The Kill Zone

Ebook Prices

noreply@blogger.com (Clare) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

I just saw a recent analysis by Booklr of the top 100 Amazon Kindle books versus the top 100 Barnes & Noble Nook titles in respect of their relative price points. The results are, I think pretty interesting for anyone considering 'indie' publishing, and in demonstrating the role price may play in different e-book 'markets'.

According to the Booklr survey 35% of the top 100 books on Kindle were free or priced under $2 compared to 0% for the Nook. 61% of the top 100 books on Kindle were priced under $6 versus 39% on the Nook. In the higher price bracket, the results are also pretty different with 27% of books on Kindle priced above $10 versus 40% on the Nook.

These results suggest that customers have quite different book buying habits in these two 'e-reader' markets. It also points to a potential new culture for the Kindle in which customers tend to buy what is free or less than $2. As an author, this signals to me that if I was to go the 'indie' route, I would need to consider price very, very carefully indeed.

The Booklr analysis indicates that the average price for a Kindle top 100 e-book is $6.48 compared with $8.94 for the Nook - which gives us a rough gauge of the price differential between customers for both platforms and opens up the debate over the impact of free and cheap (99c) e-books on overall pricing trends.

So for all your authors considering the indie route, how are you approaching the issue of price? If you are traditionally published, what kind of price point has your publisher set for your e-book? And how much influence do you think Amazon is going to have on driving e-book prices down?

A New Definition of Writing Success

noreply@blogger.com (James Scott Bell) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

James Scott Bell

Twitter.com/jamesscottbell

"Rich are the records . . . with stories of penniless authors, who, sick with hope so long deferred, and at last despairing, have resorted to wild and tragic devices . . ."

So begins a story in the Los Angeles Examiner, New Year's Eve edition, December 31, 1905. The feature tells the tale of one such desperate author, a school teacher named Edith Allonby. For four years she'd labored on a novel, The Fulfilment [spelled with one "l"] into which she poured heart and soul. She had been published before, but her books had not been hits. The Fulfilment was going to change all that. In fact, Miss Allonby was certain its spiritual themes would change the world. (Indeed, she thought the book had been given to her by God, so the pressure was on).

But the book was rejected. First, by her own publisher. Then by all the other publishing houses she sent it to. "I have submitted my book to all these men," she wrote in a note. "I have tried in vain. They will not accept it, yet shall 'The Fulfilment' reach the people to whom I appeal, for I have found another way."

After finishing the note, Miss Allonby changed into a silk evening gown, put fresh flowers in her hair, and sat in a comfortable chair. She was found dead the next day, her manuscript on her lap and an empty bottle of carbolic acid at her side.

And so it has been for countless authors for hundreds of years. Not normally ending in suicide (though such cases exist) but often in frustration, depression and despair. (The Fulfilment, BTW, was published in a limited edition after Miss Allonby's death).

There was one primary reason for all this distress: Their fate as writers was not in their own hands. To get anywhere close to "success" they had to be accepted by an established publishing house (which alone had the means to produce and distribute a book), and then hope that they earned some money for their efforts.

Those two things—acceptance and income—defined writing success.

Included under "Getting Published," we can list some ancillary things writers hope for. Like getting on a bestseller list. Perhaps being nominated (even winning) a prestigious award. Maybe just the feeling of being part of an exclusive club.

But now we are experiencing a sea change on the other side of the diagram:

We all know the traditional model is shrinking. Advances on new contracts are at historic lows. With physical shelf-space disappearing, print revenues are down. While digital income is up for the publishers, the slice of that pie given to authors remains stagnated at 25% of net (or roughly 17.5% of retail). And new writers are finding publishers increasingly risk averse regarding debut authors.

Still, many writers remain focused on that left circle. It represents some sort of "validation" even though it could very well mean less income (the right circle) and fewer readers.

But now a new model of writing success has appeared. Writers, for the first time since the troubadour era (when you could go out on your own and make up stories in song and take in some coin), have it within their power to get their writing out there without a middleman (the fancy term is "disintermediation").

And further, unlike self-published authors of yore, they actually have a chance to make real dough. Every day we are hearing more accounts of self-published writers who are earning significant income as independents.

Yet income alone is not the main draw of this new model, which looks like this:

Freedom is the invaluable commodity here. To be able to write what you truly want to write, and know that you can get it into the marketplace, is tremendously liberating. It is, in fact, the engine of happiness for a writer. It's exhilarating to write for yourself, see what you've written, fix it, and keep on writing—and be assured that it will have a place in the stream of commerce, for as long as you live.

This does not mean that going the traditional route is a spurious view of "success." If one seeks that validation, it's there to be pursued. The point is, however, that it is no longer the only game in town. Which is why I am more jazzed about being a writer than ever. Not just because of increased production and income, but because of the freedom to take responsibility for my own work.

Let me be quick to point out, however, that this responsibility carries challenges. Being in charge means you are CEO of your own company. You alone are in charge of quality control and production. You can expect to experience the stresses and strains of running a small business. You will need new skills to handle them. These can be acquired, but only through effort and self-discipline.

But it's more than worth it to be holding the reins of your own writing and life.

I think Miss Allonby would have felt that way, too. Had she been able to self-publish, she might have lived a long, full life. Maybe she'd have written many more books, grown a readership, and made some money, too.

I can say this because, in one of life's ironic and poignant turns, The Fulfilment by Edith Allonby is now available for the Kindle.

So how would you define success as a writer?

You can't teach a cat to sing or a dog to fly.

noreply@blogger.com (John Ramsey Miller) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:10:00 +0000

John Ramsey Miller

I’m not here on every other Saturday to teach anybody how to write. Others here know the technicalities and can teach you or sell you books about the craft. I’m not blogging here to make what I do seem mysterious, or harder than it is, and it ain’t at all hard for a real writer. I’ll just say for you to keep your story moving. Make your characters real. Your style should be to write like you’d tell a story to an audience. Work hard to write a story you’d like to read. And think hard about your story before you write it down. That is all I can tell anyone. I expect that anything else I say is a rule is bullshit I’m making up. That’s all about it I actually know, I’ve read Elmore Leonard’s list and Stephen King’s book, and BIRD IN HAND, and I didn’t agree or disagree. That is what they think, or think they think or want me to think they think. The process is different for everybody. Some authors will say they have no idea how they do what they do. I think most famous authors are surprised they are famous for what they wrote.

I’m not in on any authoring secrets, and I worked the steps everybody has to work in order to be published, and I had no contacts in the writing community. I wasn’t discovered sitting in my studio by talent scouts, I worked damned hard. No known writer reached down, took my hand and dragged me to their publisher and demanded they publish me of they would take their money generating words elsewhere. So work your ass off or get away from this profession now.

If you can write a book that people will actually buy without being related to you, or your shamelessly flogging it to them in a crowded bar at Bouchercon, you are in the vast minority. I never say, “if I can do it anybody can,” because it is one of those things you either can or you can’t do. Anybody on earth can write badly and most do. I know high school dropouts who write brilliantly. I know learned writing professors whose books can suck lint off a cheap sweater at fifty yards. There are no shortcuts I can impart, or secrets to being published. Write a very good book and push it to the right people at the right time. I don’t know who that is, because it is different for every author. Hell, just publish it somewhere yourself and say you wrote a book. There are millions of people singing not very well on You Tube.

I didn’t set out to become an author. From an early age I wrote short stories, poems, and I did so for my own entertainment and as a way to express myself. People have always fascinated me. Stories fascinated me. I was blessed with a natural curiosity and being born in an interesting time and place. Writing found me the same way graphic art and photography did. I was interested in it and I did it for myself first. People I shared my stories with, enjoyed them. My advertising writing sold products. I wrote my first thriller without knowing it was a thriller, or what made any book a thriller. I wrote a fast moving story about violent and complex people. A very talented editor bought it and together we turned it into a very good book.

I have never read one page into a romance novel and I don’t ever intend to. I’ve had dear friends who write them, but I do not care to read any. I have friends who have never read any of my books, and in truth I could care less. Not that I think romance, mystery, or cozy authors have less talent, I’m just not into those genres. There are great writers in those genres and they have their readers, some legions of fans. Kumbaya moments bore me. I don’t like writing them.

My fans have strong stomachs. They like justice, the rougher the better. As far as I can tell, most of my fans are not violent people, but they like to read violence, and they like their violence accurate. The romance I write into my novels is that which is in me. You don’t stay married 35 years without some romance. My written romance isn’t necessarily sentimental, it’s a reflection of my affections and *effections. I can only write convincingly that which is within me.

If I think the story should go there, I will kill both cub scouts and cats without a second thought to the reader’s reaction. Some readers make the association that murdered fictional animals are the real ones they love, which isn’t my problem. The same readers could care less if I kill children. I don’t give a damn. I really don’t.

It is my opinion that most new Thrillers are that they are just rehashes or reshuffles of thrillers that came before them. I know that’s true with other genres as well. You can’t think of an original story because they have all been done. It is the rare twist that Thriller readers or writers don’t see coming before the writer thinks they will. A fresh new story gets harder to write all the time. Early Thriller writers had it good because that wasn’t yet true. Think of books like you might a gun. There are just so many places you can put the barrel. The barrel has to point forward else the shooter is in imminent danger of not living through the shooting experience. The bullet rests in the chamber, which has to be very precisely located behind the barrel. There are a finite number of firing pin, hammer and grip designs to be put with the barrel designs. There are just so many bullet calibers to be put into the mix. So any new gun has more to do with cobbling together varying design elements that have come before them than those that can come after. There will be ray guns and particle beam guns, but those will be less guns than machines that can do what a gun does, only better or differently. Maybe thrillers that are written so differently that they don’t just entertain, but maim or kill the reader as well.

