Tip O'Day #43

Dixon says, "Make your first paragraph carry some weight."

One of the most helpful things I’ve learned from my critique group is to start each chapter with a paragraph that makes it clear (1) where the action takes place, (2) which characters are present, and (3) which one is the POV character.

For those who use omniscient POV, this last aspect may not seem so vital. As a reader, however, I sometimes feel cast adrift if I can’t answer this question pretty quickly – “Whose story is this?” I remember reading a paragraph from a Tom Clancy novel. It starts in the mind of a Secret Service agent, jumps to some thoughts by the President, takes another jump to the mind of a wannabe assassin, and ends up back in the head of the Secret Service guy. Clancy is a great storyteller but maybe a bit undisciplined. (I should be nice, though, since he’s never said an unkind word about me. Fact is, he’s never heard of me.)

I originally wrote a scene for MONTANA IS BURNING where Paul Longo, my detective protagonist, and another man are having a conversation in a sparsely decorated room. Halfway through the scene, the reader learns Paul is confessing to a Catholic priest. Trouble is, nobody who read the scene enjoyed it. They all felt I was being sneaky. Yeah, they were right. As a literary agent told me at the first writers conference I ever attended, “Dixon, don’t be so damned subtle. Sometimes you just need to come right out and say what’s what.”

So I have come to believe that suspense comes from a well-plotted story, not hiding the facts from my readers. (They both get cranky if they can’t figure out what’s going on.) One last point - when writing your opening, keep in mind you’ve got a whole paragraph to work with. There’s no need to cram everything into that first sentence.

Saying for Writers #27

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” - Zig Ziegler

Tip O'Day #42

Two writer friends I've gotten to know on Facebook deliver advice that's "short but sweet."

Samantha Kane: As for getting published, perseverance has gotten more writers published than brilliant prose and a great hook.

You can check out romance author Samantha Kane at http://samanthakane.us/

Along the same theme, from Conda Douglas: Write, edit, submit, repeat!

Saying for Writers #26

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“This book is one of the worst books I have ever read. I got to about page 3-4.”

From an anonymous reviewer on Amazon.com regarding the re-release of TROPIC OF CANCER by Henry Miller.

Tip O'Day #41

Claudette Walker says to protect your eBook rights.

On Amazon and Pubit you have a one-time choice when you launch an eBook to select "Manage My Rights." I chose it. What this means, as far I can tell, is that no other eBook publisher/pirate can copy from their eBook format and resell or give away your eBook. So far we have been safe. Only those two locations have my eBooks – Nook & Kindle.

Claudette blogs at http://abacusbooks.blogspot.com/

Saying for Writers #25

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.” - Moliere

Tip O'Day #40

Barbara Pugh suggests we use writing to keep sane. Although she has “never tried to get published so I've never written specifically with that aim in mind…” she still has suggestions for fellow writers.

Writing can be very useful for keeping your mental equilibrium! Hate your boss? Write about it, and let your imagination go bonkers. Want him boiled head first in a vat of fudge sauce by mutant zombie law students? No problem. Mother-in-law revealed to have been working for years as a cold heartless russian spy/assassin? Yep we can do that.

Hate your boyfriend and want..well keep that one to yourself, maybe.

Sometimes just using your writing to enjoy and sustain yourself is a goal in itself!

Saying for Writers #24

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Tip O'Day #39

Dennis Foley on becoming a better scene writer:

We can learn something from the Cold War Soviets. They often created weaponry from reverse engineering weapons the US and NATO invented in the 60s and 70s. They'd start with reconnaissance photos of something and then work backwards until they had a similar weapon.

As writers we can use a variation on the same technique to become better scene writers. Scenes are the basic increment of the novel, the heart of everything we write and not an optional skill to master.

Improve your scene writing skills by watching a favorite DVD or recorded TV program and paying attention to one scene. Watch it, turn it off, go write what you just watched. Then play it again and see if your prose was complete and effective at what you see in the scene. Doing this often, and with favorite scenes, will sharpen your skills as a scene writer. Good scene writers become good novelists.

Novelist/screenwriter/producer/writing instructor Dennis Foley blogs at http://dennisfoley.blogspot.com/

Saying for Writers #23

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.” - Woody Allen

Tip O'Day #38

Today's guest post is from novelist Gary Williams: Writing fiction is a full-time job.

"I don’t mean in the literal sense that I’m writing 8-12 hours a day. What I mean is that, in everything I do throughout the course of the day, I’m looking for story ideas. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the middle of developing a storyline, working on a manuscript, mowing the grass, watching TV, or driving. I always look for the next idea, that special seed that will germinate into a great book. I’ve found that the best thing to do is keep a document for rough ideas so they’re not forgotten. Then, when the time comes to start a new project, you’ll have a head start. It’s far easier to develop a story when the idea is already waiting for you as opposed to forcing it to emerge."

Along with co-author Vicky Knerly, Gary Williams is signed with Park Literary Agency in New York City, NY. Their first novel is expected to be released in 2012.

Saying for Writers #22

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

I've seen this many times, occasionally attributed to Mark Twain. Sooner or later, anything humorous is laid at the feet of the immortal Twain.

Tip O'Day #37

My FB friends "Crimespree Cats" keep the advice simple: Be patient and read every day in your genre.

Dixon says: Man, I keep forgetting about that last part. Life is so frenzied with meetings, deadlines, networking, keeping in touch with friends and family...

But when I squeeze in some time for reading, the craziness seems to slow down a bit. It doesn't go away but it's a bit more manageable. And when I sit down to write, my Voice comes more readily. I'm not copying Robert B. Parker or Dutch Leonard or Richard Price or whoever I'm reading at the moment - it's my own unique narrative expression - but the Voice is more accessible when I've been reading within my genre.

Saying for Writers #21

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

"Almost anyone can be an author; the business is to collect money and fame from this state of being." - A. A. Milne

Milne doesn't seem to be channeling Winnie the Pooh with this statement. Despite the fact many of us write for our own enjoyment, this is a good reminder that publishing is a business.

Tip O'Day #36

Be Professional, say writers Stella Deleuze and Devyn Quinn.

First, Stella Deleuze from her blog http://synopsisandbookfactory.wordpress.com/ (used with permission):

If you decide to join an online forum for writers, Facebook, twitter or if you own a blog – any public forum, in fact - you should keep it professional. Agents and editors are scouting for new writers and if they see the author of this good and publishable book is behaving like an idiot, constantly arguing, posting all sorts of things that make them look bad, there’s a great chance of him or her walking away. Opportunity missed.

Nowadays, everything is trackable; Google yourself and you will find a lot of proof for that, especially if you are active in online communities. Agents/editors/potential employers who receive your e-mail and like what they see, might be put off as soon as they search your name in Google, if they are confronted with foul language and online-fights, you calling others names.

Publishing houses don’t want difficult. They want easy-to-get-on-with authors, employees. Yes, you can be a square-thinker, but be professional about it. One can have a good discussion without getting personal.

In the end, if you are invited to an author-interview you won’t start yelling at the interviewer just because he asked a question you don’t like, would you?
I have heard of authors who have been ‘released’ from their contracts before their book went into print, because they have shown a different side to them after signing.

Being a paid author has to be considered a job and therefore, to be taken as seriously as one. Your online presence is your personal reference, make the best of it.

Along the same line, here is author Devyn Quinn:

The thing is, there are no "tips" for getting published. It's a business and you approach as such. It's like showing up to an interview in shorts and sandals when business attire is expected. Agents and editors expect to work with authors who know what they are doing, not simply guessing how the business works.

Saying for Writers #20

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." - Mark Twain

Tip O'Day #35

Guest blogger Mike Pettit says: Consider Print on Demand.

My story is like so many other authors today. Months and months spent trying to get an agent, with rejection after rejection. Publishers won't talk to you without an agent, if then. The mainstream Agent/Pub crowd is sticking with proven moneymakers. They don't want to invest the time or money in new authors.

I finally gave up and took my career into my own hands. I found a P.O.D (Print on Demand) publisher, iUniverse, and now have four novels out on Amazon, B&N and several other sites. Sale are okay, but I'm not really in it for the money. I enjoy the notoriety of being a published author. It's a daunting task to be your own marketing, sales, and PR person but you have to do it. The mainstream guys are in a panic because of all the e-book action.

More and more authors are going this way. Depending on your goals, you need to decide what is best for you.

Mike writes the John Locke series of suspense thrillers and blogs about thrillers and other topics at http://johnlockethriller.blogspot.com/

Saying for Writers #19

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." - Chinese Proverb

Our prayers go out to the tsunami and earthquake victims in Japan and throughout the Pacific Rim. Haven't heard about casualties in China, and perhaps they were shielded from the worst damages.

Tip O'Day #34

Faye Rapaport DesPres, today's guest blogger, shares thoughts on dealing with critiques.

I think you have to find the right middle-ground between being confident in your own work, style, and ideas, and being open to constructive critique.

Early on, it's good to drink in all of the critique with an open mind (and without taking it personally), especially from more experienced writers. Accept and work with what feels right to you, and let go of what doesn't. There is no "right" or "wrong," because readers and writers have different tastes or sensibilities. But if your teachers or readers are finding and pointing out similar issues in your work, it's a good idea to pay attention to what they're saying.

It takes time, but eventually you will find that there are certain aspects of your writing, or a of a particular story or essay or poem, that you simply can't or don't want to change because those words or sentences or structures feel right to you, and you have good, solid reasons for sticking with what you have. At the same time, you will know in your heart when someone is pointing out something that could be improved in your text. In those cases, for me, it's best to be open to hearing it, and to think of it as a gift. Generous teachers and readers want your text to be as good as you want it to be.

