Ellis Vidler's Blog, page 17

April 6, 2012

It's the Eccentricities that Count

Does he like liver?
What do you do to make your characters stand out? Do you know their favorite song? Can they dance or are they self-conscious on a dance floor? What are her eccentricities? Does she avoid the color red? Why? Always put her left shoe on first? How about him? Does he have a fondness for liver? Put in a few surprises, like his great grandmother dressed as a boy and rode for the
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Published on April 06, 2012 20:16

April 2, 2012

The World's Biggest Typo

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Mystery author Camille Minichino is this week's guest. She definitely has a point--I detest typos!Twice a year, members of Sisters in Crime of Northern California host a "showcase" where we're invited to read from our newly published work. One after the other, usually about 8 or 9 of us at any given event, stand behind the podium and read a selected passage. Maybe the first
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Published on April 02, 2012 17:52

March 31, 2012

Clairvoyance and Crystal Balls

Haunting Refrain

Excerpt from Haunting Refrain.The older woman brightened. "I suppose I could talk to Ramses. Perhaps he can help."Kate was never sure whether Venice was serious about the spirit who inhabited her crystal ball. She swore that he was there and spoke to her, but Kate had caught an irreverent twinkle in her eyes more than once. "Ramses? I thought he only communed with the—" "The
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Published on March 31, 2012 03:17

March 26, 2012

Letting the story come to you

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My guest is Shelly Frome, author of Twilight of the Drifter.
There was an instructor at a prestigious college program in the Midwest who always gave this advice. Never try to write a novel. Rather, try not to write. And if the time ever comes when you can't help yourself, when you wake up in the middle of night because the prospect of some journey keeps calling you, at that point you'
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Published on March 26, 2012 19:01

March 24, 2012

Dialogue or Lecture?

Sometimes when a writer wants to give the reader a great deal of information, he/she dumps it all into one long paragraph. Just the sight of the long, solid paragraph is discouraging to readers. Break it up. Use actions on the part of the speaker. Let the other person interrupt with comments or questions. White space is good; it gives the reader the sensation of moving forward at a fast
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Published on March 24, 2012 06:35

March 20, 2012

The Unpredictable Muse of William S. Shepard

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My guest is William S. Shepard, author of the Robbie Cutler diplomatic mysteries.To prove just how unpredictable my muse is, I would like to talk with you about my two latest E-Book releases. The first is a work of fiction, a collection of short stories that take placed in a diplomatic setting, in far away Singapore. The second, however, is a work of nonfiction, surveying little
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Published on March 20, 2012 03:08

March 17, 2012

Getting Rid of Memories and Backstory

Cold Comfort went through many revisions. At one time I wanted to show something of Claire's relationship with her mother. This scene was in the first chapter and I finally took it out. I liked the little memory, but it was backstory and slowed the opening. It didn't really add anything important at that time. This is an example of one of the traps we fall into--loving a little scene that really
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Published on March 17, 2012 06:09

March 12, 2012

Nancy Lauzon interviews Darcy MacDonald

Author Nancy Lauzon is my guest this week.
Nancy Lauzon's Blog Tour Stop #7: Character Interview - Darcy MacDonald My latest mystery novel, A Few Dead Men, was inspired by my youngest daughter's disastrous dating history. The 'dead men' in the novel are composites of every boyfriend and/or bad date my daughter ever had. Believe me, I had lots of material to choose from. In fact, I didn't have
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Published on March 12, 2012 16:13

March 10, 2012

Capturing Atmosphere and Details

Hub Stacey's

Since I'm sitting on the deck looking out at a tidal slew in Florida, the mood and atmosphere are quite different from the one I'm used to. Here things are more relaxed, dress is more casual, and the air holds a hint of saltwater. Even the light is different. This is Central time, so TV programs start earlier; it's light at 6 a.m. and warm enough to have coffee outside then. 
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Published on March 10, 2012 05:27

March 5, 2012

Lost Confederate Gold

I'm delighted to have D.J. Humphrey as my guest this week.Hello everyone. My name is D.J. Humphrey. I am the author/illustrator of the middle grade action/adventure series Jackson's Raiders. I am, as is our host Mrs. Vidler, a resident of South Carolina. Compared to the rest of our world the United States has a young history. After all our nation is only 236 years of age compared to several
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Published on March 05, 2012 18:41