Terry Odell's Blog, page 334

Come say hello

If you have a minute, pop on over to the APA blog. There's an interview with yours truly, and a chance for a free book. Open House went quite well. (Translation, people showed up and had nice things to say.) Tonight, we're observing a DUI checkpoint (unless it pours rain.)

Homicide - Hussey: The Littlest Cop

The next chapter in Detective Hussey's manuscript is a long one, so it'll be broken into parts. Size doesn't always matter.In 1979 when I joined the police Department, I was put to work for several days in the old comm center, located in the basement at number 20 Lake Wire Drive. It was a dismal little area, built at a time when there was concern for nuclear threats. The walls were thick without

Reading Like A Writer

Before I start: Our Realtor called and said he wants to hold an Open House both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. In addition, there's another DUI stop that starts Saturday night and runs through about 4 AM Sunday. Looks like it'll be a busy weekend. And a lot of prep work beforehand.On Monday, we'll be celebrating our anniversary with "Victoria & Albert" at the Grand Floridian. Back on topic:

The Envelope, Please...

What I'm reading: Tribute, by Nora Roberts.On Monday, I discovered I was the recipient of a Superior Scribbler Award, which was awarded to me by Elizabeth Spann Craig. Thanks, Elizabeth.There are conditions, of course. These are the rules which I have to post here:1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends. 2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to

Balancing Act

Today, I welcome author Karla Brandenburg to Terry's Place. She's one of my long-distance critique partners, and I thank her for stepping up to the plate rather last minute when my previously scheduled guest had to do some calendar juggling. Welcome, Karla.For most writers, being an author is in addition to having another full-time job. What the heck, you say? Well most of us aren't in it for the

Finding the Bad Guy

Yesterday's comic, Non Sequitur, by Wiley Miller caught my attention. I'm not sure you can see enough of it here, but if you visit the link, you should be able to read it more clearly. And why did it strike a chord? Well, after reaching the 76K word mark in my manuscript, I've finally discovered who the bad guy is.Now, not knowing the bad guy isn't quite the same as not knowing the ending. I'm

Homicide - Hussey: Shots Fired

Welcome back, Detective Hussey, who by now needs no further introduction.I listened with amusement this morning to a news report about a small town, veteran police officer who was, as the official report stated, teaching a trainee an arrest technique, when his gun went off and shot the rookie in the chest. The reporter said the younger officer would be fine, thank God, and the incident was under

Voice and Fashion

What I'm reading: Warrior, by Angela KnightRecently, I've started watching "What Not to Wear." I'd never heard of the show until I was at a conference, waiting for an agent appointment, and another writer asked if I thought she was dressed appropriately. She told me her entire wardrobe had been hijacked by a television show, and she had only 3 outfits until she could get to New York for her

Storyboard Saga - Part 6

What I'm reading: Makeshift Family by Lori AvocatoThanks to Nancy for her insights about where writers find inspiration, and for sharing how she got her ideas for her books. Storyboard progressI've surpassed the 70,000 word mark and that means it's time to pay more attention to my idea board. How many essential points haven't I covered yet? What ideas for scenes might work to show them? What

Sparks of Inspiration

Today my guest is author and friend Nancy Cohen, who began her career writing romance, and switched genres into mystery. If you wonder where writers get their ideas, Nancy is sharing some tips on how she finds inspiration for her stories. Welcome, Nancy. SPARK OF INSPIRATION: Seven Tips For Writers On Finding IdeasThey say writing is half inspiration and half perspiration. Perhaps "they" are