Last week, this blog featured a post by CW Hawes on the Magnolia Bluff Chronicles, a series of nine books, each written by a different author.  The first of those books, Death Wears a Crimson Hat, by C.W. Hawes, will be published next week.

But I want to add a little bit to last week’s discussion on this different type anthology.  First, the nine authors engaged in this anthology series come from the U.S. and Canada and Mexico.  So, there are no “in-person” meetings – except if we consider zoom meetings as “in-person.” And perhaps zoom-like meetings are the new “in-person” meetings.

Hawes mentioned that we decided to make the unifying factor a small Texas town in the Hill Country.  That sounds simple, and I thought that – before we accomplished it.  But, nine writers imply nine different takes on … well, most everything.  The placement of the town was the first decision. Next, the size – how small or how large. And then the name. Ah, that deserved some negotiation. Done.

Not quite. What makes up the town? If our books are to cover the same town, what establishments in the town do each of us need? This took some time. Until each writer had an idea of what his or her book will cover and what town points of interest will be needed, the list was incomplete. Those items (police station, church, various eating establishments, courthouse, etc.) came in slowly, as each author began to outline or produce.

The plan Is to publish one book in the series each month, beginning in April 2022 and ending in December 2022. Fortunately, the various months people wanted produced no problems.

Of course, the characters that each book added would be available for all succeeding books. At the same time, if a character were eliminated (killed, moved out of town, or for that matter, just put in a wheelchair), the author needed to let those whose books follow be aware of the change. Wouldn’t be good for Bob to get killed in book 3 of the series, and then have book 5 feature that same Bob. Unless … (Any supernaturals here?)

There will be landmarks, stores, monuments, etc. in the town. Many of those will be added by various authors. The other writers need to be kept aware of how the town landscape changes – to either use it, or not be impacted by it. A working map needed to be produced so we all knew just where things belonged.  Ugh. That was (and still is) difficult.

And to help the visual appeal of the series, the covers need to fulfill two requirements. First, there needs to be some unifying element so that the nine book covers look like they belong in one series. And second, each cover needs to reflect that particular author’s book. Yes, this is a series. But each book will be one author’s book: reflect his story (and be a standalone book for the reader). There were a number of zoom discussions on the cover. Let’s hope we got that right.

And so, with many of those complications solved and others worked as we move along, the Magnolia Bluff Chronicles series hits the press – actually, the Amazon sales page, – next week.  Each story is unique to the particular author, but gives the reader a comprehensive look at the small town of Magnolia Bluff and a chance to solve the murder mystery before “The End.”

What do you think about this type anthology?  Will it work?

jim

I’m a member of a group of writers – called the Underground Writers.  We are in the midst of a different kind of anthology.  Here is a post from CW Hawes, one of the members of this unusual project. I think you’ll enjoy this.

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles

The Chronicles of Barsetshire by Anthony Trollope was the first novel series in English.

Trollope had not intended writing a series, but after writing The Warden and Barchester Towers, he found himself returning again and again to the English county of Barsetshire that he had created. And thus, the novel series was born.

The Chronicles is a set of six loosely related novels all set in the imaginary county of Barsetshire. The novels can easily be read as a standalone. However, they share a core set of characters, along with the town of Barchester and its environs.

In April of last year, I was at a virtual writers conference and learned of the multi-author book series. Immediately, I thought of Trollope and Barchester.

I proposed the idea of a multi-author series to my fellow Underground Authors, and nine of us were able to work the project into our schedules.

We then had to come up with a unifying factor, something that would hold the series together. After much discussion, and taking a cue from Trollope, we created the town of Magnolia Bluff, set in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

Each of our books would be set in Magnolia Bluff. We’d have our own key characters as major players in our individual book, but we’d also make use of each other’s characters as we saw fit. And while each story would be as individual as the author who wrote it, the town of Magnolia Bluff would be there to hold together our diverse imaginations.

In effect, this was a riff on the approach we took with our short story anthology Beyond the Sea. There, each author used the same picture as inspiration for his or her story. And we got a dozen very different tales.

We hadn’t planned on crime also being a unifying factor. That just happened. We came up with stories that all involved murder, and thus, the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles was born.

So how does a multi-author series work? Don’t things get messed up?

Well, they certainly could. But we derailed that problem by making sure we talked to each other so that we were all on the same page regarding geography and how we portrayed each other’s characters.

There has to be a spirit of community and cooperation, while at the same time maintaining our individual voices. Every step of the way we’ve hashed out issues and problems, coming to a consensus. It helps to have a project-first attitude, as well.

I have to say, if you like murder mysteries that have you scratching your head trying to solve the puzzle, and that keep you awake at night due to the suspense, as well as tickle your funny bone — then you were going to love these books.

CW Hawes is a playwright, award-winning poet, and a fictioneer; as well as an armchair philosopher, political theorist, and social commentator. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

Please leave a comment. What do you think about this “anthology?” And would you like to hear more about how this concept works? Just let me know.
Thanks.  jim

I know. That sounds like an April Fool’s Day joke —

But it’s true.  And I’ll start off with a very brief blog courtesy of Fonda Lee, a Canadian author outlining a great resort.

