Trisha Sugarek's Blog, page 112

Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 56)

[image error]                 (continued)     “Look, Charlie, if you give this thing up, right now, you’re looking at a few good days being taken away.  Some lock down time. A couple of weeks in the hole at the most…”

“Like I give a shit…”

Sandy went on as if he hadn’t spoken.  “You let this go any further; you're jeopardizing your future with your daughter. Come on, be smart and give it up now.”

“Nice try, Gerrard.  No deal.  The way I see it, I hold all the cards.  I get outta here, I'm the one finds my kid, and I find that bastard, Rick, end of story. So where’s the food ya promised?”

“It just walked in the door, Charlie… you ought ‘a be able to smell the pizza from in there. Let me bring it in, we’ll have a slice together and talk… how ‘bout it?”

“Uh-uh… you just put the stuff in the lock down and back out. You got the phone?”

“Yep.  All right here.”  The first door slid open and Sandy walked into the chamber. “I’m coming into the lock down now. Why not let me come on in and we'll talk about getting your daughter back.”

Sandy stood, pizza boxes in one hand, a six pack of water dangling from her fingers. Charlie yelled into the receiver.

“I said no! You stay where you are. Just set everything down and back out.”

Sandy laid the supplies down on the floor. “Whatever you say, Charlie.” She removed the cell phone from her pocket and showed it to Charlie.

“ Here’s the phone. You can call me anytime.  Just hit number one on the speed dial. And there’s some real, Chicago style pizza. Hope ya like sausage and green peppers. ”

“The phone’s probably bugged.” He grumbled to himself.  “Go on, get out.” He waved the gun at the doors.  “As soon as you’re out, open the inside door.  Alma!  Go get that stuff.”

“Okay, hon.”

Alma rose from her chair and crossed to the inner door as it slid silently open.  She gathered up the food and phone.  She walked across to her table and looked at Charlie.

“Put the food and water on the table, Alma. Bring me the cell phone and one of them waters.”

“What about Mrs. Lancaster, hon?”  Alma asked.

“What about her?”

“Maybe she’d like some water too, Charlie.”

“Yeah, sure.  What the hell.”

Alma pulled two bottles from the pack and picking up the phone scurried over to Charlie.  He took the water and cell phone. Alma reached down to Kitty, who was still sat on the floor, and handed her a bottle.

“Thank you.” Kitty looked up at Alma, her eyes full of desperate pleading.

“Welcome.”  Alma’s eyes locked with Kitty.

“Please.  Make him let me go…make him stop.” Kitty pleaded.

“Don't worry, Mrs. Lancaster, Charlie won't hurt ya…he talks real tough but he won’t do nothin’ bad to ya.”

“I have a daughter too, Alma. She's pregnant. She’ll be worried. Please help me.” Kitty whispered.

“Jeez, that's rough…” Alma sighed.

“For Chrissakes, Alma, shut up and go sit down.” Charlie barked at her.

“Okay, baby, don’t get mad.”

Kitty slumped in defeat. Why would no one help her? Charlie could hear the faint voice of Sandy coming from the forgotten phone in his hand.  He raised it to his ear.

“Charlie, you can hang up now and call me on the cell phone.  Let’s talk.  See how we can work this out.”

“Later.” Charlie sneered.  “Don't call me…I'll call you.”

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The next segment will appear Monday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next in the visiting room and the women outside the walls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tasha Alexander, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my .  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

What does it look like? From 'no book' to 'finished book'?

Recently a fellow writer and friend asked me this question:  "What does the process of going from "no book" to "finished book" look like?"  In the new series, "The Writer's Corner" it seems to be each featured author's favorite question.  Having also completed a novel ("Women Outside the Walls")  I'd like to add my two cents:

I used my play script (by the same name) as my book outline/treatment.  As the scenario was so current (because it was a play), I found that flashbacks were a great way to flesh out each woman's story and it served me well.

