Sub-genres - Now There's a Mystery

Like a lot of writers, I belong to several writing groups that maintain e-mail lists for exchanging information, questions, support, etc.  I have one that falls under the parent organization Sisters in Crime (mystery writers) and one whose mama-ship is Romance Writers of America - because sometimes it's a thin line between a "mystery with a strong romantic element" and a "romantic suspense".

The other day, a member of the mystery group posed a question about mystery sub-genres, asking for a list and some definitions.  Oddly enough, there wasn't the usual stream of responses.  In fact, there weren't any.  That struck my as odd.  In Romance, things seem clearer.  Pretty much every other chapter of RWA holds an annual writing contest and they all use the same sub categories:

Contemporary

Historical

Romantic Suspense

Paranormal/TimeTravel/Fantasy

Young Adult

Single Title

 

So what about mysteries?  I did a little online digging and came up with these (all were on at least three of the many lists I found):

 

Amateur Detective

Classic Whodunit
Comic (Bumbling Detective)

Cozy  

Courtroom Drama

Dark Thriller

Espionage

Forensic

Hard-boiled (noir)

Heists and Capers

Historical

Inverted (howdunit)

Locked Room

Medical

Paranormal/Supernatural

Police Procedural

Private Detective

Psychological Suspense

Romantic

Serials

Technothriller

Thriller

Woman/Child in Jeopardy

Wow.  That's quite a list.  And I imagine a lot of mysteries have elements of more than one category, right?  So what difference does it make?  Well, the problem comes when the author is trying to describe a book to an agent or an agent to a publisher or a publisher to a bookseller or a bookseller to a buyer.  They all have to answer one question, "What is it?" 

And the answer is supposed to fit someplace on that lovely list.

Oh.  Well, it's a Paranormal Private Detective Thriller with a Romantic Woman in Jeopardy.  Sort of.  I guess.

Think about some of your favorite mysteries.  Where would they fit on the list?  Would they fit somewhere on that list?  I'll bet you have some that do and others that need a description like the one in the paragraph above.  Can you share an example of a multi-sub-genre mystery you've enjoyed?

As a writer, do you try to write to a sub-genre/category?  As a reader, do you choose books based on that sort of label?

Note:  Follow up to my Monday post - as I write this, we're in the middle of another torrential downpour.  Still on target to break the record for the wettest April ever.

I'm currently enjoying: Murder on the Mind by L.L. Bartlett  (I could have finished this last night but my grandson started playing with my Nook, got caught up in the story, and wouldn't give it back to me.)

Groaner of the Day: A linguistics professor was lecturing to his class one day. "In English," he said, "a double negative forms a positive. In some languages though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However," he pointed out, "there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."

A voice from the back of the room piped up "Yeah, right."

Possibilities

Congratulations to Dru - winner of Friday's Caption Contest.  I've contacted Dru about her choice of prizes.  Thanks to all who commented and/or left captions.

I had a bit of a downer a couple days ago.  Received a rejection on a short story I'd submitted to a national magazine.  It wasn't the rejection that stung so much as the timing.  The submission guidelines gave a three month turn-around time on responses.  Mine took less than two weeks.  Evidently, the first person to read it gave it a thumbs down and immediately hit the 'send rejection' button (one of the drawbacks of electronic submissions).

Of course, I knew the odds of getting accepted were small. I really did. But I still hoped.  Anything's possible, after all.  That's when I realized it wasn't just the rejection that brought me down, it was the loss of possibilities.  When writers drop a submission in the mail or hit the send button, we enter that beautiful world of possibilities.  We could get form rejection.  Or it could be something else.  A request to see more.  A suggestion to change this or that and re-submit.  Even a "We can't use this but we like your writing.  Send more."  Or - joy of joys - "We love this."  Alleluia!  All these possibilities floating around the back of our minds, to dream about, to hope for.  A beautiful place to be.

Until that form rejection letter arrives.

I was looking forward to having three months of possibilites.   Two weeks wasn't  nearly enough time.

* sigh *

How about you?  Do you love living in the world of possibilities or would you rather know about things right away, good news or bad?

Best wishes to my Jewish friends on the beginning of Passover.  May your celebration be a joyous one.

I'm currently enjoying: Black Water Rising by Attica Locke

Groaner of the day: There was this guy who supported his local Little League team by making the bats for them in his woodshop. On game days, he would place the bats under a hedge near the street, and someone from the team would pick them up on the way to the ballpark.

One day, some Japanese children came to the guy's door, and asked if they might play in his yard they even offered him a Japanese dollar if he would come out and play with them. The guy agreed and joined them. He was having so much fun romping and cavorting with the children, that he completely forgot there was a game that day, didn't get the bats out, and the team had to forfeit.

The moral of the story is that if you ever get a yen to gambol, be sure to hedge your bats.

(Oh my Lord, that's awful.)