I have been brutal to would-be authors whose work showed no inkling of talent at writing fiction. Other writers think I should encourage everybody who tries. Bullshit. If someone is wasting their time, they should know it so they can follow another dream, or perhaps start bending sheet metal into ducts that might prove useful. It is hard enough when you have some talent or even some mechanical ability with words. If you can’t write fiction, you can become a technical writer, or write non-fiction. But if you can’t write on a fundamental level… Ok, so who am I to judge. I don’t like hurting feelings or dashing dreams. I never asked to be put in a position to judge ability, but when I’m asked to judge, I do. Don’t want to hear it, don’t friggin’ ask. That’s certainly cool with me.

I am not a drum major for deluded people who only dream of being authors to prove something to themselves, to make a quick fortune, to impress their friends, or to allow their egos to bloom. I feel sorry for people who truly love books and have a real desire to contribute their own visions to literature, all the while knowing that is as impossible as me becoming American Idol. Delusions should not be fed, else you’ll have people going postal all over the country. So I like to imagine I’m saving lives by being critical.

Nothing pleases me more than seeing raw talent. If someone has that, I always do my best to encourage and help them any way I can.

Lesson From Gun Camp

noreply@blogger.com (John Gilstrap) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

By John Gilstrap

Last week, I wrote a teaser blog about some firearms training I was to receive while pulling duty as a VIP guest of 5.11 Tactical at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. First a few words about the SHOT Show: Holy Cow! You have to see this thing to understand the size. It takes up the ENTIRE Sands Convention Center, occupying all three floors. Every conceivable manufacturer of any firearm is there, and while they cannot sell to individuals from the floor, you are perfectly welcome to handle any weapon you want, up to and including dry firing it. (The Las Vegas Police Department checked every single one of the thousands of firearms there to verify that the firing pins had been removed.) Never held an M4 or a Glock or a 1911? You can play with them. Ditto the Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle, the M2 "Ma Deuce" .50 cal machine gun and a Dillon Gun. It's the mother of all gun research opportunities, and EVERYONE I spoke to was more than willing to chat about their products. What I found most stunning was the number of firearms makers that I'd never heard of.

Last Thursday, I met Jeffery Deaver in the lobby of our hotel at 6:45 a.m. We were driven a half hour out into the desert to a shooting range that looked like it covered twenty or thirty acres. We were driven way to the back of the facility, where I realized for the first time that Jeff and I would be the only students for the entire day.

Our instructor was Steve Tarani. Look him up. Yeah, he's qualified. And he's very, very funny, in that zero-bullshit kind of way. After an extensive safety briefing, we were issued our .40 caliber Glocks, holsters and three mags of ammunition. (A million thanks to Barry, who made sure that we always had a 12-round mag ready to go so that our pouches were never dry.) Jeff drew a thigh rig holster, while my holster rode on my belt. As an aside, the 5.11 Tactical pants we wore were specifically designed with an extra belt loop that keeps a belt holster from moving around. I like that kind of attention to details.

For the next three hours, we shot hundreds of rounds of ammunition, first while standing still, but then while moving and turning. Finally, we were shooting from the driver's and passenger's seats of an SUV (a late model Acura that did not belong to either student). The day ended with a quick-draw contest and an NSR (non-standard response) drill that involves shooting everything in the mag at short range, as quickly as possible while still hitting center of mass on the target. As Steve made clear from the very beginning, this was a tactical shooting class, not a marksmanship class (although I did pretty well in that department, too.)

Lesson One: Tactical shooting is only a distant cousin of target shooting. Until this lesson, my range training had consisted of picking a weapon up from a table, taking my time and concentrating on placing shots in the center ring. I'd never drawn a pistol from a holster and just that much movement changes the game. Throw in multiple points of impact on the target (we'd be instructed, for example, to put two in the chest, one in the pelvis and one in the forehead--not the jaw, though) and now you've got more to think about and more to do. By the time you're pivoting and turning and throwing open the car door while drawing your weapon without ever pointing it at your own leg or anywhere near your partner, it's tough to get your rounds downrange to the target. And very, very fun.

Lesson Two: My grip was AFU. This one's hard to describe without specific pictures, but my hands didn't have enough contact with the gun. I was also using an out-of-date and out-of-favor shooting stance called the Weaver Stance, in which my support side leg (my left, since I'm right-handed) was slightly forward. I've never been entirely comfortable with that stance. In my new Isosceles Stance (or "Tony Chin" stance), I square off at the bad guy with my toes, knees and chin touching the same vertical plane--Toe-Knee-Chin. Tony Chin. Get it?

Lesson Three: It's disconcerting how much of one's own body can become a target when drawing a weapon. Think about your free hand, for example. Given that one of Steve's Four Golden Rules is that the muzzle never cover anything that you don't want to completely destroy, that free support hand needs to be anchored somewhere when the pistol is coming out of the holster. I learned to place it on my chest, where not only is it out of harm's way, but it's also ready to do its job in supporting the shooting hand.

Lesson Four: I was a "booger flipper," Steve's term for one who lets one's finger off the trigger after every shot. If you watch what that looks like, booger flipping really does come to mind. I learned in the early part of the class to hold the trigger all the way to the back of the trigger guard after the first shot, and then let it up only to the reset click to prepare for the next shot. It takes far less pull, and increases accuracy by a lot. After a few hundred rounds, it was second nature.

Lesson Five: It's stressful as hell to run out of ammo in the middle of a drill. Running out when the target is shooting back must be really unnerving. Steve taught us to drop the spent mag and slap in the new one while never taking our eyes off the target. Truth be told, this was my hardest lesson to learn. My thumbs are too short to reach the mag release without shifting my grip. I sorta got the hang of it in the end, but it's really hard not to look. After a couple dozen tactical reloads in which we let the spent mags just drop to the ground, we even changed it up to replace a partially-spent mag with a full one, in which case we needed to put the old mag back into the pouch after reloading while still staying on the target.

Lesson Six: If you own a gun, you really need to practice this stuff. In just three hours--and about 200 bucks in ammo (Thank you again, 5.11 Tactical!)--so many of the tiny details became second nature. Even the simple act of reholstering has its complex parts. In Steve's class, after the threat is cleared, you sweep left, sweep right, then return to low-ready before you put that support hand back on your chest to get it out of the way, and then slide the weapon back into the holster. We did that every single time we reholstered, even if we hadn't fired a shot, and by the end of the training, doing things otherwise would have just felt wrong.

As I write this, I realize how long the post is, and how few of the lessons learned I can actually document here. My big take away was this: As a guy who's always liked guns and has played with them a lot over the years, I in fact knew nothing. Now, after this experience, I'm fully aware of the fact that I still know way too little, and that much of what I did learn will disappear from my muscle memory in just a day or two. I need to find a range that will let me move and shoot.

The world is full of five-day classes on this stuff, and I'm seriously thinking about taking one. How about a Killzone field trip for a week at Sleep-Away Gun Camp? That could be fun.

Designing a Thriller - Guest Post Virna DePaul

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Dane) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Host - Jordan Dane

I'm thrilled to host my friend, Virna DePaul. Virna is an esteemed member of the International Thriller Writers and recently interviewed me for ITW's wonderful e-newsletter for my latest release, but Virna and I had met once before at a Romance Writers of America annual conference. We struck up a conversation at a Karen Rose workshop on writing suspense and had lunch after. At the time, Virna hadn't sold yet, but she left a good impression on me that she was determined to succeed. Boy has she ever. Welcome Virna DePaul, TKZers!

Thank you to the Kill Zone and in particular Jordan Dane for having me as a guest today!

Roller coaster rides. Haunted houses. Horror flicks. And of course, suspense and thriller novels. What do they have in common? They scare us, yet there's always a certain number of riders, participants, and readers willing to go back for more. Again and again, we seek out experiences that make our hearts race, and alternately tighten our muscles with anticipation and make us dizzy with relief. Why?

Because these experiences affirm our existence even as they wash away its ordinariness. They give us the illusion of being out of control and ultimately triumphant even as we remain both safe and, let's face it, relative victims to the whims of fate.

We'll board a roller coaster only because we know the ride will be quick and we can choose to never ride it again. We'll see a horror movie only because we know we can walk out of the movie theater or cover our eyes at any time. And we'll read a thriller novel only because we know we can put the book down until we're ready to dive back in.

Of course, the key to any great thriller experience is that even given these options, we are swept away in spite of ourselves. We forget reality and simply soak in the larger-than-life wonder of the moment. We feel, we agonize, and we rejoice even as some part of our brains know we're being manipulated by words, images, or mechanical engineering.

