Eclectic writer

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Friday, March 29, 2024

donalee Moulton is visiting and talking about Heroes, Heroines and Villains #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Panster #Plotter

1. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

I like it when good wins out over evil, so I tend to embrace heroes and heroines. I can sympathize with the villain, even understand their impulses, but in the end, I want the victory to go those with purer hearts.

That said, I am not a fan of what I call the hero at all costs. The person who disobeys the rules because they are morally above them, the champion who charges in because they know best, the defender who goes to the ends of the earth to solve an injustice and to the detriment of their friends and family. Excess does not appeal to me.

2. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

For me, heroes (and in the case of a few short stories anti-heroes) do not have the same origin story. Riel Brava, the main character in Hung Out to Die, started with a bath. I’m a big believer in bubbles, candles, scrubs, essential oils, and music with birds chirping in the background. One night immersed in a lavender cloud I realized it was time to begin writing my mystery. Get off the pot kind of thing. That led me to a litany of possible characters and crimes. Through the mist Riel emerged. Not fully formed but outlined enough that I wrote down my ideas before I even moisturized.

My second book, Conflagration!, was a different book and a different process. The book is a historical mystery and follows the trial of an enslaved Black women accused of arson in Montreal in 1734. This book is part of BWL Publishing’s Canadian Historical Mysteries series, and the idea originated with my publisher. I discovered the level of detail in court transcripts and the timelines set by the trial process meant I had a detailed blueprint for the book before I even began. My fictional character, court reporter Philippe Archambeau, had to fit into this world.

3. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

I have just finished the second of two new books that feature three main characters, all women – my first heroines. They meet at a yoga studio and the crime unravels mid-downward dog. Like all my characters, these women started as ideas and blurry images. They became more well-defined – and more real – as the stories unfolded. I am always amazed at the unexpected direction characters take me in. I am acutely aware at times that I am not in control of the writing.

4. Your favorite book?

Years ago I was asked to do a reading for National Book Week. A group of authors were asked to read from their favorite book. I picked Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. I fell in love with Wilbur and Charlotte and all the characters, and I realized this emotion was more than fleeting. This was the power of words: to move us and to stay with us.

5. Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

Three-dimensional characters are important. They’re more challenging to write, but they are also more realistic. I usually start with motive. If I can understand why someone would commit this crime or act in this way, then I can begin to understand the person I want the character to be.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My newest book is a historical mystery, Conflagration! It’s set in 1734 and follows the trial of Marie-Joseph Angélique, an enslaved Black woman accused of burning down the town’s entire merchants’ quarter – 45 homes and one convent-hospital. My main character is a court clerk assigned to follow the trial and ensure no stone is left unturned in the search for evidence.

It’s interesting you ask about heroes and villains. I’m not sure there are any clear demarcations in this book, except perhaps for the system of justice itself.

7. What are you working on now?

I’ve started a new series. The first book is “Bind.” It is a mystery. It is a story about friendship. It is an exploration of the ties that, well you get it. At its heart, “Bind” is a puzzle. A watch goes missing from a changeroom at a gym. It’s an expensive watch with a loud, arrogant owner. He’s suspect number one. There are a handful of others. Clues are sprinkled throughout the book like dirty laundry in a men’s locker room. Many of the clues are red herrings. Many are subtle indicators that point to the thief. First question that must be answered: is this a crime committed for money or personal reasons? The watch’s owner is a man easy to hate.

At its heart, “Bind” is about friendship. The main characters are three women who take the same yoga class at a studio located in the gym. The theft brings them together in unexpected and ultimately profound ways. We root just as much for these women as we do for the thief to be unveiled. There is a cast of regulars, including the police detective and the yoga instructor. Each a three-dimensional, likeable, and flawed human being. (Madoff, a pug, makes periodic appearances.)

8. How can people find you?

I’d love them to drop by donaleemoulton.com and say hello.

9. Who are your favorite authors?

Stepping back in time, my favorite author would be Doris Lessing, a powerful writer who moves mountains with the greatest of ease. Her writing is captivating. Today, Delia Owens tops my list. There were lines in Where the Crawdads Sing that stopped me cold. I read and reread them.

Friday, March 22, 2024

Karla Stover is visiting and talking about Creating Characters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Characters #Heroes #Heroines #Villains

2. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write? LOL, grammer check says this s/b “which are your favorites. . .”

I like creating the secondary characters i.e. friends of the heroine. With them, I can be loser about their dialogue, appearance, quirks, etc. Recently, a friend asked me to put her in a book so she is in chapter 1 of the novel on which I’m currently working. I had a friend who sold a “name mention,” apparently that’s a fairly common practice.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

The Bees Knees Cute Bumblebee Pun | Notebook Blank Journal | My Punny Bone Artist Shop Heroes are tough and I generally try to think what a famous hunk would do / say / or look like. For dog’s years I thought Harrison Ford was the absolute bee’s knees. Sadly, for both of us, he got too old, so I switched allegiance to Brad Pitt. Then I saw him wearing some sort of khaki skirt and it was sayonara Brad. After binge-watching Sons of Anarchy, I grew mighty attached to Charlie Hunnam - - except for the facial hair: not my thing. In the book I’m working on now, I want my hero to have a smile as cute as that of Rob Morrow in Northern Exposure. I doubt if my readers love my guys but my heroines do and that’s what counts.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

I like a heroine with at least one special interest. Pursuing that interest then leads her to situations. I love to read old newspapers and write my characters into what was actually happening in the appropriate town at the appropriate time. In Mr. Singer’s Seamstress, she’s, well duh, a seamstress. In Seamstress’s prequel, A Feather For a Fan, she’s a baker, and in the sequel to it, the heroine is a photographer. The setting for these three books is Tacoma, WA, first in 1878, next in 1883 and now circa 1917, and in addition to newspapers, I’ve been studying early photography techniques. However, my most recent book, Parlor Girls, takes place mostly in Chicago where the heroines are brothel madams. The way I write is that I start creating a setting and the heroine comes along.

However, for both heroines and heroes, I find giving them appropriate names—ones that feel real to me as I write is the most difficult part. Not even the “Name Your Characters” websites help. Right now, my hero is named Will but I’m finding it uncomfortable for some reason. I was watching TV the other day and one of the men was named Rikus. I looked the name up and a man named Rikus plays a key role in a series called Kingdom Hearts. I don’t know the series but I like the name and I think I’m going to use it.

Your favorite book?

One favorite book? An impossible task. If I’m sad, I read Betty McDonald’s books, The Egg and I, for example, but especially Anybody Can Do Anything. If I want something weighty and well-researched, I like Forever Amber. Right now, I’m ploughing through Elizabeth Goudge’s A Child From the Sea and for something a little lighter (not to mention a larger font,) The Widows of Malabar Hill. I could go on; in our car is Helen Rappaport’s Caught in the Revolution, in the truck is A Nurse in the Army of the Tsar, and in the bathroom is the baseball book that caused such a brouhaha, Ball Four. Wherever I am, it’s best to be prepared.

5. Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

I have an actual bad-guy in Mr. Singer’s Seamstress but that was a fluke. Generally, what I have are personality conflicts. Doesn’t everyone have friends who bug them? It’s a hoot to create snarky characters.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

Parlor Girls is my latest book. When I first learned about the Everleigh sisters, Ada and Minna, their rags-to-riches story, their world-famous brothel and genteel retirement I was fascinated. There don’t appear to be any definitive biographies about them so I read and researched to make the two, their “employees,” the local competition, (their only real villains,) and politicians as accurate as I could. Rather quickly I found that the more I looked at old photographs and newspaper articles, the more “you might like this” emails I received. It might not be big brother who is watching but retailers, Pinterest and spammers sure are.

7. What are you working on now?

During World War 1, a local girl went to war as a camouflage artist. This piqued me interest so I researched her, but more interesting to me was the work done by the Women's Reserve Camouflage Corps of which I knew nothing. I subscribe to a newspaper service which gives me access to old papers nation-wide. When I started my current book (and I wish I had a name for it) I had Louise, my heroine, testing a camouflage tarp she made.

8. How can people find you?

Facebook, mostly. I have an Insta account but have yet to post on it. I looked at it a few minutes go and saw that I have 4 followers. How delightfully strange is that?

