Category Archives: Writing

These posts discuss various aspects of writing.

Great Advice

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Recently, I received a clipping that really caught my eye.  It not only made perfect sense, but was aligned with my own feelings.  Now, I know it talks about Christmas gifts.  But the idea works for all gift-giving occasions, and Valentine’s Day is close by.  In fact, it works when there is no occasion – just a time to give something nice to a friend.  But, enough of an introduction.  Here it is.  I’ll let you read it and judge it yourself.  If you have trouble reading this, I’ll retype it below. This came to me through various routes, so I cannot give credit to the author. But I’m sure the author will be happy to see it passed to others.  And writers should most certainly take it to heart.  I’d be happy to hear your thoughts on this so leave a comment by clicking on the bubble at the top.  And thanks for visiting the author’s blog.

Here it is in perhaps more readable type.

Books remain the ultimate gift: easy to wrap, available in such a multifarious array that there’s truly something for everyone and, best of all, a desperately needed break from screens in the age of TikTok and Zoom. A book does not beep at you, spy on you, sell you out to marketers, interrupt with breaking news, suck you into a doomscrolling vortex, cease to function in a nor’easter, flood your eyes with melatonin-suppressing blue light or otherwise interrupt your already troubled sleep. That’s why my best beloveds are all getting books for Christmas. Who wouldn’t want such benefits for the people they love best in all the world?

Feel free to comment. Actually, not just “free to”, but “encouraged to.”  Thanks for visiting.

jim

“From the first sentence, it captures your attention and carries you on an intriguing mystery-solving adventure.” Review by S.S.

“If you like a mystery with an engaging case of characters, a gripping plot and plenty of twists to keep you guessing, you’ll want to add this one to your reading list.” Goodreads review by JRL

It is available on Amazon, Baker and Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo and other fine booksellers. In digital and paperback editions. Here are some links:

Amazon:                     https://amzn.to/3ixercQ

Barnes & Noble     https://bit.ly/35HNDBy

Apple Books          https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1547362776

Kobo                      https://bit.ly/3smw0AR

 

Cars from Bygone Days

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When I was in college many years ago, probably before most of you were born, cars were different.  There were no backup cameras. Many did not have outside mirrors. Only expensive cars had turn indicators.  To signal a turn, you had to put your arm out the window.  Straight out was a left turn. Up was a right turn, and down was a stop.  In beautiful weather that worked well.  In rainy or very cold weather, not so well.

Of course, most college students didn’t have a car, and that included me.  But, my best friend, Walt, had a car – a small coupe from the 40s.  It was old, but we worked to fix it up and keep it running.  The paint had literally just worn off and for most of the car, you were seeing the primer, the base coat the manufacturer had used first to coat the metal. But having it painted was beyond our budget. However, we could buy cans of spray paint and eventually got it covered. We thought it looked much better. There were dissenting views on this.

1940s coup

1940s coup

I don’t know whether it is possible today, but back then you could buy used oil. As the coupe burned a lot of oil, we bought used oil. One day,  Walt proudly showed me a box with a set of piston rings in it.  “We’re going to replace the rings.” Over a good many days, we did replace the rings. Only now, the engine would not even turn over.  We got a friend with a car to push the coupe pretty fast. Then Walt put it in gear and popped the clutch. The back wheels locked and slid along the pavement.  The motor did not turn a single revolution. After putting the car back in the yard under a tree, we had a nice car – whose engine would not turn even once.

Walt finally found a mechanic, explained the situation, and asked for advice. The mechanic said, “Everything must be perfectly clean. Perfectly.” End of advice. We thought we’d kept it clean. Maybe not perfectly clean.

Eventually, we took the engine apart, cleaned everything – perfectly.  Two weeks later,  it was back together. Walt hopped in, turned the key, and the battery turned the engine over. The coupe started, and no plume of smoke issued from the tailpipe. Nor did it ever again as long as Walt owned the car.

Now, how does this relate to writing?

A little careless writing can keep the entire engine (the plot) from moving. Just a little sloppiness can grind everything to a halt. Keep the writing clean. No bits of grit.  Don’t give the reader even small bits that aren’t needed. Or the reader may not find the motivation to motor on through your book.

jim

 

 

Rejection ! !

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Today’s blog will be brief, because no one wants to dwell too long on a rejection.  But, so you know you are not alone, here are some rejections that other writers have received.

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

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)

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

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

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

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)

 

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

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)

 

And I’ll close with one I personally received from an editor at one of the big five publishers in New York for the first book I wrote.  In part, it said,  “Totally unrealistic. As an example, you have the man talking to his computer.”

If you’ve received an equally rediculous rejection, please leave a comment and share the rejection with us  Thanks.

Jim

 

 

 

The Pioneer Spirit

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Today’s guest blogger is Jodie Wolfe, a former columnist for Home School Enrichment who now creates novels where hope and quirky meet.  She is also the co-founder of the blog Stitches Thru Time.  When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie.  Today, she’ll explore an aspect of being a pioneer and what it takes. And it is Valentine’s Day, right?

I’ve always had a fascination with the 19th Century. I think part of it is because of the pioneer spirit. A time when people left all that they knew in hopes of building a better life somewhere else, typically in the Midwest. I can only imagine the amount of work, planning, and building it would take to start with nothing in order to dig a well, build a house, plant crops, and eventually have a homestead or farm that could support life for you and your family.

One aspect of the pioneer spirit that’s always interested me is the idea of becoming a mail-order bride. Leaving your current life to become a complete stranger’s wife. Now of course, sometimes they corresponded long distance for quite some time before they decided to get married. Sometimes the fella sent for the gal and they were hitched right away, while other times he sent for her and they had a couple weeks of getting to know each other before they tied the knot. At times a photo of sorts was exchanged, but that wasn’t always the case.

Some guys advertised for a wife in order to cook and clean for them, or to help with children if he had a spouse who’d died, and he was on his own to raise his young ones. A whole slew of scenarios was possible. I contemplated and researched for a while before I came up with a story line for my new book, Taming Julia. I wondered what would happen if a pastor was dictated by his congregation to find a wife if he wanted to keep his job? Their real reason for their doing so was so that he would consider the daughters of those in his congregation. But instead, he decides to advertise for a wife who is willing to marry by proxy.

Proxy is another interesting component of the era of mail-order brides. Some married when they arrived while others chose to marry by proxy (while apart – more of a legal document of sorts) that made them legally married before the woman traveled to where the fella lived.

That’s what I chose to happen in my story. The preacher is given an ultimatum from his congregation to marry by a certain time. In order for that to happen, he advertises for a mail-order bride with the following qualifications:

Matrimony News, February 6, 1875 edition

Minister bachelor aged 27, height 5 feet 10 inches seeks genteel, honest and first-rate homemaker with a desire to serve God. Must be willing to marry by proxy and arrive in Burrton Springs, Kansas by May 1.

During the era, there were many such advertisements in the newspaper for a bride. My twist to the story is that the wife who arrives isn’t anything like what the minister wanted. So now he’s faced with a dilemma of what can he do to tame his new bride. It made for a fun story to write. Here’s a glimpse of the back cover:

In 1875, Kansas bachelor Drew Montgomery’s sole desire is to serve God, but his congregation’s ultimatum that he marry or leave, forces him to advertise for a wife by proxy.

Jules Walker strides into Drew’s life wearing breeches and toting a gun and saddle–more cowboy than bride. After years on the trail, she’s not exactly wife material, but she longs for home and family, and will do anything to ensure Drew never discovers what she really is.

How about you, can you imagine marrying a complete stranger and taking a chance on a new life?

Let’s hear some comments on that.  And guys, you can offer what you think about ordering a bride off Amazon.  Click comments below, or the little balloon at the upper right of this blog.  Thanks.

Where you can find Jodie online:  Website: https://www.jodiewolfe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-553400191384913

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15220520.Jodie_Wolfe

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jodie-Wolfe/e/B01EAWOHXO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Purchase Links for Taming Julia:

https://www.amazon.com/Taming-Julia-Jodie-Wolfe-ebook/dp/B083L8MDD5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=taming+julia&qid=1578503989&sr=8-1

 

 

 

Anthologies

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Of late, I’ve received a number of questions regarding anthologies.    So today, I’m going to talk about anthologies.

First, what is an anthology?  In the simplest terms, an anthology is a collection of written works. It can be a collection of poems, plays, short stories, songs, novellas, or excerpts from longer books. These do not have to be related in any way, although often there is a theme associated with the anthology. There is not a real limit on how many – no minimum and no maximum.  The works are generally chosen by a compiler, which can be a single person or a committee.  An anthology generally contains works by several authors. However, there is nothing preventing an anthology containing various works of a single author. And, today, anthology may be used for a series of TV shows, or recordings of a single group or performer.

So, there is much room for an anthology to take various forms.  But, here are some suggestions to consider if you or your group is thinking about producing an anthology.

It is often a good idea to have a specific theme for the anthology.  For instance, an anthology of mystery short stories. Or an anthology of great opening chapters. How about an anthology of poems associated with Valentine’s day? An anthology of one-act plays.  It is best to have a defined theme, but one not so narrowly focused that few items will be submitted.

Along with a specific theme, a specific goal should be set. It should be in writing, agreed upon by those involved, and re-read at every meeting. Some examples of a goal might be to highlight the writing talent of the best in your group, or area, or whatever domain you are choosing. Or, it might be to give a chance at publication to many who have not been able to achieve that yet. It could be to reward many authors who submitted an entry to your contest, or selected people who attended your conference.  Please note, this is generally different from the theme, although it is certainly possible the two could be the same, or similar.

While we are on the subject of a goal, the organizers must decide how finances will be handled. How will the project cover expenses upfront? Decisions need to be made early whether the anthology will be sold for a profit, or given away. I recommend, for anthologies made up of works from authors without a huge following, it is agreed that royalties will not be paid. Naturally, this must be determined before the call for entries. If the project pays for the expenses of production and a surplus exists, from the beginning those submitting works should agree any profits be used either to fund the next project, or donated to help the library or some other group fostering literacy. If you have high profile authors involved, then the division of royalties should be clear before submissions are sought.

It is best if the anthology is viewed as a group project. This is particularly true in the early stages. Get the group behind it and you are halfway there. A committee can and should work on finding participants (authors), help in the selection process, and offer to proofread the document before submitting it for publication.

However, it is best to have one editor. There can be a committee to help during the selection process. But when you are getting down to the final editing, while several may read for possible mistakes, a single person should be making the final decisions. Committees can get hung up with differing opinions and the project can grind to a halt.  In the end, one person has to be in charge to complete the project.

Anthologies can be an excellent project for a writing group. It can generate a lot of enthusiasm and participation. It can serve as excellent publicity, and often results in increased membership. Anthologies often prompt people who are reluctant to write, or to try for publication, to overcome that hesitation and become an active writer.

And they can be fun.

James R. Callan

Please add your thoughts on anthologies.  We can get an anthology of thoughts on anthologies.  Click the “comments” below.

The Mystery of Writing

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Today’s guest blogger is Patricia Gligor, a Cincinnati writer of mysteries. Her latest is Small Town Mystery series, Book #2 – Murder at Maple Ridge.  She’s had a varied career, including managing a sporting goods department and proprietor of a resume writing service. But her passion has always been writing fiction. Here she talks about the mystery of writing.

 

I’ve always been in awe of the writing process. And, after seven published novels, I’m still amazed – maybe more than ever – at how writers’ minds work, including my own.

I love old houses and, several years ago,I went for a walk in my neighborhood and happened upon an old Victorian. As I stood gazing at the house, I thought about what it would say if its walls could talk. And the first book in my five-book Malone mystery series, Mixed Messages, was born. My twenty plus years in Alanon, a 12-step program for the friends and families of alcoholics, helped me to create two of the characters and gave me a subplot that would continue throughout the series.

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and I’ve always wondered what it would be like to live in a small town. In my first Small Town Mystery, Secrets in Storyville, I explored that possibility. I worked in retail for many years, managing a sporting goods department, and I had lots of stories to tell – through the eyes of my main character. I’ve had friends ask me which scenes really happened and which were figments of my imagination.

Which brings me to my newest release: Murder at Maple Ridge. Once again, an old house inspired me. One I’d driven by – and admired – for many years on the way to a park about an hour from where I live. The knowledge I gained working in sporting goods – about firearms and hunting –was invaluable.

So, although I know what inspired me to write each book, the question remains: Where did the ideas come from to fill all those blank pages? How, as I write, do just the right people, places and things from my life experiences pop into my mind? How do physical and personality traits of people I know or have met, bits and pieces of overheard conversations, places I’ve lived or visited and a multitude of other things coalesce to create the characters, the plot and the setting for a book?

I’ll probably never know the answers to those questions but that’s fine with me because the not knowing, the endless possibilities, is what makes writing an adventure – and a mystery.

To read about her books and/or to order them, go to: http://tinyurl.com/8sd2cz4    

And we’d love to hear your “mysteries” in the writing process. Click on the little balloon at the upper right of this blog to get to the comments.  OR, down below the icons for FB, Twitter, etc, and click on “replies.”