     I’d like to go to a luxury resort

     where instead of golf and tennis

     courts, there’s a gorgeous library

     with crackling fires and the

     comfiest  chairs and servers

     bring you drinks and canapes

     while you read all day long.

Next week, an important blog you won’t want to miss.  Thanks for your time today and I hope I’ll see you next week.

jim

Recently, I was giving a talk on plotting. And when I came to the topic of sub-plots a lively discussion ensued.  Some felt any book that was called a novel had to have a subplot.  That was countered by some who felt that you should avoid sub-plots altogether. A few felt that subplots were there to beef up the word count. And others felt that was exactly why you should avoid subplots; they were a distraction from the main plot.

I called a halt and offered these guidelines for sub-plots.

1. It is a sub-plot. Therefore, it is sub (subordinate to, under, below, beneath) the main plot.  It is second fiddle. So on all levels, it must remain secondary.  It must not crowd the main plot for space or attention.

But, it is a plot.  Therefore, it needs the elements of a plot.  It must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.  It needs an arc.  It cannot coast along at the same level from start to finish.  And it is an important part of any plot, sub or main, that someone (or more than one) must change.  Keep in mind that person could be the reader. If you can change the attitude or mindset of the reader, that is a change, and much more difficult to achieve than changing a character in the book.

2. It must satisfy at least one of these two criteria.

• It must add to the reader’s understanding of the setting, the surroundings, the texture of the story. In my book Cleansed by Fire, the subplot involving a mysterious character close to the drug scene gives the reader a feel for the texture of the town, that is, the drug problem in the small town. Without my preaching about the problem, the Earl subplot makes it clear.
• It must give the reader a clearer understanding of one or more characters in the story, preferably the protagonist. A well-crafted subplot can allow the author to define the protagonist without “telling.”  It is an excellent vehicle for “showing” the reader the true nature of the protagonist without “telling.” Using the same example above, Earl allowed me to bring out a number of characteristics of the protagonist without “telling.”

So, in the example I have given, a subplot served two important jobs.

But what about the question: subplot or not. Subplots can improve a book. Subplots can help the author with two important areas: help define the texture of the story, and help the reader better understand certain characters – and in a way that works well for the author.

If you can use a subplot to accomplish one or both of the two conditions above, then by all means add a subplot.  If the subplot is used simply to bulk up the book, add words, get in something that you, the author, wants to say that is not necessary to the story, then leave it out.

I’d be happy to hear your comments about subplots, whether you agree with me or not, or would like to add another condition, or advantage, for having a sub-plot.  Thanks for reading this blog. It first appeared as my guest blog on Karin Beery’s site in the last half of September 2021.

jim

Something has attacked The Author’s Blog and deleted all blogs since the middle of May, 2021.  I’m trying to find and reinstall them, but so far, not much luck.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I’m working on a free course for writers – take a look.

I’m making good progress on it – and already I’m able to put most of it into practice.  I’ll let you know when I finish it — if I can find the time to write.

And, if you have time, leave a comment on this course designed for creative writers.

jim

A friend of mine was disappointed, actually unhappy, with a review she got for one of her books.  I reminded her that all books that got many reviews would get some that were unflattering.  Where the Crawdads Sing has over 126,000 reviews. Over 107,000 of them are 5 stars.  And the average overall is 4.8 out of 5.0.  Yet, there were over a thousand reviews that rated it a mere 1 star.

“Disappointing.” Or “Too unrealistic to enjoy.”  And “ Most irritating book I’ve read in a long time!”

I’m sure Delia Owens didn’t stress about those.  Bad and inaccurate reviews have always been with us. So, let me give you a few other reviews that somehow missed the mark.  But none kept these writers from continuing to produce memorable works.

“I am sorry, Mr. Kipling, but you just do not know how to use the English language.”
—San Francisco Examiner, rejection letter to Kipling (1889)

“Shakespeare’s name, you may depend on it, will go down. He has no invention as to stories, none whatever.” —Lord Byron (1814)

“Ralph Waldo Emerson [is] a hoary-headed and toothless baboon.”—Thomas Carlyle, Collected Works (1871)

“A huge dose of hyperbolical slang, maudlin sentimentalism and tragic-comic bubble and squeak.” —William Harrison Ainsworth, New Monthly Magazine, review of Moby Dick by Herman Melville (1851)

“A gross trifling with every fine word.”—Springfield Republican, review of Huckleberry Finn (1884)

“We fancy that any child might be more puzzled than enchanted by this stiff, silly, overwrought story.” —Children’s Books’ review of Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carrol (1865)

“The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the ‘curiosity’ level.” —The Diary of Anne Frank

“It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA.”—Animal Farm by George Orwell

So, read your reviews, good or bad, and see what resonated with your readers. And perhaps the “bad” reviews can either make you laugh or suggest a way to improve your writing.  But don’t let the unfavorable reviews cause you to feel bad about your writing. Even if they are all bad, use them as a learning tool.

Please feel encouraged to add your comments about reviews. Do you read your reviews? How do bad reviews affect you?