Terry Odell's Blog, page 112
July 16, 2017
What’s Your Take on Romantic Suspense?
I was asked to present an online workshop in September for the RWA Kiss of Death Chapter. They requested I discuss the romance and suspense aspects of Romantic Suspense, and how they’re interwoven and balanced. I call all my books “Mysteries With Relationships” but there is a definite line between my Mysteries and my Romantic Suspense books.
I could probably go on endlessly. It’s a huge topic, so I’m working to narrow the focus. After...
July 12, 2017
Your Words Aren’t Precious
Some time back, author Robert Crais was doing a presentation at a conference, and he passed on some words of wisdom from his editor. She said, “Your words aren’t precious.”
Of course he said they were; he’d sweated blood for each one of them, but she took the first scene from his manuscript and underlined some words in red. (According to Crais, it was about every other word.) She told him to eliminate those words, and after reading the revised version, he admitted s...
July 11, 2017
What’s Cooking Wednesday – Black Bean and Corn Salad
Summer is a good time for salads, and this black bean and corn salad is a favorite. I’m repeating one that ran on my old blog back in 2013. No exact measurements, adjust ingredients to suit your own taste.
Black Bean & Corn Salad
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 ears corn, kernels removed. (If fresh corn isn’t in season, just defrost a package of frozen corn. No cooking either way).
red bell pepper, chopped
green bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
3 scallions, slice...
July 10, 2017
Character Interviews – Anita Bartholomew’s Lucinda Darling
Thanks for letting me interview you, Lucinda. First, a few introductory questions:
Your name: Lucinda Lacey, aka Lucinda Darling
The book you’re in: The Midget’s House: A Circus Story…A Love Story…A Ghost Story
Your author’s name: Anita Bartholomew
Your role: Heroine
And now, on with the interview:
What was your favorite part of being a character in this book?
Spending time with Cyrus again, if only for a little while.
Do you have any input into how the story goes, or does your author call a...
July 9, 2017
Pet Peeves of an Author-Reader
Being an author as well as a reader means (sadly, sometimes) that I don’t read the way I used to. My internal editor refuses to go away. In no particular order, here are some of my pet peeves—things that will pull me out of a book.
Who vs That.
One book I read was excellent. Great characters, witty prose, and a plot that kept me wondering what would happen next. However, the author used the word “that” for referring to people, and it stopped me. Every. Single. Time. (Read my post about using...
July 5, 2017
Editing With SmartEdit Redux
After a long, emotional-filled week visiting family, I’m slowly trying to catch up. I hope you don’t mind a replay of a blog post from a couple years ago. I’m at this same phase in my current WIP, so it seems to be timely. These are results for Saving Scott, but although the books change, the process continues. I’ve gotten better about not using some words as often, but new ones are always creeping off my fingertips.
The editing process continues. I’ve found a program called Smart Edit, which...
July 4, 2017
What’s Cooking Wednesday – Lemon Chicken with Vegetables
While visiting with family, my brother made this lemon chicken and vegetables dish for us. He didn’t use a recipe, but it’s simple and easy to modify. The marinade needs to be started ahead of time so the chicken can “soak” for several hours, but everything goes together very easily.
Mark’s Lemon Chicken with Vegetables
Ingredients:
Marinade:
c red wine
herbs of choice, about 1 t each. He used parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme
zest of 1 lemon
c olive oil
S&P to taste
6 chicken thighs –...
July 3, 2017
Happy Fourth of July!
Have a good holiday. Be considerate, and be safe.
The post Happy Fourth of July! appeared first on Terry Odell.
July 2, 2017
A Short Story For You
A Short Story For You
I’m out of town unexpectedly to deal with family matters, so no writing craft post today. However, here’s a link to a Blackthorne, Inc. short story. Those who subscribed to my newsletter have seen it (Hint: Want to get first looks, plus exclusive contests? Sign up for my newsletter!)
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The post A Short Story For You appeared first on Terry Odell.
June 28, 2017
When the Right Word is Wrong
As writers, we deal in words. Thousands of words. And we’re always looking for the right word to use. What happens when the right word is wrong? I’m not talking about obvious mistakes or incorrect grammar–those are wrong. But sometimes a word choice can be a bump in the reader’s road. It can be about semantics.
For example, I was reading a draft chapter from one of my writing pals. She’d written something about a man pulling up the collar of his t-shirt to wipe sweat off his face. My comment...