It took me a year and four months to write and edit it. That equals 72,000 words.

I did not have a deadline and it probably would have really helped. I was my own deadline setter and that didn't work out so well. On the other hand, I think having a publisher breathing down my neck would have stifled my creative flow.  When life got in the way I wouldn't work on it for weeks but then I would get inspired and work on it for days, weeks, non-stop, sometimes 10-14 hours a day. So I guess it all evened out.  Whatever you do, don't beat yourself up if you don't write for a few days....you'll make up for it with better, more relaxed creative writing.

Because I inherently 'rush', I found that I had to watch-dog myself and be careful not to leave out important roads of the story. I was in early proofing of the final product of my novel and realized (in a countless re-read) that I had never described my female negotiator's physical appearance. (Yikes!).  Again, (if the writer tends to rush) go back and re-read your work to see where you need to flesh out a chapter or a character.

I am not structured at all. I write a new project in my head for days, weeks and then when my brain is about to burst I begin putting it down on paper. I also write out of sequence and I think that's okay. My novel's last chapter was completed months before the middle was written.

Some writers have actually written whole books while blogging; they found it less daunting by writing in segments. At the end they had a book and then they published.  If you need a deadline the days that you commit to writing a blog would serve.  For me this wouldn't work;  I would feel too exposed having my rough draft out there for the world to see as I am a writer who slams it down the first time around and then edit, edit, delete, edit.  Did I mention that the lettering is worn off my 'delete' key?

Frequently I will begin a story that has inspired me, not knowing much about the subject. It has sometimes stopped me dead in my tracks while I researched (example: hostage negotiations).   I had 8 pages of a new play about Winston Churchill written and  had to stop to do research. I find that it can be done while I am writing and that is what I prefer. It's more fun and keeps me interested. I don't think I would do well having my research all done before I put my story down. I find that the research itself inspires my story line.

And then there is that unseen, unheard phenomenon where, with any luck, the characters take over and you become the typist. (check out Jan.3rd blog) .  This has happened to me time and again, and while I resisted at first (being a control-freak) I now embrace and welcome it.  In Women Outside the Walls my character Alma, at sixteen, is abandoned by her promiscuous mother.  Alma is befriended by the ex-girl friend of the man Alma had a teen crush on.  They end up being room mates.  I could never have dreamed that one up;  but my characters got together and decided that this was what they would to do.

I don't think that there is a right or wrong way to go through the process. Each writer should be unique in how they work. Instead of thinking of it as a project/deadline 'thing'; think of it as a work of art, created just for you and by you. Where possible, let the characters lead you. They will never steer you wrong!

well, there you have it...the process such as it is and how it works for me.

***********************************************************************************************************

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Anne Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Tasha Alexander, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my blog.  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". B e certain to confirm w hen you get an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

 

Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 55)

[image error]                           (continued)   “Listen, while we’re waiting on the pizza, why not tell me what’s going on? Give me some details.”

“Why?”

“‘Cause I’m here to help you if I can.  We all want this to end safely.”

“No. How we want this to end is for me to get outta here.  I got five hostages.  That says you're gonna let me out so I can find my little girl.”

“Your daughter?”

“Yeah.”

Sandy hid her smile.  So now we know why all of  this hit the fan, she thought to herself. We gotta find the kid ASAP. She turned away from the window and spoke into her lapel.

“You getting this?”

“Roger that.” A male voice came back.

“Let me get some details and then you guys jump on finding his kid, before this gets any uglier.”

“Roger.”

Sandy turned back to the window.  “Just checking on the pizza.” She told Charlie. “You got any other kids? I’ve got two myself.”

“Nope, just the one and she's missin’.”

“How, missing?”

“As in gone, disappeared, vanished, poof!  What's wrong with you, ya stupid?”

Sandy ignored Charlie’s insult.  A good, no, a great negotiator ignored the hostage takers’ insults and fury.  Keep them on track and don’t let it escalate.