I write romance, both contemporary and paranormal, but my novels always have a suspense element in them. Much like a roller coaster architect, I enjoy designing a thrill ride for my audiences. I take into consideration who they are, what their expectations are, and how I can mix things up to bring them something fresh and new. I wield plot to provide suspension, loops, or a straight drop. I use characters to transport a reader to another time and place, keeping her safe even as I provide her maximum thrill and catharsis. I especially like knowing that at the end of my novels, readers will always have a happily-ever-after in the romance plot. And finally, I enjoy the fact that despite being the architect of my novels, I embark on a wondrous journey, too.

In my Para-Ops series, I take my readers from Washington D.C to North Korea to Los Angeles to France. I introduce them to an elite special ops team comprised of a vampire, werebeast, mage, and wraith. In my contemporary novels, I explore the world of undercover cops and state special agents who chase down drug lords and murderers. But always, no matter the genre or the specific plot, I strive to give my readers two things: a thrilling ride that sweeps them away, and enough satisfaction and hope at the end of the story that they can't help but want to take the ride again.

How about you? Do you seek out thrills just in books or other places, too?

Experience Virna DePaul’s “intriguing world” protected by an elite Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills. In Virna's latest release, Chosen By Sin (Para-Ops #3), you’ll meet a werebeast hero, a vampire heroine, and a host of other paranormal creatures such as a mage, human psychic, wraith (ghost), demons, and dragons. You can learn more about Virna and her series at www.virnadepaul.com and http://www.chosenbysin.com/.

Virna DePaul is a former criminal prosecutor and now national bestselling author for Berkley (paranormal romantic suspense), HQN (single title romantic suspense; Shades Of Desire (Special Investigations Group Book #1, June 2012)) and HRS (category romantic suspense; It Started That Night (May 2012)). Writers, join Virna's mailing list to access her archive of monthly writing “cheat sheets.”

Blurb from Chosen By Sin:

The longest life isn’t always the happiest one…

Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn—humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

For now, werebeast Dex Hunt serves on the Para-Ops team, but his true purpose is to kill the werewolf leader he blames for his mother’s death. Biding his time, Dex keeps his emotional distance from his team members and anyone else he might care for, including a mysterious vampire he met in L.A.

As a doctor, vampire Jesmina Martin has dedicated her immortal life to healing others. As a scientific researcher, she’s trying to prolong life spans, in particular those of her adoptive dragon-shifter family and the werewolf who saved her as a child. Her greatest hope lies with Dex, a werebeast she believes can gift immortality to others.

Only Dex knows nothing about his gift or the fact Jesmina wants to harness it. After a passionate night together neither expects to see the other again. Weeks later, they are reunited in France and forced to acknowledge a fragile miracle—a new life struggling to survive. At the same time, they must stop a group of rebel shape-shifters hoping to unleash every demon in hell. But before Dex and Jesmina can save their child or the world, they must relinquish their secrets, face their fears, and open themselves to love.

Buy the book HERE.

Writing is Rewriting

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Moore) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

By Joe Moore

I just finished the first draft of my new thriller, THE BLADE, co-written with Lynn Sholes. This is our sixth novel written together; this one coming in at a crisp 92,500 words. Now that the first pass on the manuscript is finished, the rewrite begins. As E.B. White said in THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, “The best writing is rewriting.”

Some might ask that if the manuscript is written, why do we need to rewrite it? Remember that the writing process is made up of many layers including outlining, research, first drafts, rewriting, line editing, proofing, more editing and more proofing. One of the functions that sometimes receives the least amount of attention in discussions on writing techniques is rewriting.

There are a number of stages in the rewriting process. Starting with the completion of the first draft, they involve reading and re-reading the entire manuscript many times over and making numerous changes during each pass. It’s in the rewrite that we need to make sure our plot is seamless, our story is on track, our character development is consistent, and we didn’t leave out some major point of importance that could confuse the reader. We have to pay close attention to content. Does the story have a beginning, middle and end? Does it make sense? Is the flow of the story smooth and liquid? Do our scene and chapter transitions work? Is everything resolved at the end?

Next we need to check for clarity. This is where beta readers come in handy. If it’s not clear to them, it won’t be clear to others. We can’t assume that everyone knows what we know or understands what we understand. We have to make it clear what’s going on in our story. Suspense can never be created by confusing the reader.

Once we’ve finished this first pass searching for global plotting problems, it’s time to move on to the nuts and bolts of rewriting. Here we must tighten up our work by deleting all the extra words that don’t add to the reading experience or contribute to the story. Remember that every word counts. If a word doesn’t move the plot forward or contribute to character development, it should be deleted.

Some of the words that can be edited out are superfluous qualifiers such as “very” and “really.” This is always an area where less is more. For instance, we might describe a woman as being beautiful or being very beautiful. But when you think about it, what’s the difference? If she’s already beautiful, a word that is considered a definitive description, how can she exceed beautiful to become very beautiful? She can’t. So we search for and delete instances of “very” or “really”. They add nothing to the writing.

Next, scrutinize any word that ends in “ly”. Chances are, most adverbs can be deleted without changing the meaning of the sentence or our thought. In most cases, cutting them clarifies and makes the writing cleaner.

Next, go hunting for clichés and overused phrases. There’s an old saying that if it comes easy, it’s probably a cliché. Avoiding clichés makes for fresher writing. There’s another saying that the only person allowed to use a cliché is the first one that use it.

Overused phrases are often found at the beginning of a sentence with words like “suddenly,” “so” and “now”. I find myself guilty of doing this, but those words don’t add anything of value to our writing or yours. Delete.

The next type of editing in the rewriting process is called line editing. Line editing covers grammar and punctuation. Watch for incorrect use of the apostrophe, hyphen, dash and semicolon. Did we end all our character’s dialogs with a closed quote? Did we forget to use a question mark at the end of a question?

This also covers making sure we used the right word. Relying on our word processor’s spell checker can be dangerous since it won’t alert us to wrong words when they are spelled correctly. It takes a sharp eye to catch these types of mistakes. Once we’ve gone through the manuscript and performed a line edit, I like to have someone else check it behind us. A fresh set of eyes never hurts.

On-the-fly cut and paste editing while we were working on the first draft can get us into trouble if we weren’t paying attention. Leftover words and phrases from a previous edit or version can still be lurking around, and because all the words might be spelled correctly or the punctuation might be correct, we’ll only catch the mistake by paying close attention during the line edit phase.

The many stages making up the rewrite are vital parts of the writing process. Editing our manuscript should not be rushed or taken for granted. Familiarity breeds mistakes—we’ve read that page or chapter so many times that our eyes skim over it. And yet, there could be a mistake hiding there that we’ve missed every time because we’re bored with the old stuff and anxious to review the new.

Spend the time needed to tighten and clarify the writing until there is not one ounce of fat or bloat. And once we’ve finished the entire editing process, put the manuscript away for a reasonable period of time. Let it rest for a week or even a month if the schedule permits while working on something else. Then bring it back out into the light of day and make one more pass. It’s always surprising at what was missed.

One more piece of advice. Edit on hardcopy, not on a computer monitor. There’s something about dots of ink on the printed page that’s much less forgiving than the glow of pixels. And never be afraid to delete. Remember, less is always more.

How do you go about tackling the rewriting process? Any tips to share?

How do you describe your main character?

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Lilley) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:38:00 +0000

Recently in the comments section of one of John G's posts, a TKZ'er asked, "What is the best way to describe a main character in a story?".

As tjc and John suggested, there are a few generally recognized rules you should keep in mind when describing your protagonist:

* It's considered cliche to have your character gaze into a mirror or something similar to deliver physical description.

* Physical descriptions of the main character are best provided from the POV of secondary characters.

* For your protagonist as well as secondary characters, avoid using "description dumps." Here's an example of a description dump:

A woman entered the room. She stopped and drilled me with intense blue eyes. She was in her mid-twenties, tall, thin, and blonde.

This type of a straight-on physical description right after a character's introduction will bring your story to a grinding halt. (Note: Credit for "description dump" goes to Chris Roerden, whose excellent books about the craft of writing, including DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY, deserve to be on any writer's shelf.)

* If your main character has any specific physical traits which will be used later, make sure to spell those out up front. Otherwise, your reader may form an image of your character that clashes with later scenes. For example, if your character is particularly tall or short, old or young, that's likely to come up in later scenes in relation to other characters. If your reader has already formed a specific impression that doesn't agree with your details, it'll be jarring note.

Even though most writers are aware of these rules, it's amazing how often they violate them. In book after book, I get irritated by an author who brings his story to a full stop every time a character is introduced. Other books, including best sellers, freely use the mirror cliche to convey physical description. I suppose they do this because it's hard to convey physical description in a fresh, original way. I've tried various approaches to describing the main character in my series. Kate Gallaher is a television reporter, so I've used cameras, secondary characters, and her own anxiety about her looks to convey what she looks like. And yet people continue to ask, "What does Kate look like?" Their reactions to her appearance are like a Rorschach test for their own attitudes. Some readers can't believe that a woman who is 25 pounds overweight can be attractive enough to lure men. Others see her as a modern-day Venus.

What approaches do you use when describing characters in your stories. Do you have any other do's and don'ts to add to my list?

Resistance is Futile

noreply@blogger.com (Clare) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:57:00 +0000

by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

I had great difficulty rousing myself to write this blog post as we are down at my sister's beach house on the amazing Great Ocean Road and so I am definitely in holiday mode! This is the Australian summer and we are taking our last opportunity to enjoy surf and sun before the school year starts next week. Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about resistance lately - those pesky barriers that seem to get in the way of actually writing. Call it procrastination. Call it fear. Whatever it is, it's resistance. The brick wall that prevents you from getting the job of writing done.