   

Who is This Strange Person? Getting to Know Your Characters

My stories almost always begin in my mind with a tiny flash of a scene. Sometimes it will be an actual scene – I was walking through an almost deserted parking lot one very foggy evening, noticing how the street lamps played in the fog, and all of a sudden there was a man, crouching between the cars, trying to find one that was unlocked, because he was shot…yeah, that’s it…and the shooter was still after him, because he had witnessed a murder, and… Well, you know what I mean.

So I have a snippet of a scene and at least one character. Next step? Well, for me, it’s always figuring out who that character is. Before I can think about plot (and I am a plotter) I have to know my starting character; who may not even end up being my main character.

But how do I get to know this character?

I’m a pack rat. I tend to save things, anything I think will come in handy. This includes tossing interesting blogs into a Favorites folder to re-visit later. I took a look in that folder yesterday and found over a dozen blogs written about knowing your character.

Distilling them down, here are the most common methods:

Interview your character – sit down over an imaginary cup of coffee and ask them everything you want to know

Develop a detailed character history (even if little, if any, will be included in your story) - include parents, siblings, home town, childhood, education, early loves, traumatic events, dreams and plans, etc.

Write a detailed character sketch (again, go beyond what will be included in your story) – physical description, personality traits, friends, habits (including little quirks), attitudes, passions, fears, etc. I added music and sports to my list.

What I found interesting was no one suggested using faith, politics, or current social issues. I wouldn’t recommend including your character’s stand on a really divisive current social issue (unless it’s germane to your story and/or you want to alienate some potential readers) but wouldn’t it help you understand the character to know where he/she would stand and why? The same would be true of faith/religious beliefs and political leanings.  Would your character have the same stands/beliefs as you?  Why or why not?   Answering some of these questions could really help you get inside a character.

How about you? How do you get to know your characters?

I'm currently enjoying: One Was a Soldier by Julie Spencer-Fleming

Groaner of the day: No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

The Ties That Bind

Congratulations to Melanie (kissablesweet1)!! She's the winner in our Caption Contest drawing. Melanie has selected as her prize, DEADLY HEAT by Cynthia Eden. Thanks to everyone who participated. You came up with some great captions.

Now on to today's topic -

We had a sad event in the family this weekend.  My dad had to have his aged cocker spaniel, Freckles, put to sleep.  I felt bad for my dad, of course, but there was something more.  Something personal.  I realized it was because Freckles had been my mom's dog, too, before Mom passed away five years ago.  Freckles had been a tie to the past for me and losing her was like losing another little piece of my mom. 

We all have them, our ties to the past.  Old friends, places we go back to, things we keep "because of the memories".  They're part of who we are.  But what about our characters?  When you're creating a character, especially a main character, do you remember to give him/her those ties that bind?  A mention of a keepsake, the story behind a favorite resturant, a reference to an old friend - even if these things don't figure prominently in your story - will give your character a sense of personal history.  So that you and your readers will remember this character's life did not begin with chapter one.

Do you add personal ties to the past for your characters?  What kind do you use?

I'm currently enjoying: Beaglemania by Linda O. Johnston

Groaner of the day: The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max, invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner. On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford’s office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter.

Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car. They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the car off immediately.

The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent. The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label, “The Goldberg Air Conditioner” on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed.

Now Henry wasn't about to have anyone's name on his cars but his own.  They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million, and that just their first names would be shown.

And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show “Lo”, “Norm”, “Hi”, and “Max” on the controls.

As Clear as Mud - The New World of Publishing

There is a line in the long running play Chorus Line, spoken by a young dancer, which goes something like, "Don't tell me Broadway is dead.  I just got here."

Sometimes I feel a little like that.  I finally have the chance to throw myself full time into my life long dream - that of seeing my book on the shelf of my local bookstore - and all I hear is bookstores are dying and good old fashioned books aren't far behind.  The reality of the future is the e-book. 

I'm trying to adjust.  I have a Nook.  It's not my favorite way to read but I do use it.  And I know several authors who have books out that were published in e-format only.  It's a legitimate form of publication.  But hope springs eternal and I'm still hoping to someday see my words in print.  Old fashioned print...on paper.

Unfortunately, everything I'm reading these days says the sad state of the brick and mortar bookstore is impacting the publishing world as well.  With less store shelves to fill, publishers will be publishing fewer books, especially from new and mid-list authors, and many may be published in e-format only.  Also, publishers are expecting authors do to more self-promoting and marketing these days.  This is leading a lot of authors to consider the option of self-publishing online.  Cut out the middle man (the publisher) altogether.  Increase the author's profits. 

I see the logic in it.  But to me the whole idea of "being published" has always meant someone, a professional in the publishing business, thought something I wrote was worth publishing.  That was a biggie.  Even if it wasn't a best seller (hey, we're talking dreams here) I would still be able to say, "Yes, I had a book published."  Putting it out there myself would feel a bit like selling my work at a garage sale because it wasn't good enough for a store.

