WWK--Better than ever--Look for the return of blogs by Linda Rodriguez! She's back--on 1/4. Watch for our new blogger Tammy Euliano--debuting on 1/17
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Congratulations to Jennifer J. Chow for garnering a 2021 Lefty Nomination for Best Humorous Mystery Novel. We're crossing our fingers for Jennifer!
Congratulations to two WWK writers. Paula Gail Benson's "Reputation or Soul" and Keenan Powell's "Miss Millie Munz" have been chosen for Malice Domestic 16: Mystery Most Diabolical anthology to be released this spring.
KM Rockwood's "Stay Safe--Very Safe" appears in this year's 2020 BOULD anthology. Congratulations, KM!
Margaret S. Hamilton's "Dealing at the Dump" will appear in Cozy Villages of Death Fall 2020.
Margaret S. Hamilton's "Black Market Baby" and Debra H. Goldstein's "Forensic Magic" will appear in Masthead: Best New England Crime Stories Fall 2020.
Two new books for WWK members: Jennifer J. Chow's Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines (look for the interview on WWK on 11/11) and Judy Penz Sheluk's Where There's A Will. Both books will be released on November 10.
For The Love Of Lobster Tales by Shari Randall is now available to download free for a limited time. Go to Black Cat Mysteries at: https://bcmystery.com/ to get your free copy! Thanks for the freebie, Shari.Annette Dashofy signed with agent Dawn Dowdle of the Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Congratulations, Annette!
Keenan Powell recently signed with agent Amy Collins of Talcott Notch. Congratulations, Keenan!
KM Rockwood's "Secrets To The Grave" has been published in the new SinC Chesapeake Chapter's new anthology Invitation To Murder, released by Wildside Press on 10/6.
Susan Van Kirk's Three May Keep A Secret has been republished by Harlequinn's Worldwide Mystery. The WWK interview about the book can be accessed here. We're so glad another publisher picked up this series.
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12 comments:
The protagonist of my series, Seamus McCree, shares many of my interests, and I never have a problem figuring out how he would say something because he speaks as I speak. However, he is a bit larger than life. So he’s richer, smarter, taller, stronger, faster, and has more hair than I. He is not partnered, but I am. I have two children, Seamus has only one; athough he is special, he is not like either of my children or an even an amalgamation of their best characteristics.
When I read I want the characters to be interesting. I don’t care if they are male or female. I can buy into magic, or special powers, or limitations or almost anything, as long as the character stays in character, but above all they must be interesting.
~ Jim
I haven't had my MC's abusive background, but since my father was bipolar, I understand having a dysfunctional youth. Abby and I also share a love of champagne and sparking wines, an inquisitive mind for understanding what makes people tick and a fascination for problem-solving to gain peace in our lives. We also believe in spirits and that there is another game being played here on earth that has nothing to do with labor, land and capital. I think she's a bit braver than me. She stands up to many terrifying events that would have me diving under the covers.
I've had people who know me and read my books tell me they hear me in the dialogue. I'm sure they do, because the characters come from my head, and we can't help leaving our thoughts on the written page. When I write a character, I become them, and their story becomes my story. How else can a writer make it real. I do take traits from people I know, but I doubt they'd know it.
The novel I have waiting at the publisher to be read is based in large part on the childhood of a close friend. I imagined what it would be like to live in the family situation she described to me. My protagonist is like what I imaged she was like at the protagonist's age. I asked her about incidents in her family for the book and she told me a number of them.
Jim, after meeting you in person at Malice this past spring and also after being one of your blog partners for almost two years, I saw you in Seamus. I don't care if a character is male or female as long as I can relate to them in some way.
E.B. my protagonist is braver than me, too. At least I think so since I've never been in the dangerous situations she gets into although I guess making a rattlesnake get off a trail that I didn't want to leave could be considered brave - or foolish.
I agree with you, Polly, the characters do come from our heads and we do tend to take traits from people we know even if we change the character to suit our purposed.
I also use myself in my main character, Penny Weaver. She is a poet and a small farmer, but she has a successful love life, and I'm single after two marriages. She is slightly more sarcastic than I am in her voice, which seems to happen naturally. She can also deal with lots of people dropping in, whereas I like to plan things. Judy Hogan
I see the similarities between you and Penny, Judy. There is an age difference, too, but maybe not when you first started writing Penny. I'd still like to read those earlier books.
There's always a bit of me in my main characters, but they're always much braver than I. My historical MC is also much more of an extrovert and more apt to take action and help/interfere in other people's lives, whereas I stand back and keep my curiosity in my head (or use it to fuel more stories).
Good questions, Gloria, and a thoughtful post. I, too, am a huge Louise Penny fan.
Good question, Gloria. My main character is a male cowboy in the late 1800s who rides in a horse race whereas I'm a terrible horseback rider and am allergic to hay. The similarity is that we both have endurance. Thank you for making me think.
Nancy, I always like hearing from another Louise Penny fan. I think many writers are not near as brave as their main characters. :-) I don't interfere in other people's lives, but I'm very curious about people. I tend to talk to people in line or other places I meet them like waiting for an airplane, etc.
Once in my seat on an airplane, though, I tend to stick my nose in a book.
Kara, as a kid I galloped everywhere on my imaginary horses. I still love horses although the ones I got rather late in life (38 years old) have been downsized to two ponies now. I took falls off the horses I had. I can manage hay when I feed them, but when I would try to help put up hay, I'd break out in a rash and have trouble breathing.
The protagonist in my Jesse Damon crime novel series is based on several prison inmates who were locked up at an early age (14-17). Their convictions are violent and fairly serious, or they would have remained in the juvenile justice system. I have stayed in touch with a few of them and they talk pretty freely. Interestingly, none of them has ever claimed that he didn't commit the crime that resulted in the conviction, at least to me. I am also in touch with a few who couldn't make it out on the street and are locked up again, and they keep me up with developments inside the state prisons.
I think they are essential to adding a feeling of authenticity to my writing. It's important to me to present a representation of how difficult it is for these people to survive in society, despite the best of intentions. A lot of people don't think they deserve another chances.
KM, you have made Jesse Damon so real to me that I get saddened whenever he runs into problems on the outside. I want to make everything workout for him, comfort him and help him in anyway I can. What makes a great character is when the reader can totally emphasize with a character as I do with Jesse. Good writing, KM.
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