Comment from Dixon: Great advice. I belong to a wonderful critique group and get pretty good feedback from the members. However, there's sometimes one or two who want to write my book for me. Until I reach those magic words "The End" even I don't know which scenes and characters are going to survive. So I'm very open to advice on logical inconsistencies, bad grammar or spellings, lazy language and so on, and pay not so much attention to critiquers who seem to have a different vision for the book as a whole.

If one person has a problem with a certain aspect of my writing, I take that with a grain of salt. Maybe she's just having a bad hair day. But if I hear the same criticism for several members, then I know there's a problem I need to deal with.

Saying for Writers #18

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Confidence is the feeling you have before you understand the situation.” - Unknown

Tip O'Day #33

Thoughts from writer Claudette Walker:

Are you a great storyteller? Can you take your reader on an unforgettable journey? Does your work tell a remarkable, true, or believable story? If you can say yes to these questions, file numerous copyrights during the creation process of your book – one for each significant revision of your work. Find the best editors you can (I prefer at least two editors). They do not need to be the most expensive; check colleges for candidates. Have them sign a confidentiality agreement before they begin to look at your work. Bring one editor on board early for proof reading, content, and editing. Then bring in the most technically trained editor on board for the last few edits for grammar, punctuation, and the like.

Read more about Claudette's work at http://abacusbooks.blogspot.com/

Saying for Writers #17

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

"A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body." - Benjamin Franklin

Post O'Day #32

Guest post from writer and funny guy Gary Williams: Don't force it.

When you’re writing a section and it’s not working, come back to it later. Sounds simple huh? What I mean is, don’t force yourself to write a section if it becomes a grueling endeavor.

I’ve spent an hour writing one paragraph because the words and phrases just wouldn’t mesh to my satisfaction. Sometimes it’s because I’m in my “dead zone” but other times it’s simply brain fatigue, hunger or my concentration is off. Instead of getting frustrated and writing bad material, walk away from your PC and take a break. Often, a 5-minute pause is all it takes. Other times, you may need to break away for a day to clear your mind.

You’ll be surprised how a temporary disconnect will be rewarded with satisfying prose which you could never have achieved otherwise.

Gary Williams (along with co-author Vicky Knerly) is signed with Park Literary Agency in New York City, NY. Their first novel is expected to be released in 2012.

Saying for Writers #16

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” - P.J. O'Rourke

Tip O'Day #31

A short but sweet tip from writer Ruth Dupre:

The biggest tip I have is to open up the file and write. Every day. Even if it'd horrid. Even if it stinks like three day old desert highway road kill and the vultures are circling over your computer-- write. You can always fix it in rewrites.

Saying for Writers #15

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man’s brow.” - Charles Brower

Tip O'Day #30

Similar writing tips from two awesome ladies - Get an outside eye.

Multi-talented Jessica Knauss: "A tip that has made a huge difference in my writing has been stepping out of typical writer's isolation and seeking critique partners. An outside eye can do wonders for how one considers one's own work. For anyone who lacks literary acquaintances, www.critique.org has a workshop for every style and genre."

Laura Schultz, one of founders/directors of the Writers Etc group on Facebook: "I usually don't submit a piece unless I have someone I trust read it aloud to me, so I can hear it versus just reading it myself. Another voice and pair of eyes always helps to see what I cannot."

Saying for Writers #14

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

"The idea is to write so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart." - Maya Angelou

Tip O'Day #29

Guest blog post from author Gerry Bogan:

Don't depend on Spellcheck.

One of the biggest and most basic mistakes a writer makes is the reliance on spell checking software to find any mistakes in spelling or grammar. You will simply have to read your work out loud to find any problems. Computers are great but they don't know anything more than what you have taught them. This is part of what an editor gets paid three cents per word to do, but that gets expensive with a 75,000 to 150,000 word manuscript. Let's see - read out loud and possibly look the fool to somebody or spend up to $4500 for an editor to do the same thing?

Your choice, my friends, but I know which way I normally go.

Saying for Writers #13

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“The relationship of editor to author is knife to throat.” - Unknown

Tip O'Day #28

This guest post is from author Mark Sadler.

Do the research needed for accuracy.

Although I write fiction, I like to be factually accurate in both historical and physical facts. A lot of that research has perhaps already been accomplished, without your realizing it. When I write I draw on a lot of information from personal experience. I had spent the best part of a month hiking on the Appalachian Trail and used old diary notes for details of the trail so it could be used as a location my characters experienced. The two main characters both have lots of me in them as far as traits and characteristics; I drew on knowledge of attending school as a foreign student and playing goalkeeper on a college soccer team. I drew upon my son's work experience on oil rigs, my own love of the movies, and my intimate knowledge of Oklahoma, having resided in Oklahoma City for eighteen years.

For the things I did not know, for instance details on guns, dead bodies and the Episcopalian Church, I went to experts and asked questions. I sat down with a Catholic priest and asked for his reaction to the confession that would be given. Readers are intelligent and have questions and will catch you out if you are inaccurate.

I am currently engrossed in writing what I hope is the first in a five book series. The plot is well scripted in my mind and vaguely outlined. I have my spiral bound notebook with cardboard dividers and pockets to hold documents and have character and plot notes accumulating. It is interesting to see how I am again writing of the familiar, the child of a preacher and using lots of poetic license, but I am in a lot more unfamiliar territory too. Having never been in a law enforcement job and writing about a police detective I am doing a lot more field research. I sat in a nine week course with the Oro Valley Citizens Academy, taking copious notes as officers described their duties. I drove with local officers around the areas of town I am writing about to get their knowledge of the areas - I was told no crime occurred here that didn't involve "meth or incest," what a great line to use in context with my story - and I drove with the Border Patrol down to the Mexican border town of Sasabe, AZ. I have witnessed a car burning in the desert and helped chase down illegal immigrants. Just as much hands-on experience as prior books called for, but more planning and less life experience. I listened to first-hand knowledge from people who attended parties thrown in a drug lord's homes in Sonora, Mexico, and sat down with the town historian at the museum in Prague, OK, to discover what life was like in their small burg thirty years ago.

You want to create life-like scenarios, correct diction for your characters, and describe the places your character might journey. This can be done by reading books or looking online but will not stand in for hands-on experience as you describe what they encounter. It helps describe what and how they feel if you have had a slight taste of it yourself. Then you can create the characters that are running around in your mind in order, letting them out to move and breathe and talk on the pages of your book.

Mark Sadler is the author of BLOOD ON HIS HANDS and blogs at http://damnedinsatiablethirsteternallanguor.blogspot.com/

Saying for Writers #12

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” - Six-word short story supposedly penned by Ernest Hemingway.

Tip O'Day #27

The guest post by Jessica Knauss two days ago discussed using self-imposed deadlines so you’re not sitting around waiting for inspiration to strike, like lightning from the sky.

Samantha Kane has a similar but somewhat different take on the same topic.

Make time to write every day, even when you don't feel inspired to do so. Writing is hard work, and for most writers inspiration comes when we are working the hardest. You may feel like you're slogging through ten words a day, but the reality is that you ARE writing. You are putting words on the page and that is what gets books written, not inspiration.

You can check out romance author Samantha Kane at http://samanthakane.us/

Bonus comment from Dixon: “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races, one after another.” - Walter Elliott

Saying for Writers #11

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

"I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die." - Sir Isaac Asimov

Tip O'Day #26

This guest post is from Jessica Knauss who says, "Don’t wait for inspiration."

I consider myself a pretty low output writer, and my life is full of distractions. I also have a nasty habit of waiting for "inspiration" before I start writing, so you can imagine how little that would take place.

I did very well with some of the structural elements of school, so, considering that I never missed a deadline, I began to construct deadlines for myself: Finish this project by the end of the month, outline this other one for next week, etc. Deadlines that come relatively soon are more effective than ones that seem far away, like "the end of the year." Since doing this, I've accomplished one hundred percent more than I would have otherwise.

An additional tip: it helps if the deadlines have some relation to the real world, such as submitting a piece to a market before an actual deadline, or even, if the goal isn't accomplished, then I can't enjoy some reward.

Writer, poet and acquisition/editorial associate Jessica Knauss blogs at jessicaknauss.blogspot.com

Dixon's comment on this topic: “You can’t wait for inspiration; you have to go after it with a club.” - Jack London

Saying for Writers #10

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Tip O'Day #25

I got to know Laura Schultz through her role as one of founders/directors of the Writers Etc group on Facebook. She is a writer, a poet, and the most supportive mentor a person could ask for. (I'm not sure she knows I think of her in that way, but the cat's out of the bag now.) She encouraged me to start a discussion thread on Writers Etc and to be a more consistent blogger.

She sent me two tips and the second one will appear in a few weeks. Here's the first:

Several things have been very helpful to me in my writing and I am sure a lot of folks do this, but who knows? I carry a pad w/me at all times -- car, purse etc. -- in case a poem or article idea comes to me. Otherwise I’m liable to lose the idea later.

There is so much truth in that brief paragraph. Writing instructor, novelist and screenwriter Dennis Foley channels Laura when he says that, after age 40, you only get one shot at every new idea. If you don't write it down PDQ, it will be completely lost.

Saying for Writers #9

Another quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Be awful nice to ‘em going up, because you’re gonna meet ‘em coming down.” - Jimmy Durante

Tip O'Day #24

Advice from writer John DeDakis on how to beat writers block.