I have concerns from a reader's perspective as well.  When I go into a book store or a library looking for something to read, I know I'm choosing among books that some professional editors/publishers thought were good enough to print.  Will I always agree?  Of course not.  But I will have a baseline level of expectation.  If I'm shopping online in a sea of self-published books, how much time will I have to waste separating the carefully crafted novel from sloppy first draft someone threw together and figured was good enough to put out there?  If this becomes an issue, will e-book sellers offer readers the option of shopping for "published"  e-books only and, if so, what would that do to the self-published market?

Lots of questions.  Very few answers.  What are your thoughts?

My current word count: 30,877 (took a writing break and editing those first 100 pages)

I'm currently enjoying: Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters (poor Peabody, I've left her in the desert with no reading time to bring her home)

Groaner of the day: A hungry lion was roaming through the jungle looking for something to eat. He came across two men. One was sitting under a tree reading a book; the other was typing away on his typewriter. The lion quickly pounced on the man reading the book and devoured him.

Even the king of the jungle knows that readers digest, and writers cramp.

The Red Headed Nephew

In my quest to take advantage of the information and support available to fledgling authors online, I've join several writer's organizations and support groups.  Not surprisingly, many of these are genre specific, Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, etc., and within these are smaller groups dedicated to specific sub-genres.

My current WIP is a sci fi with a strong romantic element.  It would probably qualify as a sci fi romance.  Except...of all the sub-genres identified under the romance genre - and there are plenty - there doesn't seem to be one for sci fi.  The closest is "Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal."   It's pretty much the same for the mystery sub-genres.  Paranormal, time-travel, futuristic, but no sci fi.

Well, doesn't the F, F & P umbrella cover sci fi?  Not exactly.  Or at least not completely.  Fantasy would be mystical creatures and/or other worlds.  Futuristic would have to be, well, in the future.  Paranormal includes vampires and werewolves and even ghosts.  But not aliens.

My aliens are here.  In this world.  In this time.  Not quite fantasy, not futuristic at all, and, by all the definititions I've come up with, not considered paranormal.  It seems as though non-futuristic sci fi is like the redheaded nephew at the family reunion.  Sure, he's part of the family, but no one wants to claim him.

What is your take on this?  Where do you think the little redhead fits in?  Is there a place in our world for sparkly vampires but not extra-terrestrials?

By the way, I squeaked in just under the wire on my 30,000 Words in February challenge.  30,056 words with 15 minutes to spare.

My current word count: 30,773

I'm currently enjoying: Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters (poor Peabody, I've left her in the desert with no reading time to bring her home)

Groaner of the day: Scientists have announced that we have made contact with an alien race whose planet is entirely covered by one gigantic shopping center.

The sceptical scientists didn't believe it at first, but they've now confirmed...it's a mall world after all.

The Psychology of the Challenge

If you've been following my blog at all this month, you're probably aware that I signed on for a writing challenge: 30,000 Words in February.  Today's the last day and I'm a couple thousand words short so I'll be jumping from here to my WIP.  But first I want to look at challenges.

As this challenge is coming to a close, members of the sponsoring group are already e-mailing their desire/need for another challenge.  This group is ceratinly not unique.  Everywhere we turn there are writing challenges and blogging challenges...you name it, someone is holding a challenge for it.

Why?

What is the attraction?  We supposedly write because we love to write.  Because we can't not write.  Because we have this great driving need to write.  So why do we need a "challenge" to write?  Isn't writing enough of a challenge in itself?  If not, we also have the challenge of the query, the pitch, the unreasonable editing demands, the changing publishing world, etc.

Or maybe that is the attraction.  I can't make an agent love my book.  I can't even make an agent read my book. But I can decide to write 30,000 words in a given month.  A challenge that's within my control.

Or is it the peer support?  The "we're all in this together", "come on, you can do it", "stick with it, don't give up" support that comes with a common goal.

I don't know.  I know I've written more consistantly this month (obsessively checking my word count as I go) than I have in a long time.  I've measured my count every night against the graph that shows where I need to be to make goal and used that to spur myself on.  I'm even considering taking on another challenge.  But why does it work for me?  I couldn't tell you.

Maybe, as an unpublished, it's as close as I can get to an editor's deadline. 

What do you think?  Do you like challenges?  Do they work for you?  Do you know why?

Got to go now.  I've got a lot of words to write before midnight.  Got to meet that challenge.


My current word count: 27,054

I'm currently enjoying: Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters

Groaner of the day: Mother Lion and Father Lion had gone off hunting, and had told their two children not to wander away. However, a couple of small wildebeests wandered by, and the baby lions could not resist the temptation to try out their own hunting skills. They ran out, chased after the animals, killed them, and started eating them.

Just as the baby lions were reaching the end of their meal, the parents appeared in the distance. One of the baby lions turned to the other, and said: "That is the end of the gnus. Here again are the head lions."

