K.B. Pellegrino's Blog, page 6

Vacation in New Hampshire

Just three hours from my home, and the place visited has similar trees as in my piece of acreage. Still, where I stayed had Lake Winnipesaukee, and my home does not have that piece of heaven. To wake each morning to walk in pristine woods, to dream of Indian occupation, to hear the gentle movement of the lake, to watch the animal residents; all allowed me to dream, to empty my brain and heart of troubles and to energize my muses. And the fire located in the overhang of the porch inspired me to drowsily dream despite the cold and the rain. Actually the sound of raindrops encouraged my relaxation efforts. I won't bore you with the highs of dining there, or the exploration by pontoon boat of the many islands. No, I will savor those experience for one of my novels wherein MCU Detective Beauregard and his detectives and constituents of West Side Massachusetts will visit Wolfeboro looking for those criminals acting out their nefarious deeds. Read any one of my six published novels or look to September for my seventh "BERYL KENT AND THE BLEEDING MAN." You will like the staid and safe demeanor of the thoughtful detective Beauregard. Get to know him.
K. B. Pellegrino, Author

Vacation

When I vacation, it is never from reading or observing or listening or feeling. In truth, when I vacay, my senses are alive, more alive than ever.
This author was grinning ear to ear because...a dish of authentic bouillabaisse was set before her... I thought I was in Marseille. I was eating at a small restaurant in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, the oldest summer resort in the states. The chef had all the spices in sync for that special fish stew taste. I floated in sensual pleasure. I believe that vacationing truly heightened my senses. My hosts, Joey and Janet, seemed surprised at my appreciation of this culinary masterpiece. The chef Americanized this epicurean delight by replacing cut potatoes with smashed potatoes placed in the center of the stew. It actually enhanced the dish.
Oh, how I love surprises. This one was unexpected but what else are surprises? As I walked through Joey's acreage by Lake Winnipesaukee, I was accompanied by a rafter of turkeys walking along side me with a baby fox nestled in the greenery as my audience. Many sounds startled my ears in the woods on both sides of my path raising just a bit of anxiety that the bear family in the area may just appear. But the scents of the pines, the glorious beds of ferns, and the cool breeze rewarded me for taking my two mile morning walk. Life was good on this vacation. I wish it for you too. K. B. Pellegrino, Author

New Novel Writing

After three weeks of editing, problem solving, cleaning my desk, and vacation, today, I wrote four pages of my eighth novel with Beryl Kent again as an obstructive citizen. I have a title. I have a start. I have what could be called "a leaning towards' whatever that means. Do I know where I'm going with this book? No! Per usual, my characters are pulling me in different directions and I try to honor their formidable personalities, but they all can't be center stage at all times. I almost hear them say, "But this is my idea and I know best." Still I remember that I am the writer and I pull away and attempt to look at the whole. So much control and yet so many voices nipping at me and changing my words. It is a battle. Yet I love it, writing.
K. B. Pellegrino, Author

Trilogy soon to be released. Look for it.

I have spent the last three weeks reediting the 'Evil exist in West Mass Trilogy' which is part of The Captain Beauregard Mystery Series. The Trilogy will now be Indie published and as a grouping, the reader will be able to see multiple views of the suburban city of West Mass citizenry and their reactions to their victimization by murderers and serial murderers. There is a come home to roots feel in the novels, where good lives are disrupted by the fear of evil nearby. To the residents' good fortune, MCU Captain Beauregard and the MCU detectives push forward with resolve and do find the perpetrator with assistance from veteran defense counsel Norberto Cull. Whether the legal solutions reached meet our concept of justice may be in question in at least two of the novels; however, there is solving of the murders. Have a read. Soon will be republished by Livres-Ici Publishing and are "Sunnyside Road," Mary Lou," and "Brothers From Another Mother."
K. B. Pellegrino, Author

Hump Day

It can’t be hump day. I don’t want today, Wednesday, to end. Normally hump day leaves me forcing myself through my duties to get to the second part of the work week. The feeling of going down hill after a climb is exhilarating. Not today. The weather is cooler. The air is dry. The grass is greener. My flowers are blooming. I want today to last. One of the wonders in my paying attention, finally, in the moment, finally, to my surroundings, is my great appreciation of the world around me. Whether ...

