Category character as writing
Killing Time (At Airports)
I’ve been in a couple airports over the last few weeks, LAX, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Sacramento. Airports, as it turns out, are great places for people watching to pass the time. And there always seems to be time… I do the whole people watching thing and scoop up character details for new stories. You […]
Deadpool’s Rules For Writing
What Does Deadpool have in common with writers? Yes, there are spoilers lurking here… I was never a huge follower of the graphic novel craze that spawned Deadpool, or the X-Men character universe. Oh, sure I saw the first movie and other than the creepy old guy in a wheelchair and Rebecca Romain-Stamos in blue body […]
As Common as a Tramp Stamp in a Trailer Park
Working in and around prisons for years tends to change your outlook on things – and people. And, usually for good reason. Couple that little tidbit of learned behavior with the sick and twisted brain wave patterns of a mystery writer and all bets are off. Any snippet of a conversation overheard in a coffee shop, […]
It’s All About The Backstory
The Backstory Everything has its own unique story, a history, that “what made you who you are” element. When you sit in a coffee shop and listen to the chatter, the unspoken backstory is the thing that makes you want to know more about the people. It influences the way we see them, the way […]
Don’t Let the Y.A. Label Fool You
I had the chance to read a Y.A. paranormal novel, The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos. I’ve known Brenda for years and much to my embarrassment, I hadn’t read her work. We write two different types of fiction. I write crime and thriller novels like Little River and she creates paranormal beings living in with […]
You Are What You Read
When did choosing a literary genre become so difficult? In the “olden days” of books, there were vast collections of works contained within a single place. The Library. In this mystical building, there existed a structure, a set of expectations to guide those who sought out new tales and adventures. All books were created along […]
What Writing Your Novel and Dog Training Have in Common
When I’m not writing, a good chunk of time is spent training our dogs, two Pembroke Welsh Corgis. They are (most of the time) good little pups, who compete in American Kennel Club sanctioned Obedience and Rally trials. Writing and dog training are more connected than I first thought and there are five principles that […]
Location, Location, Location
Location, location, location – that’s what the old real estate sales slogan proclaims. The advice applies to more than selling your spinster aunt’s crumbling brownstone. Location in writing matters too. When you’re really into a book and the words paint a vibrant image of where the story is happening, the location becomes a character. The […]
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile 