2018 New Year Newsletter

Hello Author, Have You Been Introduced To - Your Character?

Incredible mystery author J. A. Jance has said about fictional characters - "Just because I'm not paying attention to them doesn't mean they're not going on with their lives."

Writing means really knowing your characters very well. This means not just your main characters. It's important that your secondary, and even walk on characters are fully dimensional beings. I'll admit, I was layering in a new scene in my book with who had been a walk on character, but her part is now expanding a little. She tossed her hair in defiance. Ooops! I had no idea she had long hair, what it looked like, or even the color. I stopped cold as I realized, I really didn't know anything about this character, except the purpose I wanted her to execute originally for my story. That's not good enough in her expanded role. Actually that's not good enough in her original walk on role.

These characters are in scenes for the conscious purpose you have, as the author. But for them to feel tangible, as J. A. Jance notes, when these characters are not on the page the reader needs the sense that the characters have lives and actions before their scene and also after their scene.

After all, how can these characters fulfill their purpose in your story if they aren't fully dimensional beings? How can they aid a Protagonist if there isn't a feeling that they've lived and learned from their own experiences? How can they be a contrast or a provide a contribution if they don't have their own background?

Some secondary characters have made such strong impressions they return in sequels, or may have spin off stories of their own. Double check what you know about all your characters. Do you know them as people? Have you been fully introduced?

Learn From Published Authors - Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries with Authors - Recent Recordings

The Podners Talk Courage in Writing with NY Times Bestselling J. A. Jance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sLU8d0-6v8&feature=youtu.be

Kendall & Cooper Talk with co-authors Lynne & Valerie (Liv) Constantine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyPP6_PtFhw&feature=youtu.be

Stone cold good when Podners are with James Zisken author of Ellie Stone series - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgS2QMVkXzE&feature=youtu.be

Golden Hour author Marni Graff, Kay Vreeland, & Game recommender Alex Riggs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7f2s__X7SQ&feature=youtu.be

Chat with Inspector de Silva series author Harriet Steel joined by Kay Vreeland - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi2YqXfjvao&feature=youtu.be

K&C are roaming in the Scottish gloaming with award winning Val McDermid - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htrxZBAOiCw

Gayle Lynds, Queen of Espionage Thrillers holds court with K&C in a lively discussion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho3DvEQFhJM

K&C go off trail with eco-mystery author Pamela Beason - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dERZurAI2iE&feature=youtu.be

K&C talk gritty, Urban Noir with brilliant Danny Gardner - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAFvLW43pfI

Voila! K&C talk Travel Noir and Revenge in Paris with Valerie J. Brooks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_VWnNCPL7M

Exciting News for the Podners in Crime - Kendall & Cooper are hitting the road in 2018

We'll be podcasting live at the Chanticleer Authors Conference 2018 in April. We're very excited about our author guests and I look forward to revealing who they are soon, so stay tuned.

Tribute to two people we will miss. We're so fortunate to benefit from their legacies -

Fred Bass, the owner of New York City's iconic Strand Book Store. " He felt working with books was the best job in the world." Beautiful tribute at the Publishers Weekly link -

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/Obituary/article/75453-obituary-fred-bass-89.html

Sue Grafton, "the alphabet now ends with Y." She wrote Protagonist Kinsey Millhone, a unique, woman PI who was a former cop. This series started when PI mystery authors and their Protagonists were mostly male. One of many touching tributes, from the L A Times -

http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-sue-grafton-obit-20171229-story.html

Fun Fact From Cozy Research -

A lesson in the multi-dimensional layers you want in your characters, and that you always find in the real people around you, if you're interested and take the time to find out. In this case an introduction into the fascinating, famed designer Judith Leiber, by NPR Radio Organization -

https://www.npr.org/2017/05/27/530239150/art-you-can-wear-on-your-arm-for-judith-leiber-its-in-the-bag