Good News and Answers and Laughs, Oh My

Happy Friday!  Sort of.  Mother Nature is doing her thing again and area schools are closed.  You know there have been too many snow days when this news is greeted with, "Oh man, we're going to have to spend our whole summer vacation doing make up days."  (From a sixth grader.)

First, some good news - To all of you who offered prayers and good wishes for our young friend who was severly injured in an accident last weekend, thank you.  Stephanie made it through three emergency brain surgeries this week.  Her condition is stable right now and there are reasons for cautious optimism.  She still has a long way to go, so all prayers are gratefully accepted.

Answers, to Wednesday's Brain Teasers - There were not a lot of brave souls this time but all the riddles were solved.  Dru was the first to correctly get number 2, Stacy was the first to get number 4 and came very close on number 3, and Mary C nailed number 1 and number 3 (and saw plot possibilities in number 4).  Honorable mention to Maria for the most creative suggestion involving the orange juice.

On to the laughter - My only criteria for adding a funny to my blog is that it made me laugh out loud.  This one did.  Of course, it might be a generational thing but I'll bet it makes you laugh too.  (And who can't use a little laughter to wrap up the week?)

Did I win my bet?

I'll be spending much of my weekend in a race to the finish on the "30,000 Words in February" challenge.  With luck, I might just make it.  How about you?  Any fun plans for this weekend?

My current word count: 24,650

I'm currently enjoying: Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters

Groaner of the day: I went through a bunch of puns this morning trying to find one that passed the LOL test.  This one did.  

A pair of chickens walk up to the circulation desk at a public library and say, "Buk Buk BUK." The librarian decides that the chickens desire three books and grants their request...and the chickens leave.

Around midday, the two chickens return to the circulation desk quite vexed and say, "Buk Buk BuKKOOK!" The librarian decides that the chickens desire another three books and gives them another three. The chickens leave as before.

The two chickens return to the library in the early afternoon, approach the librarian, looking very annoyed and say, "Buk Buk Buk Buk Bukkooook!"  The librarian is now a little suspicious of these chickens. She gives them what they request but decides to follow them.

She follows them out of the library, across town, to a park. At this point, she hides behind a tree, not wanting to be seen. As the watches, the chickens begin throwing the books at a frog in a pond - to which the frog was saying, "Rrredit Rrredit Rrredit..."

Why English is So Hard

Before I get to today's post - Check out this great award I received from N. R. Williams:

Isn't that the greatest face?

Okay - it's Friday.  And that means a fun - and usually borrowed - post.  This is from an e-mail that's been making the rounds forever.  Hopefully, it's one you haven't seen, or at least not for a while. 

And this is the tool of our trade?

Some reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) The two were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail
18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests
21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Scary, huh?  It gets worse.

There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

Quicksand works slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?

If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? If you have a bunch of  odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? Is it an odd, or an end?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

And why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"?


You know, it's amazing we can write at all.  Have a great weekend.

My current word count: 5023

I'm currently enjoying: Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters

Groaner of the Day:  I decided to go with a short one today but couldn't decide between these two.  Which one would you pick?

1 - Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, 'You stay here. I'll go on a head.'

2 - Don't join dangerous cults: Practice safe sects!

Banished Words for 2011

Recently on Jane's Ride there was a great discussion on annoying words and phrases.  This weekend I came across this...

Each year Lake Superior State University releases a list of  banished words .  These words/phrases are to be banished from our collective vocabulary for being chronically overused and misused.  Here's the list for 2011 (with sample quotes from the LSSU web site).

viral - "...it is no longer enough to give such offerings their 15 minutes of fame, but they must be declared to 'go viral.'

epic - "Standards for using 'epic' are so low, even 'awesome' is embarrassed."

fail - "Fail is not a noun. It is not an adjective. It is a verb."  "...anything that is a mistake is a 'fail'."

wow factor - "Done-to-death phrase to point out something with a somewhat significantly appealing appearance."

a-ha moment - "...a point at which you understand something or something becomes clearer. Why can't you just say that?"

backstory - "This should be on the list of words that don't need to exist because a perfectly good word has been used for years. In this case, the word is 'history,' or, for those who must be weaned, 'story.'"

BFF - "...call each other BFF (Best Friends Forever) and it lasts about 10 minutes. Now there's BFFA (Best Friends For Awhile), which makes more sense."

man up - "A stupid phrase when directed at men. Even more stupid when directed at a woman..."

refudiate - "Adding this word to the English language simply because a part-time politician lacks a spell checker on her cell phone is an action that needs to be repudiated."

mamma grizzlies - "Unless you are referring to a scientific study of Ursus arctos horribilis , this analogy of right-wing female politicians should rest in peace."

the American people - Every political speech refers to the 'American' people as if simply saying 'Americans' (or 'people') is not enough." 

I'm just sayin' - "'A phrase used to diffuse any ill feelings caused by a preceded remark..."