“Did she run away?”

“Naw… um…” Charlie fired a glare at Alma. “We don’t know for sure.”

“How old is she?”

“Fifteen. She’s just a kid.”

“Charlie….” Alma started to correct him.

Charlie glared at her. “Gonna turn sixteen in a couple of months.” He sighed.

“What do you think happened?”  Sandy gently prodded. “Does your wife have any thoughts?”

Charlie’s laugh was derisive. “I don’t think… I know what happened!  She’s disappeared for over a week now.  A guy my wife works for… Rick… she’s with him and he’s got a hard on for her. And I don’t mean he’s mad at her. He’s had his eye on my daughter since she was thirteen. Jesus! I gotta get outta here! I gotta find her!”

“What’s Rick’s last name?”

“Santana.  Why?”

“Give me some details, maybe I can help. Where does your wife work?”

“A strip joint out on highway 30. The Paradise Lounge. Santana owns it.”

“What’s your daughter’s name?”

“Chelsea, Chelsea Marie.”

“Pretty name, Chelsea a  family name?”

“After my mother, okay? What’s with all the chit-chat?”

“Is Chelsea close to her grandmother? Would she maybe call her instead of her mother?”

“My mother died eight years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah well cancer will do that to ya.”

“How old is this Santana guy?” Sandy asked.

“Thirty-five, forty.  You got kids, Gerrard.  Ya got any idea how this feels?  Me locked up in here and my daughter’s with some ol’ pervert? My dimwit wife tells me just now, that Rick promised Chelsea a trip to Atlantic City.”

“I do know how you must feel Charlie…can I call you Charlie?” She always tried to get on first name basis as quickly as possible.

“You can call me Charlie, Baldwin or a ‘horse’s ass’ for all I care.  I got every reason in the world not to trust you, Sandy.  A fucking cop!”

Sandy ignored his slurs.  “I got two girls.  Nine and eleven. I know how frantic you must feel. I would be going out of my mind right about now.”

“But we can help you find her.  Whad’ya say?  Put the gun down, walk away from this right now.

Let the others go and I promise you, we will do everything we can to find your daughter.”

“No way.”

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The next segment will appear Friday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next in the visiting room and the women outside the walls.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Anne Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Tasha Alexander, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

'The Life'.....how do I know so much about it?

          I've been asked by  several of my readers how can I write so accurately and make it so 'real' when I write about prostitution and 'the life?'  Experience, my dear.  How else?

      Many, many years ago, I was staying on the beach in Honolulu and late one night, I went down to the hotel's coffee shop for a cup of Joe.  Across the street I noticed tall, beautiful, well dressed women, (there were dozens of them) walking up and down.  Where were they going?  It was close to midnight.  My waitress arched an eyebrow as she informed me that 'they were....you know....'ladies of the night'.  This was in the 90's and ladies did not throw out words like, 'whores' or' ho's'.  So I paid for my coffee and dashed across the street and started following these high class hookers up and down Kalakaua Avenue, on Waikiki Beach.  They were well dressed, provocative but not cheap. Hair and makeup was perfect. As a writer, this was my chance to observe up close and personal.  But not too 'up close', I hoped. The part I found hysterical was the girls would pick up Asian men and take them, not to a hotel, but down the boulevard to a park bench several blocks away from the busy sidewalks.  The men would sit, all lined up, and wait patiently until the girls came back and got them. Later I noticed that the girls took their 'breaks' in an all night ice cream shop. I followed a few in, got in line behind them and introduced myself.  I told them I was a writer and I asked if I could talk to them and ask questions. They cheerfully agreed.  They told me that their biggest, best paying customers were Japanese business men.  I asked about the 'johns' lined up on the park bench.  They laughed and explained that the girls stored them there until they had enough men to take to the hotel.  Kind of like a holding pen. The girls actually knew a little Japanese so that they could 'negotiate'.  Which act for how much??
They seemed almost as fascinated with me as I was with them.  They fired away with their questions:  why do I write? (a hard question to answer) would their stories be in a movie or on the stage?  They laughed so hard when I told them how much (or how little) I make as a writer.  They told me, "Girl? You gotta get into the 'life' and make some real money!'

