Piper Punches's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"

My stories don’t start at the computer. That is where the writing is done, but it’s not where the story starts. My stories often start with a question because I am a questioner. I’ve never really outgrown the desire to ask questions and seek answers. I’m still that two-year-old who drives everyone around her crazy because I won’t stop saying, “But why?”

But when I ask questions the answers don’t always come right away. I need time and space for the answers to reveal themselves to me; to hear my characters speak their truths. It’s why I’m not always the fastest writer.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me post this photo.

I explained that out on a trail is where I have the freedom to think and uncover my characters' secrets. The wide-open space, the narrow trails, and the solitude allow me space to breathe and feel. I often need about five miles to let my body detox and get rid of all the negative energy that stifles my creativity. It’s enough time for the characters to feel comfortable speaking to me. Sometimes they have a lot to say. Other times they’re quiet, but in that quiet space, I find inspiration too.

The day I was on the trail in the photo, my characters wanted to talk to me. They started speaking to me about 3 miles into this hike because they knew I needed more time to hear them that day. Once they started talking to me, they didn’t stop, and that always excites me.

Over the last few months, I’ve made a lot of progress with The Murder Lawyer series, my children’s journal, and a new standalone novel publishing in late 2021. Some of the progress is public, but most of it is behind the scenes. Still, as much progress as I've made and how receptive I've been to hear my characters speak to me, I’ve also felt stifled, held back, and I'm unsure why.

Later this week, I’m headed back out on the trail to shake off whatever weird energy is messing with my creativity and soak up the good vibes of Red Rock Country. My oldest daughter and I are headed to Sedona, AZ to hike, and I can’t wait to hear what my characters have to say to me on the trails.

I drove around Sedona once in 2015 on my way from Flagstaff down to Phoenix. I remember seeing the red rocks in the distance, but, at that time, I didn’t know about Sedona’s energy; its magic. Nature didn’t speak to me then the way it does now.

Does nature speak to you? Where do you go when you need answers to your questions? I’d love to hear from you.

When you pick up a book, do you immediately go to the first page of the prose, or do you read the front material? Specifically, do you read any notes to the reader?

Before I started publishing my books, I didn’t pay attention to front material like notes to readers, and I only read back material such as acknowledgments sporadically. Instead, I dove right into the story. What could any of the front material offer?

Actually, as a writer, I’ve come to learn that notes to readers are quite valuable. Now, not every book has reader notes included in its front material, but those that do are there for a reason.

The reason I bring this up is that I’m in the process of publishing The Murder Lawyer, The Complete Serial Novel, and unpublishing the individual stories that I originally posted on my website and everywhere ebooks are sold. The complete novel will include a Note to Reader because I want to explain the unique nature of this story and why it’s written as it is. My fear is that readers won’t read this section and maybe feel confused about how the story progresses.

From the beginning, I always knew the novelettes, or episodes as I liked to call them, would be put together in novel form. With the continuous story arc of Luna’s rise to local fame and how her sudden success affects her family, I believe the stories weave together seamlessly. Nonetheless, I want new readers to understand how The Murder Lawyer came to be, and that’s why I’m writing a Note to Reader.

So, again back to my question.

Do you read the Note to Reader?

This writer wants to know. This writer also encourages you to do so for any book where this front material is offered because you might miss out on something fantastic that will make your reading experience more enjoyable.

Want to know when The Murder Lawyer serial novel will go on sale and get pre-order information? Sign up here for updates!

Often, I get asked how I come up with my stories. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒘𝒚𝒆𝒓 is a book whose seed was planted over 20 years ago inside a Law & Society class at Saint Louis University taught by Judge Jimmie Edwards, now St. Louis City Public Safety Director. It was in this class that Judge Edwards told us that everyone deserves a defense. Without a proper defense, our criminal justice system doesn’t work. Judge Edwards, the chances are high that you don’t remember me, but those words have stuck with me for two decades, and they ring truer than ever in today’s climate. Those words planted a seed and eventually became the inspiration for 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒘𝒚𝒆𝒓 .

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒘𝒚𝒆𝒓 is a book that challenges our ideas of justice. It's not a legal procedural book, but a novel that examines the reasons people make the choices they do and asks you to consider how justice is best served.



📷 Credit: Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com

Mary Catherine Bateson, a historian and anthropologist, once said, "The human species thinks in metaphors and learns through stories."

How true is this? I don't agree merely because I am a writer, but because I am a reader and a lover of fiction. There's plenty to learn by reading non-fiction, but I've learned the most about myself and people by reading fiction. There's something about entering a fictional world that relaxes a person's judgement and makes them more willing to put themselves into another person's shoes. In fiction, we glimpse people's motivations, their desires, their fears, and find ourselves opening up to their experiences.

I read a few non-fiction books a year, but unless there's a story that grabs me, I usually end up abandoning them. I always go back to made-up stories to find the truth about humanity and myself.

The Murder Lawyer