Facebook/Google as verbs - "...the trend can only get worse, i.e. I'm going to Twitter a few people, then Yahoo the movie listings and maybe Amazon a book or two."

live life to the fullest - "It's an absurdity followed by a redundancy. First, things are full or they're not; there is no fullest. Second, 'live life' is redundant."


I had to cringe because I have an "A-Ha Moment" video link on my blog, but it was named by the people who made the video, not by me.  Some of these rang no bells for me.  I'm definitely guilty of using Google as a verb (aren't we all?).  And I believe "backstory" is a useful word, especially for writers.

How about you?  Any you agree with?  Disagree with?  Any you'd like to add?

I'm currently enjoying: The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook

Groaner of the Day: (It's a bit long but you've got to read it.) 
The great German actress Zelda had done everything but for one thing; she'd never won an Academy Award. She was known for being terribly temperamental and choosy about her parts, but was also known to soften for the promise of the elusive award.

One day she was called by the great director, Meyer Schmidt, and asked to review a new script he had. She read the script and immediately rejected it. "Iss Nicht my type of script, Meyer, and I'll not do it."

"But Honeykins," he cried, "It's a wonderful script."

"I didn't say it vasn't vunderful or goot, but I'll not do it."

"But Sweetiekins," Meyer continued, "with my direction and your acting and name, it will make us millions."

"More geldt I don't need. Ich do nicht like the script."

"But, Darling, don't you see? With my connections, I can almost guarantee you an Academy Award with a good performance."

Zelda thought a moment then agreed, saying, "Oh, I'd luff to be an Oscar veener, Meyer!"

(I'm sorry. I can't help myself.)

Why Should I Care

I was helping my grandson yesterday organize his notes for a school report on the Battle of Gettysburg. He had gathered lots of facts and was trying to figure out how to put them together. I offered him a series of questions and suggested he put the questions in an order that worked for him then replace each question with an answer from his notes.

He was expecting the usual what, where, when, etc., but he was caught by the question, “Why should we care?” To him, the answer was simple…because it was a school paper and he wanted a good grade.

Yes, but why do we care about this battle?

Well, it’s a really famous battle. Everyone knows about it.

In fiction, we rarely have the luxury of a famous topic that everyone already knows is important. In an established series there may be vested interest in the main characters, but more often readers start a story not knowing why they should care…which translates into “why should I keep reading?”

Mysteries have at least two possibilities – the puzzle and characters. For some mystery lovers, the puzzle itself may be enough. Like playing a good game of Clue, puzzle lovers read mysteries for the sheer joy of staying in step with or even beating the story’s sleuth to the correct solution. The characters are merely a vehicle for delivering the clues.

For others, and I fall into this group, it’s all about the characters. Once I become caught up in a character, I'm hooked.  I have to keep reading, even if the story/puzzle is a little weak or slow.  I just have to find out what happens to that character (or even better, those characters).

This takes us back to my grandson’s paper. After mulling over the questions I’d given him, he placed “Why should we care?” at the top – right after his introduction.

I think he gets it.

I'm currently enjoying: The Fate of Katherine Carr

Groaner of the Day: The Frugal Gourmet recently visited to Europe. He had a delightful time sampling the cusine in Italy, France and Germany , but he made the mistake of stopping off in London on the way home. Needless to say, he found English food bland and overcooked. However, one day he had a great meal of fish & chips at a London pub. He asked the manager of the pub if he could have the recipe for the fish and chips. The manager confessed that he bought his fish and chips from a nearby monestary, and thus the Frugal Gourmet would have to get the recipe from one of the Brothers. The Frugal Gourmet quickly ran down the street to the monestary and knocked on the door. When one of the Brothers came to the door, the Frugal Gourmet asked him if he were the "Fish Friar."

The brother repiled, "No, I'm the Chip Monk."

Well, How Do You Do It?

I grabbed my big mug of hot tea and headed upstairs, calling to my husband, "I'm gonna go try to give birth to a blog post."

"Any ideas?"  He already knew the answer.

"Nope."

I checked my e-mail, and Facebook, and other blogs I follow - even though I had done all that just before I went down to make the tea. 

I played a game of spider solitair. Well, two.  But I didn't clear the board on the first one so it doesn't count.

I re-read the Christmas wish lists received from various family members.  Although I already know them by heart.

I rumaged around for a nail file and repaired a chipped nail.

I found the cool e-mail I received today of "Idle Thoughts", such as: 

I planted some bird seed. A bird came up. Now I don't know what to feed it. 

and thought of putting one in this post then decided against it.

I blinked and rolled my eyes for several minutes, trying to decide if the numbing drops the opthalmologist had put in this afternoon had completely worn off.  They still felt kind of weird so probably not. 

I studied the New Post window on my monitor.  It was still blank.

Well, how do you procrastinate?


Countdown to retirement and writing full time: 8 work days to go.

I'm currently enjoying: The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters

Groaner of the Day: A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."