 

Why Forensic Accounting Makes for Good Mystery

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Today’s guest blogger is Leeann Betts, a pen name for Donna Schlachter.  Leeann writes contemporary romantic suspense. Missing Deposits is the eleventh title in her cozy mystery series.  Leeann and Donna have published more than thirty novellas and full-length novels.  They are active in American Christian Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime and other groups.  Today, she talks about forensic accounting and the mystery, and gives us a chance to receive a free book.

And this is how she started and how she got to forensic accounting.

When I sat down 15 years ago to see if I had one book in me, I had no clue where to start.

And now, all this time and more than 30 books later, every time I face the blank page, it’s the same. Where to start?

I’m an avid reader of mysteries, particularly what is now known as cozy mysteries, but at the time were simply called Agatha Christie-like mysteries. If you mentioned the name “Jessica Fletcher”, and said your books were like that TV show, everybody knew exactly what you meant. Amateur sleuth, small-town settings that eventually expanded into New York City and major locations around the world, and a personal reason to solve the crime—usually a friend or relative was the victim or the suspect.

That was my basis. But I wanted a main character more like—well, like me. I didn’t have any idea how a teacher thought—Jessica. Or an older woman in a hamlet in England—Miss Marple. Or a retired detective from Belgium—Hercules Poirot.

I needed someone I could relate to. That hadn’t been done to death. No pun intended.

So I went to the library, and started strolling through the children’s section on occupation. And the word Forensic jumped out at me. CSI and NCIS were hot shows at the time, so I picked it up. And that’s where I learned about Forensic Accounting. In the days when I was in college and in the business workforce, we called those guys the Auditors or the Inspectors. They came in and went through all our work to make certain we were doing it correctly. To make certain nobody was embezzling funds. To ascertain clients’ trust funds were secure.

Being a forensic accountant requires specialized training, and involves ferreting out financial information, understanding its implications, and applying that understanding to the situation. It also means preparing reports, spilling the beans on somebody, and testifying in court.

While a lot of people think accountants are boring, Carly Turnquist is out to prove them wrong.

And in case you think forensic accounting can’t be an exciting or important job, just remember: Al Capone was imprisoned for tax evasion by the 1930’s equivalent of a forensic accountant.

Question: When you read a series, do you have to start at the first book, or can you still enjoy the series if you pick and choose?  Leave a comment for a chance to receive a free copy of this book.

About Missing Deposits:

When a rancher discovers copper on his property, he learns that mining can be dangerous business. Can Mike and Carly figure out who the killer is, or will they end up buried in an unmarked grave in western Colorado?

We will randomly choose from amongst the comments for a free print (US only) or ebook (winner’s choice) copy of Missing Deposits.

Paul Paris won a free book by commenting on last week’s blog.  You could be the winner this week – IF you leave a comment. And you can get entered EACH time you leave a comment. 

Website: www.LeeannBetts.com Receive a free ebook just for signing up for our quarterly newsletter.

Blog: http://www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com

Books: Amazon http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE  and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2z5ecP8

What’s in a Name?

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Have you read a book lately that had a character with an interesting name? Did you wonder where that name came from?  Did the name just pop into the author’s head?  Or was it an accident – that turned out to be fortuitous?  Or is it a name that will become an icon of the future?

Suppose Margaret Mitchell had named her protagonist Jane.  Would that have started the reader with a different impression than when she chose Scarlett?  Before we even meet Scarlett we have a feeling about her.  Scarlett reminds us of heat, emotion, energy, fire.  We expect a fiery, energetic, volatile woman.

Do we start out with a different impression if the man guy is named Winston or Joe?

J.K. Rowling is one of the most successful writers of our time.  Do you think she spent time on her characters’ names – and not just the major characters?  And did they start us out with an impression?  Draco Malfoy?  Nymphadora Tonks?  Ron Wesley? Servius Snape?  Those names did not just trip off her tongue; she worked to come up with them.   Why, with all those great names, did she name the protagonist a rather plain name – Harry Potter?  Perhaps she wanted to give us the impression that he was an ordinary person, a reluctant hero.

The name is part of the character.  Why do some people change their name in real life?  Because they want a different persona, a different outward expression that better reflects how they feel about themselves, how they want to be viewed.  So you, the writer who is creating this character, need to decide how the character views herself.

