THE PEOPLE IN MY HEAD
Book five in the Kennedy Reeves series is in the hopper, so to speak. I’m doing the self-edits right now, removing the naughty words (that, had, and very) before it goes into the hands of my editor, who will tweak the book with the hands of a gifted plastic surgeon—a nip here, a tuck there, and a reconstruction around page 100. It’s what she does. She’s a gifted and talented editor who is my part-time educator, cheerleader, and hand-holder. And, by some dumb luck, she wants to find out what happens next to the senior leaders on the Helio.
I’ve received some of the greatest compliments an author could wish for—readers telling me how they feel about some of the characters. The current standings on the hate meter have Gunner (A Boat for a Goat) in first place, followed closely by J. Mitchell Templeton (A Heist on the Ice). And I will let you in on some insider information—someone in book five might give Gunner a run for his money. More than one person has told me Vera Jameson is their spirit animal (she’s mine, too), and they would love to walk in her Manolo Blahnik’s. They ask when the Club Diva Boys will be back (book six, I promise) and if there is a chance the Ladies from Harmony Lakes might meet the Gents from Breezy Bayou (wink, wink). Lately, there has been a lot of chatter about the state of Kennedy’s love life and readers who are ready for the next Kennedy versus Lolly swordfight. It warms my heart to know I have created characters who are as beloved by me as they are by my readers.
You see when I’m writing the books (not the research or draft phases but the story), I’m completely in my head. I’m in the conference room with the team or sitting on Mila’s bed, drinking a glass of wine with her and Kennedy. I’m chatting with the passengers and on the stage, finishing my one-woman show. When it’s time to commit the crime, I’m going through the motions of both the perpetrator and the victim. Did I lay in a box where a Christmas tree had been housed? You betcha. Was I crumpled on the floor, snaking my hand up the wall to find a doorknob? Yep. (Did the hubster look at me like I was nuts? Of course, he did.) The devil is in the details.
When I finished typing the last page of A Shiver on the River, I exhaled the breath I had been holding and heard Kennedy say, in her best Oliver Hardy impersonation, “Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!” I think it’s okay, though. She’s already been whispering about the next book’s adventure.
I’ve received some of the greatest compliments an author could wish for—readers telling me how they feel about some of the characters. The current standings on the hate meter have Gunner (A Boat for a Goat) in first place, followed closely by J. Mitchell Templeton (A Heist on the Ice). And I will let you in on some insider information—someone in book five might give Gunner a run for his money. More than one person has told me Vera Jameson is their spirit animal (she’s mine, too), and they would love to walk in her Manolo Blahnik’s. They ask when the Club Diva Boys will be back (book six, I promise) and if there is a chance the Ladies from Harmony Lakes might meet the Gents from Breezy Bayou (wink, wink). Lately, there has been a lot of chatter about the state of Kennedy’s love life and readers who are ready for the next Kennedy versus Lolly swordfight. It warms my heart to know I have created characters who are as beloved by me as they are by my readers.
You see when I’m writing the books (not the research or draft phases but the story), I’m completely in my head. I’m in the conference room with the team or sitting on Mila’s bed, drinking a glass of wine with her and Kennedy. I’m chatting with the passengers and on the stage, finishing my one-woman show. When it’s time to commit the crime, I’m going through the motions of both the perpetrator and the victim. Did I lay in a box where a Christmas tree had been housed? You betcha. Was I crumpled on the floor, snaking my hand up the wall to find a doorknob? Yep. (Did the hubster look at me like I was nuts? Of course, he did.) The devil is in the details.
When I finished typing the last page of A Shiver on the River, I exhaled the breath I had been holding and heard Kennedy say, in her best Oliver Hardy impersonation, “Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!” I think it’s okay, though. She’s already been whispering about the next book’s adventure.
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