new favorite author.
November 28, 2018
Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop
The holidays are just around the corner, which means it’s time for Chick Lit Chat HQ’s annual Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop and this year it’s bigger and better than ever! 63 bestselling and award-winning authors in the Chick Lit and Romantic Comedy genres are participating in this fun-filled event and each one is doing a fantastic giveaway. Books, author swag, gift cards, and other assorted holiday treats are all up for grabs.
But wait! There’s much, much more. On the hop’s Facebook group page, you can enter to win our Grand Prize—a large holiday gift box filled to the brim with a fabulous variety of holiday and winter-themed goodies (the darling, KitschNStyle gingerbread house apron, Snoozies! sherpa socks, Calvin Klein cashmere pom-pom beanie in petal pink, Too Faced sugar cookie eye shadow purse palette, Sally Snowflakes mug by Bella Pilar, Well Read Women: A Reader’s Journal, and handmade chocolate soaps shown in the graphic below are just a few of the items included in the box!).
We’ll also be handing out four Runner-Up Prizes. Each one is a pair of Fitz & Floyd holiday mugs that will be accompanied by a canister of Williams-Sonoma classic hot chocolate as well as a tin of The Republic of Tea’s Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas Tea. So, you’ll have delicious, warm beverages to keep you cozy all winter long!
The celebration runs from Monday, Dec. 3rd through Sunday, Dec. 9th, so head on over to the Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop Facebook group for some lively conversation with both authors and readers, incredible prizes, and lots of holiday fun! You’ll find each day’s featured authors, along with the links to their pages/giveaways, in the pinned post at the top of the group. We look forward to seeing you there!
*The Grand Prize giveaway is open to US residents only. However, all of the individual author giveaways and the Runner-Up Prize giveaway are open
internationally.
Schedule and list of authors and their stops on the Hop
Monday, Dec. 4th
Tracie Banister https://www.facebook.com/tracie.banister
Beth Carter https://www.facebook.com/authorbethcarter
Whitney Dineen https://www.facebook.com/Whitney-Dineen-11687019412/
Karin Gillespie https://www.facebook.com/karingillespieauthor/
Kate O’Keeffe https://www.facebook.com/kateokeeffeauthor/
Tuesday, Dec. 5th
Annabelle Costa https://www.facebook.com/Annabelle-Costa-894496980704700/
Susan Hatler https://www.facebook.com/authorsusanhatler/
Kate Kisset https://www.facebook.com/KateKisset/
Kirsty McManus https://www.facebook.com/kirstymcmanusauthor
Robyn Neeley https://www.facebook.com/RobynNeeleyAuthor/
Wednesday, Dec. 6th
Sylvia Ashby https://www.facebook.com/sylviaashbywriter/
Hannah Ellis https://www.facebook.com/novelisthannahellis
Cat Lavoie https://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieBooks
Becky Monson https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeckyMonson/
Jennifer Peel https://www.facebook.com/jenniferpeelauthor/
Thursday, Dec. 7th
Michele Brouder https://www.facebook.com/MicheleBrouder/
Melinda Curtis https://www.facebook.com/MelindaCurtisAuthor/
Liz Durano https://www.facebook.com/Lizduranobooks/
Diane Michaels https://www.facebook.com/dianemichaelsauthor/
Holly Tierney-Bedord https://www.facebook.com/HollyRecommends/
Friday, Dec. 8th
Hilary Grossman https://www.facebook.com/HilaryGrossmanAuthor/
Beth Labonte https://www.facebook.com/bethlabontebooks/
Nikki LeClair https://www.facebook.com/NikkiLeClairBooks/
Heidi Renee Mason https://www.facebook.com/HeidiReneeMason/
Susan Murphy https://www.facebook.com/susanmurphyauthor/
Natalina Reis https://www.facebook.com/authornatalinareis/
Saturday, Dec. 9th
Amy Avanzino https://www.facebook.com/AmyAvanzino/
Susannah Nix https://www.facebook.com/susannahnix
Cassandra O’Leary https://www.facebook.com/cassandraolearyauthor
Michelle Jo Quinn https://www.facebook.com/MichelleJoQuinnAuthor/
Nicole Waggoner https://www.facebook.com/NicoleWaggonerAuthorCircusofWomen/
Sunday, Dec. 10th
Mary Frame https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryFrame/
Sarah-Jane Fraser https://www.facebook.com/sjfraserauthor/
Amy Gettinger https://www.facebook.com/Amy-Gettinger-Author-1412625005719904/
Lizzie Lamb https://www.facebook.com/LizzieLambwriter/
Joslyn Westbrook https://www.facebook.com/JoslynWestbrookOfficial
Monday, Dec. 11th
Jayne Denker https://www.facebook.com/JayneDenkerAuthor/
Angie Ellington https://www.facebook.com/angienellingtonbooks
C.L. Ogilvie https://www.facebook.com/CLOgilvie/
Meredith Schorr https://www.facebook.com/MeredithSchorrAuthor/
Stacey Wiedower https://www.facebook.com/StaceyWiedower.author/