9. Who are your favorite authors?

Ha! Most of them are dead. The afore-mentioned Betty McDonald and Lucy Maud Montgomery, but I just discovered James McBride and Simone St. James. McBride is a black author and sometimes his conversations, actions and descriptions are a struggle for me. St. James writes the best ghost stories I’ve read since I read The Uninvited (a good book and a good movie.) I binge-read all her books and have a library reserve on the newest. Our library system doesn’t have all of McBride’s books but I’m reading what they do have.

Friday, February 16, 2024

Janet Lane Walters is visiting and talking about characters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #writing #characters #heroes #heroines #villains

. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

My favorites to write are the villains. I think this is because I want my villains to be on the wrong sideof life but not too far. I rather like those villains who with different events in their lives could be heroes.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

Since I usuallyuse astrology to create my characters. I hit my books on the subject and look at the Sun, Moon and Rising signs and toss together bitsd from both. Naming my characters is as much a part of creating a character as their physical, emotional and nature are. Theyalways com after I have the idea for a book. The idea is always first when I write.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

Heroines are created the same as heros. They also come after the idea and the plot.

Love villains. Sometimes they aren't really bad butsomethign they stand inopposition to the hero or heroine in a story. Giving themsomething that makes them seem good helps set them up. My favorite villain loves his mother, and is helpful to others. Unfortunately some of his good traits become obsessive.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My latest release is Iced Tea and other short stories. The characters are a mixture of people rather than singletons.

7. What are you working on now?

I'm currently working on Keltoi a romantasy and the sixth book of a series. Have no idea what i'll do with it when done. an researching the start of a new mystery series. The Horror Writer's Demise.

9. Who are your favorite authors?

Day 1 Characters

2. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

My books all have alpha heroes, and each time I write one, I fall a little bit in love with him. Then again, I wouldn’t want to live them. Too much testosterone, if you know what I mean. My villains usually have a redeeming feature, although it doesn’t necessarily show when I write them. My heroines, though. They are strong sassy women who will stand up for themselves. Sometimes they need a little help though. That’s when my alpha heroes take center stage. I enjoy making them interact as they fall in love.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

When I come up with a hero, I start with an appropriate name. If he’s from a regency book, I check for historical names of the time. My small town heroes all ex-military, daring, and tough. I work out their age then look at the popular names from the year they were born. Then I usually change it.

I start with them, then work out who they’d fall for and what sort of trouble my hero’s in. When I wrote His Innocent Bride, the hero’s former mistress wants him back. She has help from an unexpected quarter, and he believes she’s scared of the wedding bed. She hires a tutor to teach her about sex.

When I write about my paranormal heroes, I can name them after classical gods, biblical characters, or anything else that takes my fancy. In my first Menage, I went for Bronte, Plato, and Gore. I try to give them flaws as well as pluses. Perfect would be damned annoying.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story? My current favorite book

I often start with a scene featuring the heroine. As I write it, I learn how she thinks and moves. That scene doesn’t often make it into the final draft, but it helps me build up her character. In Claimed as Theirs, the bad guys throw my human heroine—Gwen—into a cage of hungry vampires. That one made the cut.

One of my favorite books is my updated my Christmas story – Marriage, Mobsters, and the Marine. I’m a pantster not a planner. This one broke all my rules. I started with a downtrodden heroine who hasn’t enjoyed Christmas since her father died when she hit her teens. I needed to add danger and a major former military hero. I came up with a marriage of convenience, an evil great aunt who left a twisted will, and a self-contained Marine who never misses a shot. Of all my heroes Jared Armstrong is the one I could live with. He wants to walk away from killing and warfare, but circumstances pull him back in.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My latest release is Claimed as Theirs, but it’s almost two years old. I had friends who moved mountains during covid. Not me. I couldn’t write for toffee. I’ve almost finished a paranormal now. Since I’m dyslexic, it takes me ages to check the text before I submit it. Fortunately, my husband and my best friend also read them for me. I’d never not have a book edited by a publisher.

7. What are you working on now?

My WIP has the working title, Riverborn. I guarantee Stormy Night Publishers will come up with something stronger. It features the immortal son of Verbeia—the Roman Goddess of the River Wharfe. I had fun with this one since every place mentioned is visitable in Yorkshire, England. My heroine is kickass enough to stand up to two ancient gods, but she still needs my riverlord’s unusual skill set to survive.

