Persia Walker's Blog, page 2

My Book Table

Am halfway through listening to the audiobook for Darkness and the Devil Behind Me. Sounds great!

In the meantime, thought I would recommend this neat plugin for authors. It’s called MyBookTable and it’s a WordPress bookstore plugin. Check it out.

Darkness and the Devil Behind Me: the Audiobook

So, Darkness and the Devil Behind Me: the Audiobook, is nearly done. My wonderful narrator, Marti Dumas, has uploaded the last of the chapter files — all 56 of them! And this weekend, I look forward to listening to them.

Of course, I’m assuming that everyone knows what I’m talking about.

Quite some time ago, I listed Darkness and the Devil Behind Me with ACX to produce. Back in November, Marti contacted me. Then, so did several other potential narrators. They were all quite good, but Marti did a wonderful job of catching the voices and nuances of the characters.

Once it was decided that Marti would do the work, I then decided to (once again) redo the cover for the book. Here’s what I came up with. Like it?

In Darkness and the Devil Behind Me, as one reviewer put it, society columnist Lanie Price seeks to find the truth about the unsolved disappearance of talented young woman who, but for her family, has long been forgotten. Read the first chapter here. What follows is a sample of the audiobook. It begins  at the beginning, with a crime that will reverberate for years to come:

When done, Darkness and the Devil Behind Me: the Audiobook will be available through Amazon.com, Audible.com and iTunes.

I had hoped to one day have audio versions of my books made. I’m grateful to ACX and to Marti to helping me make that dream come true.

BLACK ORCHID BLUES: A Nero Award Finalist

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Hey,

Now, I know how it must  it feels to be an Oscar nominee: thrilled and happy to be counted among incredible company.

I haven’t been good about keeping up with my email lately .(OK, so what’s new about that?) So I was shocked and stunned and knocked outta my socks this morning when I found a note from my friend Catherine Maiorisi, sharing the good news.

The Wolfe Pack presents the Nero Award each year to an author for literary excellence in the mystery genre, in the tradition of Rex Stout’s much-loved Nero Wolfe stories. The award is presented at the Black Orchid Banquet, traditionally held on the first Saturday in December in New York City. That’s December 2nd, this year.

Here’s the full list of finalists. Oh, I get such a warm and fuzzy feeling when I read it! Imagine appearing on the same list as these wonderful writers!

* Guilt by Association, Marcia Clark

* The Silent Girl, Tess Gerritsen

* The House of Silk, Anthony Horowitz

* Spiral, Paul McEuen

* Though Not Dead, Dana Stabenow

* Black Orchid Blues, Persia Walker

Endings … to Your Novel, That Is

Piecing together a storyline can be like piecing together a puzzle.

My friend and fellow writer Catherine Maiorisi responded to my last post with commiseration. Reading her note, it occurred to me that maybe I'm not the only writer who sometimes struggles with endings.

Since I write mysteries, one would think that my main goal would be an ending that is, above all, logical. However, I am not, despite my most sincere intentions (and my Myers-Briggs personality score), the most logical person. And therein lies the problem.

The use of pure logic for plot development (i.e. a logic tree) can certainly produce a logical ending. In fact, it will usually produce several logical options for endings. However, it will not answer the question of which ending feels right.

What does that mean? For me, it means an ending that is emotionally satisfying, one that brings about a sense of completion.

But wouldn't a logical ending provide that automatically? One would think so, but I'm not so sure. I've seen movies and read books where the ending was quite … logical. But the ending felt cold, as if the author had just stuck it on, as if s/he'd made a detached, rational decision that came out of nowhere, at least emotionally and created more questions than it answered.

Hmm… I'm really struggling here to put something into words, something I've actually never really thought about before.

The endings I'm trying to describe fulfilled all criteria for pure plot development, but somehow missed the mark in terms of character development and emotional integrity. Simply put, they left me feeling dissatisfied, hungry and … cheated.

Needless to say, I'm striving to deliver something that will be quite satisfying. In the past, the times I've felt most successful were those times when I relied least on logic and most on intuition.

