Starting Anew

My next Hannibal Jones mystery is finished, and our content editor is working it over right now. But I am always writing. So as soon as I sent my Hannibal novel off to the editor I launched into the next project.

I’ve been asked about the next Stark & O’Brien thriller, and there is interest in a sequel to Beyond Blue. Those were obvious choices. But a writer has to follow his muse, and sometimes a character will call to you.

Three years ago, I wrote a short story called “One of Us” for the anthology Insidious Assassins. The protagonist of that story was a Black female professional killer named Skye. In those 5,000 words we didn’t need to learn a great deal about Skye, not even a last name. But while I wrote two other novels this character was calling to me, wanting to explain herself better. Who was she? How had she become a stone-cold assassin? And how could she justify her actions so as not to see herself as a villain?

So, this week, I begin a new novel telling Skye’s story. I have an outline, but it is not nearly as detailed as mine usually are. Writing is moving very slowly because I am learning about Skye as I write. The character is deep, as they all are, but I have not seen the depth yet. What has surfaced is a brother who died of a drug overdose and a mentor who showed her the killing ropes.

Apparently murder-for-hire is a team sport. Just 4,000 words into the story a driver, an accountant and a computer expert have surfaced.  Oh, and Skye turns out to be in therapy. I can see that’s going to be a complex situation, but the assassin has some unresolved issues she needs to address.

So, this book is building more slowly than everything I’ve done in the past, because while I know the general plot, how things will happen and how Skye will react to the events I foresee are still in flux. It’s going to be an interesting ride, which I look forward to sharing with you.

Are Christian Writers Different?

Saturday, I had the pleasure of teaching the basics of fiction at a small but vibrant writers conference. I’ve done it dozens of times before, but I wondered if it would be different this time. This was the Vines and Vessels Christian Writers Conference. Would I have to present differently? Would there be resistance to my messages?

As it turns out, I had a very welcoming and receptive audience. I explained that while I am a writer, and as it happens I am a Christian, I am not a Christian writer. I write to entertain my audience, to thrill them or engage their minds in a good mystery. Many of the people I spoke to Saturday write primarily to deliver a message, to reinforce or clarify biblical teachings.

Still, it has long been my belief that “Christian” is not a genre any more than Young Adult is. Christian writers have a specific audience, people who share certain values and are looking for a style and approach to writing. For example, they don’t want to worry about finding graphic sex, or violence or profanity in their reading. And they want to read about characters who believe as they do, and whose faith leads them to success.

That said, the key points that make for good dialog are the same whether you’re writing a mystery, a thriller, or Christian fiction. And the same applies to constructing a strong plot. One of my students Saturday shared that she wants to re-write King David’s story in a way that will appeal to today’s readers, but she wasn’t sure how to begin. We discussed clearly defining our protagonist and the antagonists in the story, where to start for a good hook, and how to build a story arc. We talked about finding the central conflict, and how to build suspense to keep people reading. By the end of the class everyone saw that the original Bible story followed all the rules I was giving them.

Ultimately every writer has the same desire: to have lots of people read their work. And many of us do have a statement to make through our fiction, be it political, social, or philosophical. Writers of Christian fiction may have some motivations the rest of us don’t, they need to use the same techniques of the craft to reach their audience and keep them reading to the end.

Writing Reviews

As an author I am always hoping my work will be reviewed. But in the meantime, I write them. I review other writers’ books for the Washington Independent Review of Books and for The Big Thrill, the magazine of the International Thriller Writers. Unlike working on my own fiction, reviews are written on deadline. So why do I take time away from working on my next novel to talk about someone else’s?

For one thing, it provides great exposure. Every review I write appears on line with my byline and a short bio. They usually include a link to my web site. Because the reviews are part of a larger magazine they reach a huge audience. It’s one way for a large number of readers to find out about me and my books. It never hurts for your name to be all over internet.

It is also a great networking opportunity. My Washington Independent work puts me in contact with a team of movers and shakers in the DC writer community. My work with the editors of The Big Thrill makes me, de facto, a member of the ITW staff. In both cases, there are big advantages to these people knowing who I am and what I writer.

There is another, more subtle benefit to writing reviews. It forces you to deconstruct a variety of other authors’ work and through that process, learn more about the craft. Reviewing is much more than saying a book is good or bad. Beyond identifying the book’s genre and describing its content, you have to provide context. You have to be able to support your reaction to the book.

A good review explains what the author set out to do with that book and tells us whether or not he or she succeeded. It tells us how this book compares with similar books recently published. It lets us know what a reader can take away from the book. Most importantly, the review tells us whether or not the book is worth reading. Often you will note other issues or topics that SHOULD have been dealt with in the book. This kind of insight ultimately informs my own writing.

So, to get more exposure to reader, to become better known in the writing community, and to improve your own work, I recommend making the connections to start writing reviews. And, Oh, did I mention the free books?

WHAT An Event! The C3 Con 2018

Sunday we put a cap on the 6^th annual Creatures, Crimes & Creativity Con and many said it was the best yet. More than 80 writers and avid readers gathered together to talk about the books we love: mystery, suspense, thriller, horror, sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal fiction. We had some pretty impressive keynote speakers in Jamie Freveletti and Keith DeCandido but the event didn’t hang on them alone. And everyone gets a swag bag full of goodies but I don’t think people come for that. So what makes a geat small literary Convention?

I think a feeling of togetherness and community is key. We emphasize this by maintaining a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/452670518248659/ - that is a year-round place for genre fiction writers and their fans & readers to share news, opinions and idea. We support and enlighten one another, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a NY Times bestseller or just trying to get that first book out.

To further promote togetherness, all meals are included in the registration fee. That means almost everyone eats together. There are no assigned seats so fans and avid readers

As one of the organizers I work at showcasing the authors. That means that the two keynote speakers are treated… well not like kings, but maybe like the honored matriarchs or patriarchs of a big family. Each gives a dinner keynote speech and if they’re willing they offer a class to the group. They are on panels with the other writers which further heightens the feeling of community.

We interview our two local guest authors (John DeDakis and Ed Aymer who is pictured with me) in order to highlight their talents but also give them a chance to share their journey, how they got to where they are in their careers. By holding them up as examples we make them feel special.

Of course the core of the event is panels, and all published authors present on them. Best sellers sit beside newbies. In other ways we promote authors as much as we can. Both groups’ books are available for signing and sale at our two book signings. We list all their names and links on the C3 website, and we picture them all in the C3 program book.

To further focus on our writers we get the Baltimore County Public Library’s video team to shoot interviews. Sure, interviews of the big names are good for promotion, but for everyone else it’s a chance to feel like a star, a taste of the big-name life.

The new addition this year was Noir at the Bar, a reading series that takes place all over the world. In this case, ten of the attending authors read short stories, novel excerpts and in one case, a Halloween story set in an epic poem.

We love our little conference, but more, we love the little community that has grown around it. That, more than anything else, is what makes the Con great! Take a look at what we offered this year, and soon more about next year, on our website – www.creaturescrimesandcreativity.com