8. How can people find you?

All my books are on Amazon. They can be found here. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kryssie-Fortune/author/B00J5AQOBU

9. Who are your favorite authors?

I read six or seven books a week. I’m currently fangirling on Tonya Penrose, Linda Rawlings, and Cate C. Wells. That’s an eclectic mix of mystery, philosophy, biker gangs all wrapped up in romance.

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Friday, October 28, 2022

Friday E. R, Yatscoff is visiting and talking about Characters #BWLAuthor #Heroes #heroines #villains

Day 1 Characters

2. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

My characters are confronted with something they’ve never dealt with before. It’s the same in my MG and YA stories where my unassuming protagonists must step up big time to solve their dilemma. They discover they have the hearts of lions in them.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

I suppose my protagonists are reluctant heroes thrown into situations, their world turned upside down. Most are from real life, created around people I’ve known at some point in my life. They are imbedded in my head before the story is written.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

Your favorite book?

The only thing close to heroines are the women in FIRE DREAM and MAN ON FIRE. One is a news reporter and the other is a dogged fore investigator. Both drive the stalwart firefighter character crazy. They were vital to the story and created almost simultaneously as the protagonist was. The female fire investigator steered a lot of the story. As for my favorite book, I think it’s FIRE DREAM

Two protagonists in SERVICES RENDERED are almost villians. They color outside the lines when it comes to vengeance for their clients. Their only saving grace is that they aren’t afraid of gangbangers, who are quite a bit worse. In TEETH OF THE COCODRILO I have a Mexican criminal and sicario (assassin) and a high ranking police commandant who is in a gray area.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My latest release is SERVICES RENDERED. The big hero at the end is an indigenous man who pulls them out of danger. My two sort of heroes are occasionally devils and sometimes angels. They really turn into devils when their families are threatened by gangbangers (villians) and they must react—fight fire with fire.

7. What are you working on now?

THE NIKE BIRDS: It’s almost ready for Beta readers. My small publisher only wanted my firefighter series so I’m going all out to get a big publisher.

Two university students, Canadian Lucas Horne and the rich and beautiful Colombian Avalina Vargas, meet on a jungle trek to Colombia’s Lost City where they find a strong attraction for each other. Their subsequent abduction finds them as prisoners in a remote jungle camp and sets in motion a country-wide manhunt.

8. How can people find you? My website is YatscoffBooks.com which has links to all my novels. My email is TGRbooks@shaw.ca. FB page is E.R. Yatscoff author

9. Who are your favorite authors? Dan Fesperman Linwood Barclay (beat me out for a Crime Writers of Canada award) Carmen Amato (Acapulco detective Emilia Cruz)

Day Two

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Thursday Meet some of the Characters from Confronting the Wizards of Erda #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #fantasy #jewels #young adult

Jindera has talents allowing her to hold one of the Jewels. After escaping from her cruel uncle, she must find her twin brother. He has an affinity for plants.

Mara is an orphan among the desert tribes. Since she has no status, she is treated cruely be many of the clans. She flees then and meets with the Jewel holders and learns she is one of their group.

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Thursday, September 22, 2022

Thursday Meet some of the characters from Search for the White Jewel #BWLAUthor #MFRWAuthor #fantasy #young adult #jewels of power

Liara is the daughter of the forner queen of Erda, sent into exile by her sister. Liara wants to find the white jewel and restore fairness to the land. She is opposed by Reena, daughter of the Holder of the Black Jewel. When her mother dies, she recieves the black jewel but has no idea how to use it.

Rob Grantlan refused to enter the family business and became a doctor. He'd always wanted to be an author. He resigned from his position as the chief doctor at a local nursing home and took time to write. His first book was a success and he's now considering a movie deal with a former rival and friemd. When his sister dies, he becomes guardian of her child. This means he has to turn his life around. He does hire a nanny.

Andi Sherman is an old flame, her brother is the father of the infant. She is returning to town to become a pediatric nurse practitioner in a group where the head had asked ehr to marry him. She refused. When she arrives in town, she comes upon a wrecked car and calls for help. The driver is badly injured but the child in the rear car seat isn't. Andy removes the child and cares for hr until the ambulance arrives. Being curious about the pair she drives to the hospital since she still has the diaper bag.

Seeing Rob, she wants to run but she gives him the bag and takes off. Why has she come back>

Rob is stunned to see her and his old feelings are rekindled. Will she stay and when he learns about her brother being the father, can he share csutody with her?

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