You know the feeling: You’re on a deadline. You don’t have much time to craft the perfect story. You sit and stare at a blank computer screen while it stares back at the blank expression on your face. With each tic of the clock, your blood pressure ratchets up a notch. Panic grasps you by the throat.

Ever been there? Of course you have.

During my 21 years at CNN, I’ve worked with some of the best writers in television news. I marvel at how they repeatedly – and rapidly – transform blank screens into solid, readable copy. Yet every now and then, someone gets stuck and needs a little help. Whether your challenge is to write a news story, a novel, a term paper or an e-mail, here are some suggestions on how to beat writer’s block:

1. RELAX! - Nothing paralyzes more than trying to be perfect. The writers I know always aspire to do their best and that means nothing less than perfect. But it’s an elusive goal, so rule number one: Relax. Take the pressure off yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect – at least not the first time.

2. What Are You Trying to Say? - When a writer comes to me with that familiar blank stare, it’s usually accompanied by the statement, “I’m having trouble getting started.” It’s at times like these that I simply ask, “What are you trying to say?” Amazingly, when detached from the keyboard, the writer usually has no trouble telling me in his or her own words what the story is about. “Okay,” I’ll respond, “now go and write that.” Once the mental logjam is broken, the words flow through their fingers.

3. Listen to Your Head – Ah….but exactly what words? And in what order? The answers are already in your head. Listen to that voice inside you. Or, if you’re one of those whose head has many voices clamoring for attention, zero in on the voice you hear the clearest, then write down what it’s saying. Once you’ve written the first sentence, the others will follow logically as the momentum builds.

4. Take a Hike – Bob Slosser and Ken Gilliam are two of the best writers I ever worked with (may they rest in peace). Ken was a CNN writer who loved to craft the perfect sentence. He agonized as he searched for just the right words to turn an original phrase. He told me what worked best for him was first to think about the story. That was usually best done while taking a walk to the break room, the coffee urn, or the bathroom. When he returned to his computer, he’d make the keys clatter a bit, then he’d take another hike while his copy simmered. Finally, he’d return to take a fresh look at what he’d written, then buff, polish, tweak and revise before he was satisfied – or the clock ran out. Bob Slosser, a former New York Times editor and author of several nonfiction books, had an approach to writer’s block that was similar to Ken’s. Bob was a pacer. He once told me he wore out the carpet in his den as he walked back and forth in his quest to find the right words. Bob said each of his books “went through the typewriter” 25 times. That’s a lot of pacing. But you see, ruminating is simply another way of writing.

5. Write something. ANYthing! – Ruminating, thinking, and pacing are fine, but there comes a time when you must take action. So, just do it. You can always loop back and make it better.

These are just a few suggestions. The list is not meant to be exhaustive. What works for you? Pass it along. I’m sure we could all benefit from it.

John DeDakis is a Senior Copy Editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” and the author of the mystery-suspense novel “Fast Track.” Visit his Web site at www.johndedakis.com

Saying for Writers #8

Another quote which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." E.L. Doctorow

Tip O'Day #23

This tip is from author Cindy Zelman. To paraphrase her: Get your work out into the world, and don't give up just because the Big Boys reject you.

I've talked to a lot of writers, including published writers, some of them famous, some of them not. Most of them agree that when trying to get work published, don't dismiss small presses, little literary magazines, or other lower circulation venues. Get your work out there, become part of a writing community, become read, and don't be a snob.

It's worth noting that John Grisham's first novel, A TIME TO KILL, was rejected by every major NY publisher. So Grisham self-published. While he continued to improve his writing craft, he and a group of friends sold copies of the book out of the back of his station wagon at flea markets and county fairs around the South. Eventually, THE FIRM was traditionally published and people started asking, "What else have you written?"

Saying for Writers #7

Another quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Some writers take to drink; others take to audiences." - Gore Vidal

Tip O'Day #22

Short sentences create impact.

So can short paragraphs.

They’re good for action or sex scenes, to emphasize the physical and emotional give-and-take. However, three or four in a row make for choppy, distracting prose, so consider balancing them with longer, more lyrical passages where appropriate.

Saying for Writers #6

Another quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” - W. Somerset Maugham

Tip O'Day #21

This writing tip comes from Dianne Thomas:

To jump start my day I keep a file named "three minutes" on my computer desktop. While my coffee brews I open a document and write whatever comes to mind. When the coffee is ready -- about three minutes later -- I save the document with the day's date. Sometimes I do just continue working on it, but usually I move on to other business. Then when I'm short on inspiration or just being lazy, I open a three-minute file at random and see what I can do with it. I've gotten some good poems and short stories from this exercise.

Dixon says: what a great idea. I find that almost any scribbling or typing loosens me up physically and mentally, whether it's replying to an email, making a journal entry, or revising my To Do list. Dianne's suggestion is so much better - tapping into the writer's creativity on an unrelated topic.

I'm learning so much from tips other writers have sent in, and really appreciate all of you. If anyone else has a tip on the craft of writing, or the process of getting published, please email me at montananovels@yahoo.com - thanks!

Saying for Writers #5

Another Quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you don’t make any money.” - Jules Renard

Tip O'Day #20

Know the functions of an opening paragraph.

A first paragraph is like when you owe me money, and I send No-Nose Noonan over to your place to collect. (1) It grabs the reader by the collar and captures his attention. (2) It drags the reader by the shirtfront into the story itself and suggests what is to come. (3) It shakes the reader back and forth and forecasts both the mood and style of the story.

Some writer friends kicked this topic around on the “Writers Tips” discussion thread of Writers Etc (on FB), and Dan L. Hays added this:

You've nailed it so far - the first paragraph has to be a grabber! I took a creative writing course one time where the teacher went further - the first sentence. I remember the one that stuck with me:

"Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again." - Rebecca, Daphne DuMaurier. A strong first sentence pulls you even into that first critical paragraph!

Anyway, in the words of the Jimmy Buffet country song, “That’s My Story and I’m Stickin’ To It.” What’s your opinion?

Saying for Writers #4

Another quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“I cannot write any sort of story unless there is at least one character in it for whom I have physical desire.” Tennessee Williams

Tip O'Day #19

This very concise writing tip is from Mike Snyder:

"Write characters, not caricatures."

I like that. Look around at the interesting people in your life. Are there any friends without weaknesses? Is there someone you dislike who doesn't have at least one redeeming quality? Interesting people have both. A villain without a shred of goodness isn't a character - he's a cartoon. A heroine without a fault isn't a character - she's a cartoon.

One thing I learned from writing instructor Dennis Foley is to give your hero a secret weakness. To everyone else, he's a confident, talented overachiever but only you, the writer, is aware that his best friend in high school became a hopeless alcoholic and Hero is secretly afraid that one shot glass would send him down the same road. So Hero meets the love interest at a restaurant but there's a wait until a table is ready. "Let's wait in the bar," the girl says, but Hero insists on taking a bench outside in the chilly night air. Your reader wonders "What's that all about?" but you know...

Saying for Writers #3

Another quotation which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.” - Albert Einstein

Tip O'Day #18

This writing tip comes from free-spirited author Layla Messner. “I don't know if this is a tip exactly, because no one ever said it to me. But this is what I tell myself when I sit down to write: Be honest - put your trust in the story, and don't hold back.“

Similar advice was offered by Grievous Jones: “Be honest…Be you.”

Another Saying for Writers

Another Quote which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.“ - Ayn Rand

Tip O'Day #17

Make sure your first page engages the reader.

You walk into a book store (for future readers – a retail establishment selling words printed on paper). You pick up a book and turn to page one. You might read for 30 seconds or so, maybe 15-20 lines of text, to see if the prose has any appeal. Sometimes that's all it takes - Grisham's "A Time to Kill" had me hooked from the first few lines.

So that's the test: does the prose intrigue us? Does it set up a dramatic or humorous situation, a unique character, or a fascinating locale? Does the author have a Voice that grabs us by the collar and won't let go? Is there some intangible quality to the writing style that we've admired in other books? For a real eye-opener, check out the one-page posts on WeBook website. Some are awesome but it’s amazing how other wannabe authors can fill a page with word after word and yet NOTHING HAPPENS. For some amazing examples of first paragraphs, check out Nate Bransford’s “finalists” blog post – link is to the right.

Allow me to inflict upon you an early version of the opening for my crime thriller, "Montana is Burning”. I don't have the emotional distance to tell whether this is any good, but my aim was to intrigue the reader with an interesting protagonist, locale and situation.

Paul Longo eased his lanky frame into a chair at the New Accounts desk and waited for the statuesque blonde – Elizabeth from her nametag – to get off the phone. Her shimmering emerald dress clung to all the right places. Paul didn’t mind the wait. He looked around the lobby. A small bank for a small town. Some of the windows had the bluish, dimpled look of antique glass. The pressed tin ceiling looked authentic, suggesting the building was a hundred years old or more.

The guy pushing through the copper-and-glass doors didn’t seem the slightest bit authentic. A little man, maybe five-foot-four and 130 pounds, who looked full of meth. Bulging eyes flicked nervously around the lobby, and one cheek twitched a furious beat. Still had prison pallor from his most recent stint. Both hands jammed deep in the pockets of a down vest, despite the unusual autumn heat.

Detective Paul Longo slipped the 44 caliber Super Redhawk from the shoulder holster and dangled it behind his chair. The end of its nearly ten-inch barrel touched the floor.

Quasi Motivational Quote

A Quote which Might (or Might Not) Inspire You to Write:

“One of the signs of Napolean’s greatness is the fact that he once had a publisher shot.” - Siegried Unseld.