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In 2005 I directed "The Oldest Profession" by  Paula Vogel.  It is a funny, bitter-sweet story of several old (over 60) prostitutes and their long time Madame.  Again, RESEARCH!!  This time as a director I needed to research prostitution so that we could do justice to Vogel's script.  I Googled the Chicken Ranch , a famous (if not the most famous) bordello in Nevada and then I called the Ranch. They put me right through and the manager was kind enough to answer all of my questions. We were so cordial that by the end of the call she said she was going to send me a 'grab bag' of goodies for my 'girls'.  The funniest item she sent us was a menu that the men (customers, Johns, tricks) receive while waiting to pick a girl.  'Nuff said!   She seemed  entertained by our conversation and she was very curious about our end of the business, that is, portraying old hookers on stage.  We had a good laugh together!!  Managing a stable of prostitutes wasn't that much different from 'directing' a bunch of actresses!

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Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Anne Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tasha Alexander, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my    Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 54)

Chapter 24

Sandy, Kitty, Alma and Hattie

Sandy Gerrard stood just outside the security doors that led to the visiting room.  Inside the telephone began to ring.  Charlie looked over at his hostages.

“Washington, answer that!” he ordered.

Joe stepped over to the phone. “Yeah?… Okay, hold on.” He turned to Charlie. “It’s a FBI negotiator, name's Gerrard.”

“Tell him I ain’t negotiatin’ nothin’!” Charlie snarled.

Joe spoke into the phone. “Baldwin says… yeah, ya heard? Okay, hang on a sec… Gerrard wants to know, will you just talk a minute?”  Joe told Charlie as he held the receiver out to him.

“Sure, why not? I’m not doin’ nothin’ else.” Charlie laughed. “Okay, Duchess, hold the phone up to my ear.  Yo!  Mr. Ne-go-ti-a-tor Man, wha’d ya say?”

Charlie’s eyebrows went up when he heard a calm, but definitely female voice on the other end of the telephone.

“Mr. Baldwin, my name is Gerrard. Sandy Gerrard. See me?  I’m just outside the doors here.”

“Yeah, I see ya. A broad?!  They sent a broad?”

“Is that a problem?”  Sandy asked.

“I don' know. Can ya cook?”  Charlie laughed at his joke. Sandy chuckled.

“You let those folks go, and I'll cook you up a big ole' steak.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. I don’t think so.” Charlie wiped the laugh off his face.  “You can see me too, right?”

Charlie indicated Kitty with his gun hand, then placed the end of the barrel to Kitty’s head.

“See what I got here?”

“Yes, I see.  No need for anyone to get hurt, Baldwin.”

“Well, that's sort'a up to you, now, isn't it?”

“Look, you need to work this out with me.”

“Says who?” Charlie asked.

“That’s the only way you can get what you want. I’m here to help you.”

Charlie snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, sure.”  He considered what she had said for a moment.  “Okay, let’s say I’m willing to talk to you.  You the ‘go-to’ girl?  ‘Cause I ain’t talkin’ unless it's to somebody can get me outta here.”

“I’m the one.”  She took a minute. “How’s everyone doin’?”

“Oh, we’re peachy keen, Gerrard. Maybe a little hungry since we missed lunch.”

“What can I send into you, you know, to make you and the others more comfortable?” she asked.

“How ‘bout some beer? A six pack would go down nice. No, make that a twelve pack, it’s gonna be a long night. A cold brew would taste pretty good. Some pizza too and not that prison crap they pass off as pizza!”

Sandy laughed. “I know. Pretty awful, isn’t it?  How about some water and I'll see what can be done about some real pizza?”