Pulling Out Roots

A few years ago, whenever I returned from a vacation, I immediately checked in with the office.  It wasn't that I thought they couldn't get along without me for a week (although I certainly didn't want them to know that); but this was my other home, my other family, and I needed to know what was going on.  When the word "retirment" began creeping into conversations, I couldn't imagine it.  This was what I did, a large part of who I was.  How could I just stop doing it?

Fast forward to last spring.  Budget cuts. Decision time. And I decided it was in everyone's best interest to step up and take early retirement. After all, I was trying to get seriously back into my writing so maybe this was the opportunity I'd been waiting for.  We agreed I'd stay into December and that was that.  But what would it be like?  Leaving the job, the department I'd headed for fifteen years (been part of for twenty), all my friends and coworkers...would it be like ripping out a tree by its roots?  Was it going to hurt?

Homestretch time now.  Under a month to go.  I realized last night that I'm doing what I used to do whenever we had to move (another thing I don't do well).  I'm slowly breaking off the roots, a couple here, a couple there, so when the time comes the tree will be already loosened and easy to pull out.  I'm working through my lunch hour instead of joining others, opting out of conference calls on upcoming changes, deferring decisions to my successor, and taking home personal items from my office, one or two a day.  I declined the usual retirement party. 

Instead I'm spending more time on this - blogging, networking with writers and others, learning, and writing.  Focusing on what's ahead, not what I'm leaving behind.  For the most part it's working.  I've started thinking about my job as interfering with my writing and I'm looking forward to being able to write full time. 

But what will it be like on that last day?  When my office is stripped bare of my things and I've turned in my keys?  When all the good-byes have been said?  When I walk out the back door on that last Friday?  How much will it hurt?

How about you?  How do you prepare for big changes in your life?  Does it work?


Countdown to retirement and writing full time: 16 work days to go.

I'm currently enjoying: LAST TO DIE by Kate Brady.

Groaner of the Day: There were three Indian squaws. One slept on a deer skin, one slept on an elk skin, and the third slept on a hippopotamus skin. All three became pregnant. The first two each had a baby boy. The one who slept on the hippopotamus skin had twin boys. This just goes to prove that... the squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sons of the squaws of the other two hides.

(Aw, come on - you know you missed them.)

Sitting on the Floor

I'm not a poet.  I don't write poetry, rarely read it, never studied it, and the only rules of poetry I know is the 5, 7, 5 count in Haiku.  But as I was sitting in the vet's office this morning, this came to me almost intact.  And since I have no bright ideas for a Wednesday blog (and no time to come up with any), I'm offering this.

I sit on the floor
Of the examining room
With her.
There's a chair,
A hard wooden one.
But there's no room
For her to sit beside me.
And she's too big
To perch in my lap.
So I sit on the floor.

She's afraid.
We’ve been coming here
Every week for many weeks.
But last week
I went away
And left her alone
With these kind strangers.
They put her to sleep
And when she awoke,
Her world was different.

She's afraid.
When she walks,
Things hit her.
Things she cannot see.
She doesn’t understand
That her eye is sewn shut
To protect the inner stitches.
The doctor’s careful work,
Trying to save her eye
So it doesn’t have to be sewn shut
Forever.

She's afraid.
I see it in her trembling,
In the way she pants.
I tell her it’s okay.
Just a re-check today.
He’s just going to look,
I’m not going to leave her.
But my words mean nothing.
She presses against me
Seeking comfort.

She's afraid.
So I sit on the floor
With her.

 
Okay, as I said, I'm not a poet.  I just felt like writing this.  Do you ever get the urge to write something that's not at all your thing?  Different form, different genre?  How does it turn out?

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 110,937. (Did you notice?  I actually squeezed in a little re-write time this weekend.  Finally got under 111,000.)

I'm currently enjoying: Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian

Quote of the day:  A poem begins with a lump in the throat. - Robert Frost

Pieces and Parts

Aw, phooey.  My weekend ended up being consumed by visits to Hospice, grandkids, post-op pooch care, and trying to keep the house one step ahead of the health department.   No writing time and only managed a couple comments to my blog friends (my apologies to the ones I missed). 

But I am determined to at least get in a blog post for Monday morning, so here goes.

A question for writers: How do you keep track of all the pieces and parts in your stories?  I'm talking about different storylines, characters, etc.; making sure each one gets enough time and re-appears at reasonable intervals.  I use a rainbow.

I'm a plotter.  I've got most of my story worked out from the beginning, although I revise and re-write a lot as I go.  On my monitor I have two Word windows open...one for the story and one with a running timeline which includes a quick mention of every scene.  On the timeline I use the Word highlighting tool to mark each scene according to whether it's part of the main plot or a subplot (and which one).  I also color code things like "cop work", romance, backstory, clues, and certain characters who are important but remain in the background most of the time.  The colors let me see where I am on balance and spacing so I can make adjustments as I go.  Sometimes a storyline needs more attention, sometimes it needs to be trimmed, sometimes it needs to be cut completely.  Or my rainbow may show me where I need to rearrange scenes, i.e I've got too many blues together, I need to slip the red scene in between. 