Tip O'Day #16

This writing tip is from Gary Williams. Along with co-author Vicky Knerly, he is signed with Park Literary Agency in New York City, NY. Their first novel is expected to be released in 2012.

Find the time to write that works for you.

Each writer has to discover the most productive time of day to write. For me, I’m far more prolific in the early morning (not long after I wake) and again in the early evening. From 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. is my dead zone. While I do write during these intervals, my productivity slips — the right words are harder to come by, descriptions are lacking, text conversations lag — and I generally end of reworking these sections in the morning. As a writer, you need to understand “your time” and then leverage this information to achieve your most productive writing.

I will admit, this is a rule that doesn’t apply to everyone. While the thriller writer Steve Berry has admitted that his best writing comes in the morning, James Rollins is known to write with equal production at any time of day.

Tip O'Day #15

Have you ever read a story – even a full-length novel – and wondered “so what?” Okay, some guys rob a bank and in the end they all die in a hail of bullets. Or geeky boy meets hot girl and loses her due to a falsehood, but they get back together in the final chapter. Or a wealthy CEO has his job, reputation and lover stolen, but manages to climb back to the top.

So what?

There are Universal Themes found in literature. “The moral to the story,” so to speak. There are many opinions about what they are, but I like the following post by Rachel Mork:

http://www.life123.com/parenting/education/children-reading/12-most-common-themes-in-literature.shtml

She lists 12 Universal Themes:

1. Man struggles against nature.
2. Man struggles against societal pressure.
3. Man struggles to understand divinity.
4. Crime does not pay.
5. Overcoming adversity.
6. Friendship is dependent on sacrifice.
7. Importance of family.
8. Yin & Yang: Just when you think life is finally going to be easy, something bad happens to balance it out.
9. Love is the worthiest of pursuits.
10. Death is part of the life cycle.
11. Sacrifice brings reward.
12. Humans all have the same needs.

Maybe I’m way off base, but I think much of the distinction between literary fiction and commercial fiction has little to do with grammar, vocabulary, style or subject matter. To me, it comes down to whether plot is primary, or whether the Universal Theme is supreme, woven through practically every page of the work.

Of course, there are other considerations. Much of genre fiction follows a fairly strict formula, and many authors of book series don’t create much of a character arc for the protagonist. But ask yourself – is a Universal Theme threaded through the novel, or is “the moral of the story” mostly an afterthought, even inferred?

Tip O'Day #14

Grab the reader's interest from the very first page.

Just how vital the first paragraph of a story is, will remain open to debate but there’s no doubt it plays an important role in whether the reader continues to turn pages, or skips on to something more interesting. Former lit agent Nate Bransford is currently running his 4th annual contest for the best first paragraph. Although it’s past the deadline for entries, it can be instructive to visit Nate's blog at http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/01/4th-sort-of-annual-stupendously.html and look at some 1,500 examples of what OTHER authors think is a good attention-getter.

Here is my entry:

Tyler Goode didn’t know the man’s real name until he read the obituary three days later. Everyone called the guy Brute. It fit him well. He’d become a legend in northwest Montana for taking whatever he wanted – whether someone else’s woman or a warm bottle of beer – and leaving the victim a bloody, broken mess. He wore his nickname like a medal, as if it were a compliment to his strength and combat skills instead of a summary of his personality. Smart people steered clear of Brute, all three hundred-plus pounds of him. Of course Ty had never been accused of genius.

Tip O'Day - Lucky #13

Thanks to Gary Ponzo, a fellow writer I met on Facebook, for this writing tip.

Because writing is such an empirical process it's hard to determine one tip which helped my overall skills. The only thing which comes to mind is the old line, "Show don't tell." And we all know to do this, but it's the one ligament which pulls at every aspect of my prose.

I realize it's a simple thought, but I'm a simple kind of guy.

(Comment by Dixon: A great reminder, Gary. Most readers enjoy solving puzzles, from big mysteries that act as the engine of the novel, to minor ones about what drives a character. Instead of saying some guy is a domineering brute, show him browbeating others in dialogue and through his actions. As Anton Chekhov said, "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.")

Tip O'Day #12

Novelist and screenwriter Dennis Foley blogs at http://dennisfoley.blogspot.com/ and his online writing courses can be found at the UCLA Writer's Program and Writers On the Net. I always look for profluence in the writing of others, but had never heard the word before meeting Dennis.

Profluence and Throughline:

A plot or subplot follows the efforts of the protagonist within that plot to achieve his primary goal. He does this by attempting to accomplish all the lesser goals necessary to achieve the primary goal. (If he is going to kill someone he has to go get a gun first.) This path to the primary goal is the plot's throughline. It is vital to the life of your story.

Recognition of this throughline by the reader gives the reader confidence that there is profluence to the story. Profluence is the clear sense that things are moving toward something, getting somewhere, flowing forward, have a direction and a destination.

The reader demands some reason to keep turning the pages. He won't do it just because the setting is interesting, the character is unique, pages are filled with endless detail or your writing style is fresh. The story needs to be going somewhere. How do you do that?

— You quickly and clearly make it obvious to the reader who the central character is.

— Make it clear what he wants, needs or desires.

— Resist the urge to explain or offer unnecessary back story.

— Remind yourself that you are writing a story and not a biography or a resume.

— Don’t dwell in that character's history, past, earlier experiences or anything from the character's life that wouldn't fall into the category of being absolutely necessary to the story's forward motion. History is final, done, behind the character and has already occurred. The minute a novelist begins to explain what happened when the character was six or what life was like years ago the reader knows that whatever it is, it didn't result in the worst thing that could happen or else the character wouldn't be present in the story.

— Ask yourself with each scene if it is clear that the scene is a logical step toward the protagonist's ultimate goal.

We can't write like previous generations of novelists. Start your story on a train in motion or at least pulling out of a station.

Evidence of continued profluence is the presence of causally linked scenes in pursuit of what's most important to the protagonist. Stories without profluence are normally populated by a lack of causally linked scenes and the presence of unrelated scenes showing no progression or connection to other scenes other than being about the same characters.

Know what your character wants and let your story be about his struggle to get there.

Tip O'Day #11

Stella Deleuze blogs at http://synopsisandbookfactory.wordpress.com/ and this is a past post, used with her permission.

Don’t be fooled

As a new writer, you may share a dream with many others: to be published.
For many it stays a dream and for others this dream comes true. I’m talking about signing a contract with a reputable publishing house. While most of the big names do not accept unsolicited submissions and only work with agents, many of the smaller, newer and independent ones are open to deal with authors directly.

But beware of those you deal with. There are a lot of so-called vanity publishers out there, trying to lure you in with promises they can’t keep. I’ve met a few authors who fell for them and bitterly regret their decisions. It’s a matter of not having researched properly that made them sign a contract.

Here are a few points to watch out for:

• If a publisher asks for money upfront or in general, run! Money flows to the author, always.

• If they don’t have books or other checkable credentials on their website. Run! Every publisher is proud of their achievements, no reason to hide them.

• If they get back to you in a brief amount of time, asking for a full manuscript, be skeptical. Publishers are busy, especially if they do accept unsolicited manuscripts, they are swamped. It happens from time to time that they get back quickly. To be on the safe side, research them if you haven’t already done so. Check them at Preditors & Editors and Writer Beware

• If they stress explicitly that they are not vanity publishers. Any good publisher doesn’t need to state it.

• If they don’t offer to assign an editor or tell you that your book will be published a month after signing. It usually takes at least six months to be out on the shelves, even if the book is quite polished upon submission. A more realistic figure is a year.

• If they offer to edit your book for a fee, even if they promise to pay you back once the book sells. Run! Every publishing house has editors and it’s their job to do the final touches to make it fit their lines.

• If they offer you a contract that asks for money, is not conclusive, demands the author to buy a certain amount of books, etc. Don’t sign – run!

• If you find information about them on google or other sites, complaints, negative comments, etc. Run!

There is a lot to watch out for. If you stumble across a vanity publisher, help your fellow writers by sending an e-mail to P&E, informing them. They are on a mission to protect you.

Tip O'Day #10

Here’s a writing tip from Raymond Benson, an awesome writer who was selected to continue the 007 novels after Ian Fleming passed away.

Gee, my main advice to writers these days is to find something else to do :) (just kidding).

Okay, here's a tip: "When I write a novel I mentally *cast* the characters in my mind. For example, for the villain in my first James Bond novel, ZERO MINUS TEN, I imagined it was Jeremy Irons in the role. For some reason, that helped me develop the character's mannerisms and speech, even though I gave no clues in the narrative that I was thinking about that actor. I've found that doing that with all the major characters of novels works very well, at least for me, the writer."

Tip O'Day #9

Learn the rules, and then feel free to break them if it serves your purpose.

(A lengthier post was removed at the request of the writer concerned.)

Tip O'Day - Guest Post (Parts 7 & 8)

When I asked some writer friends for a favorite writing tip, I was afraid they'd be too busy to help me re-energize the Wredheaded Writer blog. Then, one of the first replies I received was an eight part message from Stephanie Osborn. Woot woot!

I've received lots more tips, and will be mixing in some of my irreverent (irrelevant?) insights as well. But this process will be incomplete without YOUR input. Whether a published pro or rank amateur, you still have valuable ideas. John Grisham isn't necessarily any smarter than you - he's certainly more experienced but he struggles with the same issues that bug you, just at a different level. You worry about burning your grilled cheese sammie, while he is concerned that his surf and turf is served at the proper temp and texture. Same issues, different levels. (I look forward to your phone call, John.)

Soooo, let's see your idea. Email me at montananovels@yahoo.com or message me on Facebook (Dixon Rice Novelist).

Now here's the conclusion of Stephanie's eight-part series:

Stephanie Osborn - Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School, Installment #7:

So you have the book edited, it’s in gorgeous shape; the cover art has come down and it’s beautiful. You’re done, right? Nope. Now you get the e-ARC, the electronic Advanced Review Copy. You get to review that, make corrections, and send the corrections back. That's gotta be it, you think.

NOW you’re done? No. Now you get the galley prints. These are unbound first run prints of your book. Again, review for errors and send back the corrections. These will sometimes be things that were missed in all of the previous edits (yes, it IS possible!), but mostly it will be problems in converting the electronic version of the manuscript into print. This usually comes in the form of dropped formatting - a missed tab, lost italics, a strange carriage return, a blank line where it shouldn't be, or an odd symbol substituted for punctuation.

Meanwhile, you and your publisher are working on the public relations and publicity campaign. Start making appearances before the book is released if you want to build buzz. Build a website. Blog. Tweet. Face. Space. If you can get your name out there, and your book’s name out there, do it.

After the book comes out come the interviews, talks, and book signings.

Somewhere in there, you start writing your next book.

Thing Seven: You NEVER really get done.

And finally, Installment #8:

Wait - the book is OUT, right? What more can there BE?!

Thing Eight: Congratulations. Once you’ve realized Things One through Seven, you are now an experienced, professional author.

Tip of the Day - Guest Post (Part 6 of 8)

Stephanie Osborn - Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School, Installment #6:

Thing Six: Getting a contract in hand is NOT the end of the job. It’s the beginning.

Now you get to work with one or more editors, copy editors, and proofreaders. Multiple times.

Thing Six-A: Be aware that you are NOT required to do everything, or even anything, the editors say. But you better really be confident you’ve done it exactly right, because these guys are usually way more experienced than you are and know what they’re doing. (Not always. But mostly.)

Tip of the Day - Guest Post (Part 5 of 8)

Stephanie Osborn - Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School, Installment #5:

(The previous tip discussed the need for patience since your masterpiece may get stuck in a slush pile.)

Well, how the heck do you DO it (get published), then?

Thing Five: A mentor helps. S/he should be someone already experienced in the business, firmly established (hopefully as an author) and willing to take on a protégé. S/he is the "somebody you know," your entrée into the business, acting as your reviewer, your advisor, your agent, your friend, and your shoulder to cry on when an editor says your beloved baby is a pile of horse manure. (Tidbit Five-A: Editors do sometimes say this. Or words to that effect. You haven't lived until an editor has informed you that he hates your intro, hates your conclusion, and everything in between needs to be totally re-written.)

What your mentor can do is to point you in new directions, and tell you if and when someone is trying to take advantage of you. Sometimes your mentor even becomes a co-author, and then it’s really fun.

Tip of the Day - Guest Post (Part 4 of 8)

Stephanie Osborn - Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School, Installment #4:

Getting your foot in the door can end up with a smashed foot.

Thing Four: The old adage, "You can’t get published without an agent, and you can’t get an agent without being published," isn’t true – but it isn’t far from it. Many of the big publishers won’t even look at anything that isn’t handed to them by an agent. With some of them, it’s impossible for the budding author to even find contact information.

Contrariwise, most agents won’t look at anyone who isn’t published. (There are a few. But your story had better be good, and polished to the nth degree.) But there are some good publishing houses out there that DO accept unagented submissions. The trick to these is that, unless you know somebody, your submission goes into a "slush pile" and will remain there for some time. Slush pile submissions are read in the order received, so your baby will be there for however long it takes for the company’s readers to dig down to it. So be prepared to be patient.

Dixon’s comment: Consider getting your first publication credit from a small, regional press. Also, many authors e-publish and hope that sales on Amazon and other sites may entice a major publisher to pick up their book.

Tip of the Day - Guest Post (Part 3 of 8)

Stephanie Osborn - Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School, Installment #3:

Some things have nothing to do with your manuscript.

Thing Three: There is a pecking order among authors, and it is not entirely determined by tenure, sales figures or awards.

Who published you? How big was your last advance? (This is not, coincidentally, often determined by the size of the publishing house.) The bigger the publishing house, the larger your advance, the higher up the pecking order you are – at least in the minds of some.

Be prepared to experience resentment from those below you, and disdain from those above. Some of us view the playing field as level – but not all.

Tip of the Day - Guest Post (Part 2 of 8)

Stephanie Osborn - Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School, Installment #2:

Thing Two: It IS possible to have a novel that’s TOO LONG. It seems there’s some alchemy mixed into publishing. There’s an arcane formula publishers use to transmute word count into page count. Page count, in turn, converts to shelf space. Use up too much shelf space on one book, and the publisher suddenly can’t display as many books. So your wonderful, two hundred thousand plus word count book that spewed out of you like water from a fire hose probably isn’t usable, unless you can find a way to cut it down into two or three books.

Comment from Dixon - I had an interesting talk with a literary agent this fall at the Flathead River Writers Conference in Kalispell, Montana. Among other things, he said that although thrillers are typically around 100,000 words, previously unpublished authors should limit themselves to 70-80,000 words.

Tip of the Day - Guest Post (Part 1 of 8)

This evening marks the kick-off of "Writers Tip of the Day" - a bit of advice on how to improve your writing craft or get published. More than that, it's a reason for you to get out of bed in the morning.

Stephanie Osborn couldn't come up with one tip. She sent me a week's worth. Here's Installment 1 of

Things They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School.

I’m a fairly decent writer, with a good half-dozen popular books to my credit. (Not bad for a couple years in the business.) And long before I submitted a novel manuscript for publication, I did my homework. I knew about query letters, slush piles, and house formats. I knew some publishing houses don’t take unagented submissions and some do. I knew how to find the correct name and address for a submission, and to address the query letter TO that person. I knew how to make my query letter POP.

But once I got into the industry (translated – once I had a novel under contract), I discovered there are some little details they don’t tell you in author’s school.

Sub-thing: Everybody knows not to trust spelling and grammar checkers, right? They don’t know there from they’re from their… (finish the statement on your own). Good. ‘Nuff said. On to the serious stuff.

Thing One (with apologies to Dr. Seuss): Different publishers have different definitions of what constitutes novel length. For some, it’s anything over forty thousand words. For others, it’s sixty, and for most in my genre (science fiction slash mystery) it’s around one hundred thousand. This is a rough rule of thumb, and generally the bigger the number, the more leeway you have, plus or minus, in your word count. But make sure you know what the definition is for your genre, and MAKE IT LONG ENOUGH, or you could run into problems.

Bickering Feds

Here's a scene that didn't make the final cut for my unpublished novel, MONTANA IS BURNING. I liked the characters too much to kill them off, though, so they do appear in a few later scenes. Oh, wait a minute. I just remembered - I DID kill off one of them...

Six hundred miles south of Mullen County, Montana, FBI special agent Jordan Pelzner handed an airsick bag to his traveling companion and looked past him out the window. To the east, the sun edged from behind mountains dusted with early snowfall. Pelzner looked beneath the 737’s wing at the intricate network of dikes and roadways surrounding the Great Salt Lake. Some reservoirs were full of water, others evaporated to salt beds. He wondered how many tons of salt the Mormons had extracted over the last hundred and fifty years.

The retching at his side interrupted Pelzner's wool-gathering. He handed a napkin to Fred Rugar, the senior ATF agent for the Western Region. Rugar patted the pointy chin that anchored his heavy jowls and stuffed the napkins into the airsick bag. A sour odor drifted toward the FBI man.

"You know," said Pelzner, "you have an unusual method of preparing for an investigation."

"Shut your damn face."

“Is that standard operating procedure in the Seattle ATF office -- drink yourself blind and then bust up a gay watering hole? Or is it usually the other way around?"

"For freaking missionaries, they sure got a mess of gay bars."

"Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms..." Pelzner mused. "I suppose you can't smoke or shoot worth a damn either."

"Heaven protect us from self-righteous Fibbers. My damn head is ready to burst and here you’re thumping a bible for all you're worth. Lemme die in peace."

"That's a tempting thought, my friend, and you certainly couldn't smell much worse. Might even be an improvement for the first few days."

"I had any strength, I'd yank your tongue out."

"No, Agent Rugar, I can't let you die. Too much inter-departmental paperwork and besides, you're the big cheese on this case."

"Aw shit, don't mention cheese."

"I’m afraid explosives mean this one's an ATF case. The FBI just came along to smile at the reporters and pay the bar bill."

Rugar’s hands trembled on his lap. "Don't remind me what we're headed for. I was hoping to coast into retirement without sniffing any more crispy critters."

Pelzner watched he poor bastard’s shakes grew steadily worse. He wondered if there were any medical personnel on board. The ATF agent gripped the armrests as if the seat bucked under him. The tremors finally subsided and Rugar took a few long, slow breaths.

“Your color’s coming back, my friend," the FBI agent said. "But you’re still a bit green around the edges.”

"Takes me freaking days, sometimes weeks to get the smell of burnt flesh outta my hair and off my skin. Don't know how many suits I've gone through in the last twenty years. Stunk too much to dry clean, just threw them out."

"That's why you get the big money."

"Hah!" The ATF agent’s bitter laugh turned into a wheezing attack. Beet-red jowls quivered as he pounded his barrel chest with one hand, tightly holding the armrest with the other.

"Great impression. That's from The Exorcist, right?"

"Lord," said Rugar, raising his eyes in mock prayer, "help me live through this flight and I'll do any penance you name. Go to church. Shoot a Fibber. Any-damn-thing."