You've heard writers talk about "being in the zone." You've heard people say that the story "practically wrote itself." For me, that translates into being so immersed in the story that you see what your characters see, feel why they feel, and then, the ending flows with a sort of inevitability. This then raises the question of outlining, or pre-planning your novel.

I do believe in writing notes, ideas, etc., and organizing them. I do believe in taking a legal pad and drawing lines that lead every which way to connect characters and scenes and problems and possible outcomes. The problem, for me, is that at some point all this outlining is just that. It's outlining — not writing. And only through writing do you relinquish your detachment; only through writing do you forget yourself and your preconceived notions. It's only through writing (not thinking about writing) that you slip into the world of your story to discover its secrets, its surprises and find your answers.

Does any of this make sense? More to the point, does any of it help? And what, exactly, have I decided to do?

OK.

I have … decided to totally throw away the last third of the manuscript. In reviewing it, it's very clear when I stopped being in the story and started writing from outside of it, trying on endings like hats.

I have … decided to review what my main characters want to achieve. One of the greatest sources of satisfaction stems from a beloved character triumphs in achieving a meaningful goal or a thoroughly despicable one is totally thwarted. Of course, this is a total oversimplification, but it can still be helpful. What do my characters most desperately want? What have they done or are prepared to do in order to obtain it, and will they get it in the end?

I don't know if this approach will lead me to the ending I hope for, but I'll give it a try.

You're welcome to share your thoughts with me.

In the meantime, take care and thanks for stopping by.

Best wishes for a great writing day!

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Are e-books changing the structure of plots? (teleread.com)

Back at Work

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Am slowly reclaiming the part of me that is the writer. Saw Austin Camacho on Monday, when he dropped by for coffee and (ice cream) cake. Had a wonderful conversation. He gave me some great tips on how to make better use of my Facebook page and/or Twitter account.

He also later dropped me a note about an upcoming meeting of MWA here in Virginia, next April. Would love to go. Said I would, but now not sure I can. Have to double-check, but think that in my joy at the thought of reconnecting with writers, I forgot  that the day of the meeting is also my mother's birthday. And I did plan on visiting her in New York.

Meanwhile …

I've been working fairly consistently on a manuscript I started many years ago, one I thought I'd be long done with. When I first "picked it up" again, I wondered why in the world I'd stopped working on it. It was nearly done — I thought, but then, as I got deeper into it, I could more clearly see all the flaws that had bothered me. Somewhere along the line, the story had not only lost its heart, it had grown transparently anemic. There were sections that didn't seem to have even been written by me. No wonder I put it aside.

Then, there was the plot itself. It's extremely complicated. I've spent the last several evenings mapping it out — i.e., trying to disentangle it and remember how I wanted it to end. But then, of course, one of the problems was that I didn't know how to end it. There were so many possibilities!

I could see why I had made some decisions, but was totally flummoxed as to why I'd made others. So I decided to simply make choices. But then I saw that changing the pattern of the threads in one storyline affected the harmony (and logic) of patterns in others. The whole thing is like one gigantic and very complex puzzle. Being a perfectionist, I still haven't quite figured it all out.

Then, there was the question of atmosphere. Talk about thin!

Oops! I just noticed that my navigation bar has moved. Why?

Oh, darn! I updated one of my plugins and the new version doesn't work. Even worse, all the coding (that I oh-so-carefully put in) is now gone, too!

I sooo love technology, but sometimes … well, sometimes I can't stand it.

And now it's 1:30 in the morning and I haven't done any work on my novel — except to think about it.

I did want to add that. I find myself dreaming about the story, the characters, which is good. Except I still don't know how it ends …

Well, I guess it's good night, then!

Again, thanks for having a look — and best wishes for a good, solid (writing) day!

Yours,

Writing Again

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This is the first weekend in a long time in which I've had enough peace of mind to even think about writing. I just passed a major milestone in testing for Portuguese and now I can take a breather. I love my new job, and plunged into it with my whole heart, but submerging myself meant setting aside a part of my identity, at least for a while. And now, after five months, I'd like to reclaim that part.

It isn't easy getting back into the groove, but I'll get there. It's like going back to the gym after not having worked out for a while. Everything's stiff and nothing is as easy as you remember it to be, but if you keep at it, the muscles remember and the flow comes back.

