Terry Odell's Blog, page 42

Sometimes it’s Complicated

Sometimes it’s Complicated

I mentioned on Monday, that Kobo is running a “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” promotion for selected box sets, and that my “Blackthorne, Inc. Novels, Volume 1” is included. That’s three complete novels, including the Holt Medallion winner,  Where Danger Hides.

The wrinkle is there’s no “one link fits all” to send people to the promotion, which is taking place in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. This means that each country has its own link.

I’m not a programmer,...

Answering Burning Questions

Answering Burning Questions

Happy Monday. Happy May. Today I’m answering questions thrown at me by fellow Kill Zone author Kay DiBianca at her Craft of Writing blog. Please drop by and say hello. I’d love some friendly faces.

Can you guess which was my least favorite question to answer?

Meanwhile, I’ve been closing in on the final chapters of the new book. I’ve closed in on a title, too. My newsletter subscribers will be the first to know what it is. If you’re not signed up yet, you’d better hu...

Q&A with Dr. DP Lyle – A Recap

Q&A with Dr. DP Lyle – A Recap

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending a webinar given by Dr. D.P. Lyle for the Speed City chapter of Sisters in Crime. He’s been a great help to me with medical issues in my books, is full of information, and on top of that all, is funny as heck. He answered questions about his writing process as well as forensics. Here are a few of my takeaways.

You have to develop your voice. That’s what agents and editors are looking for more than story. Lyle said your ...

Swag – The Good and Not So Good

Swag – The Good and Not So Good

 

One thing authors bring to conferences is swag. What can authors do to make sure theirs is noticed? I saw some great stuff at Left Coast Crime, and other items that seemed to my “consumer” eye that didn’t hit the mark. That’s what I’m talking about over at The Kill Zone Blog today. Drop by and share your ideas.

Turn in Blackthorne 11Countdown

Current Word Count: 64181

 

Available Now. In the Crosshairs, Book 4 in my Triple-D Romantic Suspense series.

Changing...

Rule of Three

The Rule of Three

A post at The Kill Zone about the power of three in story structure last week made me think about using threes in the prose itself. I discussed it several years ago, but I think it’s a subject worth revisiting.

There’s something about the “rule of three” that seems ingrained in us as human beings, from the Three Little Pigs, the Three Stooges, to the Third Time’s the Charm. (Did you notice the use of three examples?) As Dr. Doug Lyle said in a comment on the Kill Zone Post I me...

I’m Really Back And I Have Swag

A few days after Left Coast Crime, I went to LA to visit my 96-year-old mother. The trip was extended by a day because by the time I landed in Denver, I wouldn’t have made it to the pass before sundown, and I don’t drive well-lit roads at night, much less the mountain pass and the winding dirt road to my house. Then, there was the usual unpacking, laundry, mail to sort through, and overall catching up. I’m finally working on the book again, dealing with the inevitable “You painted them into a co...

Reader Conferences – Sliding Back into the Groove

Reader Conferences – Sliding Back into the Groove

I’m back from Left Coast Crime, where it felt good and a little strange to see and interact with so many people who weren’t in little boxes on my computer screen. My recap is over at The Kill Zone Blog today, so I hope you’ll click over to read it. It’s about the pre-conference workshop given by David Morrell, creator of Rambo, not to mention countless other books.

I stayed an extra day and did a little souvenir shopping in Old Town. Isn’t that a...

Battery Recharge

Time for a battery recharge.

I’m on my way to Left Coast Crime so my blog is on a short hiatus. Of course, I’ll be recapping what I’ve learned when I get back. Left Coast Crime is primarily a reader’s conference, but there’s a half-day workshop given by David Morrell (creator of Rambo) that I’ll be taking. I’m looking forward for new ideas about the craft. Even though I don’t mind my semi-isolated lifestyle, even introverts need a battery recharge.

At a  reader-based conference, such as Left Coa...

First, Check Your Calendar

The Internet will be teeming with all kinds of reports today. Before you believe anything you read, don’t forget what day it is.

Here are a few links for you.

Origins and Customs

100 Top Hoaxes

Pranks you can play.

And, in keeping with the writing theme of this blog, here are some literary hoaxes:

Naked Came the Stranger, by Penelope Ashe
The Hoax: America goes nuts for a salacious novel of sex and drugs.
The Truth: A group of journalists purposefully wrote a terrible book to prove American cul...

R.U.E. Pitfalls

R.U.E. Pitfalls

When I starting playing around with writing, I belonged to an in person critique group (The Pregnant Pigs, but that’s irrelevant here) and we normally worked with hard copies of our chapters. I was the novice in the group, and my chapters often came back with RUE sprinkled through the pages.

What did that mean? “Resist the Urge to Explain,” they said. “What was I doing wrong?” I asked. And they proceeded to tell me.

That’s my topic over at the Kill Zone Blog today. I hope you’ll ...