“No beer, huh? Didn't think so. Oh! And I wanna a cell phone.”

Charlie took the receiver from Kitty and waggled it in the air. “This piece 'a shit ain't worth nothin'. I need to move around.”  Charlie turned to Kitty and pointed to the floor.  “Sit down, there.”

Kitty sat down against the wall and curled her legs under her.  She laid her head back and closed her eyes. Finally Charlie’s attention was on someone else so she relaxed a little.

“Can do! I'll bring you the cell phone and some water when I bring in the food.” Sandy reassured him.

“Wrong, Gerrard. You ain't comin' in here. You put it in the lock down and my ol’ lady will get it. Oh, and Gerrard?”

“Yeah?”

“Everything comes through the lock down.  If I see that personnel door open, for any reason, whoever it is gets the first bullet. Understood?”

“Understood. Give me half an hour, okay?”

“Just hurry it up.  I’m real hungry now that I think about it.  This hostage stuff stirs up a man's appetite, don't it?”

*******************

The next segment will appear Wednesday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women outside the walls.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "the Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 53)

                  (continued)    He looked over at her, his eyes full of grief.   The guy is so soft-hearted and sweet.  Why couldn’t I love him more?  Why couldn’t I give him the kids he so desperately wanted?  Why couldn’t I have been little Miss Homemaker?  Sam certainly deserves all of that and more.

“The divorce papers are ready and they'll be delivered to you tomorrow.  I just wanted to see you in person to tell you,” he told her.

“Okay.”

“Sands, won’t you please reconsider?  I still love….”

Sandy set her glass down and moved over to him. She took his hand. “Sam, don’t.  We’ve been over this a thousand times.  You know I will always love you but I can’t give you what you want; what you deserve.”

Sam hung his head and watched his own fingers making lazy circles on the back of Sandy’s hand.

“I loved you so much.  Still do.  This divorce is killing me.”

Sandy’s cell phone began its distinctive chirp signaling that it was the office.  Sandy groaned and picked it up off the table. The caller ID confirmed that someone at the office needed her. “Sorry, it’s the office.” She told Sam before she answered it.

“Yeah, I figured.”

“Gerrard, here.”

“Got a hot one for ya.  Report to the state prison immediately. An inmate grabbed some rich old broad and they’re holed up in the visiting room.  The team coordinator will call you on the road and brief you. Pack a toothbrush; it’s gonna be a long sum-a-bitch.”

“Roger that.  I’ll be in my car in fifteen minutes.” Sandy ended the call and turned to Sam. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“But you’re wiped out.  Can’t they call someone else?”

She began to squeeze her tired feet back into her shoes. “We’ve got a hostage situation at Statesville.”

“Oh.”

“I’m so sorry to cut you off like this Sam. But there’s nothing more to be said.  You and I both know that a divorce is right for us.  I’ll never be different than who I am.  In a little while you’ll meet a wonderful woman who can give you all the things I can’t. I love you and you know we will always be friends.”

Sandy was up and moving; she was in negotiator mode in a blink of an eye. She loaded the tray with her dishes and both glasses and moved to the kitchen.

“I’ll sign the papers as soon as I get back. Will you sign yours, Sam?”

“Yes. I didn’t want to until I had a chance to talk to you one last time.”

As Sandy loaded the dishwasher she wondered to herself, what’s he waiting for now?  Can’t he see that I have to throw some fresh things in my bag and get on the road? Maybe if I ease towards the door, he’ll take the hint. Sandy left the kitchen and walked down the hall.     Sam really had no other choice but to follow her. He stood up, took one last look around the cold, remote room and walked towards the front door. Sandy was standing there with her hand on the door knob.

“We’ll talk after I get back and have signed the papers, okay?” she said.

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Sam leaned in to kiss her and Sandy quickly turned so he kissed her cheek. “Drive safe, will you?”