For me resistance takes the form of a little voice inside that makes me doubt my own abilities. It goads me into avoiding the difficult task of facing an empty page and quite often, it works. To overcome this I remind myself that writing is my profession and, no matter how daunting the task sometimes seems, I just need to roll up my sleeves and get down to it. I succeed in overcoming 'resistance' in this way..well, most of the time...

I am just coming down off the high of finishing my WIP and so a new project beckons and with it the dreaded empty page...and so the little voice starts and I have to draw upon all my will power to combat the 'resistance'. It's kind of like the anti-force!

At least for the next few days I can be in holiday mode but then the real work starts. So what kind of resistance do you face when writing? Is it a little voice that undermines your confidence or an external force that tries to divert you from the writing course?

How do you overcome resistance?

What is Writing All About?

noreply@blogger.com (James Scott Bell) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

James Scott Bell
Twitter.com/jamesscottbell

Last month I received a lovely handwritten letter from a high school student (reproduced here with the writer's permission):

Dear Mr. Bell,

Thank you for your incredibly helpful books on fiction writing. "The Art of War for Writers" and "Revision and Self-Editing" have inspired me every time I open their pages. I first heard of you at a conference you held in Hilmar. I had an idea for a story at that time, and your "Art of War" book helped me realize what my idea could become. During my busy years in High School this story has been on the verge of death several times. Your books full of helpful exercises and encouragement helped me keep my story alive, and I am incredibly grateful. Your writing style is very natural and always leaves me refreshed. Thank you again, a hundred times!

Sincerely,

How gratifying to get a letter (written on actual paper!) from a young lady who wants to write. She had come to a seminar I held in central California, and apparently my books have helped her.

That, to me, is what writing is all about. If I had to pick one thing to explain why I do this, it would be that I want to move people with words. If it's fiction, I want to create an intense emotional experience. If it's non-fiction, I hope to instruct and entertain at the same time.

All other things – money, awards, "fame," professional associations – are ancillary to this, because those things come only after you connect with enough readers, over time.

So:

1. Why do you write?

2. If you had to distill what writing is "all about" in a sentence, what would that be?

Soothing the Beast

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Hartlaub) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:30:00 +0000

I write this while listening to “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band, the live version that goes on for about three days from the At Fillmore East release. I need to hear music, in isolation, while I write. Such was not always the case. During the short time I lived in San Francisco, when I was less interested in writing and more interested in meeting new ladies, I used to carry a beat up spiral notebook down to Fisherman’sWharf, find an empty bench at Ghirardelli Square, and sit and write. Sooner or later, a winsome lass would approach and ask what I was doing, or, better yet, ask who I was (“Well, yes, actually, I am Richard Brautigan!”). This would no longer work, at least I don’t think so, and I don’t really want to upset the apple cart of my life to find out, so I eschew the coffee shops and the overpriced, trendy sandwich chain that offers free Wi-Fi in favor of the clutter of my basement office, where I blast my music as loud as I like.

I go on listening jags. It varies with my mood. The Allman Brothers Band disc a temporary swerve from Miles Davis. I’ve been listening to complete sessions of In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew, three to six hours of music at a stretch. If you think you’ve hit a wall with your writing, try listening to In a Silent Way, even if you don’t like jazz. I find that for some reason jazz music of a certain type opens up a corner of my mind that isn’t always accessible. Before I got on the Miles jag, I listened to nothing but Guided by Voices for three weeks. In contrast to Davis’ extended pieces, GBV songs are anywhere from 35 seconds to three minutes long. In the last few months I’ve done this with Tom Waits, Black Keys, Fats Domino, Jimi Hendrix, and Kronos Quartet. I can’t write without it. On the other hand, if I’m disturbed by a phone call, a whiny cat, or news of a leaky or plugged up commode, my whole train of thought is derailed. Sometimes for the entire day. It’s not noise I seek, but noise of a certain type.

Some writers listen to music while they work. Others whistle. And others require a cone of absolute silence. Which are you? What works for you? And if it’s music that lures your muse into the room, what music?

Pure Coolness

noreply@blogger.com (John Gilstrap) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

By John Gilstrap

I'm writing this blog post on Sunday, January 15 knowing that when you read it, I will be in the middle of a very, very cool day. Actually, a warm day, I hope. In Las Vegas, where I'll be signing books this morning at the 2012 SHOT Show. According to the show's website, www.shotshow.org, "The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) and Conference is the largest and most comprehensive trade show for all professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries. It is the world's premier exposition of combined firearms, ammunition, law enforcement, cutlery, outdoor apparel, optics and related products and services." Last year, over 50,000 people attended.

I was invited to the show months ago by the nice people at 5.11 Tactical, a well-respected manufacturer of tactical apparel--the very kind of geat that Jonathan Grave wears as he charges through my imagination. In fact, in preparation for the show, 5.11 tactical sent me a carton of gear, including shirt, pants, jacket and the best pair of boots I've ever worn. I'll be wearing the attire for the book signings and the press conference.

I've never enjoyed this kind of VIP treatment before, so I confess to being a little giddy. Take a look at my official itinerary from yesterday:

6:30am -- Firearms instructor will pick you up at the hotel
7:00am -- arrive at range, setup/meet with range staff, gear check, etc.
7:00am-7:30am -- Orientation, area familiarization, safety briefing, etc.
8:00am-11:00am -- Firearms training
11:00am-12:00pm -- Knife training
12:00 -- depart back to hotel for lunch and classroom training
12:30-1:30 -- Prefense Technologies -- lecture, PowerPoint presentation, student interactive, etc.
1:30-2:15 -- Prep for author panel
2:30-3:30 -- Author Panel Press Conference, Venetian Murano Room 3306.

Really, how cool is that? As I write this, I'm hoping that the knife training comes complete with either thick padding or fake knives. You'll know the answer, I suppose, if you see a post here next week.

Tally ho!

Handling the Crush

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:18:00 +0000

by Michelle Gagnon

I'll be keeping this short and sweet today, because as you can probably tell by the title of my post, I'm feeling overwhelmed. In fact, I had to drag myself away from the paper bag I was busy hyperventilating in to compose this post.

I finished a book yesterday, only to find out that the deadline for the next one is just a few months away. And I have yet to write the first page of that one (argh!)

Somewhere in there are two week-long school vacations and a slew of long weekends, plus the editing of the book I just turned in (which I suspect-no, know-will require a major overhaul), plus the line edits of a third book.

I realize that this might come across as ungrateful. Believe me when I say that I am incredibly thankful to be under contract at the moment, when so many other people are having a tough time. A year ago, I was worried about selling one more book, and I ended up with two contracts for four. So this is a classic example of be careful what you wish for. Because now, I'm utterly swamped.

On top of everything else, chances are that I'll be selling my house, finding a new place to live, and moving there in the same four month time period. With a five year-old and a cantankerous cat (and of course, said cat makes finding a pet-friendly place in San Francisco even more of a challenge).

So I'm actively soliciting advice on how to manage all this without losing my proverbial marbles.
My question to you all is...how do you handle it when life comes at you all at once?

Release Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy J. Cohen) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:40:00 +0000

Today is the official release date for Shear Murder, my tenth Bad Hair Day mystery, so you’re going to have to put up with my shameless self-promotion. That’s the trouble when we authors must toot our own horns. We get as tired of talking about Me as you do hearing about it. Lately I’ve been clogging the loops and social networks with my blog tour announcements. I want to make it worthwhile for my hosts by getting a crowd on days when I guest post. But it means I am constantly tweeting and FB’ing and listing my tour dates and topics. I sent out one email newsletter to my fans already and will send another blast next month on my book’s official sale date.

What? You thought I said today was the release date? Indeed, I did. However, for this publisher, that means the books are shipped from the warehouses today. They’ll be ready in the bookstores on February 8, the actual “on sale” date. Confusing, isn’t it? It was a lot less so with my prior publisher, who just had one pub date. As it is now, I’m not sure which day to urge fans to buy the book. Does it really matter anymore?

Here are a couple of sample interview questions from my online blog tour:

Tell us about your latest book.
Shear Murder is the tenth book in my Bad Hair Day mystery series. It’s the culmination of a personal journey for my hairstylist sleuth, Marla Shore. It’s about weddings and new beginnings. Just when Marla is planning her own nuptials, she gets caught up in another murder investigation. Marla is a bridesmaid at her friend Jill’s wedding when she discovers the matron of honor—the bride’s sister— dead under the cake table. She has a lot going on in her life, but when Jill pleads for her help in solving the case, Marla can’t refuse. It’s a fast-paced tale with humor, romance, and suspense as Marla races to find the killer before her wedding day arrives.

Considering the book is a mystery, how much can you tell us about the antagonist?
Since the story is a whodunit, I can’t tell you much! Many people had reason to want Torrie, the matron of honor, dead. Torrie was the bride’s sister, and Jill had a secret past that Torrie threatened to expose. How far would Jill go to maintain her sister’s silence? Then again, Torrie’s colleagues each had their own reasons to want her out of their way.