"I notice you failed to mention celibacy."

"Leave your mother and me outta this, Pelzner."

"So the subtle Fred Rugar wit lives on, despite the anticipated demise of the body. I'm sure the locals will be suitably entertained."

"Yeah, I’m really looking forward to meeting Barney Fife and the rest of the Mayberry gang. I swear, if I find one piece of evidence mishandled, I'll rip each freaking bugger a new anus."

"My friend, your attitude bodes poorly for cooperation with the Mullen County Sheriff."

"Those hicks probably don’t handle twenty felonies a year. Best for them to stand back and let the pros take over."

"You take over, Agent Rugar. I'll hold your jacket and lead the applause."

"Just make sure there's a freaking rental car waiting in East Cupcake."

"That's Edgerton."

The ATF agent turned away from Jordan Pelzner and looked at the morning sun rising past the Wasatch Mountains. "Whatever."

Social Networks for Writers

A lot of writers have recently discovered social networks, flocking to not only Facebook but also online writers’ communities such as WeBook. I’ve joined the FB stampede. From the first, I’ve had two goals: to learn as much as possible about the craft and business of writing from other people in the profession, and to build a network of book lovers who might help generate some buzz when I get ready to publish.

Learning about the craft & business of writing:

I’ve kept a small, personal account for family and personal friends, plus those who know me through soccer, Toastmasters, and other activities. For my “Dixon Rice Novelist” FB account, I’ve sought out writers, poets, illustrators, editors, literary agents, and other book lovers. On occasion I notice people in my network ranting about religion, politics, social issues and the popular culture. They certainly have a right to their opinions and often I inwardly applaud their activism. However, I strive to keep my network focused on the business of getting published; if non-writing rants are frequent, I bid farewell to these folks.

Many of the FB writers’ communities try to cover the entire spectrum. “The Novelist” is one that emphasizes improving the writing craft. “Writers Etc” seems more oriented to the business of publication: getting an agent or editor, becoming self-published or e-published, and building a platform for oneself as an author. With both types, I attempt to soak up as much knowledge as possible. I also keep my eyes out for interesting blogs and websites, and post links to them in order to make the page more helpful to others. At the same time, hopefully I’m establishing a reputation for myself as helpful, knowledgeable and motivated.

Building a network of book lovers:

Each day, I try to add at least five new friends to my network. Most are writers although others are readers or those involved in the business end – agents, editors, publicists, and so on. I’ve noticed many other writers who are also busy building their own FB network; when they add a friend, they immediately try to sell some books. I’m more interested in the long term. My intention is to distribute free excerpts and podcasts throughout my network, and encourage my friends to share them with their other friends. If the quality is there, this approach should lead to paid sales.

World's Best Job

A Facebook friend of mine, author Jami Gold, recently blogged about "Writers: One Big Happy Family" at http://jamigold.com/blog/

No, she wasn't being sarcastic. Jami echoed a sentiment I've felt for a long time. Although there are fruitcakes and wingnuts in every occupation or hobby, I've found the writing profession to be remarkably supportive of struggling beginners. It's not cutthroat competitive. There's not the feeling that "if I help you get in print, that might mean I won't get published."

Former UCLA writing instructor Dennis Foley currently lives in Whitefish, Montana. He has been a successful writer and producer on motion pictures and TV shows such as CHINA BEACH, CAGNEY & LACEY, and MacGUYVER, as well as having several Vietnam novels published. When he was a lowly staff writer in Hollywood (the equivalent of a cub reporter on a major newspaper), an experienced screenwriter took Dennis under his wing and helped him avoid lots of rookie mistakes. Dennis asked how he could repay the veteran and was told, "Help other writers." And he has, many times over.

The only exception I've seen to this attitude has been in critique groups, mainly online. For some reason, normally sweet, kindly people who would never kick a puppy - folks who would give their last quarter to a hungry stranger - can be vicious in pointing out examples of poor writing. I have a friend who's in some of these groups, and she keeps explaining to me how busy these people are, and how it's sort of "tough love."

I don't think it takes much more time to point out strengths at the same time we correct errors. I believe a measure of tact is always appropriate when dealing with folks who are obviously rank beginners. I feel some of us have forgotten about the first word in "constructive criticism."

So I agree, writing is the world's best profession, but there's still room for improvement.

Showing "A Typical Day"

At the first writers conference I ever attended, I had the opportunity to have a literary agent critique the first 50 pages of my premier novel. It started with action, just as a hundred other writers had suggested, but the agent didn't like that. I needed to show what a typical day was for the protagonist, she said, and do a better job establishing the setting. So I went back to the computer and did exactly that.

Ever since, everybody who's looked at my story says the same thing: start with action and knock off all the description.

Okay, okay, back to the opening scene where the flawed detective is sitting in the bank lobby when a meth-fueled robber walks in. But when you buy Montana is Burning, this is the descriptive, textured opening you will miss:

An Indian kid was dead, and nobody seemed to care except a lawyer barely old enough to shave.

Detective Paul Longo looked across the street at a storefront law office. Main Street in Kintla stretched all of ten blocks, and nothing much moved in either direction this autumn afternoon. Just dust and a dry wind. Paint blisters pockmarked the brooding gray edifice opposite Paul, revealing previous incarnations of chocolate brown and light blue.

The town straddled both banks of a river on the floor of a narrow valley, so the cigar box building stood stark against lodge pole pine and western larch that swept up the foothills from a mere three blocks away. Years ago, somebody had removed the large letters that ran across the second story of the stucco facade but hadn’t bothered to repaint, so the outline was still clear: Woolworth’s. On the right side of the building, a sign said Kowboy Kafe, but that door had been boarded up for years. On the left, amateurish gold lettering on the plate-glass frontage proclaimed the law office of Kevin Waagel, Esquire, the attorney retained by the tribe to look into violent or suspicious deaths, on or off the nearby reservation.

Paul pushed back the new Stetson and wiped his forehead dry. He liked the hat, a present his first day on the job from Sheriff Clyde Frye. The only nice thing anyone in Mullen County had done for him so far.

He sighed, wondering again at the wisdom of his move to Montana. A glance at his watch -- twenty minutes early for his deposition. He decided to take care of some business he’d been putting off for a month. The office of Kevin Waagel, Esquire, would still be there when he finished.

A Mullen County patrol car pulled up to the curb across the street. A deputy sheriff climbed out and nailed a sign to a telephone pole reading Re-elect Sheriff Frye. One block north, another deputy rounded the corner and stopped to pound a Holland for Sheriff sign into the library’s front lawn.

Paul shook his head and started toward Kintla State Bank.

Five minutes later, he eased into a chair at the New Accounts desk and waited for the statuesque blonde to notice him. It took awhile, what with her chatting on the phone while she rasped an emery board across a fingernail. Her shimmering emerald dress clung to all the right places. Paul didn’t mind the wait.

The tempo in these small towns, he mused, took some getting used to. Back in Phoenix, a bank would pink-slip any employee that didn’t handle the required number of transactions in the requisite time with fewer than the allowable amount of errors. This quiet valley in northwest Montana ran at a different pace than Paul had grown up with. The important things got done but with fewer ulcers in the process.

The blonde ended her conversation. Blue eyes sparkled as she pasted on her best customer service smile, but it seemed a shade brittle. I save my warmth for people who don’t sit down uninvited, the smile said.

“Elizabeth, I’d like to open a checking account.”

“Do I know you?” She wrinkled her nose. “I think I’d remember someone as tall as you and--”

“And with a nose like a hatchet, I’m not so easy to forget.” He pointed at the nameplate on her desk.

“Oh.”

“Anyway, I’m getting paid next week and figured I should put my check someplace safe. A bank came to mind.” He reached past the shoulder holster into his blazer’s inside breast pocket and pulled out a fifty. “This can start things off, until I get my first paycheck.”

Elizabeth tried her smile again. “New to the valley?”

“Been here long enough to get all my clothes out of cardboard boxes. About four weeks.”

“Goodness, how ever did you last that long without a checking account?”

Paul shrugged. “Mostly use cash.”

Her brows bunched together.

"I work for the Sheriff, Elizabeth. Believe me, cash is perfectly legal.”

“You’re that new detective, aren’t you?” The pleasure of discovery lit her face yet a shadow lurked in her eyes. Paul wondered what she’d heard. The new detective with all the big-city ideas? The one who acted too good for the local cops? The square peg?

She tapped a couple times on her computer keyboard and began taking Paul’s vital statistics, seemingly glad to be in safe territory. He answered automatically as he glanced around the historic building. With a pressed-tin ceiling, the bank must have been at least seventy-five years old, maybe a hundred. Some of the windows had the bluish, dimpled look of antique glass. The main doors were sheathed in copper both inside and out, maybe from the mines in Butte, and Paul guessed the appearance of Old-World craftsmanship was authentic.

Then a man walked through those same doors. He didn’t look one bit authentic.

First Lines

Michelle McLean, one of the fine ladies blogging for Operation Awesome, recently had a post about how first lines can captivate us:

I recently finished reading Rick Riordan’s The Lost Hero. Aside from really enjoying the book, I was struck by how many awesome first lines he had. The first line of the book was amazing:

Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day.

My inner editor immediately stopped to admire that incredible bit of writing. As first lines go, that is made of total win (at least imo).