“I always do Sam. Again, sorry about the ‘bum’s rush’ but crime never sleeps.” Her laugh came out flat and Sam didn’t even smile.  Sandy opened the door and as Sam walked through it she patted him on the back.

“Talk to you when I get back, okay?”

“Good night, Sands.” Sam said as he walked toward the elevator. Sandy had closed her door before he had gone six feet.  He stood alone in the hallway, waiting for the elevator, tears trickling down his face.

**************

The next segment will appear Monday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women outside the walls.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my blog.  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

The Writer's Corner....an interview with author, Ann Purser (part 2)

(continued from January 15th)    **An interview with Ann Purser**   [image error]

Anyway, to resume: My husband was asked to write a TV critic column in a show biz paper, and he said how much? and they said thirty bob, and he said "My old woman would do it for that!" And they said, "would she?" So I did, for several years, until SHE popped up again and said would I like to do a page each month, an interview with a lovely show biz person. So I did it for six years, and loved it.

Skipping lightly over a job in the village school, running an art gallery, and harbouring many pet animals, including a donkey - Now, to my first novel, this was a story of village life, and Orion took it on, and gave me a commission for six more. So I did those, and then wrote a murder mystery called Murder on Monday, which nobody wanted to publish. Then luckily, a very nice man called Edwin at Severn House Publishing, said he would do it, and that started my career as a mystery novelist. Six of these were slotted by those who like pigeon-holing, into a category called Cozies. Nuff said.

[image error]Actually, with the music playing, I am quite able to shut out extraneous other noises. I can usually work fast and have never (crossing all fingers) had writers` block. There is no telephone in Harriet`s House, and my husband (same one) keeps callers at bay.

One of your questions, about `no book` to `finished book`, had me thinking. By now, I have evolved a habit of starting a new book immediately after finishing the last. Then it gets a bit mixed up when I have copy editing etc. to do. But my present publisher, Berkley Prime Crime, Penguin US, is expert and wonderful, and so everything slots into place. At the moment I am writing two books a year.

Inspiration? There`s a thing. Who knows where it comes from? A fevered imagination in my case, probably. But with Lois Meade, there was a specific point when the wheels began to turn. My cleaning lady (with us for thirty years) said one day, half way down the stairs, "I`ve often thought I`d like to be a detective. I get to hear and see a lot of things in my job." And there it was, handed to me on a plate.

Ivy Beasley, the elderly detective in my second series, is the only person based on a real one. She was a single lady of some years who was awkward, independent and once asked the parish council to investigate the theft of her knickers from the washing line. She is sadly now deceased, and I hope her heavenly knickers are left undisturbed.

So that`s enough about me, Trish! Apologies if I have not answered vital questions. All the best, and carry on the good work. Ann.  **********

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS continuing A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my blog.  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".  You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 52)

(continued)    Sandy  rose and walked down the hall to the foyer. She looked through the peep-hole in the door and sighed. Unlatching the security locks she opened the door. “Come on in, Samuel.”

She moved aside and a distinguished man in his mid-forties walked in. He was dressed casually in a golf shirt and grey sweat pants.  He had a windbreaker slung over his shoulder.  Sam was handsome but in a lived in sort of way.  He was the type of man whose shirt tails never stayed tucked, whose shoes needed a polish ten minutes after their last shoe shine and whose hair always needed a trim. But his look contributed to his being a very successful and popular orthodontist.

"Your joy at seeing me is overwhelming.” He told her with more sadness than sarcasm. “Great to see you too Sandy.”

“What’d you want?”

“Gracious as always, I see. How about a drink for starters?”

Sandy looked at him for several minutes. She then turned and walked down the hallway.

“Why not?  Your usual?”

Sam followed her. “Yes, please.”

