C.E. Murphy
Yoooooooooooou know how to ask the hard questions!
Um, let's see. Writing good blurbs (by which I think we mean back cover copy?) is hard. Furthermore, it's not usually the authors who write them--usually editors or marketing or some combination of all three take a stab at them.
I like to open with a strong declarative sentence, if I can. I prefer not to have anything in the blurb that spoils more than about the first three chapters. If it's an ongoing series I try really hard not to spoil the LAST book, but that can be really difficult.
The Walker Papers all have some degree of description about Joanne: they all refer to her as a shaman, at the least and generally refer to at least one other major character, usually Gary or Morrison, I think. (I'm not looking at the blurbs right now, which doesn't help answering the question...!)
I tried to focus them on the major plot hook and mention some element of the emotional plot. I try to keep them under 200 words. Um. I like to end with a "dun dun dah dun" kind of trailing-off thingy to attempt to draw people in.
This is a VERY HARD QUESTION!
Um, let's see. Writing good blurbs (by which I think we mean back cover copy?) is hard. Furthermore, it's not usually the authors who write them--usually editors or marketing or some combination of all three take a stab at them.
I like to open with a strong declarative sentence, if I can. I prefer not to have anything in the blurb that spoils more than about the first three chapters. If it's an ongoing series I try really hard not to spoil the LAST book, but that can be really difficult.
The Walker Papers all have some degree of description about Joanne: they all refer to her as a shaman, at the least and generally refer to at least one other major character, usually Gary or Morrison, I think. (I'm not looking at the blurbs right now, which doesn't help answering the question...!)
I tried to focus them on the major plot hook and mention some element of the emotional plot. I try to keep them under 200 words. Um. I like to end with a "dun dun dah dun" kind of trailing-off thingy to attempt to draw people in.
This is a VERY HARD QUESTION!
More Answered Questions
Starfire
asked
C.E. Murphy:
Do you by any chance have any more cameos or crossover novels in the works? After the... errrrr... "one really tall, and one really cute" FBI agents turn up in Demon Hunts; and then the fun and games of worlds colliding in Easy Pickings (which I seriously LOVED in audiobook), I'm really hoping we get more treats and Easter eggs in future books. Are there current plans for any in the works?
Scott Detweiler
asked
C.E. Murphy:
I wanted you to know that as someone that feeds my family with photography, I don't appreciate the fact the cover for "Tragač za istinom" was stolen from me. I sell these for a living! I have the original if you are interested in seeing her in the blue outfit that was changed to yellow. I think you would be upset if someone took your book and changed the title and re-published it. How would you feel?
Alexis
asked
C.E. Murphy:
I know you have said that the Negotiator trilogy was really stressful to write, but even so- do you think that you will be returning to that series any time soon? And also (is fitting two questions into one the Goodreads form of wishing for more wishes...?) were you inspired by the Gargoyles cartoons for that trilogy or was it more of an after-the-fact association on your part?
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