I've also spent the last few hours reworking my website. I'm not fully happy with it, but I realize that no site is EVER perfect. Furthermore, real improvement comes through more posts, not more fancy tidbits.

I also went over to Facebook and redid my fan book page to accommodate its new Timeline layout. Very interesting. (On a minor note, I've given up trying to get the Facebook Like Box to work on this site. I've tried a gazillion solutions. None work. Anyway, once again, content, not layout, is king, and let's face it: My content has been a bit anemic lately, but I intend to do better.) (Hmm, where have I heard those words before?

Before signing off, I'd like to share Bernice McFadden's wonderful news: First, her book Gathering of Waters received a well-deserved rave review from the New York Times; then it was singled out as a New York Times Editor's Choice – and now …. drum roll, please …. she's signed a film/stage option deal for Sugar. All I can say is, it's about time that Bernice received notice. And yes, she's an inspiration. She's had her fair share of rejection, but she remained positive — positive and honest about the pain as well as the joy of the writer's life. And she's incredibly generous and warm-hearted.

Anyway, so that's it for today.

Thanks for stopping by and best wishes for a great writing day!

I'm writing again (nonexpert35.wordpress.com)
Facebook Timeline for Brands, beyond the buzz – (by @baekdal) (baekdal.com)
"I Got My Groove Back!" (plotmamas.wordpress.com)
Writing Partners (totallyknewthat.wordpress.com)
AWP Nugget: Immersion Writing (artistsroad.wordpress.com)
Hello world! This is dedicated to my beloved…for whom I write..for whom others guest author here. (milenanik3.wordpress.com)

I Miss Writing ….

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I haven't been doing much of it lately.

So what have I been doing? Studying Portuguese, that's what. Don't ask why, but I've thrown myself into learning this beautiful language and I'm determined to speak it (fairly) fluently by summer. In the meantime, the writing has taken a back seat.

To be honest, at first I didn't miss it.

But now I do.

I'd been working on a third Lanie Price book and two other stories I was really excited about, the last two of which were nearly done. Then the move to Virginia and this business about learning Portuguese.

Anyway, it's all good. I'll learn Portuguese, the books will get written and then I'll become rich and famous. (Well, a girl can dream, can't she?)

In the meantime, I was playing around on Zazzle the other day and decided to make myself a very special present — a reminder that I am an author and will always be one. I designed my very own iPhone cover. And it features the cover of Black Orchid Blues. Neat, huh?

I was back in New York last weekend, visiting Catherine Maiorisi and Liz Zelvin. It was good to be around writers again and catch up on the New York "gossip."

Change

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Every now and then we all need to make changes — sometimes in what we eat, what we where, in our friends, in our outlook on life. Since my last time here, I made a couple of changes, the main one being where I live. I'm no longer in New York. Instead, I moved south and am now the proud resident of Virginia!

I love it here.

We live in a small town — it's very nice. It's green and spacious and … well, just about everything I missed while living in New York.

Of course, the one thing it doesn't have is my friends. I miss my friends from New York. Not that I actually saw them all that often when I was in New York, but the knowledge that I could see them any time I wished (at least, theoretically) made a difference.

Other than that, I've started 2012 with a new apartment and new all around surroundings. It's good.

 

Hacked Again

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So … earlier this month, I received the not-so-happy news that my site had been hacked again. Obviously, my security measures were still lacking. The news came at a particularly inconvenient time — then again, when is it ever convenient to be told that your site has been hijacked?

At any rate, being the optimist I am — the determined maker of lemonade out of lemons — I decided that this would provide the perfect opportunity to redo the site. I wanted something fresh — new colors, new images, etc. However, the most I've been able to do is simply get the site back up on its feet. I couldn't recover most of the images or even the posts I'd written recently (not that there were that many of them).

So my apologies for the site's appearance. Hope to find time soon to get things back up and running again.

Writing Classes with Leading Authors

MWA University is a scant six (6) weeks away. It's time to sign up!