So, what about you?  How do you keep track of all your pieces and parts?  Any other rainbow users out there?

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 111,618. (If I don't manage to get some serious editing done soon, I'm going to be too embarrassed to keep this line in my blog.)

I'm currently enjoying: Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian

Quote of the day: “Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true” - Lyman Frank Baum

O Hell, Is It Friday Already?

Oh, hell!  It's time for a Friday blog.  Friday always sneaks up on me because my grandson spends the night on Thursdays (how great is that?) so my evening is focused on him.

He had a tough homework assignment tomight. A sudoku puzzle using nine vocabulary words instead of numbers.  He asked for my help but I got stumped, too.  Then I came up with the bright idea of numbering the words, taking a fresh piece of paper and starting over using just the numbers.  Solved it that way.  Why is it easier to work a suduko with numbers instead of words?

I got this picture in an e-mail yesterday.  Cracked me up.

 
Got some good news at the vet this morning.  Based on Chance's chest x-ray, the vet revised his "how long does he have?" estimate from six months to a year.  And Brandi will be having surgery on Monday - but not to remove her eye.  Since it's lasted this long, they're going to try a surgical repair to save it.  Keep your fingers crossed for her.
 
My youngest granddaughter will turn nine tomorrow.  Hot item on her wish list...silly bands.  Can someone explain the attraction here?  These are rubber bands that the kids wear on their wrist that happen to go back into some shape when they take them off.  They're got sports shapes and animal shapes and stars and whatever.  And the kids are crazy about them.  Seriously.  I don't get it.
 
Really hoping I can work in some writing time this weekend.  I've got a re-write idea percolating and I need a chunk of time to play with it.

Friday....  I sure was planning to get a lot more stuff done this week.  Oh well.
 
I want to stick a serious note in here to my small band of followers.  I'm going to do my best to keep up with my blog and to read and comment on yours, but if I fall off a bit, please stay with me.  We moved my dear mum-in-law to a hospice facility this week and I'm dividing most of my time between work and being with her. 

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 111,618. (Sadly, unchanged from Wednesday but it should be better on Monday.)

I'm currently enjoying: Weeding Out Trouble by Heather Webber (Thought I'd get to finish it tonight but that dang suduko got in the way.  And, yup, it's still overdue at the library.) 

Quote of the day: Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise.  -  H. G. Wells


 

Do I Hear an Echo?

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, whenever I find a book I really enjoy, that is part of a series, I like to go back and read all of that series in order. This means I sometimes read several books in the series back to back. I also have one of those strange memories that holds on to things like song lyrics, movie dialog, and passages of text.

One downside of this combination is noticing, and being bothered by, inconsistencies from one book to another. I always feel compelled to go back and check whether Great-Auntie’s name was really Mildred in book two but became Matilda in book five.

Recently I got caught up by something different. I was reading a series book and realized the author had used the same exact descriptions as in the previous book. Complete sentences or even short paragraphs were copied directly from one book to the next to describe a person, business, location, etc. I’m not sure why that bothered me but every time I came across one of those repeats it took me out of the story, just for a second.

Now I’m wondering…is this just me? Every series will have some of the same characters and locations from book to book so the descriptions of those characters and locations are going to be the same. But how much the same? Does an author have to find new ways to describe the same things in the latest story or is it perfectly acceptable to lift the descriptions from the last one.

What do you think?

Positive item for today: Brandi still has her eye. Not out of danger yet but every day that passes increases the chances we can save it.

Another positive: Very Quick Nine Year Old – my football player from a few posts ago - who was missing his season with a broken finger is back in the game. He was able to play both offense and defense today.

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 113,133. (Too much time spent in non-positive places this week.)

I'm currently enjoying: Just finished The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen  (What shall I read next?  My TBR pile is calling.) 

Quote of the day: It is not so much the example of others we imitate as the reflection of ourselves in their eyes and the echo of ourselves in their words. - Eric Hoffer

A Gift Positive

Just when I'm struggling to come up with a positive for this post, I get a couple very nice gifts. 

In a comment on my last post, Elizabeth McKenzie told me she'd read and laughed out loud over one of the writing pieces I posted on my web site. Since the piece, "Hey, Mom", is supposed to be funny, this is a good thing. But even better, Elizabeth is the first person - outside of close personal pre-blog friends - to mention anything from my web site. I've been wondering if the site was going unread or if people were reading these pieces and withholding comment to be kind. So this was a big positive. Thanks, Elizabeth.

And this morning, Heather Webber sent me some information on a writing grant I might be eligible to try for. It blows me away how supportive authors (at least the ones I've met through their blogs) are of each other and how willing they are to give a leg up to a struggling unpublished.   Another great positive.  Thank you, Heather.

