Terry Odell's Blog, page 71

Reality in Setting. Too Much or Not Enough.

Reality in Setting. Too Much or Not Enough.

Everyones posting about COVID-19, the Corona virus, and everyones probably sick of it, so Im writing about something else today. Meanwhile, keep your distance, wash your hands. By now, you should know the drill and why its so important. And PLEASE. Dont get your news from Facebook. Or Twitter. Or share anything you havent verified via a first hand, reliable source. End of lecture.

As some of you might remember, Im working on a novel set in the...

Social Distancing Giveaway

Friday Social Distancing Giveaway

My normal lifestyle is well-suited to social distancing. Im a writer, I live in a rural area, and have a deep introvert streak.

But not everyones so lucky.

I want to thank everyone whos home and following the distancing guidelines. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 is whats important.

I also want to thank everyone who has to go out into the world so we can buy food and other necessities.

And to all the health care professionals out there, who are on the front...

Romantic Suspense – An Overview

Its my day at The Kill Zone Blog again, and Im answering a readers questions (I hopeat least Im trying to) about writing Romantic Suspense.

At first glance, the answer seems obvious. Romantic Suspense books have both romance and suspense. However, thats a very broad definition, and in order to write in the genre, one needs to dig a little deeper.

Is it a romance novel with a suspense sub plot?
Or is it a suspense novel with a romance sub plot?

Read the rest here.

I hope everyones staying safe...

Writing into the Shadows

Writing into the Shadows

Ive run across a number of people recently who are strong proponents of  Writing Into the Dark. Id call myself a weak proponent. I think of my method more as Writing into the Shadows. I dont plot in advance, and I do let my characters lead the way, but they dont make the rules. They establish guidelines. Im the one with the hands on the keyboard. Were a team.

First, I need to know which genre Im writing before I start. My Mapleton Mystery books will be approached...

Friday Giveaway – Everyone Wins Again

In Hot Water Giveaway

It may be Friday the 13th, but here, its your lucky day. Given the craziness of whats going on in the world these days, what better to do if youre stuck at home than read? So, heres another free download. This time, its Book 1 in my Triple-D-Ranch series

In Hot Water

 

He needs a cook, she needs a place to hideDerek Cooper has left the violent life of an Army Ranger and a covert ops agent for Blackthorne, Inc. in favor of the more peaceful life of a cowboy, running the...

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Audiobook Narration

My narrator for my Mapleton Mystery series, Steve Marvel, is busy working on narrating Deadly Fun. Since I’m busy “proof-listening, I thought this might be a good time to rerun his take on being an audiobook narrator. (The original posts ran in 2016, so you can do a mental “update” of any dates he mentions here. This was originally a 2-part post, but I’m running both today.)

A little bit about your background “qualifications” as a narrator.
I studied Acting at a renowned university Theatre...

What Are Your Goals as a Writer?

What Are Your Goals as a Writer?

I’m not talking about daily writing goals here. I’m talking about the bigger picture. Why is it you write? We all have different reasons, and none of them are better than others. None of them are wrong.

You’ve written a book. Maybe many books. What’s your goal as a writer? Here are some common ones.

1. To get the satisfaction of putting them up for sale.

2. To make enough money to cover your expenses.

3. To make a whole bunch of money.

Only you can know which...

Friday Giveaway – Everyone Wins

Congratulations to last week’s winner, Shirley C.

This week, it’s not a contest. I’m giving away digital copies of

Your choice of epub, mobi, or PDF.

Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence Finalist; Heart of Denver Aspen Gold Finalist; Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence: Romantic Suspense Single Title Finalist

Running for the wrong reason can still get you killed.

Kelli Carpenter has changed her name, her appearance — her life — to avoid...

Join Me and the Gorilla in the Phone Booth

Stay in the phone booth with the gorilla.

One of my critique partners is a computer programmer by trade, and one of the things we frequently mention in our critiques is how much detail is needed, and when. His mind works in a very logical fashion, and he’s always looking at every what if possibility. Normally, I’m pointing out where he doesn’t need to cover all the possible permutations of any given situation. But once in a while, he’ll catch me dwelling on unnecessary details. I figure when...

Just Because it’s Right …

Just Because it’s Right … doesn’t make it good.

When I was writing my first novel, I had the great opportunity to belong to a face-to-face writing group made up of women who were going back to school looking at “Changing Gears” and were taking writing classes. During our critique sessions, they would share what they learned, so I got a secondhand course in writing at no cost to me.

One of the things they’d say after I responded to their feedback by saying, “But that happened to me” was “Just...