Tuesday, Dec. 12th
Glynis Astie https://www.facebook.com/glynisastieauthor
Renee Conoulty https://www.facebook.com/ReneeConoultyAuthor/
Jenny Gardiner https://www.facebook.com/jennygardinerbooks
Stacy Juba https://www.facebook.com/Stacy-Juba-100155471301/
Tracy Krimmer https://www.facebook.com/krimmerauthor/
Wednesday, Dec. 13th
Traci Andrighetti https://www.facebook.com/traciandrighettiauthor/
Kathryn Biel https://www.facebook.com/kathrynrbiel
Monique McDonell https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueMcDonellAuthor
Denise Stout https://www.facebook.com/DeniseStoutAuthor/
Melanie Summers https://www.facebook.com/MJSummersAuthorPage
Thursday, Dec. 14th
Anne John-Ligali https://www.facebook.com/annejohnligali/
Colette Kebell https://www.facebook.com/ColetteKebellAuthor/
Jennie Marts https://www.facebook.com/JennieMartsBooks/
Clodagh Murphy https://www.facebook.com/clodaghmurphyauthor
Tess Thompson https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTessThompson/
Friday, Dec. 15th
Melissa Baldwin https://www.facebook.com/authormelissabaldwin/
Aimee Brown https://www.facebook.com/authoraimeebrown
Karen M. Cox https://www.facebook.com/karenmcox1932/
Lindsay Detwiler https://www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwiler
Barbara Valentin https://www.facebook.com/Platespinner/
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November 25, 2018
Offended & Bewildered
It’s not the first time I write a blog about the many frustrations of being a romance writer and not be taking seriously. This is one of them.
I recently attended a writing event as a panelist where I was once again reminded of what people (including or especially other writers) think a romance is. They conveniently forget that the great ones of literature such as Jane Austen, The Bronte sisters, and even–gulp–the Great Bard were all romance writers.
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Yes, the genre has gone through some significant changes throughout the years (some good, some bad) and I’ll be the first one to admit that there are a lot of really bad romance novels out there. This, however, can be said about any other genre today. There are excellent high fantasy books just as there are some absolutely awful. Same can be said of mystery, science fiction, and everything in between. Even high-brow literature has its winners and losers. I can think of at least one Pulitzer Prize prize winner who wrote a book that made zero sense whatsoever.
So to bundle up every romance book and label it “porn” is not only offensive but totally incorrect.
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Anyone who knows me well will tell you I abhor porn. To me, porn objectifies people of every gender (but especially women) and trivializes sex. Don’t get me wrong. There is sex in my romances, heat level depending on the plot and the characters. These are love stories and where there is love eventually, and in most cases, there will be a communion of bodies as much as of hearts. But a loving sex scene should not be confused with porn. If you think my love scenes are porn, then you must have led a very sheltered life.
When someone at this writing event insinuated (quite loudly in a room full of people) that I wrote porn and therefore what I wrote would not make its way to the group online page or anthology, I was extremely offended. It’s been boiling just under the surface since then and I’ve considered posting something to the effect, because I feel that by not defending my writing is admitting that I do indeed write porn. Which I don’t.
This reminds me of when the Harry Potter books were first released. There was such a fuss made by certain religious groups about the evil nature of such stories. They called for boycotts of the books and other extreme reactions to a wonderful fictional world that depicted good against evil. I was shocked to find out that many of the people running their mouths about the books had never read as much as the first chapter. How can you judge something if you’ve never read, or at least sample parts of it?
This person who accused me of writing porn has never read any of my books, so how does she know what my writing is like? Why didn’t she refrain from making assumptions before sampling one of my books? All she did was show how ignorant she is about the genre. One silver lining though: I am now determined to show up to a book open mic event and show everybody that my books are well written and have depth. I want to prove to all who have sneered at my books that romance is not the sex fest they think it is. Not my type of romance and not a lot of romance I read and love. Let’s not judge a whole group of authors and their books by a few.