Maybe that’s where we went wrong, he thought, me always following along behind her. Grateful for any small favor. In the living room Sandy went to the drinks cart and poured a scotch on the rocks, three cubes. Sam crossed the room and had taken one corner of the sofa, putting his feet on the coffee table. Sandy walked over to him and handed him his drink. Almost as an afterthought and certainly not the first time she had said these exact same words to him, she told him, “Feet off the furniture.”

Sam grinned and lowered his feet to the carpet. “Join me.” he invited, patting the seat next to him. Sandy picked up her glass of wine and moved to the far end of the sofa and sat down.  She sipped her wine and stared at him. Sam looked around the room.

“I see you still live in a monk’s cell, Sands.”

“Is that why you came? To critique my decorating style, again?”

“No, just making conversation.”

“Well, if you don’t mind I’m really tired.  I just got in off a kidnapping case and I’m beat. Why are you here?”

“Did it end well?”

“What?”

“Your case, did it end well?”

“Oh. Yes. It was a custodial ‘napping so the child was safe. I always feel a bit sorry for the parent who takes the kid.  They get slammed by the justice system. I know it’s the right thing but I don’t have to like it.”

Sam sighed. How can she be so empathetic to these missing children and still not want any of her own. He wondered. Maybe if she had consented to having a kid or two it would’ve worked out.

“Sam!” Sandy had said his name several times. But as usual he’s off in his never-never-land. What a dreamer.

“What? Oh, sorry I was thinking about kids.”

“Sam, what is it that you want?  I gotta get some rest. I’ve got a full day of paperwork tomorrow.”

**************

The next segment will appear Friday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next in Sandy's living room and to the women outside the walls.....

 

DON'T MISS PART TWO, THIS WEEK OF AN INTERVIEW WITH ANN PURSER, AUTHOR IN MY NEW SERIES, "Behind the Scenes" INTERVIEWS with other BEST SELLING AUTHORS!

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The Writer's Corner...an interview with author, Ann Purser (part 1)

                  Do other writers (like me)  sometimes find themselves  at 4 in the afternoon still in their pajamas, writing furiously?  Do all of their #2 pencils have to be sharpened before they can begin?

I thought my readers might enjoy hearing about other authors' writing processes.  So I created a Question & Answer-type Interview and then began contacting some of my favorite authors to ask them to participate.  The response has been wonderful and I can't wait to share it with you.

My first interview was with British author, Ann Purser. www.annpurser.com She is best known for her witty and charming (and beautifully written) mysteries in a small English village.  The main character, Lois Meade and her band of 'cleaners' make for a sometimes hilarious but cunning read.  Ann was so generous with her answers that I have made this interview into a two-parter.  I hope you enjoy her fascinating journey as much as I did!

I asked questions like:   Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?  Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write?  What is your mode of writing?  Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?  Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?   When did you begin to write seriously?

and the all important: What does the process of going from "no book" to "finished book" look like?

                                                   **An Interview with author, Ann Purser**

Hi Trish! Nice of you to invite me - so here goes.

You ask me lots of questions which I will try to answer: I write in an annexe originally built for disabled daughter and called Harriet`s House. All switches at wheelchair height, and handy loo and shower. Five mornings a week, I am in there pounding away at the keyboard and blessing whoever it was who invented the computer, since the Delete button is so much quicker than a grubby pink typewriter rubber. First thing to do is find a cd - I have music playing always, since we live next to the village school, and the deafening noise the little dears make is quite remarkable!

English, born in Leicestershire.  Tried my hand at many things, details of which are boringly on my website, but eventually was driven to write a book. I say driven, because at that time my eight year old daughter, born prematurely, was struggling with cerebral palsy, and I was struggling with managing her, plus two subsequent energetic little ones. My husband - a writer and critic - once Critic of the Year - got so fed up with listening to my moans that he said "Why don`t you write down how you feel, and we`ll send it to SHE magazine."   

NOW, it so happens that the editor at that time was an ex-girlfriend of said husband, and she very nicely featured my burblings on a couple of pages. There were pictures of my daughter, very delicate and heart-breakingly pretty, and of me looking vacant.

