Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 15

An honor to be nominated by Eric Beetner

 Do you try to read the books that are nominated for major awards? Do you second-guess the nominations or do you usually find you agree? 

Well, this is prescient timing. It just so happens that I recently learned my novel, The Last Few Miles Of Road, has been nominated for an ITW award for Best Series Novel. It was a complete blindside shock to me and I’m extremely grateful.

It also makes it hard to let my cynical side free and admit that I don’t put a whole lot of weight behind an award nominatio...

Books and Prizes, Oh My!

 

Books and Prizes, Oh My!

 

Do you try to read the books that are nominated formajor awards? Do you second-guess the nominations or do you usually find youagree?

 

This question forced me tolook at my life as a reader from the wrong end of the telescope because I findmyself asking how I discover books to read. I’ve been an avid reader for 50years, and the ways I have learned about books varied from recommendations fromfriends, family, and teachers to displays at the ...

Do you tryto read the books that are nominated for majo...

 

 

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Do you tryto read the books that are nominated for major awards? Do you second-guess thenominations, or do you usually find you agree?

The shortanswer is, no, I do not. I’ve never watched a movie based on an Oscar nodeither. As a writer, I’m what is called a pantser. The same goes for myreading. Now, I know plenty of readers who pick their book choices with an eyeto the list, but a lot of these readers, will also DNF (do not finish) a bookwith the ruthlessness of a literary agent readin...

Cozy writing - by Harini Nagendra

Have you ever pulled punches in a plot? In other words, when it came time to kill someone, you let them live. Or when it came time to find out someone was a villain, you chose someone else? Or if the plot seemed to veer in a dark direction, you pulled back?

There's a reason I write cozies. And read them. I've never watched a horror movie, read a psychological thriller, or wanted to explore the dark side of life in fiction. Life has enough of the dark side, death can be horrific, and bad things ha...

Second Guessing or Simply Proper Reflection? from James W. Ziskin

Have you ever pulled punches in a plot? In other words, when it came time to kill someone, you let them live. Or when it came time to find out someone was a villain, you chose someone else? Or if the plot seemed to veer in a dark direction, you pulled back? 

I don’t believe I’ve ever pulled any punches in one of my plots, at least not consciously. Unless maybe you count some word choices. I have, at times, decided against using a particular word or phrase out of concern for how it might be percei...

Let the punches land

Have you ever pulled punches in a plot? In other words, when it came time to kill someone, you let them live. Or when it came time to find out someone was a villain, you chose someone else? Or if the plot seemed to veer in a dark direction, you pulled back?

by Dietrich

There’s no blueprint for my plots. I wing it and let the story develop as I roll with an idea and go by what feels right. Nothing’s set in stone, especially in a first draft. Fresh ideas and new direction pop up and want to be consi...

Pulling Punches

 

Terry here with this week's question:
Have you ever pulled punches in a plot? In other words, when it came time to kill someone, you let them live. Or when it came time to find out someone was a villain, you chose someone else? Or if the plot seemed to veer in a dark direction, you pulled back? 
I’ve done every one of these things, so I’ll take them one at a time. I wouldn’t exactly say I’ve pulled punches, but I do have one problem in my first drafts that I always wind up having to address : E...

The Art of Plotting

Have you ever pulled punches in a plot? In other words, when it came time to kill someone, you let them live. Or when it came time to find out someone was a villain, you chose someone else? Or if the plot seemed to veer in a dark direction, you pulled back?

Brenda starting off the week.

I'm basically a pantser, which means I don't do a lot of detailed plotting; however, I usually have an overarching plan for a novel and key plot points rolling around in my imagination. Sometimes, though, nothing g...

Winning Formula by Poppy Gee

What areyour thoughts on book contests? Do you believe winning one can further yourcareer? Which ones, if any, do you enter?

I’m wary about entering book contests. In Australia you arerequired to pay a hefty fee, plus send three copies of your book, and pay forpostage. And then, as we all know, your chances of winning are low.

Ten years ago, I was a judge on a book award: theprestigious Barbara Jefferis Award, an Australian award for a book that depictsstrong female characters. Reading tho...

A Slater up your Nose, by Catriona

What are yourthoughts on book contests? Do you believe winning one can further your career?Which ones, if any, do you enter?

I was really chuffed

Re. the title of the blog: please don't be imagining a guy coming round to fix the roof and disappearing up a nostril instead. A "slater" in Scotland is a woodlouse (aka roly-poly, I believe). And why is it relevant? Because I've never been able to decide whether I'd rather be best-selling than award-winning or if I'd rather be either than critically-a...