Meanwhile, Torrie’s husband inherits a piece of property that Torrie had jointly owned with her sister. How badly does he need the money from a property sale? And speaking of commercial property, Jill’s uncle and cousin were involved in a shady real estate deal with the owner of Orchid Isle, where Jill’s wedding took place. Did Torrie learn too much about his secrets? And so on. As you can see, there are a number of suspects. You’ll have to read the story to figure out which one of them is the culprit.

What motivated you to write this story?
My books all have happy endings, and so I wanted to give my series one, too. Seriously, my fans wanted to know when the next Marla Shore mystery would be coming out, but my former publisher had cancelled the series. As the markets changed, I decided to finish this book and give my readers the closure they deserved. So I really wrote it as a response to fans and in gratitude for their support. I hope they are pleased with Shear Murder. It was a delight to write, and I had fun bringing back all the secondary characters we’ve grown to know and love. I am grateful to Five Star for getting this book in front of readers. So if you’re looking for a humorous mystery centered around weddings with a whodunit puzzle to solve, check it out.

Watch the Book Trailer
BUY NOW!

Muscling the Muse: Or Three Easy Steps for Talent on Demand

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Pickering) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:06:00 +0000

By: Kathleen Pickering http://www.kathleenpickering.com

I was a sweet, but scrappy kid. Caught a couple of bruises along the way, but as you can see from the photo, whatever tangle caused the shiner, it wasn’t enough to get me down. I was quick to smile.

That’s how I feel about the writing process. You can’t let challenges get you down. I figure it this way: Writing is fifty percent talent, fifty percent Muse. Both need my undivided attention to stay strong. Every other obstacle will fall away with these two muscles pumped.

As stated above, talent for one’s vocation is a muscle that must be exercised. Otherwise, the gift atrophies. So, I write and write, and write some more. At different times, in different places or adhering to a schedule for a particular project. Whatever works. I do it.

There are talented individuals in every field who never realize their genius because they never exercise their gifts. Worse, some never know they possess unique skills at all. To that end, I highly encourage every thinking soul to explore what excites them. Always investigate topics that pique your interest. My mantra: Honor your passion. (Unless, of course, you are a terrorist or a serial killer. Then I suggest you seek help!)

My passions are writing and public speaking. These are the muscles I exercise. As we all know, the more we work our muscles, the more defined they become.

It is my sly little Muse, however, who until recently had me wrapped around her finger. For way too long I let her govern my work with her whims and fancies. Not any longer. When my editor asked for three more proposals, I realized I could not just wait for my Muse to wave her creative wand. She needed muscling.

So, you ask, how do you muscle your muse? I have three simple but important rules. While they require determination, they are so easy that your Muse won’t even know she/he is being manipulated.

1. LOVE YOUR MUSE. You may say, of course I do! But keep in mind the self-critic can be cruel to our adventurous Muse. No matter what your talent, your individual creative view is unique to you. You have to respect that fact and let nothing damage your self-worth. It is your individuality that makes you one with the world. You might say, Not so. The world would carry on just fine without me. I say, the world might carry on if you were not to love and exercise your muse, but the world--and you--would sadly miss a profound part of creation. Otherwise, why are you here in the first place?

No one else sees the world quite as you do. It’s the Kurt Vonneguts, the Picassos, the daVincis, the Einsteins, the Maria Tallchiefs, the Luciano Pavarottis and Maria Callases, the Stephen Kings, The Kathleen Pickerings (just checking to see if you’re still reading) and YOU who make the world go ‘round.

All artists have their critics. They all have their admirers. Neither matters. You and only you matter to your Muse. If you don’t love what your Muse offers, you will not let him/her create. Your talent will atrophy and you will wonder why you have become a sarcastic and bitter being rather than a shining light.

At Heather Graham’s Writers for New Orleans conference with authors Linda Conrad and Traci Hall.

2. FEED YOUR MUSE. Now that she/he is loving you back, you must feed your Muse. What others call writer’s block, I call a poor diet for the Imagination. The Muse needs exposure to everything delectable—and sometimes things not so tasty in life. That means your Muse accompanies you on your travels. Let her be the finger that taps the keyboard or opens the books on your research. Let your Muse listen in on conversations and initiate a few of her own. Then Listen. Watch. Smell. Touch. Devour. Your Muse will not disappoint you. With love and food, your Muse will be generous in return. You might even get a belch for a good laugh out of the deal. That works, too!

3. LET YOUR MUSE FLY. Muses are flighty creatures. They may burrow. They may forage. But, once they feel safe, they fly. Your job as an artistic soul is to give your Muse the updraft, the cliff’s end, the launch pad to soar. Your Muse may create unusable material at first, but the more he/she exercises the muscles in those wings, the more beautiful the magic dust that will alight from them. Don’t be afraid. (Fear is an awful four letter word that shall not be used.) Love your Muse enough to let him/her take a chance, test an idea. Create. A Muse’s wings may be as delicate as a dragon fly’s or as powerful as an eagle’s. Only by launching from that artistic limb of “what if” will you know which wings your Muse possesses. Think of the freedom!

My artist friend, Kimana Evans, once asked me how I see my myself. I told her that in my dreams I fly. She gifted me with this wonderful water color of me . . . or shall I say, my Muse. (Can you see me flying in the clouds?) I love this artistic expression created by my friend. This painting hangs where I write. It reminds me of my passion, talents and Muse every day.

I’d say I’ve come a long way from that scrappy kid with the shiner! I may have had to muscle my way into a foothold in my creative world, but I have certainly carved out my ground. I know that by honoring my talent and adhering to the rules for my Muse, I will create the impression that I was born to make. So far, the journey has been exciting, challenging and way too much fun to be called work. I am a grateful woman.

So, tell me. What do you do to keep your talent fresh and your Muse loved, fed and flying?

Happy Writing or whatever your talent may be!

PS: By the way, Kimana would be happy to create a painting for you, as well. You can find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Kimana-Evans/ Tell her I sent you.

Revision, Revision, Revision

noreply@blogger.com (Clare) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:01:00 +0000

by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

I'm on the final round of revisions to my current manuscript and considering a new editing process. In the past I have always tended to bite off more than I can chew when revising - trying to look for plot inconsistencies, character missteps (blue eyes one chapter, brown the next), typos, repetition, dull dialogue, boring exposition and errors all at once. What I've found is that about midway through the process, I get completely mired in the editing process and start dismantling what is essentially the final version of the novel, as I lose confidence in both the story and myself (you know, the usual author angst!). This time, however, while I am waiting for beta reader feedback, I am looking at adopting an alternative approach and would love some advice.

My current system involves editing throughout the writing process - from editing the first draft (which pretty much equals rewriting) to doing a final line edit on the completed manuscript before I turn it in to my agent. It's what happens in these later stages that I need to refine. What I am considering is parsing the final editing into multiple discrete re-reads looking for:

Plot/timeline issues alone - checking for holes, inconsistencies, and errors.
Character issues alone - checking for inconsistencies, misdescriptions etc.
Stylistic issues - repetition, boring/dull descriptions etc.
Final line-edit - looking for grammatical and spelling errors and typos.

Although I've looked at all these areas already (multiple times!) while editing previous drafts, with the final version, it's time to have one more look as invariably I still find errors. My concern is that trying to re-read the final manuscript multiple times to look for these discrete set of issues will be time-consuming and slow (and may possibly drive me demented!).

What I'd love is feedback/comments on what final editing process has worked for you.

Do you try and do everything all at once?
Do you reread with specific areas in mind?
Do you get others to do a final line-edit?
How do you balance the need for one last look at all the critical areas in a manuscript against being driven crazy after the 50th reread?

An Old Peg In A New Hole

noreply@blogger.com (John Ramsey Miller) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

John Ramsey Miller

I’m am not old. I hear that all the time, but I am sixty-two and often I feel old. I see myself working at a slower pace than I used to, and not just with the writing, but with most things. I have never been an organized person, and once in a while I jump into the chaos of my desk, my closet, my tool shed and put things on hangars, in ordered stacks and in proper cubbies. I admire the organized Miller world, and for a few days I keep the organization organized. After a few bits of time have passed I have scattered my tools all over the property, my desk is buried, and my closet looks like I’ve taken it back to college with me. It’s just me.

Here’s the thing. I need to be organized to write. We all do. I remember the stories of Kerouac’s editor getting his handwritten-partially typed manuscripts as loose sheets and legal tablets all shoved into a grocery bag or two and I smile. None of us believe that could be true, even though I have presented my financial dealings to my accountant that way.

I have accepted some of the changes in our fluid (think mountain stream rapids) world better than others. I still do not understand how Tweeting can be any more effective than going out into the back yard and barking what I’m doing at trees. I type something and it does what? I have a Tweet account and a few followers, but I have nothing going on in my life that seems worth telling people. I’m delighted to have followers even though I have no expectation of holding their interest.

Recently I looked at my writing /dining table made from cherry and walnut harvested from our Mississippi property, milled, planed, and built by my little brother). You might remember how I described it back when I started my rewrite- with the legal tablets, two dozen sharpened pencils, index cards, long roll of paper for time-lining, pens, highlighters, a laser printer, my lucky charm (A buckeye my father gave me when I was about to start my first high-school newspaper column), a huge McCarty bowl for balls of rejected notes, and all ordered in the manner of an actual anal compulsive. Looking back on my life is more like standing in the stern of a speedboat admiring the towering rooster tail. Now weeks later, the order is a dim memory and I found myself peering into something akin to a coal mine.