In Deadly Additive,  Donn Taylor named a secondary character who always operated on the edge, Brinkman.  An accident?  I don’t think so.  Ian Fleming gave us some insight into the character of his antagonist in The Richest Man in the World when he named him Auric Goldfinger.

Can the name mislead us?  Certainly, if you want it to.  Just don’t let it happen by mistake.  Tiffany can be a person who spends her life helping the homeless, living and eating with them, and then returning to her one-room under the Elevated. Maybe her parents are rich and she was to be a debutant.  But the girl wanted to do something more important.

You can use the name to help make the case for who this person is, or who the parents imagined she might be.  Holly Golightly was a happy, carefree woman.  Sam Spade was a straight forward, no-frills, hard-working person who dug for clues.

Suppose your heroine is named Catherine. If she calls herself Cat, that tells us how she sees herself, and how the reader should view her.

Select the names of your characters carefully.  Do not use the name as simply a way to distinguish one character from another.  Make a conscious effort to select a name that helps build your character.

You work hard to give your book a name that will entice the reader to pick it up and read.  Select your character name to make that character and your book memorable.

I’d love to hear your comments on your favorite names in books.

Free Ice Water

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To those of you who have been with me for seven years, I apologize. But the other day, a friend ask me to reprise this blog.  So here it is.  It still has merit today.

On a recent road trip, we passed through Wall, South Dakota, and visited Wall Drugs.  That’s almost all there is in the small town.  But, it is something to see.  It now fills a square block, and claims to be the largest drug store in the country.  I have no doubt it is. It has many, many rooms for various items that might tempt a tourist to part with some dollars, play areas for kids, some excellent art, and a restaurant that can handle 500 people at a time.  Oh yes, there is a pharmacy, but it is almost lost among the opportunities to buy just about anything.

You have no trouble finding Wall Drugs. For a hundred miles east and west you will see signs along the highway for Wall Drug Store.  Many of them simply say, “Free Ice Water.  Wall Drug Store.”

Today, with our air-conditioned cars and fast food places every ten minutes, free ice water doesn’t seem to be much of a draw.  But back in 1931, things were different.

In 1931, the owners of Wall Drugs, a young pharmacist and his wife, were about to give up that hot summer.  They had agreed they would give it five years and if they couldn’t make it in that period, they’d pull up stakes and move to a big city. Their five years were almost up.

One hot day, the pharmacist’s wife came in and said she had an idea that might get some of the people driving down the highway to stop and come into the store. What did people really want on a hot summer day driving in a hot car through a dusty area?  Ice water. She suggested putting up signs on the highway that said, “Free Ice Water.”

The pharmacist and a high school boy drove out and put up the signs. Before they got back, cars were stopping and people were asking for free ice water.  Some of them decided to get ice cream. And some bought other things. Business began to grow. By the next summer, they had to hire eight girls to handle the sales.

In 2012, a good day will see 20,000 people come through the Wall Drug Store. The highway signs advertise many items sold at Wall Drugs. But many of the signs still read, “Free Ice Water.  Wall Drug Store.”  And “5 Ȼ Coffee,  Wall Drug Store.”  Yes, when you get there, you can get free ice water and you can still get a cup of coffee for 5 Ȼ.  But the customers spend much more than a nickel.  The same family still owns the store, although it has passed on to the children and grandchildren of the original couple who found a way to bring business into their store.

How did they do it?  They found what people really wanted and provided it.  But, it was the simple signs that brought the people in.  As writers, we need to decide what it is that people really want in a book. We must then provide it.  But the big step is to advertise it. Let people know that what they want is available.  The difference is that today, we will put our signs on the Internet highway.  People cruise down it every day, twenty-four hours a day.  We must get our signs out there.  Simple, to the point signs, that offer the public what they want.  Maybe we give something away.  It might be a first chapter.  It might be a drawing for a free book.  (You can’t afford to give a book to everybody.)  Maybe it only needs to be a very short blurb that entices the passerby to stop for a moment, read a bit more, maybe decide to buy.

The key is to provide what the public wants, and tell them about it so they can pass the word around.

One last thing. You’ll notice I didn’t say “readers.”  We might as well aim for a larger group.  Write a book that will bring more people into the reading community.  Expand our fan base. Find today’s “Free Ice Water” and put out those signs on the highway.

And today, I’d appreciate a comment as much as a glass of ice water.  Thanks.

 

On Amazon in digital, paper, or audio formats:    https://amzn.to/2UDjXxw