WHEN:

August 13, 2011

WHERE:

Fordham University School of Law

McNally Auditorium – Atrium Level

140 W 62nd St (between Columbus & Amsterdam Avenues)

New York, NY 10023

WHAT:

An entire day of top-notch classes. Novice or pro, you will benefit from hearing the experts discuss their strategies for all facets of writing and publishing.

Below is a schedule preview (subject to change).

8:15 – 8:50: Check-in

8:55 – 9:00: Welcome – MWA's Executive Vice President – LARRY LIGHT

9:00-10:00: After the Idea

Teacher: Jess Lourey (Jess Lourey is the author of the Murder-by-Month mysteries and a tenured professor of English and sociology at a two-year Minnesota college.)

"If you wish to be a writer, write." But how? You've got the great idea, the one that won't let you go, that embellishes itself as you walk around your day. But how do you grow that kernel into a compelling story, and where do you find the time? This class gives you the tools to turn a good idea into a great novel. Bring a notebook and writing utensil.

10:15 -11:15: Dramatic Structure & Plot

Teacher: Hallie Ephron (Hallie Ephron is the author of psychological suspense Never Tell a Lie, crime fiction book reviewer for the Boston Globe, and author of the Edgar-nominated Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel.)

Since Aristotle, the three-act structure for storytelling has reigned supreme, but does it still hold true for modern crime writers? Is it the best way, or the only way, to tell your tale? Is plotting simply sequencing your scenes or is there more to it? This class will teach you the art of storytelling and plotting so your manuscript will attract the attention it deserves.

11:30 – 12:30: Setting & Description

Teacher: Daniel Stashower (Daniel Stashower is a two-time Edgar award winner, and a recipient of the Raymond Chandler Fulbright Fellowship in Detective and Crime Fiction Writing.

"I guess God made Boston on a wet Sunday," Raymond Chandler once said, and this seemingly tossed-off remark has much to teach us about the gentle arts of setting and description. This class will guide you through the process and potential pitfalls of choosing a setting, and explore the ways in which descriptive passages can be honed to illuminate characters and themes.

12:30 – 1:30: Lunch Break

1:30 – 2:30: Character & Dialogue

Teacher: Cordelia Frances Biddle (Cordelia Frances Biddle is an adjunct professor at Drexel University's Honors College. Her courses include "Writing Killer Fiction", "Character as Catalyst", and "Histories and Mystery." She has taught at Philadelphia's University of the Arts and Temple University. She's the author of a critically-acclaimed mystery series featuring heiress Martha Beale: The Conjurer, Deception's Daughter, Without Fear.)

From Agatha Christie's Miss Marple to Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlings, character is arguably the most memorable element of a mystery novel and a series. How do you create a full-realized unique protagonist that leaps from the page? How should you develop secondary characters as well as the protagonist's nemesis? This class will challenge you to eliminate cardboard characterizations and create something new and fresh.

2:45 – 3:45: Writing as Re-Writing

Teacher: Reed Farrel Coleman (Twice nominated for the Edgar® and a three-time winner of the Shamus Award, Reed Farrel Coleman is an adjunct professor of English at Hofstra University.)

If editing was good enough for William Shakespeare, it's good enough for you. More often than not, it's the things you remove, the tweaks you make, and the tinkering you do, that are the difference between another slush pile manuscript and a new book contract. There are some easy methods to learn and follow to help you develop an editorial ear. Give us fifty minutes and we'll give you a better chance with agents and editors.

4:00 – 5:00: The Writing Life

Teacher: Hank Phillippi Ryan (Winner of two Agatha Awards as well as the Anthony and the Macavity, Boston TV reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan has won 27 Emmys for her investigative journalism.)

"I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning." That's how Peter DeVries balanced art and craft. What's the reality of the writing life? The journey from your great idea to 90,000 words will mean hours of solitude. Days of self-doubt. Revision. Rejection. And then–rejoicing. You'll often say: "I wish someone had explained this to me!" In this class, they will.

Cost: $50 for both members and non-members of Mystery Writers of America. You must register by Wednesday, August 3, 2011. Registration is limited to 200 people.

Click here for Registration Form

More info at : http://www.mysterywriters.org/?q=MWA-University