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What do you think? Are you a reader that believes romance to be a low-form of literature or are you willing to set your assumptions aside and give romance a chance? Or any other genre for that matter.
For those who still think romance is the black sheep of the literary family and a mere venue for pornographic voyeurism, here are some readings that may make you change your mind:
Inventing Human Rights: A History by Lynn Hunt
November 9, 2018
Rotten Magic -Book Tour
Destiny in one hand. Doom in the other. Which will destroy him first?
Artificers are the gilded princes of the Iron Empire. Mages are violent criminal outcasts. Devin competes to become the best artificer in the empire . . . but he’s secretly a mage.
Devin, a young skilled apprentice, dreams of becoming the master of his craft if he can only resist the sinuous allure of magic. His secret grows heavier as he claws his way to the top of his competitive, cutthroat guild. Friends and rivals start taking notice when Devin glorifies in the persona of the dragon and builds mechanical armor to match. He’s also started hearing voices in his head: the stout words of the being he calls ‘the artificer’ and the sly, oily voice of ‘the mage.’ How long can Devin be satisfied with fake dragon armor when the promise of true arcane power whispers in his ear?
Embark on Devin’s dark, epic journey in Book One of The Artifice Mage Saga. Join the fantasy steampunk brawl of metal vs. magic where sorcery is bloody, science is greasy, and nobody’s hands are clean.
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Sales Link: https://www.books2read.com/rotten-magic
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36045917-rotten-magic
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/rotten-magic-the-artifice-mage-saga-1-by-jeffrey-bardwell
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Author Bio:
Jeffrey Bardwell writes fantasy with elements of epic darkness, steampunk, and romance set in the Metal vs. Magic Universe. His character-driven books are guaranteed to include gritty realism, political intrigue, lurid entanglements, dry wit, and dragons in differing proportions. He devours fantasy and science fiction novels and is most comfortable basking near a warm wood stove. When not writing, Jeffrey enjoys cooking, gardening, and shooing baby dragons from the compost bin.
The author lives on a farm and in a prior life worked as a community ecologist. He is overfond of puns and alliterations. He is also an unabashed history and mythology enthusiast and would love to hear from you.
Email: jhbardwell@gmail.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B071RXS994
Bookbub Author Profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jeffrey-bardwell
Blog: http://twigboatpress.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twigboat
Twitter: https://twitter.com/twigboat
Autographed Paperback Giveaway
Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/74c170822/?
SPLITTING SUBGENRE HAIRS
Rotten Magic, Book 1 of The Artifice Mage Saga, would fit the ‘magic school’ trope made famous by the likes of the Harry Potter series except that Devin already knows he’s a mage, the school is a guild apprenticeship, and he goes there to learn about machines, not magic. It’s also a dark epic rather than an urban fantasy. On the topic of genres, I feel I must address the young adult issue. There are no sex scenes in this book, strong violence is off screen as it were, and the cursing is of the mild epithet variety (I drew inspiration from classic second world fantasies.) The story is as a friend of mine would describe it, clean fantasy, a term I did not know existed until she enlightened me. However, I did not write it specifically for the young adult market, but rather for a widespread general adult audience.
I meant for this book to be enjoyed by everyone who appreciates a good epic fantasy yarn. I suppose my objection to the phrase ‘young adult’ is semantic. I dislike labeling something solely on the basis of the age of the protagonist in the first book, thus I must take a quick peek at the rest of the series to see if it maintains that clean rating. 1) Do subsequent books break from the first when the protagonist reaches maturity? 2) Do themes of sensuality, genocide, torture, and brainwashing disqualify it? 3) Does accessibility by a young adult audience preclude adults enjoying the story? No, apparently not. The Belgariad, The Avatar, and The Ender series are YA second world fantasies (and one space fantasy) that check all three boxes.
This novel has been described as a dark version of Ender’s Game with explosions, and the themes within it are certainly no darker that those found in Avatar: The Last Airbender (the TV series), which handles adult issues tastefully. Both target a YA/teen demographic, but are enjoyed by all ages. Parsing young adult versus new adult versus adult subgenres gives me a headache. Telling someone they can’t read a book due to their age because the scenes or themes are too mature irks me and smacks of book banning. I won’t do it, and this novel goes to some horrific places. However, I believe the worst problem a young adult reader (and perhaps a few adult readers) may have had with this book was running to a dictionary from time to time.
I’m told I write in a lyrical prose style with engaging human characters and beautiful imagery, but that there are a few gargantuan words tucked away in my books. I didn’t set out to enrich the vocabulary of my readers, that’s just the nature my author voice. Removing those words would be denying a part of myself. If you enjoyed a thrilling fantasy tale and learned some new words in the bargain, I’m all for that. I will go to the wall for that. Words are awesome.