But it didn’t stop there. Several times throughout the book, I’d turn the page to start a new chapter and got blown away by that chapter’s first line. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Leo wished the dragon hadn’t landed on the toilets.
2. As soon as Jason saw the house, he knew he was a dead man.
3. Leo’s tour was going great until he learned about the dragon.
4. After a morning of storm spirits, goat men, and flying boyfriends, Piper should’ve been losing her mind.
5. Jason would have died five times on the way to the front door if not for Leo.
6. When Leo saw how well Piper and Hedge were being treated, he was thoroughly offended.
7. The plan went wrong almost immediately.
8. Leo hadn’t felt this jumpy since he’d offered tofu burgers to the werewolves.

In my work in progress, Assassin’s Club – Doing Good by Being Bad, the first sentence doesn’t exactly slap you in the face, but I’m pretty proud of the first 20 lines.

The man fights his way through the surf. A giant wave crashes over his back, knocking the air from his lungs.

He struggles to stand upright, his arms and legs heavy as lead. He doesn’t remember much. He vaguely recalls thrashing around in the cold water and turning around in time to see the stern of a sailing ship as it glided toward the horizon, jaunty carnival tunes in its wake.

Did I fall from that? Or get pushed?

The water tugs at his legs like a needy lover. Finally he finds himself on hot, dry sand and falls to his knees. He has a pounding headache and blood on his hand from when he touches the throbbing knot on the back of his scalp.

Where the hell am I? Who am I?

The voices in his head provide no answers.

A hazy figure appears far up the beach and so he walks in that direction. The sun feels good on his back. Overhead, seagulls circle and chatter in their private language. After a few minutes he can make out some details of the approaching figure – a tall woman in a flowing white gown with sunflower-gold hair. She walks with her head down as if overwhelmed by a great sadness. Or maybe just looking for pretty shells.

A terrible fear jolts his heart.

She’s in mortal danger. Something awful is about to befall her.

Close now, she looks up and laughs at him. “Jesus, you’re naked!”

So that’s who I am.

The first line of chapter two (which was originally chapter one, until I decided my serial killer needed a friend to play with) was more successful, I believe:

Tyler Goode didn’t know the man’s real name until he read the obituary three days later.

Writers can engage the reader without needing an exploding helicopter in the first paragraph, but the opening should at least raise the reader’s curiosity about the dramatic, humorous or informative material to follow.

The Opening Chapter

Nate Bransford is a literary agent in California, and is both a brilliant and dedicated blogger. This week he has a guest blogger, Valerie Kemp, who did an insightful post on the characteristics of a novel's first chapter. Here's an excerpt from that post:

The Hunger Games - In the first chapter of The Hunger Games we get to see Katniss' everyday world. We learn about the Hunger Games and the Reaping and the high chance that Gale and Katniss will be picked. We see that Katniss is responsible and protective of her sister, Prim, whose name is in the Reaping for the first time. And in the very last sentence of the chapter there's a shock as Prim's name is called.

This is a GREAT end of a first chapter. As a reader we're left with a sense of dread. We know what Katniss must do, and we know that we're in for an exciting ride because we're going to experience the Hunger Games with Katniss. We're also introduced to the mechanics of Collin's writing - cliffhanger chapters. Both with story and with structure, she has shown us what to expect, and how to read her book. And she delivers.

Now imagine if The Hunger Games started differently. What if the first chapter was an ordinary day at school for Katniss, followed by time at home with her family, and hanging out with Gale. Suzanne Collins could've started there and gone into greater detail about Katniss' troubled relationship with her mom, given us more history on the District, how life in The Seam works, etc. She could've had the Reaping happen in chapter 3. By then we might be expecting the book to be a family drama or something else completely unrelated to a reality show about teens fighting to the death. If Collins had started her book this way, she probably would've lost a lot of readers. I know I would've been flipping back to the cover over and over again, wondering when these supposedly awesome Hunger Games were going to start. I probably would've put the book down before the action started and picked up something else.

Old Farts Club excerpt from "Montana is Burning"

At the 2010 Flathead River Writers Conference, I had a very encouraging talk with Gordon Warnock from Andrea Hurst Literary Management. However, he informed me that my (supposedly) completed novel is about 30,000 words too long for a first-time author. Ouch. So I must say goodbye to some (in my opinion) wonderful chunks of verbiage that develop characterization, establish mood, and plant clues. I need to do those things with greater brevity, it appears. So here's a chapter that's being lopped out:

Ole’s Café, Kintla, Montana

Saturday – 10:00 a.m. (The morning after a nearby abortion clinic was firebombed)

Surely every coffee shop on the planet has one, a large table where the Old Farts Club gathers each morning to complain about the world going to hell in a hand basket. The round table in Ole's Cafe in Kintla had eight oak chairs.

Ralph Morrissey, the town's funeral director, walked into Ole's and saw several reporters forced to stand at the counter, even though there was still an empty chair at the big table. It was gratifying, he thought, to see that some things in this world could still be depended upon.

He took the vacant seat between banker James Otto and rancher Duke Overbeek. Everybody nodded at the mortician and Otto flipped over a clean cup for him. As usual, at least three different conversations were going on, with some fellows jumping from one to another depending on which topic caught their interest. Morrissey jumped in with the group discussing last night’s firebombing and was immediately interrupted by Huz Brandt, the local accountant.

“You missed a couple great jokes, Digger," Brandt said. "You know what you get when you cross a Mormon with an Indian?"

“A basement full of stolen canned goods," blurted insurance agent Jay Aster.

Despite having heard the joke minutes earlier, the table erupted in laughter. Morrissey, who had both LDS and Native American friends, sat stony-faced. He noticed Bobby Jones looked like he'd gotten a whiff of something rancid.

Jones spoke before Morrissey could think of a comeback. "I heard there's no humor without an element of truth. Maybe we oughta change that to humiliation."

"Lighten up, Bobby," Brandt said. "Don't tell me you didn't bust up some prairie niggers off the Rez when you were carrying a badge down in Missoula."

A muscle twitched on the retired deputy's square jaw. "Naw, I was too busy writing DUI's for members of the Chamber of Commerce."

Brandt's cheeks turned crimson. Everybody at the table knew the CPA had recently picked up his third drunk-driving ticket. They all looked around at nothing in particular, hoping somebody would change the subject before things got even more unpleasant.

Bobby Jones jumped in again to change the subject. "I almost made my first taxi trip yesterday. This college kid got busted at St. Joseph and the Border Patrol confiscated his daddy's Mercedes. He hitched a ride into town, then showed up on my porch with his sad story. 'Just some seeds, Man. Just some seeds,' he says."

"What happened?" Brandt asked. "No money?"

"Naw, he showed me more'n enough for the trip. I told him to come back at six and we'd go to Edgerton after supper. Musta got another ride, because he never showed."

Overbeek leaned forward. "Speaking of no-shows, did you hear Chief Holland ducked out of the limelight and put that new detective in charge of the arson investigation? You know, the religious nut.”

"Paul Longo is his name," Jones said. "I bumped into him at the courthouse last week. Didn't seem like a nut to me."

Huz Brandt sneered. "There's a lot of local boys coulda done the job just as well. They know the valley better than some kid just rolled into town."

"He’s no kid, Huz," Jones laughed. "Trouble is, you think anyone not drawing Social Security is still in diapers. And just because he doesn't swear every fifth word, that doesn't make him a Jesus freak."

"It's all just politics," Overbeek said. "Frye probably hoped Holland would stub his toe on this abortion clinic thing, so Holland put one of the Sheriff’s boys in charge of solving it.”

"Then the Chief’s got the wrong guy," Jones said. "Longo's no politician. Hell, he’s the only one on the force who’s not up to his butt in the election.”

Meanwhile, a discussion across the table about forest fires had evolved into a diatribe against government is general and Congress in particular. Jay Aster, the coffee klatch’s token Democrat, was taking a merciless ribbing from the other men. He turned to Morrissey after a few minutes of this abuse.

"Hey, Digger, I've never seen you this quiet before. Business can't be all that bad, I hear people are just dying to get into your place."

"Oh, I'm busy enough but the cremations are killing my bottom line. The only bright spot is the folks who choose a box-and-burn job are usually cheapskates like you who’d stiff me on the bill anyway."

James Otto, the banker sitting next to him, cleared his throat. “Wake up on the wrong side of the embalming table?”

"I’m fried over those nuts that bombed the clinic," Morrissey said. "What with them and this new militia group people are whispering about, plus the morons we send to the legislature, I'm ashamed to call myself a Montanan."

"Didn't you move here from Oregon?" Brandt needled.

"I'm serious here," Morrissey said. "The more I think about it, the more steamed I get. There's not one Montanan in a thousand who thinks murder is the way to win a political argument."

"Damn right," Overbeek said.

The funeral director brought his fist down on the table, rattling coffee cups and saucers. “The rest of us have to stand up to the pinheads responsible for this terrorist act and let them know we won't tolerate such an outrage.”

“I'm with you a hundred percent so far,” Jones said. "You got something in mind?"

Morrissey stood up. “You bet I do. Come over to the mortuary chapel at one o'clock and bring a couple friends.”

Writer Conference-ing

I'm excited about attending the 20th annual Flathead River Writers Conference this weekend (Oct 2-3) in Kalispell, Montana. I had a conflict and couldn't attend last year. When I've attended in the past, I've always enjoyed meeting new people, learning new "tricks of the trade," and storing up enough enthusiasm to keep writing for another 11 or 12 months.

I was recently involved in a discussion thread for the Writers Etc group (on Facebook) and was asked for advice on what to do at a conference. I surprise myself (and everybody else, no doubt) by coming up with something fairly coherent, which is as follows:

Try to develop a 2-3 sentence "elevator pitch" in case you get some time with an agent or editor, for example at lunch or in a workshop, and if it's appropriate to mention what you're working on. If time allows, ask them how you could improve your pitch. This can be a good way to create a favorable impression.