New Writing

I write all types of material, but publish mysteries. When I start a new writing effort, much must be considered. Is it to be fiction or non-fiction? Is it to be of a shorter length, intermediate length or longer? Although I am not normally an outliner, my brain still must consider how to harness my ideas and in what order. But the initial effort in fiction is the plotting and the characters carrying out the plot. In writing non-fiction from blog to essay to something more, there is the necessity to choose function: an idea to be developed; a caution examined; a reaction to the world; a real and personal story. Here the characters are there already developed and the essence of the piece is how to express in a concise, logical, and readable manner. Fiction, instead, allows me some greater creativity and magic where I can pull the magic bunny out of my top hat.

If you write, you understand. If you craft, you understand; If you are an artist you understand. If you are commissioned for your work, any kind of work, you must meet constraints on your work. If your work is just an expression of your internal view of the world of ideas, greater creativity is available for you. Whatever you do, enjoy.
K. B. Pellegrino, Author

Work, Just Hard Work!

I've been weeding in the garden and see the parallels to line editing with the endless repetitive effort. Editing requires finding, checking, rewording or not, reevaluating my understanding of the placement of conjunctions, prepositions, adverbs, and punctuation. One difficult task is finding the incorrect use of a word which is however spelled correctly. Sometimes my brain must dig deeply. The problem is I must do this editing twice and still feel I missed some things. Such a feeling of inadequacy do I experience when I send the book for publishing. Weeding is endless and some weeds have developed a base of roots embedded into some good plants and I must figure out how to excise them. Difficult!.

Today I sent book number seven to two editors: one for police procedural potential problems and one for general review of plot and character development. I re-edited book number three for the new publisher. It's the same book with minor corrections. Doesn't matter how minor the corrections, the process still requires re-reading the complete MCU Captain Beauregard Mystery. I remind myself I chose this field. Can't complain. Look for my seventh mystery in August, "Beryl Kent and The Bleeding Man"

K. B. Pellegrino, Author

Work, just plain hard work!

I’ve been weeding in the garden and see the parallels to line editing with the endless repetitive effort. Editing requires finding, checking, rewording or not, reevaluating my understanding of the placement of conjunctions, prepositions, adverbs, and punctuation. One difficult task is finding the incorrect use of a word which is however spelled correctly. Sometimes my brain must dig deeply. The problem is I must do this editing twice and still feel I missed some things. Such a feeling of inadequ...

Character Development

It seems to me when I ponder my feelings about a book, character development stands out along with plot. I write in the Mystery/Police Procedural Genre. Midst the rules, regulations, and other controls police work, there is the necessity for development of police and detective characters, and for additional societal inclusion, development of witnesses, victims, and perpetrators' characters. Therein lies the fun in writing. The essence of each person examined for whatever reason colors the novel in personality and often offers current cultural sways. These characters and their quintessence work the plot, allow connections, supply background, or give some dynamic essential for a good read. If I don't get a feeling for the person introduced, I find it disturbing to my read. Since my police are generally good and law-abiding, it is often amongst the civilian characterizations, the reader will feel the interest in the story. I am, after all, a storyteller.
K. B. Pellegrino, Author

A Rainy Weekend

So many reasons to celebrate in honor of those who have died in service to the continuation in our country of the freedoms we enjoy. There was rain on our parade this year as we transition from COVID's mask and 6 feet distancing requirements. Here in the northeast the rain has reached almost epic proportions. In Toronto Canada, they suffered snow in May. Still, I read some history this weekend and cried for those brave young men and women who lived short lives for us. Can we not show our faith in their beliefs in freedom? Can we not assure their lives did not suffer in vain? Can we not renew our love of the precious symbol, the U. S. flag? I pray we will come together in faith and even love.
K. B. Pellegrino, Author