Jeffrey Bardwell
November 4, 2018
Is Mystery Dead?
My wonderful publisher just opened a new imprint for mysteries and thrillers. That got me thinking. I’ve always loved mystery, even as a child, and quite a few of my favorite TV shows fall–or fell–in that category. I always add an element of mystery or suspense in my romances too. So why am I not reading more of it? Or watching it?
Bones, NCIS, The Closer, Rizzoli and Isles… I watched and loved them all. But more recently I noticed I’m not getting into those shows anymore. Some are off the air but others, including some new ones, have either made it out of my list of preferences or never made it there. For someone who used to devour Agatha Christie’s books, Ellis Peter’s Brother Cadfell’s series, even lots of the extremely sexist gumshoe series of the 70s I sure am not paying much attention to the genre.
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In recent years I have read very few mysteries, at least those who fall entirely in that category. I’ve read many books that included mystery in the plot but that’s it. Some of those I read were The Gone Girl (hated it–a story for another time), a couple of Dan Brown’s books (loved it), one or two cozies (fun) and not much more.
A lot of the shows I used to watch faithfully (Criminal Minds, CSI, etc) became more and more gory as if their popularity depended on how gross and despicable the crime scene was. The mystery itself looked like was taking a back seat. I lost interest. I like the puzzle-side of mystery, the putting all the pieces together to solve a conundrum. Some shows quit doing that and began focusing more on the shoot-outs, the car chases, the bizarre ways killers were choosing to murder people. Not that interesting.
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I’m not against a bit of gore if it’s necessary to show the horror of the situation (I’ve written it myself: there’s a torture scene in Lavender Fields for example), but do we really need to see a body shred to pieces by a wood chipper or another literally smashed to smithereens and glued to the tires of a car? Don’t think so.
I’m just sorry that real mysteries seem to be a thing of the past or maybe I’m just reading the wrong ones. On the other hand I have read some excellent books that incorporated good mysteries within the plot such as Kate Morton’s The Distant Hours.
What do you think? Do you know of good mysteries that do not rely on gore, shoot outs, or any other shock-factors? What about cozies? Have you read any good ones lately? I have a couple written by a writer friend on my TBR. I was fortunate enough to read a couple chapters and loved it, so I have high hopes. What do you suggest?
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October 28, 2018
Ignoring the Impostor Syndrome
We all felt it one time or another, the insidious whisper inside our head that says, “You’re an impostor“. “How dare you stand among the great ones? What right do you have to be here? What makes you qualified to dish out advice?” You know the whispers–or sometimes loud screams in your mind.
Writers are particularly vulnerable to this. How many of us have been part of a book event where you have big names in your genre at a table five feet away from yours? It’s both exhilarating and depressing because on one hand you’re excited you’re breathing the same air as some of your literary idols while at the same time being depressed for feeling you don’t measure up to them.
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Recently I was invited to co-present at a local, small writer’s conference. My first reaction was to say yes, but then that nagging feeling came whispering again–what can you possibly say about writing that others would think interesting or helpful? I said yes anyway because I’ve promised myself a long time ago I’d take on more challenges.
I had been part of panels before, but this was different; this was the two of us running an informative session about the writing business, From Spark to Finish (my co-presenter, talented YA author, PM Hernandez, came up with the catchy title). Between the two of us we have thirteen books published and we have both learned quite a lot in our journey through this business. And yet that doubt, that nettling feeling, was still gnawing at the back of my mind.
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Photo Credit: Jan Rayl
In the end it was a great experience. Turns out we both have quite a bit of helpful information to impart with beginning or aspiring authors, and this was the perfect venue to do so. Hernandez and I have different experiences and perspectives but because of that we were the perfect combination; she’s self-published, I’m a hybrid; she’s a semi-pantser, I’m an all-in pantser. I think I speak for both of us when I say, we had a blast as you can tell by this picture.
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PM Hernandez and me – Photo Credit: Jan Rayl
I’m sure that irksome voice will rise again, but for the moment I’m on Cloud 9, feeling accomplished and worthy. Moral of the story is we all need to ignore those whispers and take risks. When you hear that inner voice again, stick a cork in it and move on. You’ll be so glad you did it.
*Many thanks to Jan Rayl, Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt, and Becks Sousa of Write by the Rails for organizing such a great event. And everyone who attended. It was a lot of fun.*