Do you have a positive to share today?  I'm trying to keep the positive energy flowing.

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 113,993. (Slow progress but still chuggin' away.)

I'm currently enjoying: Just starting Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle.  My special autographed prize copy.  Another positive.

Quote of the day: Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William A. Ward

A Little Saturday Sex?

Very few of the blogs I follow do much on Saturday but I'm working on a goal of three posts a week and I've only done two so I'm slipping this one in.  This is an excerpt from my WIP, HUNTER'S WAY...just an encounter between my main character, Kiri Hunter, and the gorgeous Nick Cassetti. 


Kiri poured them each a glass of white wine and handed one to Nick. They drank, standing there by the kitchen counter, and they talked, but later Kiri could remember nothing that was said. The air around them was becoming charged until she could almost hear the crackle. Then Nick sat his empty glass on the counter.

“Kiri, put your glass down.”

“Why?” She knew why.

“Because I’m going to kiss you now.”

He was - she had to admit - an excellent kisser. His lips coaxing her response as his tongue lured hers into play. The kiss went on long enough to ignite several small fires in various parts of Kiri’s body before he pulled back. He turned away slightly, reaching for the wine bottle, while Kiri leaned against the counter, grateful for its support.

Nick had picked up the bottle and both glasses. “Don’t you think we’d be more comfortable on the couch?”

Oh yeah. Lots more comfortable. Well, at least he hadn’t suggested they head upstairs. Okay, enough of this nonsense. You know when to draw the line, Hunter, and you are well past it already.

“Yes, I suppose.”

Shit!

They sat close together on the long leather sofa. Nick refilled their glasses and they each took a slow sip. Then he carefully removed the glass from her hand and set them both back on the low table. His face was close to hers but he let the moment draw out, let the anticipation build until he slipped one hand behind her neck and drew her lips to his.

Kiri’s hands slid up the front of his shirt and one found its way into his thick black hair. Those small fires began to flare dangerously and Kiri had to force herself to breath. Clever fingers were wandering over her throat, up and down her back, and – oh God – brushing over the taut nipple of one breast. She tried once more. Hunter, you don’t want to do this. You know you don’t want to do this. But she did. She really really did. She ran her hands over the firm muscles in his back, pulling him tighter against her. It had been so damn long. And he felt so good.

The ringing of the telephone was like an alarm clock, dragging her abruptly out of a fabulous dream.

Nick tried to save the moment, murmuring against her lips, “Don’t answer it.”

But Kiri was already pulling away.


So...would you have answered that phone?

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 116,912.

I'm currently enjoying: Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear

Quote of the day: If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question?  - Lily Tomlin

Channeling Sammy Davis Jr.

Once upon a time, I worked for a small engineering company as a software developer. The company did OSHA required testing for businesses. I wrote the software that analyzed the test data and generated the required reports. All was well until the owner decided we should market the software. I wrote a bunch of new code, a user manual, and some sales material (believe me, writing fiction is a lot more fun) and we started doing demos. The software did what it was supposed to do (quite nicely, too) but inevitably someone would ask, “Does it do _________?” Now anyone in the software business will tell you the answer to that question is either, “Yes, let me show you,” or “Well, we can certainly add that as a custom feature for you. I’ll get you a quote on the additional cost.” My boss would say, “Oh, that’s a great idea, we’ll add that.” Of course, all these free modifications did two things: they made the original program slow and inefficient and they ate up the profit margin…which led to the end of their venture into software development and my employment with that company.

So what does all that have to do with anything? Well, I realized yesterday that I was doing exactly what my boss had done. I wrote a book. I was very pleased with it. My beta readers all loved it (with suggestions for editing, of course). I knew it was too long and I had to do some serious trimming but in general I thought it worked well. Like my original software program. I started editing and, about the same time, I started blogging and following a lot of writers’ blogs. I was getting a lot of great information and some very nice encouragement, but every time I read a piece of advice, or a ‘do this’ or a ‘don’t do that’, I went racing back to page one and started editing all over again. And then I came to a dead stop on POV (see previous blog).

I think the best piece of advice I’ve read lately was 'know the rules before you break them'. If I’ve managed to write a compelling story with engaging characters and a strong voice, I’ll take my chances with that. If I haven’t written a compelling story with engaging characters and a strong voice, all the obeyed rules in the world aren’t going to help. So I’ve decided to use the tips and advice that I’m picking up from a lot of great blogs (and other sources) as editing tools…to help me see possible problems and potential improvements. And I’m going to remember that if, what, and how I rewrite something is still up to me. And I’m going to stop wringing my hands and get back to work.

As Sammy said, I’ve Gotta Be Me.

Unwriting progress: From the original 150,000 words down to 117,302. Getting started again.

I'm currently enjoying: The Forgotten Man by Robert Crais

Quote of the day: Damn the torpedoes Full speed ahead - Admiral David Glasgow Farragut