I decided last week that what I needed was a computer program that would allow me to have everything organized and at the touch of (both) my trigger-fingertips. I type with two fingers, while staring at the keyboard. I didn’t fail typing class in high school, I was asked by the instructor to find another sort of machine to abuse. So I asked Joe Moore if such a program existed that would think the way I think, only organize things. I wanted it to accept my outline, transfer that outline to index cards that I could line up and sort as I wished, keep my notes, order my research, show me what I’ve written, thrown out… basically become my anal writing partner.

Joe gave me two. Scrivener and another I can’t recall. I looked at Scrivener and the other (Tweedle-dum or Flip-sticks or something) and ended downloading Scrivener, a very British program. The tutorial has “organization” spelled “organisation” and the videos are all by a gentleman who sounds like an Attenborough. According to the tutorial it not only does what I hoped it would, but will do it the way I think it should do. It has templates for non-fiction, novels, short stories, radio, film, and TVscripts, and poetry. A template for poetry? What would e e cummings or Sandburg have made of that? It is all that I (be I novelist or poet or BBC presenter) could have wished for. Did I mention it will format eBooks in all known formats and allow you to add cover art?

Now all I have to do is figure out how to use it. My wife understands it, which means I may never do.

So this oldling is still working on Word with this rewrite, but I am going to write my next book using this amazing program (and it’s only $45.00 US which is cheaper than hiring an anal compulsive assistant for just part of one day). I am not recommending it yet. The thing is, if I can figure it out, I’ll either tweet about it, or maybe I’ll sing its praises to the trees in my back yard.

What Writers Can Learn from Tim Tebow

noreply@blogger.com (James Scott Bell) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

James Scott Bell

Twitter.com/jamesscottbell

[NOTE: John Ramsey Miller and I are switching posting days this weekend, for reasons that will quickly become apparent. – JSB]

"There were ten guys in my writing class at Williams College who could write better than I. They didn’t have what I have, which is guts. I was dedicated to writing, and nothing could stop me." —John Toland

Did you really think Tim Tebow wouldn't show up in a Kill Zone blog post?

How could he not? America's favorite athlete is the talk of the sports nation. Unless you've been collecting moon rocks at their place of origin, you've read something about him over the last few weeks.

But for anyone who just got back from Mare Tranquillitatis, let's summarize: Tim Tebow is the young quarterback of the Denver Broncos who, this past season, has been pulling out miracle wins all over the place. This in spite of the fact that virtually all NFL prognosticators said he couldn't succeed in the league.

Yet, lo and behold, Tebow has led the Broncos into the playoffs, and last week to their first playoff victory since 2005. And he did it in stunning fashion.

Last Saturday against the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers, big favorites to win, all Tim Tebow did was carve up the league's #1 pass defense for 316 yards. The last 80 of those yards will be celebrated forever in Bronco's history.

It was the first play of overtime. Tebow had played a great game, his best so far, but the Steelers had come back and tied it in regulation. Well, it took Tim Tebow all of 11 seconds to win the game in OT. He sold a fake run, got the Steeler linebackers to bite, then threw a strike to receiver Demaryius Thomas. Thomas caught the ball in stride, issued a sweet stiff-arm to Steeler defensive back Ike Taylor, and carried the rock all the way to the end zone for another miracle, magical finish.

I've been a Tebow fan since he played at Florida (which is a very hard thing for a USC Trojan to admit). What I love about the kid is that he harkens back to a time when athletes really did take role modeling seriously. Tebow, a devout Christian, does not act like an idiot off the field. He does not go to nightclubs with loaded firearms. He does not get hammered and sexually assault co-eds. He does not think, just because he has been blessed with amazing athletic talent, that he is immune from standards of civil conduct. He is, in short, what young men used to strive to be at one time in our society––a gentleman. (Even typing that sounds quaint nowadays, which does not reflect favorably upon "nowadays").

But make no mistake. On the field Tim Tebow will cut your heart out. He will find ways to beat you. He will drive you crazy. Tebow, like all champions, is a fierce competitor in his arena of battle. I loved the shots of him on the sideline during the Pittsburgh contest. He had his game face on––intense, focused. And all this with the pressure of a lifetime on his shoulders.

You see, Tebow had played three mediocre to lousy games in a row. He was being counted out by the know-it-alls. He was a flash in the pan. He had no future in the NFL, let alone with the Broncos. So he not only had a playoff game to deal with, but possibly his whole future.

And yet he didn't fold, falter, or play scared. He took it right to Troy Polamalu and the fearsome Pittsburgh secondary and shredded them. (And yes, props to his coaches and teammates, of course. Tebow would be the first to point that out).

So why do I bring this up for writers? Because we can learn something of the utmost importance from Mr. Timothy Richard Tebow. We can learn that it's not a matter of what other people say about you that counts. It's a matter of your heart and determination and guts. During his phase of getting criticized all over the place, Tebow never lashed out. He was full of humor and modesty.

Plus, he worked his butt off. He spent extra hours with his coaches, practicing his mechanics, giving every last ounce of energy to getting better at what he does.

The same should be true for you. You will get jeerers and critics in your writing life. You will endure negative comments and reviews and people – maybe even in your own family – telling you that you stink, or that you're deluding yourself with this writing thing.

Maybe you have the dream of being published by an established company. Perhaps you want to go it alone in the new world of digital self-publishing. Or some of both. Whatever your profile, if you care about writing, if it's a burning passion within you (I have nothing to say to those who are just out to make a buck), then you'll get your share of blowback, much of it unfair.

So are you going to let that stop you? Or are you going to keep working, keep typing, keep studying the craft?

In short, are you going to dig down and find a way to win?

This post appears on the day the Broncos play the New England Patriots to determine who will take the next step toward that ultimate prize—the Super Bowl. I have no idea how the game, or Tebow's performance, will turn out. But I don't have to. Because I know something already: Tim Tebow will never give up, no matter what happens today. He doesn't have any give up in him. He will keep on finding ways to astonish us, both on and off the field, despite anything the doubters have to say.

Go thou and do likewise.

Choosing the Best Point of View

noreply@blogger.com (John Gilstrap) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

By John Gilstrap
Stories are collections of moments the propel the plot through the eyes of characters. One of the critical decisions that an author has to make dozens of times over the course of a book-length manuscript is to determine which character each moment belongs to. I don't think this issue applies to first-person narration because the POV is forever locked in the head of the protagonist. For third-person storytelling, though, the decision is paramount.

It's also a key element of the overall strategy of a book. For example, in my Jonathan Grave books, Jonathan's is almost always the primary POV for scenes in which he is involved. The exceptions are limited to moments where I want to reveal other characters' impressions of Jonathan. I never write a scene from the point of view of Boxers, however--Jonathan's best friend and protector--because his character works better through the eyes of others.

Because these books are a series, I have the luxury of developing my primary characters over a multi-book arc. That's not the case for the secondary characters--the guest stars, if you will, the people who are the focus of Jonathan's current adventures. I have to bring these focus-characters to life, make the reader love them (or hate them) and resolve their entire story arc within the confines of the current book. Plus, I have to do all of that without letting the story sag under the weight of obvious characterization. If I don't plan well, it can become a nightmare.

As an example, whose POV is more compelling during a hostage rescue scene, the hostage or the rescuer? If the bad guy is going to be killed in the shootout, should some of the action be from his point of view, too? If so, then that means I needed to give him some scenes earlier in the story so that I don't have to introduce his worldview to the reader in the middle of an action scene. (As far as I'm concerned, an action sequence combined with exposition isn't an action sequence at all--it's a muddled mess.)

These choices aren't just limited to chases and shootouts, either. If male and female characters we both care about are meeting for the first time, whose POV is more compelling? If the meeting doesn't go well, is it better to see the rejection from the point of view of the rejectee or the rejector?

There are of course no right or wrong answers because this writing game has no rules. There's only what works and what doesn't, and even that decision is bound only by artistic choice. In my heart of hearts, I think that we all know the difference, but there are few among us who haven't on occasions stuck with the wrong choice for fifty pages too long.

The Seduction of Mystery

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Dane) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

by Jordan Dane

No matter what genre, a book can always seduce a reader with the titillation of mystery. A suspense or thriller plot can race towards the end with its escalating stakes, but the lure of an underline mystery teases the reader and holds them tight as the storyline unfolds to reveal its fleshy curves and tantalizing secrets. The seduction is made more complete and satisfying.

Alfred Hitchcock knew this.

Hitchcock believed suspense didn’t have much to do with fear, but was more the anticipation of something about to happen. When I read this, it was a huge epiphany for me. The idea changed how I thought about scenes and chapter endings, but I was recently reminded of the importance of anticipation in other ways when someone in my local writers’ group asked me when and how to use back story. In a seduction, back story is the equivalent of smoking a cigarette after. At some point, you want it to happen, but it’s anticipation that drives you to turn those pages all night long.

There’s no faking that.

If you’re a writer, anticipation doesn’t have to ONLY be about big plot movements. Don’t forget the voyeur in all of us, readers and writers alike. Relationships need a story arc too. Conflict and tension make them more delectable. Our main characters are tested, tortured, pushed to the limits to justify their starring role in our books. And when a man and woman are involved in a personal relationship, a writer makes them pay for wanting to be together. That’s how a writer knows when they have the right balance of emotion to suspense. If the emotional human story can be stripped out and the book no longer makes sense, then the right balance is achieved. One is integral to the other.