Conferences are great for making contacts, but don't try to make a deal then and there. After you get home, mail or email a nice letter saying how nice it was to meet him/her at ABC writers conference and you appreciated their guidance on your pitch for "XYZ" work in progress. Then ask if you can send them your first few chapters.

Good luck and have fun.

Critique Danger

One of the best things I’ve done in my journey as a writer was to form a local critique group.

There were a couple of groups in the area, loosely affiliated with the Authors of the Flathead, but they weren’t taking new members. I twisted a couple arms and soon we had three regulars. We decided five or six was an optimal number, and over the last decade we’ve gone through a dozen or more in the last few seats. Now we’ve got five regular contributors plus one guy who’s a talented editor but not writing at the moment.

The critique group gives me the regular deadline I need to keep me on task. The members are great at catching the stupid mistakes I can’t see because I’m too close to my work, and are experts at asking pesky questions like “Why not do XYZ instead?” Because we mostly work in different genres – thrillers, YA, women’s fiction, memoir and who-knows-how-to-classify-Nick – they keep me open to possibilities. More than that, they’re a fantastic support group.

But I have learned to take some comments with a grain of salt. If I hear a criticism from one member, maybe that person’s just having a bad hair day, or doesn’t get my particular genre. If several of the members make the same observation, then obviously I’ve got to seriously evaluate their concern.

One danger is the tendency of members to try nudging a WIP in a different direction because of our preconceived ideas of how it should be written. In editing and making suggestions, it’s critical that we not alter the voice and tone of our fellow writers.

It’s what makes us unique.

Fear of Heights

I used to have a terrible fear of heights. Whether standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or looking out a window on a skyscraper, I’d get a queasy feeling deep in my gut and a lightheaded sensation between my ears. Don’t even talk to me about airliner takeoffs and landings. But I finally overcame it.

You see, I volunteered for airborne training in the U.S. Army. Jumping out of perfectly good airplanes and all that.

As writers, we all have aspects of our craft that are stronger and weaker than others. Writing dialogue was a real problem for me when I first tried my hand at fiction. Terribly stilted and everybody sounded the same. My critique group pointed this out. Their suggestions: study good dialogue writers and practice a lot.

So I read a lot of Elmore “Dutch” Leonard, Robert B. Parker, Walter Mosley, Carl Hiaasen, Max Barry and Richard Price. Also, I took my faithful yellow pad out to coffee in the morning, and wouldn’t leave the coffee house until I’d written at least a couple pages of dialogue. No narrative. No attributions. Just pure dialogue.

Gradually, I improved Maybe I’m wrong, but now I feel that dialogue has become one of my strengths.

Because I worked at it.

Making a Decision

A friend on Facebook is struggling with identity. Is this writer “a gay author” or “an author who happens to be gay?” There’s a world of difference in terms of context, audience, marketing, and on and on.

For this writer, there’s no right or wrong answer. But a decision needs to be made.

Similarly, when someone in my critique group has a scene that just doesn’t work, often it’s because the author is reluctant to make a decision or doesn’t see the need to do so.

You’re reading about the feds interrogating a suspect at the downtown FBI office. They’re in a private room and there’s mention of a desk and chairs. There’s a telephone somewhere. That’s it. It could be the same cubbyhole of an interrogation room we’ve seen in a thousand Law and Order episodes, or the ultra-modern, high tech rooms shown in CSI. Or it could be something else entirely. Maybe all the other interview rooms are occupied, and the Captain ‘s office is the only available space. Maybe the agent wants to put the suspect at ease, and uses the employee lounge (I think Richard Price did this). We’ll never know, because the author doesn’t think it’s important to establish a sense of place. A decision was not made.

In the room with the agent in charge is a young guy, an unnamed junior agent. He asks a couple questions but doesn’t contribute much. So much could be done with this minor character. One of his buddies might have been wounded or killed in the crime being investigated, and he’s seething with anger. Maybe he thinks the senior agent is an old fashioned fuddy-duddy who’s about to screw up the investigation with his obsolete methods. Maybe he was awakened after a late night at a bar, and he’s hungover. Maybe he was arguing furiously with his girlfriend (or boyfriend) when the phone rang. Maybe he’d been smoking dope, and can’t quite focus on who did what to whom. His character could change the dynamics in the interrogation room in myriad ways, but it didn’t happen. Because a decision was not made.

Sometimes you have colorful, edgy characters in a scene but it never really takes off. Chances are, the author didn’t scratch his head before writing the scene to decide what each character’s goals would be, and to make sure they conflict with one another. Mary wants a loan so she can help her secret lover, John, who she’s determined to be faithful to. She swallows her disgust to ask Peter, her repellent landlord. Peter can afford to make the loan but wants to get Mary into bed with him as a willing partner. If one wins, the other loses.

It can be an exciting scene – if a decision is made.

Wolf and Eagle

This ties together two earlier posts - "Eagle" and "Wolf," and may or may not be included in my novel "Montana is Burning."

The golden eagle sliced through the air, miles from where scattered rain drenched a small clearing and the stream that ran through it. She spiraled upward with little effort, riding a thermal current as she waited for the storm to break up.

The eagle was the perfect aerial predator, with cruel talons and a beak that could disembowel an adult sheep. She was death from the sky. Lacking an owl’s night vision, she couldn’t hunt after dark, even though high winds had kept her pinned to her aerie for more than a week and starvation threatened.

She circled and watched. In a valley far below, dry lightning struck a large snag and it burst into flames. Since no animals fled from the fire, the eagle quickly lost interest. She flew on.

The isolated storm finished venting its fury on the clearing and sped east. Dim memories drew the eagle above a stream where salmon returned each summer’s end and trout grew fat and pink on the helpless spawn – ancestral memories of hunts and feasts by eagles long dead but memories no less real. The raptor smelled blood and tasted flesh as if the kills had been her own.

The great bird spotted the glitter of whitewater skittering across rocks made smooth by eons of glacial runoff, and saw dark shapes carving their way beneath the surface.

She dipped a chocolate-brown wing and dropped below the air current. The eagle descended slowly at first, then folded her wings next to her body to plunge like lightning drawn to earth.

Her freefall lasted hundreds of feet before she spread wide her wings, pulling out of the meteoric dive. With hardly an eddy on the water’s surface, she ripped a trout from the icy stream and started back to her craggy perch, blood on her talons and savagery in her cry.

As she climbed through the warm air, the golden eagle spotted the valley where lightning struck a snag earlier. Flames burned greedily and jumped to neighboring scrub pine. Only the eagle saw.

In the great bird’s wake, a wolf erupted into the opening and sprang across the stream, but the whitetail he had been stalking already bounded far down the slope, startled by the exultant screech from above. Stopping at the edge of the clearing, the wolf listened to the doe’s flight.

The wolf turned from the fading sound of escape. He jogged toward remembered cattle.

The world, after all, was full of prey.

Eagle

This section is tied to "Wolf" two posts ago. Not sure whether or not it'll end up being part of my first novel, "Montana is Burning." It takes place in NW Montana in modern times.

The golden eagle circled high over a remote valley twenty miles west of Kintla.

A burning snag sent a faint column of smoke aloft. The eagle knew fire usually flushes small animals from their hiding places but not this time. A pine beetle infestation had devastated the valley, leaving behind mostly rotten stumps and scarcely any healthy trees. Despite a huge insect population, there were almost no green branches and so hardly any rodents, birds or small game lived there. Above the size of centipedes, the valley was practically lifeless.

The great bird found a sturdy branch high in an ancient pine. She waited.

Like waves rippling out from a pebble dropped in a fiery lake, a circle of flame spread around the snag, painting the pale underbelly of the clouds an angry red. The lower branches of several nearby spruce caught fire. The expanding poo1 lapped across the matted carpet of pine needles, burning into the forest floor until it ran out of air.

A dark cloud passed overhead, so heavy with water vapor that it began to condense. A shower doused the valley and the eagle sought shelter on a lower branch.

Flames hissed and wavered and then finally failed. As if to signal the fire's defeat, the blackened snag teetered and fell. A cloud of ash rose into the damp air then pelted back to earth with the rain.

The snag lay on its side like some grotesque wounded beast. Sheltered from the rain, its underside reflected a dim glow against the ruined forest floor. The fire lived.

The golden eagle took wing and continued her hunt.

Back to Blogging

I've been writing like crazy for the past year. Finished novel #1 - a thriller titled "Montana is Burning" - and queried it for a few months, and got a few "positive rejections" from literary agents, saying the writing was good but my Voice wasn't quite compelling enough. So I put it on a shelf while the publishing industry is in the toilet, and decided to work on a more powerful Voice in novel #2.

Surprise, surprise, novel #2 started being about a serial killer in 1970, but another one horned in as well. So now "Assassin's Club - Doing Good by Being Bad" has two serial killers. One is a twenty-something guy in NW Montana who became a murderer "by accident" and is struggling to reconcile himself with his deadly new hobby.

The other is a 30ish man who walks out of the ocean near Ensenada, Mexico, with no memory of who he is, or how he got there. He is christened Jesus by the first person he meets (and murders), and walks up the West Coast toward Seattle, picking up a Manson Family assortment of losers along the way, and leaving behind a trail of corpses.

Obviously, these two will eventually meet, and only one will like to kill again. At about 200 pages, I'm roughly two-thirds of the way through.

Unfortunately, I've let the passion for my novels divert me from blogging. I'm sure my imaginary fan has been quite distressed and so I am determined to climb back on the horse and re-start my blog.