It was a start, and although I didn't follow it up for some time, I was asked by the Spastics Society to help write a book for parents. Not technical, not preachy, just based on our experiences. Did this, and it came in pink hard covers, and some good reviews. You and Your Handicapped Child was followed by a school book with the snappy title, Looking Back at Popular Entertainment, 1901-1931. Writing this taught me a lot about research, and the nicest part was finding old photos of show biz stars from the Hulton Picture Library.

"We don`t want to know all this," I hear you say. But the fact is, and I`m sure other writers will bear me out on this, nothing in one`s experience, whether years ago or yesterday, should be wasted. Tiny things, like Ivy Beasley`s mother`s voice in her head, float up to be remembered and used.

.........to be continued on January 17th.  Hope you'll join us!

 

To receive my posts sign up for my blog.  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".  You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

 

 

Behind the Scenes....an interview with author, Ann Purser (part 1)

                  Do other writers (like me)  sometimes find themselves  at 4 in the afternoon still in their pajamas, writing furiously?  Do all of their #2 pencils have to be sharpened before they can begin?

I thought my readers might enjoy hearing about other authors' writing processes.  So I created a Question & Answer-type Interview and then began contacting some of my favorite authors to ask them to participate.  The response has been wonderful and I can't wait to share it with you.

My first interview was with British author, Ann Purser. www.annpurser.com She is best known for her witty and charming (and beautifully written) mysteries in a small English village.  The main character, Lois Meade and her band of 'cleaners' make for a sometimes hilarious but cunning read.  Ann was so generous with her answers that I have made this interview into a two-parter.  I hope you enjoy her fascinating journey as much as I did!

I asked questions like:   Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?  Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write?  What is your mode of writing?  Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?  Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?   When did you begin to write seriously?

and the all important: What does the process of going from "no book" to "finished book" look like?

                                                   **An Interview with author, Ann Purser**

Hi Trish! Nice of you to invite me - so here goes.

You ask me lots of questions which I will try to answer: I write in an annexe originally built for disabled daughter and called Harriet`s House. All switches at wheelchair height, and handy loo and shower. Five mornings a week, I am in there pounding away at the keyboard and blessing whoever it was who invented the computer, since the Delete button is so much quicker than a grubby pink typewriter rubber. First thing to do is find a cd - I have music playing always, since we live next to the village school, and the deafening noise the little dears make is quite remarkable!

English, born in Leicestershire.  Tried my hand at many things, details of which are boringly on my website, but eventually was driven to write a book. I say driven, because at that time my eight year old daughter, born prematurely, was struggling with cerebral palsy, and I was struggling with managing her, plus two subsequent energetic little ones. My husband - a writer and critic - once Critic of the Year - got so fed up with listening to my moans that he said "Why don`t you write down how you feel, and we`ll send it to SHE magazine."   

NOW, it so happens that the editor at that time was an ex-girlfriend of said husband, and she very nicely featured my burblings on a couple of pages. There were pictures of my daughter, very delicate and heart-breakingly pretty, and of me looking vacant.

It was a start, and although I didn't follow it up for some time, I was asked by the Spastics Society to help write a book for parents. Not technical, not preachy, just based on our experiences. Did this, and it came in pink hard covers, and some good reviews. You and Your Handicapped Child was followed by a school book with the snappy title, Looking Back at Popular Entertainment, 1901-1931. Writing this taught me a lot about research, and the nicest part was finding old photos of show biz stars from the Hulton Picture Library.

"We don`t want to know all this," I hear you say. But the fact is, and I`m sure other writers will bear me out on this, nothing in one`s experience, whether years ago or yesterday, should be wasted. Tiny things, like Ivy Beasley`s mother`s voice in her head, float up to be remembered and used.

.........to be continued on January 17th.  Hope you'll join us!

 

To receive my posts sign up for my blog.  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".  You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!