A high octane Bruce Willis movie—with its special stunts and computer generated action sequences—may not stick in moviegoers heads if there weren’t the emotional elements, the drama of his estranged wife in danger. Only his love for her puts him in harm’s way from the beginning and keeps him taking risks for her. It’s not just about saving her life. It becomes—will they get back together? A suspense/thriller plot escalates the stakes and ramps up tension as the pages turn, but something as simple as unanswered questions or a mounting attraction between two characters that you care about—while they are on a perilous journey—adds palpable heat that can sustain the rush to a gratifying end.

On my current project, I had a choice to make. I could have unfolded the story by relying on the suspense plot to be the main driver—or I could present my characters by their actions, without explaining the reason for their behavior until I absolutely had to. I chose to make my character’s back stories a strong mystery component where the plot will eventually force them into revealing themselves to each other and the reader. I’m orchestrating a seduction, one garment at a time, like a voyeur. With some elements, for key secondary characters, I layer the mystery without even knowing the answers myself. What an incredible rush! I can’t wait to see what happens.

Please share a book that seduced you completely with the right heady balance of compelling characters to intriguing plot—that unforgettable read that has stayed with you—maybe a guilty pleasure that you’ve read more than once.

Paperback Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Moore) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

By Joe Moore

“Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?”*

Paperback Writer, the 1966 hit by The Beatles, is a great example of a finely crafted query letter (in musical format) that lays out pretty much all the elements of a solid manuscript pitch. It covers a summary (. . . based on a novel by a man named Lear), conflict (. . . his clinging wife doesn’t understand), characterization (It’s a dirty story of a dirty man), motivation (it’s a steady job but he wants to be . . .), length (. . . a thousand pages give or take a few), author flexibility (I can make it longer if you like the style), the writer’s acceptance of reality (If you must return it you can send it here), and a heartfelt closing (But I need a break).

Chances are your query letter won’t become a smash hit on its own, although the hope is your book will. But there are some basic elements that all strong manuscript query letters must have.

It’s important to realize that the query letter is probably the most important letter a writer will ever compose. Unlike correspondence to a friend or family member, you must spend a great deal of time molding and shaping your query into the same caliber of perfection as your manuscript. So here are a few points to keep in mind before mailing it or click “send”.

Length. Agents and editors are busy professionals. They have little time to read long query letters. It’s important that you make your case in one or two pages, tops. If you can’t, the agent might assume you won’t be able to grab a reader in the first few pages of your book, either. So don’t ramble, just cut to the chase.

Attitude. Don’t come across as arrogant or condescending. Humility can go a long way to gaining respect. You should give the impression that you would be easy to work with. Listing your credentials and credits is part of the query process, but it should be done in a business-like manner and only the ones that contribute to your writing qualifications. In addition, if you have an established writer’s “platform”, include the info. A platform includes a website, Facebook, Twitter, blog, and other Internet and traditional lines of communication with significant numbers of potential readers.

Poor punctuation, grammar and spelling. Check, check and re-check your letter. Let someone else check it. Let 5 people check it. Bad grammar and misspelled words are not a sign of a professional writer. If your query contains mistakes, you’re just making it harder on yourself to gain the attention and respect of an agent.

Unprofessional presentation. There are countless reference guides and writing manuals on how to compose a proper business letter. Query letters are business letters. Showing a lack of knowledge on how professionals communicate will not score you any points.

Be brief. As stated earlier, the agent or editor has a few seconds to devote to your query letter or email before moving on to the other hundred she received that day. Get to the point, and do it fast. Identify yourself. What is your desired outcome of the letter? Why did you choose that particular agent? What is your book about? Why would someone want to read it? Why are you qualified to write it? Close with a thank-you and offer to send more. All of the above can be stated in one or two sentences each.

Be ready for the follow-up. Are you prepared to supply the agent whatever she requests; full manuscript or sample chapters, short synopsis or complete outline? If not, you may not be ready to start the query process. And assume that each agent will ask for something different, so have all variations ready to go.

Identify your genre. You must know what genre your book falls into. Know the difference between a thriller or mystery, cozy or procedural, hard boiled or medium or soft, or any of the other dozens of sub-genre. And please don’t refer to your work as a fiction novel. ALL novels are fiction. Using terms from the department of redundancy department screams amateur.

Billboard. Your query letter is a single-page billboard advertising your book. It very well could be the only shot you’ll get at SELLING yourself and your manuscript. It must be perfect. Every word has to count. You may not get a second chance. And just like that billboard on the highway you see as you speed by, the agent has just about the same amount of time to devote to your query letter. Give yourself a fighting chance and make it perfect the first time.

Now let’s take a listen to one of the best query letters ever written: Paperback Writer by The Beatles.

Old clues emerge about a family mystery

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Lilley) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:17:00 +0000

If your kin are like mine, you probably have a skeleton or two hanging in the family closet.

Some of my relatives still lower their voices when they ponder the fate of a long-lost ancestor: he is my great-grandfather and resident family skeleton, George Thomas Jones.

Very little is known about George. His name was never spoken as my father grew up in Whistler, Alabama. As the lore goes, George made his way west in the early 1900's, leaving his wife and baby daughter (my grandmother) behind in Mobile, Alabama. It's not clear why he went west. George may have been searching for opportunity, part of the vanguard of Scots-Irish migration at the turn of the 20th century. The only thing we know is that George died in Texas, and never returned. His name does not appear in the family Bible.

Family silence shrouded the mystery of George's fate. Eventually my dad tried to track down any mention of his grandfather in Smithville, Texas, the town where he'd died. There, in an old register in the Episcopal Church, he found George's name. "George Thomas Jones, found decapitated on railroad track." A handwritten note next to entry added, "Murdered?"

Ever since the discovery that old George was beheaded and possibly murdered, my father and I have been hungry for details about him.

Last week my father discovered a letter in a box of family mementos, plus two faded photographs. Using information from the letter and a bit of deduction, he believes he finally has a picture of George Thomas Jones. In the formal studio photograph, George appears to be a handsome, well-dressed man of the era. His light eyes gaze sternly at the viewer. George has my family's jug ears and an unruly cowlick, which defied the pomade's attempt to slick it down. He looks a bit like my father.

We still don't know exactly how George died, or what the circumstances were. Did he abandon his home, only to meet a dark fate? Was he a bad guy, or a working man in search of a better life for his family? We may never know. But it's nice to finally have a face to attach to my fantasies about the family's mystery man. As I conjure up fictional characters, these in-house stories have always helped stoke my imagination.

Do you have a family skeleton you can share? Have they ever played a part in your story-telling?

Keeping the Momentum

noreply@blogger.com (Clare) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:13:00 +0000

by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

Following on from Jim's great post yesterday, I thought I would write about 'momentum' in a novel. Having just finished the revised draft of my latest WIP (just sent it through cyberspace to my beta readers for input yesterday!), I have been looking closely at the issue of momentum as part of the editing process.

By 'momentum' I mean the way in which the novel moves and progresses so that a reader desperately wants to keep turning the pages. It requires a balance between conflict and suspense, exposition and relationship development (and these are by no means mutually exclusive). The reason momentum has been on my mind of late is that I have recently read three YA books that lost steam about half to three-quarters of the way through and I couldn't understand why. They were all the kind of books that gripped me from the start and had me turning pages enthusiastically until...I wasn't anymore.

And it was more than just 'mid book sag' it was a total loss of momentum and it had me puzzled - how, when the authors clearly had great conflict and suspense and terrific pacing for the first half the book did the they manage to lose that initial head of steam.

It started me thinking - what went wrong?

I came to the conclusion that there were three critical issues:

1. Predictability

About half way through these books the threads started to come together and suddenly the way forward became predictable. As a reader I started to guess how it was going to progress from hereon and thus, the conflict and suspense factor faltered and never recovered. This demonstrates that when it comes to pacing an author must keep ratcheting up the stakes and keep things unpredictable. A surprised/shocked reader is going to read on - one that has guessed the ending is not.

2. The conflict/tension between the main characters was resolved too early

Although the books I was reading were all YA this applies equally to mysteries and thrillers (in fact any novel!). All the authors I read did a fabulous job establishing initial conflict between the characters. The characters developed were complex and believable and above all, the tension and set up was really compelling. However, about half way through the book instead of this tension escalating or changing it merely morphed into immediate attraction and/or friendship and this meant the book started to fizzle rather than sizzle. When editing my own WIP, I kept this firmly in mind, so that no matter the growing attraction between the main characters that level of tension and conflict continued to increase (from both external and internal factors) so that a reader couldn't really be sure how it was all going to resolve.

3. The authors wanted to resolve everything neatly and it showed

I think this issue was more a question of mechanics and (as all three were debut novels) experience but about half way through the book I felt that the framework of the plot began to show through - devices were more evident and coincidence suddenly took the place of real suspense. It felt as though the authors, knowing the destination they were trying to reach, had put up road signs for the reader which meant the thrill of the ride was gone (to use a cliche!).

