June Shaw's Blog, page 11
June 5, 2015
Korean War Memories That Led To a Novel
By Chester Campbell My second Post Cold War Political Thriller grew out of experiences dating back several decades. The Poksu Conspiracy takes place about half in Korea. I got my first taste of the Far East as a young lieutenant in the Air Force. That was early 1952 and Japan was still digging its way out of the mire of World War II. I arrived at Yokohama on a troop ship and was transferred to a processing station. I had little chance to see the...<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
June 4, 2015
Your Own Personal Critic
by Jean Henry Mead
William G. Tapply wrote an interesting article about acquiring a personal critic to read your work—someone you can trust who is well read: a spouse, who may be a writer; a literate friend who won’t just tell you what you’ve written is great, or someone who can “read your manuscript with fresh eyes and give you straight-forward feedback that will help guide you through the vital process of revision.”
Even well-established novelists such as Stephen King rely on...
William G. Tapply wrote an interesting article about acquiring a personal critic to read your work—someone you can trust who is well read: a spouse, who may be a writer; a literate friend who won’t just tell you what you’ve written is great, or someone who can “read your manuscript with fresh eyes and give you straight-forward feedback that will help guide you through the vital process of revision.”
Even well-established novelists such as Stephen King rely on...
June 3, 2015
Three books in 4 months!
by Carola
March:
Minotaur reissued the first Daisy Dalrymple mystery (England 1920s) in trade paperback, with new artwork to match the latter half of the series.
This is exciting in more than one way. I love the work of the artist who has been doing my covers since the 12th of the series, Die Laughing, so it's great to have the match for Death at Wentwater Court. It's wonderful to have Daisy's first adventure once more available to readers who prefer print. And, with any luck, it me...
March:
Minotaur reissued the first Daisy Dalrymple mystery (England 1920s) in trade paperback, with new artwork to match the latter half of the series.
This is exciting in more than one way. I love the work of the artist who has been doing my covers since the 12th of the series, Die Laughing, so it's great to have the match for Death at Wentwater Court. It's wonderful to have Daisy's first adventure once more available to readers who prefer print. And, with any luck, it me...
May 28, 2015
Pacing Suspense
by Jean Henry Mead
I once read an article by mystery novelist Phyllis Whitney concerning pacing and suspense. She said the best advice she received was from the editor of Weird Tales Magazine, a highly respected pulp magazine published before she began writing novels.
The editor said that she shouldn't try to keep her stories at a constant high pitch, that readers grow as bored with continuous excitement as they do with nothing happening at all.
Pacing suspense is important because a re...
May 27, 2015
Guest Post Featuring Cindy Brown
Dead DarlingsBy Cindy Brown
Cindy BrownWriters know that sometimes we have to kill our darlings, to cut scenes we love that no longer fit into our books. But what do we do with those scenes? Someone asked that question at Malice Domestic during the humor panel where I met Jackie King (who so graciously asked me to post today). I like to resurrect those scenes. Sure, some of them stay in a file marked “Maybe later,” but too often later never comes and my poor dead darlings lan...
Cindy BrownWriters know that sometimes we have to kill our darlings, to cut scenes we love that no longer fit into our books. But what do we do with those scenes? Someone asked that question at Malice Domestic during the humor panel where I met Jackie King (who so graciously asked me to post today). I like to resurrect those scenes. Sure, some of them stay in a file marked “Maybe later,” but too often later never comes and my poor dead darlings lan...
May 25, 2015
Thoughts from below the equator – an interview with Dorothy Johnston (part one)
by Bill Kirton
Dorothy Johnston is an award-winning Australian author. She’s written novels, short stories and a quartet of mysteries featuring Sandra Mahoney. It’s through these mysteries that I came to know her. They’re set in Canberra and, as well as being beautifully written examples of the genre, convey the subtle differences between life in the northern and southern hemispheres. The questions she asked when she interviewed me were so perceptive that I wanted to turn the table...
Dorothy Johnston is an award-winning Australian author. She’s written novels, short stories and a quartet of mysteries featuring Sandra Mahoney. It’s through these mysteries that I came to know her. They’re set in Canberra and, as well as being beautifully written examples of the genre, convey the subtle differences between life in the northern and southern hemispheres. The questions she asked when she interviewed me were so perceptive that I wanted to turn the table...
May 22, 2015
Should Main Characters in Mysteries Have Children?
by June Shaw
I am debating that topic right now. I'm starting a new mystery series, and one of the things I'm really considering is whether to give my protagonist children. That is so cool--we authors make so many decisions about the people in our stories. It's really different from real life in that we can't choose many things that will go on with those around us. Like our grown children and growing grandchildren.
Gosh, I imagine concept is working my thoughts right no...
I am debating that topic right now. I'm starting a new mystery series, and one of the things I'm really considering is whether to give my protagonist children. That is so cool--we authors make so many decisions about the people in our stories. It's really different from real life in that we can't choose many things that will go on with those around us. Like our grown children and growing grandchildren.
Gosh, I imagine concept is working my thoughts right no...
May 20, 2015
Plant some flowers in your plot!
By Carola
Running short of time as always so I'm posting a link to a Spring blog I wrote that talks about using flowers and other plants in your fiction.
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-flowers-that-bloom-in-spring.html
May (hawthorn) blossom in my garden
Running short of time as always so I'm posting a link to a Spring blog I wrote that talks about using flowers and other plants in your fiction.
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-flowers-that-bloom-in-spring.html
May (hawthorn) blossom in my garden
May 15, 2015
Restarting a Stalled Plot
by Jean Henry Mead
Writers have all been there at one time or another. The story’s going along great when all of a sudden you come to a complete stop as though a stone wall stands in your path. Surprised and a little fearful, you can’t seem to get going again. You either abandon the project or put it aside, hoping you’ll eventually come back to it.
A good plot is like a good marriage. It begins with plenty of enthusiasm and energy, but after that first rush you have to settle in for the long...
Writers have all been there at one time or another. The story’s going along great when all of a sudden you come to a complete stop as though a stone wall stands in your path. Surprised and a little fearful, you can’t seem to get going again. You either abandon the project or put it aside, hoping you’ll eventually come back to it.
A good plot is like a good marriage. It begins with plenty of enthusiasm and energy, but after that first rush you have to settle in for the long...
May 13, 2015
Malice Domestic 2015 Rocked!
by Jackie King
Malice Domestic, a yearly convention to celebrate the vast pleasure of reading Mystery Stories, was held May 1 through May 3, 2015, in Bethesda, Maryland. This was the 27th such celebration, and my first to attend. Unlike many writer gatherings, Malice Domestic is held primarily for readers, and is called a Reader-Fest. Nothing is as much fun as hanging out with Readers, since people who read are also Smart.
I made it!All writers were first readers. Nearly all who follow th...