Having realized these three pitfalls, I found myself focusing on momentum as I edited my own work (trying not to fall into the same trap, which can be difficult I know). Given the book I was writing was a YA, I also closely studied books I felt really succeeded when it came to momentum (such as The Hunger Games) and tried to pinpoint what it was that kept me turning the pages. It all really came down to what Jim discussed yesterday - conflict & suspense.

So what about you - how do you keep an eye on momentum in your own work? Where do you think authors fall down when a book loses its fizz?

The Two Things Every Novel Needs

noreply@blogger.com (James Scott Bell) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

James Scott Bell
Twitter.com/jamesscottbell

"Trouble is my business." – Raymond Chandler

So you want to be a writer. You want to sell your novel to a publisher, via an agent, or maybe you're thinking of going indie like 90% of sentient beings these days. Maybe you think if you do the latter, and do it fast, you'll rake in a boatload of easy lettuce.

Well, you won't. Unless your book has the two things every novel needs.

Without these two things, you will have no story. At least, no story most readers will care about. You might have an "experimental novel," and that's okay if you understand what experimental novel means. It means a novel that five people buy. (Please note: This may not matter to you, and that's perfectly fine with me. Experimental artists have given us some good stuff over the years. A lot of bad stuff, too. But if that's your corner of the artistic world, go for it. This is America, after all).

But if you want to sell your work and have a shot at generating income, you need to master these two elements.

They are Conflict and Suspense.

Conflict

What is the goal of the novel? Is it to entertain? Teach? Preach? Stir up anger? Change the world? Make the author a lot of money?

It can be any of these things, but in the end, none of these objectives will work to their full potential unless they forge, in some way, a satisfying emotional experience for the reader.

And what gets the reader hooked emotionally? Trouble. Readers are gripped by the terrible trials a character goes through. (There are psychological reasons for this that are beyond the scope of this post).

That's where conflict comes in. While there are writers who say plot comes from character, let me say that's too simplistic. Character actually comes from plot. Why? Because true character is only revealed in crisis. Put your character into big trouble (plot) and then we'll see what he or she is made of (character). If you don't believe me, imagine a 400 page novel about Scarlett O'Hara where she just sits on the porch all day, sipping mint juleps and flirting. Gone With the Wind only takes off when she finds out Ashley is going to marry Melanie (trouble) and then the Civil War breaks out (big trouble!)

Another way to think about it is this: we all wear masks in our lives. A major crisis forces us to take off the mask and reveal who we really are. That's the role of conflict in fiction: to rip the mask off the character.

Now, this conflict must be of sufficient magnitude to matter to readers. That's why I teach that "death stakes" must be involved. Your Lead character must be facing death—which can be physical, professional or psychological.

Genre doesn't matter. In a literary novel like The Catcher in the Rye, it's psychological death. Holden Caulfield must find meaning in the world or he will "die inside." Psychological death is also the key to a category romance. If the two lovers do not get together, they will lose their soul mate. They will die inside and forever have diminished lives (that's the feeling you need to create. Think about it. Why was Titanic such a hit with teen girls? It wasn't because of the special effects!)

In The Silence of the Lambs, it's professional death on the line. Clarice Starling must help bring down Buffalo Bill in part by playing mind games with Hannibal Lecter. If she doesn't prevail, another innocent will die (physical death in the subplot) and Clarice's career will be over.

And in most thrillers, of course, you have the threat of physical death hanging over the whole thing.

That's why, novelist friend, trouble is indeed your business. Without sufficient conflict readers aren't going to care enough to finish the book.

Suspense

The second element is suspense, and I don't just mean in the suspense novel per se. Suspense means to "delay resolution so as to excite anticipation." Another way to say this is that it's the opposite of having a predictable story. If the reader keeps guessing what's going to happen, and is right, there is no great pleasure in reading the novel.

We've all had the wonderful experience of being so caught up in a story that we have to keep turning the pages. This is where writing technique can be studied and learned and applied. For example, there are various ways you can end a chapter so readers are compelled to read on. I call these "Read on Prompts," and it was one of the first things I personally studied when I started learning to write. I went to a used bookstore and bought a bunch of King, Koontz and Grisham. When I'd get to the end of a chapter I'd write in pencil on the page what they did to get me to read on.

Invaluable. Of all the reader mail I've received over the years, the ones that please me most are those that say, "I couldn't put it down." Music to a writer's ears. Suspense will make music for you.

And again, genre doesn't matter. You have to be able to excite anticipation and avoid predictability in any novel.

I am so passionate about this that I wrote a whole book on the subject, and Writer's Digest Books has just released it.

[Insert short commercial here!]

For the PRINT version:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Writer's Digest Online store

Or E-BOOK:

Kindle

Nook

[End commercial here with woman looking pleased with product]

I could go on and on about this subject, but we don't want to overstuff one blog post. Suffice to say that if you were to concentrate almost exclusively on these two key elements for the next few months, your books will take a huge step toward that exalted "next level" everyone always talks about. Try it and see.

May your own new year be filled with plenty of conflict and suspense (on the page, I mean!)

***

NOTE: I will be teaching a workshop on conflict and suspense at the annual Writer's Digest conference in New York, January 20-22. It's the perfect time to travel to the Big Apple (just bring a coat). And it's an awesome conference. Use this code: WDCSPEAKER12 when you sign up and you'll get a $115 discount off the regular price (the home office says this is for new registrations only). Go to the WD Conference page to find out more.

The Roads Less Traveled

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Hartlaub) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:53:00 +0000

When I need to recharge the creative batteries I go to a part of my metropolitan area that I have never been to before and either walk or drive for several blocks, dictating notes about what and who I see. I started doing this several years ago, when my two sons were in short pants. One Christmas break I had pretty much broken the bank while assisting Santa Claus and, as will happen with children between the ages of 5 and 40, they were bored and looking for something to do. I don’t know why or how I thought of it, but I suggested that I would take them down some streets that they had been past frequently, but never been down. I also offered to take them, if possible, into buildings they had seen, but never entered. We had a lot of fun doing it. We went to recording studios and old hotels and down streets that had houses that had been built in the 1870s, where people had lived and died and procreated and slept and waken thousands of times over decades, their lives strange and unfamiliar layers that others would later walk upon. And I started imagining what had happened in each one, to this teenaged girl or that widowed husband or those families for whom the term “living in quiet desperation” had undoubtedly be coined.

My sons are older and have lives of their own but I still take those walks and make those drives when the page is blank and the well seems empty. A few months ago I noticed a small house set back off a street, between a twelve-unit apartment building and a duplex, like a small child trying to unobtrusively hide behind two much bigger siblings. The house has apparently been there for a while --- the auditor’s office lists its date of construction as “old” --- and looks to surely be haunted. It figures prominently in a project I’m working on. There are others buildings and people like that house, full of stories, just waiting to be opened and read. There are storerooms without signs that are barred with new locks during the day and where parking lots fill at odd hours of the night. And there are people who were someone’s son or daughter who sit, reliably as the USNO Master Clock, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee on benches and in alleys, some of whom know secrets that would curl your hair, if you were but to ask.

Each person, each building, is a book, some humdrum and common, others almost --- almost --- beyond imagination. Do you look? Do you ask? Have you ever opened a door not your own and been surprised by what you found? Or asked a stranger a question and been shocked by the answer? All of the stories will never be told, but many are there for the asking.

Lots Of Opportunity in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (John Gilstrap) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

By John Gilstrap
Fair warning: What follows might be categorized as shameless self-promotion. I prefer to think of it as seeing pretty lights on the horizon. Either way . . .

If 2012 lives up to its potential, it could be a terrific year for me, career-wise. It's the kind of potential that I hesitate to talk about for fear of jinxing things, but among my resolutions for this year is to be less locked-down about things in general.

Let's start with book news. Nathan's Run, my first novel (released in 1996), is now available in all eBook formats, with a paper version to follow sometime in the future. As an added bonus, the eBook contains a link to my original ending to the story, which should answer the single most-asked question about Nathan's Run.

On the Jonathan Grave front, Kensington is yet again stepping up to give the series as big a push as the market can sustain. Damage Control (June, 2012) is featured in a two-page spread for the catalog, and will be released in a premium mass market format--not quite trade paper, but taller than the standard MMPB, which, if nothing else, allows for a more readable font size. This is what happens when a professional sales force truly gets 100 percent behind an author and his books. I couldn't ask for more.

Hopefully, there'll be movie news in 2012, as well. New Year's resolutions notwithstanding, I have to be a little circumspect here, but we seem to have taken a giant step closer to seeing a version of Six Minutes to Freedom on the big screen. The rules of the movie game dictate that official announcements come not from me but from the producers. Suffice to say that meetings are going very well, and that all the players seem to truly get the story.

Then there's the television series I'm developing. This, too, seems to have real legs with intense interest from all the right people. We'll actually be doing some shooting later in the month. If it goes well, y'all will be among the first to hear. If it doesn't, well, I probably won't say much because I think it's a very good, very stealable idea. (Is stealable a word?)

Finally, I would love to make this my first two-book year. I've had an idea knocking around in my head for years, and if I don't get it on paper, it's going to make me crazy. For that to happen, though, I need to write the next Grave book in six months instead of a year. If all the other stuff comes to pass, this one might not be doable, but for now, in the first week of a brand new year, anything and everything is possible.

Here's hoping that everyone's dreams are realized in 2012!